Wales says no to EBacc

A 14-month review of qualifications for 14 to 19 year-olds in Wales has rejected the EBacc in favour of retaining GCSEs as the main Key Stage 4 pupil performance measure. The Review, commissioned by Deputy Minister for Skills, Jeff Cuthbert, presents a practical plan for the future of qualifications, characterised by gradual change, with Wales and England parting company when Michael Gove’s English Baccalaureate Certificate (EBC) is introduced in 2016. The Welsh Government will respond to the report by the end of January, but meanwhile, the Minister for Education and Skills, Leighton Andrews, and Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage, Huw Lewis, have agreed to a joint review of the way the arts and education sectors work in Wales, with a focus on improving the quality and range of arts in schools. Members of a ‘task and finish’ group, led by Arts Council of Wales Chair, Professor Dai Smith, are looking at what schools are doing to encourage participation in the arts, how the arts sector engages with schools and what opportunities are available for learners. Schools, educational establishments, artists and arts organisations have been asked to take part in a survey on the issues, and the outcomes of the review will be published in spring 2013.