Recommendation 29

We recommend the introduction of a three-route model for those who have not attained grade 4 GCSE in maths and/or English based on their level of attainment at age 16 and their chosen post-16 qualification or employment pathway: 95 • Route A: Students who, based on their GCSE results at age 16 and prior attainment, have a realistic prospect of achieving grade 4 in maths and/or English, should be supported to work towards those qualifications. • Route B: Vocational courses of study, for which the maths and English content required can be easily identified, should have that content built into the curriculum. Students taking courses with embedded maths and English content, which have been rigorously quality assured, may then be considered for exemption from the requirement to resit maths and English GCSE. • Route C: Students who, based on prior attainment, are very unlikely to attain grade 4 in maths and/or English despite multiple resits and who would benefit from pursuing a functional skills qualification in maths and/or English—for example, focused on financial literacy, debt and interest, and household budgeting—should be supported to achieve a pass in that form of qualification. (Recommendation, Paragraph 113)