Recommendation 42

The post-16 condition of funding, whereby students who have not achieved a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and maths are effectively repeatedly required to take GCSE resits in those subjects as part of their programme of study, must be reformed. Despite a modest rise in overall attainment over the past ten years, the progression rate from age 16 to 19 remains low, with 72 per cent of those who did not achieve grade 4 at 16 still not achieving that grade by 19. This policy can be demoralising for students and a huge strain on colleges and their staff. Whilst ensuring that students continue to make progress in literacy and numeracy, an alternative approach is necessary. (Conclusion, Paragraph 186)