ASCL welcomes the acknowledgement that the current system is not working for a substantial proportion of young people. The data is clear: for over a decade, policy has relied on repeated GCSE resits and increased compulsion, yet outcomes for “the forgotten third” have largely flatlined.

However, we are concerned that the proposed Level 1 “stepping stone” qualification does not represent the step change that is needed. Instead, there is a significant risk that it repackages the same underlying approach - one that has already been shown not to work for many learners.

ASCL has serious concerns about the framing of the qualification as a “stepping stone” to GCSE, as students can only access this qualification having ‘failed’ GCSE. This proposal risks continuing the very cycle it seeks to break.

Full response to consultation