Ron Dearing: We need a marriage between school and work

Nothing less than the transformation of education and training for 14- to 19-year-olds is the task that lies ahead for a group under Mike Tomlinson, the former Chief Inspector of Schools. Do I hear a sigh from the teachers? "Not another one: if we could only devote the energy to teaching that we give to Government initiatives, change and the bureaucracy that comes with it, that would indeed be a transformation."

As someone who has been responsible for more than a few of the initiatives in the past 15 years, perhaps I should confess my sins and retire to the back of the class. But, teacher, take heart. First, the Government wants consultation and to build a consensus for change over a decade, rather than create another brave new world. Hopefully lessons have been learnt from the fallout from the big bang approach to the national curriculum; the proclaimed new dawn for vocational training through the Youth Training Scheme, and, more recently, the introduction of modular A-levels. In appointing Mr Tomlinson to lead the review, the Government has found someone who knows his stuff about teaching.

I read that Mr Tomlinson has inherited some 2000 responses to earlier consultation on what should be done. I have no doubt the chattering classes will add to that in the next 18 months. Meanwhile, here are three thoughts from an old campaigner.

First, Mr Tomlinson, however much you find that the debate is being focused on the future of A levels, or the baccalaureate that might succeed them, the more pressing problem, as the Government now recognises – one we have failed to crack for at least a century – is the provision of a highly regarded, effective, popular system of vocational, education and training, whether through schools, colleges, or apprenticeships. As the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, said in launching a new Modern Apprenticeships task force last month: "Skills are Britain's Achilles Heel". Part of the reason is that we have not secured the marriage between vocational education in schools and colleges and employment. It will make an excellent start if you and the chairman of the new Skills Task Force, Sir Roy Gardner, make it your business to work as a team.

Your second major challenge is to create a framework for learning that is broad enough to hold many more young people, who are not by inclination academic, in education and training after age 17. We come bottom but four out of 29 developed nations in league tables for participation in education and training after age 17. As you go on to investigate our dismal performance you will see there is a close correlation between drop-out rates at 17 and social class, just as there is between GCSE results and social class. The issue of class in education is still with us, with too many young people born into disadvantaged homes and neighbourhoods and destined to second-class chances in life through lack of achievement at school, college and in training.

This is a social and moral issue, as well as an economic problem, of direct relevance to the wellbeing of our civilisation. We face the danger of an increasingly fractured society, and that for me is the biggest single issue that we need to face in education.

My third task for you, Mr Tomlinson, is to lay the basis for a transformation that will lead to teachers wanting to stay in the profession. You startled me a few years ago when you told a group of Parliamentarians that there were as many qualified teachers not teaching, as there are qualified teachers in schools. It is not they did not enjoy teaching: the problems have been the burden of administration, the management of successive change and the frustration of trying to teach young people who do not want to learn the curriculum they are offered. On all three you can make an impact for good.

Still not a word on A levels? That can come another day. My concern today has been with the scholarship-level problems, while you are still fresh.

Lord Dearing has been an adviser to successive governments on education

education@independent.co.uk