The English Examining Boards: Their route from independence to government outsourcing agencies

Development

Rationale

Primary Effects

Secondary Effects

1853

Department OfScience and Art
created within Board of Trade______

To address perceived weakness of

English workforce________________

Established practical training as
separate from schools___________

Signalled academic-vocational
divide_________________________

1856

RSA provides accreditation for
regional Mechanics’ Institutes_______

To accredit practical skills

Skills attainments recognised

Vocational qualifications
unrelated to schools____________

1878

City & Guilds of London Institute
established

To improve technical and
vocational training and attainment

Independent bodies control
vocational education

Voluntarism firmly built into
vocational education

ca 1903

London Chamber of Commerce

To accredit commercial skills

Business skills separated from
craft skills

Hierarchy of skills developing
as providers burgeon

1964

Industrial Training Boards
established

To update and improve
apprenticeship

National system with day
release for general education in
colleges__________________________

Employers' financial
contribution established

1969

Haslegrove Report established BEC
and TEC______________________

To regulate college-based
vocational courses_________________

New provider challenges 3
established awarding bodies_____

Alternative provision to
apprenticeship system_________

1976

CGLI established Foundation
Courses for FE colleges, schools

To address needs of ROSLA pupils

Opportunity for ‘new’ 6¹
formers in schools, colleges______

Start of pre-vocational
education and core skills_______

1980s

Industrial Training Boards phased
out by Thatcher government_______

To replace a national system with
market forces______________________

Apprenticeships virtually end

Growing need for effective
vocational education__

1983

BTEC created by merger of BEC &

TEC______________________

Consolidation of growing agencies

Effective route mainly via FE
colleges__________________________

Competition for 6^th forms and
exam boards________________

1985

CPVE accredited by C&G and

BTEC____________________

Need for alternative to academic
route in post-16 education___________

Flexible course with experiential
learning and teacher assessment

Concerns about disparities in
standards______________________

1986

NCVQ established

To regulate the many vocational
qualifications_______________________

NVQs created as competence-
based , criterion referenced_______

Sustained bias that applied
learning differs from general

1991

Incorporation of FE & 6^lh-form
colleges

To raise standards through
competition_______________________

Competition for students taking
new GNVQs______________

З-track system confirmed

1996

QCA absorbs NCVQ

To bridge the ac7voc divide at
regulatory level

Central statutory regulation over
all qualifications

NVQs still outside framework;
still ‘different’