Home > News > September 2004 > 01-Sep-2004

Encouraging start for vocational GCSEs

Philip Whiteman, chief executive of the science, engineering and manufacturing technologies skills council, SEMTA, has welcomed the first results of the new vocational GCSE in engineering and related subjects. Almost nine out of every ten pupils that took the engineering award achieved a pass rate and similar results were achieved in manufacturing and applied science.

Whiteman congratulated both teachers and pupils for their efforts in making a success of the new qualifications, particularly the double award for engineering. "The results show how challenging the new qualifications are for both pupils and teachers and are firmly in line with the rigorous traditions of the longer established GCSEs. SEMTA intends to devote greater resources towards schools in the future to enable both pupils and teachers to achieve more success.

"We are all commited to making subjects like engineering, manufacturing and applied science relevant to today's pupils, to making them come alive in the class room. These initial results show we have made a good start but there is still much to do."

Training and development books

Discover books on a variety of training and development topics at the Training Reference Bookshop

Source suppliers

Visit the Training Reference Directory to view supplier details for a wide range of courses, products and services.

Sponsored links

Back to top