MPs award qualification poor marks

Ministers should have waited until after the current review of the national curriculum was completed before introducing the so-called EBacc, the Commons Education Select Committee suggested yesterday.

In its latest report, the cross-party group of MPs raised concerns at the speed at which the measure was introduced, as well as the possible impact on pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The prescription of the EBacc does not cater for the differences between pupils, and could result in some being forced into taking subjects that they are not suited to, it warns.

The EBacc is awarded to teenagers who score at least C grades in English, maths, science, history or geography and a modern foreign language at GCSE.

Education Secretary Michael Gove introduced the EBacc at the end of last year, and the measure is now included in league tables – allowing schools to be rated on the proportion of their pupils achieving the benchmark.