Plea to firms on A-levels
Aug 17 2006 By Graeme Whitfield, The Journal
North-East businesses have been told not to rubbish A-level results - by their own leaders.
With thousands of children in the region due to pick up their exam scores today, the North-East Chamber of Commerce has called on firms in the region to take a more active role in local schools rather than criticising them.
Schools in Newcastle will today report their best ever pass rates, while other parts of the region are also forecasting improvements in scores.
That rise in scores has led to criticism of A-levels and GCSEs, with the CBI weighing in with its annual criticism of education standards earlier this week.
But Chamber of Commerce chief executive James Ramsbotham says it is up to businesses to help schools develop courses that are more sympathetic to their needs if they aren't satisfied with the standard of school leavers.
He said: "It is undoubtedly true that the system could be more sympathetic to employers' needs.
"Businesses need to be able to recognise the right candidate for their specific vacancy yet the rise in grades is bunching school leavers together in the higher marks.
"However, business cannot keep being seen to rip the rug from under candidates on the day they receive their grades by devaluing their efforts. This not only de-motivates school leavers, it also ignores the responsibility employers have to get more actively involved in local education.
"Bringing schools and businesses more closely together would have a tremendous impact, not least on raising aspirations among young people by showing them the opportunities that exist on their doorstep. It would also show business leaders young people today do indeed work incredibly hard - in many ways much harder than was previously the case."
In Newcastle, provisional figures show that the passes at grades A-E are 96.3% - an improvement on last year's results day figures of 2.3%. Newcastle cabinet member for education Coun Nick Cott described the results as "fantastic".
Sunderland reported a pass rate of 94% for the third year running, with a A-C pass rate of 56%.
