Schools are steering pupils away from hairdressing

Schools are preventing teenagers from exploring alternatives to A Levels to avoid losing pupil funding in the sixth form, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research think tank. Secondary schools have been legally required since last January to allow colleges to advertise vocational qualifications to pupils from the age of 12. The think tank analysed more than 100 schools in England and found less than two fifths (37.6%) were complying with the new legislation. Several colleges have complained ‘selective compliance’ vocational courses, such as hairdressing, are only being offered to underperforming pupils who are not ‘deemed’ fit for the sixth form. The NHF’s chief executive Hilary Hall toldHJ exclusively the system is stacked against apprenticeships because schools and colleges rely on funding from student numbers. She said: “We have repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of information made available to school learners about apprenticeships. This is despite an NHF survey showing apprenticeships are the preferred route of entry into our industry for a whopping 97% of employers.”