The education of 14-19 year-olds is one of the biggest political debates of our time.
The Brown government is legislating to raise the age at which young people leave compulsory education or training. Major reforms for qualifications are planned from later in 2008.
In this compelling collection of essays, leading education thinkers including Michael Barber, Alan Smithers, Mike Tomlinson and Alison Wolf consider these changes and debate their impact. They discuss the pros and cons of compulsion and the choices vailable to young people, including the new Diplomas and apprenticeships.
With a foreword by the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls and an introductory essay by former BBC Education Editor Mike Baker, this is the essential guide to the issues at stake.
This report was kindly supported by Association of Accounting Technicians.
