Basingstoke MP Maria Miller recently called in at Queen Mary’s College to meet students from QMC and Basingstoke College of Technology who are currently studying for BTEC qualifications and Extended Diplomas in a range of subjects.
The Government is reviewing the funding of post-16 qualifications, and has recently carried out a consultation. The Principals of the two colleges, Ali Foss and Anthony Bravo, had invited Maria to meet students to hear their views on the qualifications.
Maria said: “I was pleased to meet the students from QMC and BCOT and to hear their views about the BTEC and Diploma courses they are taking, or in some cases have recently completed. It was clear that they very much value the opportunity to study in this way, with the emphasis on continual assessment rather than examinations.”
“I stressed that no decisions had been taken at this stage, and that following the end of the public consultation the Department for Education will carry out the second stage of the review later in 2019. I will be writing to the Minister to make her aware of the views expressed to me at this meeting.”