Schools need to be able to offer to each pupil the right high-quality, rigorous qualifications to allow them to progress to further study and work. That is why the Government has removed restrictions over the use of accredited and established iGCSEs and will make sure there are no perverse incentives in the performance tables to put pupils on to courses which are not right for them.
We have already taken steps to remove unnecessary bureaucracy and cost associated with the Diploma: the requirement for every school to give access to every Diploma subject has been removed; the development of an extended Diploma and the four 'academic' Diplomas have stopped; and schools/colleges are no longer required to form consortia and be approved by government before they can offer the Diploma. These changes will remove layers of complexity and red tape, make curriculum planning and timetabling more straightforward and allow schools and colleges to offer the qualifications they believe are right for their students.
