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t ever grade, necessitating an initial Assessment test to ensure students are able to progress.

One of the advantages of the tripartite system was the attempt, if not successful, to establish a system of the technical schools. I think it is very important to continue expansion in this direction and to develop different types of secondary schools. One type of school should have more academic orientation and another one more technical or vocational, in short starting the work of vocational colleges in advance and allowing successful students to progress earlier than would otherwise have been possible. Both of them could be a part of one comprehensive school.

The decision on which school each particular child is going to attend should be left to the parents and the children. I believe that such system would be more just and would give a better chance of quality education for all students regardless of their social status cumulating in the progression to a productive, profitable and fulfilling career choice.

My specialist area prepares students for a vocational career where the development of skills is paramount, this is an area which was scrutinised by Lord Leitch who was asked by the Government in 2004 to consider what the UK's long-term ambition should be for developing skills in order to maximise economic prosperity, productivity and to improve social justice.

Lord Leitch, placed great emphasis on the skills agenda, often referred to as the 'employer engagement' agenda reflecting the Government's belief in the importance of employer input. I must admit to finding it difficult to understand Lord Leitch's model as the report itself contains no details of the modelling that led him to his conclusions, ('working towards' is in my opinion not a target at all), putting this aside I can only go with his findings one of which is the target that 40 per cent of the 19-65 population should hold a level 4 qualification by 2020. Lord Leitch adds,

'This challenge is formidable. Skills matter fundamentally for the economic and social health of the UK. I have listened to key stakeholders and eminent thinkers at home and abroad. There is consensus that we need to be much more ambitious and a clear message that the UK must 'raise its game'.'.

2006. p 5

I feel strongly about the content of this report and hope that the targets are achieved. We can not be a nation of service industries, more needs to be done to ensure that we hack stuff out of the ground, add value to it and sell it on at a profit, ok this is slightly flippant but the principle holds true.

Education in the 60's in my opinion was perceived as a means of supporting the countries economic prosperity rather than adding value to the student supporting them to fulfil their dreams, ambitions and potential. The move to comprehensive schools accelerated in the 70's, ensuring the demise of a large number of grammar schools. Mrs Thatcher was Education Secretary at this time, I think she did very little to improve community regard and spirit relating to education, her first act was to abolish free school milk for the over sevens, a departure from the values of 1944.

During the 80's education became more centralised with increased emphasis placed on parent involvement. The provision of free school meals was removed and The 1988 Education Act set out the National Curriculum,