DfE not swayed by criticism as Queen’s Speech confirms agenda

The section on education signalled in a few brief sentences that Michael Gove, the education secretary, would not be giving way to the concerns of the profession or others in driving forward his plans.

There were four main references to education, including the implementation of the new national curriculum and the wider examination reforms at GCSE and A level, which will see the move to terminal examinations among other changes.

Also included was the controversial move to performance-related pay for teachers, which comes into effect from September 2014.

The speech also referenced the government’s ambition that it “becomes typical for those leaving school to start a traineeship or an apprenticeship, or to go to university”. Traineeships are six-month courses run with employers that are intended to form a “stepping stone” to Apprenticeships and other jobs for students aged 16 to 19. They are to be introduced in August.