Almost exactly 12 months ago, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set out his plans for all students in England to study some form of maths to age 18.

Ten months later, the Prime Minister went much further by announcing plans for a single qualification – called “the Advanced British Standard” – to bring together A-levels and T-levels as well as making both maths and English compulsory to 18. 

Just before Christmas, the government published a consultation on how they think the Advanced British Standard could work in practice – albeit at the end of a 10-year implementation period. 

So what do we know so far about the Advanced British Standard? Does it look like a step in the right or wrong direction for educating 16 to 19-year-olds in England? And even if the Advanced British Standard is a good idea, is it an achievable idea? 

Our guests today are Tom Sherrington, a former teacher and headteacher and now education consultant, author and blogger, and Tim Oates CBE, Group Director of Assessment Research and Development at Cambridge Assessment.  

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