Maths and English skills ditched for adult apprentices

Businesses employing adult apprentices will now have the power to decide whether a Maths and English qualification should be part of the prescribed course, following a rule change by the government.

The Department for Education (DfE) says this could mean 10,000 more apprentices are able to complete courses every year.

More than 90,000 people over the age of 19 began apprenticeships between August and October 2024.

However, more than 45% of apprentices drop out of schemes without completing the course, according to the most recent DfE figures.

The government hopes that relaxing the rules for apprentices over the age of 19 will ensure more students are both applying for, and completing, apprenticeships in sectors where there continues to be high demand, such as healthcare, social care and construction.

Apprentices aged 16-18 will still have to complete an English and Maths functional skills qualification - equivalent to a GCSE - as a course requirement.

Gabby Reid, 21, recently completed an apprenticeship working as a coach for England Boxing, and is now pursuing a business and administration apprenticeship for the Coach Core Foundation.

Ms Reid admits she "scraped" a pass in her GCSE Maths during the pandemic, when exams were teacher-assessed.

In her current role, she supports new apprentices, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds; she believes Maths and English qualifications should be optional.

"That could be the one thing that is putting them off applying for, or completing, the course - even if they love coaching.

"It shouldn't be a necessity."

Mariah Sutton, 27, completed her business and administration apprenticeship at the Heart of Worcestershire College, and is now doing a second apprenticeship in human resources at Polaris, a children's services provider.

Maths was always a "massive struggle" for Ms Sutton.

After taking extra night classes, buying lots of books, and with the help of tutors, she was "over the moon" when she passed her functional skills level 2 in Maths.

But she says the pressure of knowing she had to complete a Maths qualification took some of the enjoyment out of the rest of her apprenticeship.

"It was always at the back of my mind, and I think it restricted my full potential."

"If you are learning a construction skill, of course you need to be able to measure, you need to understand ratios - but perhaps you are best off learning those as part of your on-the-job training, rather than having to do a separate English and Maths qualification," Skills Minister Jacqui Smith told Radio 4's Today programme.

"[The need for a qualification] sometimes puts people off going into apprenticeships in the first place, and quite often means people can't finish those apprenticeships," she added.

The government has also confirmed plans to reduce the minimum duration of an apprenticeship, from 12 months to eight months, from August 2025.

The move has been welcomed by many businesses, who say the changes will help employers to fill skills gaps more swiftly.

"Shorter apprenticeships will allow more people to move quickly, with the right skills, into key roles in shortage sectors like renewable energy and the health service - filling crucial skills gaps," explained David Hughes, Association of Colleges chief executive.

Failing to secure a qualification in Maths or English is one of the key reasons apprentices do not complete courses.

But EDSK, an education think tank, previously found a majority of those who dropped out of apprenticeships also cited "poor quality" schemes, highlighting a lack of training and bad management.

Other bodies would like to see the government go further.

David Smith, chief executive of Lifetime, England's largest apprenticeship provider, welcomed the rule change, saying it would help address a significant barrier for many apprentices, particularly those who are considered most disadvantaged.

But Mr Smith said he was "disappointed" the change was not extended to apprentices aged 16-18.

The Learning and Work Institute, however, believe it is a mistake to reduce the minimum length of an apprenticeship, and criticised the government decision to remove any requirement for those over 19 to obtain qualifications in English and Maths.

"England is already an outlier compared to other countries, with shorter apprenticeships and far less general education like English and Maths.

"Lowering standards in this way will increase this disparity," said chief executive Stephen Evans.