Valuable basics

Reading your report (28 July) that those “struggling academically” at school can “pick up a 
series of vocational qualifications” has to raise concerns about what is meant by “academic”.

Labelling English and mathematics as “academic areas” seems out of place when employers are widely quoted as finding young applicants inadequately versed in such basics.

Using army-cadet style training to encourage those for whom teaching is failing to gain certification in “cadetship”, army proficiency, first aid and Duke of Edinburgh awards, seems proven to benefit participants in terms of their becoming confident in the associated skills, but is there evidence that subsequent employment prospects improve, with potential for later advancement?

How can the Curriculum for Excellence’s “broad education phase” into which this supposedly fits really relate without some “academic focus”?

One would hope pupils switching off from formal school CfE studies but gaining success in skills training would be confident enough to try further education; this would surely vindicate the approach. It remains wrong to classify those who struggle at school as no-hopers, so find the funding for the initiative and encourage participants to plan beyond certification successes.

Joe Darby

Cullicudden

Dingwall, Ross-shire