Lib Dems: Take-up threatened by diploma confusion

The "grotesquely confusing qualifications maze" created by the government threatens take-up of the new diploma qualification, the Liberal Democrats believe.

Children, schools and families spokesperson David Laws warned the diplomas, due to be introduced in most schools and colleges from this September, are making life "difficult" for both pupils and schools.

His comments come as Jerry Jarvis, head of exam board Edexcel, warned in a Guardian interview poor preparation for the diplomas was placing Britain at "huge education risk".

Mr Laws said the criticisms were "entirely fair and accurate".

"The government has chosen such a complex and muddled structure for the diploma that there must be real concerns that take-up is going to be far lower than ministers hoped for," he commented.

"[Schools secretary] Ed Balls should now seriously consider introducing a simpler general diploma, retaining GCSEs and A-levels as building blocks of this diploma."