NASUWT: Exam boards protecting A-levels

Criticism of the new diplomas qualifications by exam board chief Jerry Jarvis should be taken with a pinch of salt, the general secretary of Britain's largest teacher's union believes.

Chris Keates of the NASUWT said it was important to remember that A-levels and GCSEs are a "nice little earner" for exam boards.

But he hoped the Edexcel chief's comments were "motivated by more than profit" and insisted there were "some very big issues to tackle" regarding the roll-out of diplomas.

"The best way to make sure that the diplomas work is not to add more pressure on teachers and schools by scaremongering and causing panic," Mr Keates added.