Will school leaving age be 18?

Apr 22 2008 by Tomos Livingstone, Western Mail

THERE is no rift between England and Wales on whether to raise the school leaving age to 18, UK Schools Minister Ed Balls insisted yesterday. Prime Minister Gordon Brown is keen to use the idea as a key dividing line with David Cameron’s Conservatives at the next general election. But the change, due to come into force in 2013, applies only to England.

Ministers in Cardiff Bay are not enthusiastic about compulsion, and say there is already a target to keep 93% of Welsh 16-19 years olds in education or training. But Mr Balls, speaking to the Western Mail, denied the differences amounted to a significant policy division. He said: “We have the same ambitions in England and Wales for every young person to be in education until the age of 18.

“I’ve had a detailed discussion with Rhodri Morgan and Jane Hutt, and we had an exchange of letters a few weeks back.

“The way we are doing it allows us to make sure... the Assembly in Wales can keep a close eye on our reforms. They are monitoring the way we are doing it very closely.”

“One of the advantages of devolution is that you can do things in a different way and then compare results,” said Mr Balls. “My contact with Rhodri didn’t suggest in any way there was either a different objective or as a matter of principle a different way of doing it. We will be observing what we’re both doing in a co-operative way.”

Former Home Secretary Charles Clarke has accused the Schools Minister of being “well acquainted” with the dark arts of anonymous briefing against the party leadership. Mr Balls had called for critics of Mr Brown to stop their “indulgent nonsense”, but in The Times Mr Clarke said: “He should stop attacking others anonymously or in code and look to his own performance and record.”

Mr Balls said: “I think Charles and I were both in a bad mood this weekend after our team, Norwich City, lost 2-1 to West Brom – and he chose to kick me rather than the dog. The important thing in the run up to the elections is that we stay united, show that we are on the side of hard-working families, and continue to deliver for them.”