Teachers know English and maths matter.

Yet, government policy seems intent on reinforcing this point time and time again, most often with an emphasis on achieving a grade 4 (or previously a C) or above.

For example, school accountability metrics such as achieving five A*-C grades and the EBacc both required this threshold to be met - something that many have warned is leading to a narrowing of the curriculum to focus more and more efforts on these two subjects.

However, there has been some rebalancing in recent years, such as in 2016 when the accountability metric Progress 8, despite double-weighting the grades of English and maths when calculating school scores, made no reference to the grade 4 (C) threshold. Full disclosure - I played a part in designing Progress 8.

In addition, when the 2019 Ofsted framework moved from having judgements on “outcomes for pupils” to a new, more holistic, judgement on “quality of education”, it seemed to reduce the emphasis on a narrow set of subjects and grades.

The latest push 

However, now the cycle turns again, but this time it is government proposals on higher education access and funding, announced yesterday, that return these two subjects to centre stage.  

In particular, the government is consulting on the introduction of minimum entry requirements for higher education, such that students must achieve at least a grade 4 in English and maths GCSE or two Es at A level (or the equivalent for vocational qualifications).

Without these grades, students won’t be able to access student loans, which, for all but the most well-off students, means no access to university.

These proposals are to ensure that “students aren’t being pushed into higher education before they are ready” and, less ostensibly, to bring the cost of higher education to the government down.

At first glance, you may think this proposal gives students two options at making the cut: at GCSE and then A level. But in fact, it’s still all about securing grade 4 in English and maths at age 16.

There are three reasons why this is the case.

Firstly, most schools and colleges already have the same requirement to study A levels. So, no English and maths grade 4 at 16, no A levels and no university.

Secondly, securing the vocational equivalent of two A levels may be no easier in the near future.

Currently, many students without a grade 4 in English and maths progress to level 3 applied general qualifications before progressing to university.

Reduced options 

However, the government is due to replace almost all of these qualifications with T levels.

And while the government has removed the requirement to achieve the English and maths threshold in order to pass the T level, the more demanding nature of these new qualifications means most schools and colleges will maintain this as an entry requirement anyway.

No English and maths grade 4 at 16, no A-level equivalent qualification and no university.

Thirdly, although English and maths resits remain an option (or rather a requirement), only 24 per cent of students subsequently secure at least a grade 4 in English, and only 18 per cent for maths.

Concerningly, these figures are even lower for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are likely to end up with worse grades than they achieved the first time around.

So once again - no English and maths grade 4 at 16, no English and maths grade 4 at 18 and no university.

For those that don’t make the cut at 16, what are the alternatives? There remain few apprenticeship options for young people, but what about options for level 2 study?

A year after the call for evidence on level 2 provision, we are still waiting to hear from the government on how this provision is going to be reformed, leaving schools and colleges in the lurch.

Immense pressure 

This may just seem like a return to the days when it was Ofsted and performance tables that pushed the importance of securing these grades but, even then, schools could still decide to prioritise other provisions for their students if they thought it was in their best interests over the longer term.

But this time, for many students, securing a grade 4 in English and maths in key stage 4 may be their only chance at progressing to higher education.

It’s easy to see how this may mean schools feel immense pressure to increase their focus on these subjects, and teachers in those subjects will be under an immense burden too, as, suddenly, they and they alone will hold the key to unlocking the future life choices students want.

Of course, no one is doubting these subjects are important, but if you’d hoped that coming out of the pandemic there might be a more holistic view of secondary education, think again.

David Robinson is director of post-16 and skills at the Education Policy Institute (EPI). He tweets @DavidR0bins0n