The National Baccalaureate Trust is a registered charity set up to promote the idea of introducing a National Baccalaureate for England. We have two key modes of operation:

• Promoting Policy Change: Our goal is to influence debate and policy-making so that ultimately a fully-formed Baccalaureate for England is introduced for all learners across the country.

• Supporting grass-roots Baccalaureate implementation: Through our accreditation process, we are working with schools, colleges and system-level organisations to support them in establishing a Baccalaureate-style curriculum right now, building on their existing provision to ensure all learners gain credit for their achievements across all aspects of their learning.

Our education system has many strengths. We have fantastic teachers, innovative leaders and wonderful schools and colleges that are continuing to improve year on year. We have an incredibly dynamic education community engaged with research and committed to seeking excellence and tackling disadvantage. The sector’s response to the pandemic has highlighted many of these strengths. But, despite these strengths, too many young people, especially those judged to be at the lower end of the attainment range, are denied the opportunity to leave school with a fair record of their successes and achievements, however hard they work. Too often, young people’s educational careers are defined solely in terms of a collection of exam results, often in a narrow range of disciplines and with inadequate regard for technical education, creative learning and personal development.

We believe a successful education encompasses so much more than this, which is why, as members of the National Baccalaureate Trust, we have been working to design an exciting new type of leavers’ award for students in English schools and colleges, which acknowledges all our young people’s achievements, including academic and technical qualifications as well as their participation in the arts, sport and civic activity. With the range of pressures facing schools and colleges, now is the time to broaden our understanding of education so that our young people are properly equipped to thrive in the 21st century. To do this we want to invite interested schools and colleges, organisations and individuals to join us in shaping the vision for a National Baccalaureate for England.

Our National Baccalaureate would be universal to all learners, so that every school and college leaver has the opportunity to achieve the award, regardless of the level at which they complete their formal education, detailing their specific achievements within a flexible framework. There are strong international examples which should encourage us to devise this type of approach - the widely recognised International Baccalaureate for example. We have set out an explanation of why we believe this new, more holistic way of celebrating achievement is necessary and how it would benefit students, teachers, schools, colleges, universities and employers throughout the country. We are confident that these changes would also bring about a radical increase in belief and investment in education on the part of our students and their parents.

Our Trustees:

Chair: Steve Willshaw

Trustee: Tom Sherrington

Trustee: Dale Bassett

Trustee: David Turrell

Charity Number: 1166126