Education Secretary tells Andy Burnham his Manchester Baccalaureate plan won't happen

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was in bullish mood yesterday (Friday June 29) as he described his plans for a 'Manchester Baccalaureate' (MBacc) to create a clearer path for young people who don't want to go to university.

Appearing by video at a major education conference in Sheffield he said: "We're not going to take no for an answer. We're going to build this system, it's right and proper in this day and age that a place like Greater Manchester shouldn't have to ask permission from anyone to do what we know is right for our young people."

But it's clear his vision for an alternative to the existing English Baccalaureate (EBacc) core subjects for GCSE students face strong opposition from the Department of Education, long regarded as the Whitehall department least likely to cede control of policy to the regions.

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At the same Northern Powerhouse Education, Employment and Skills Summit Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said the mayor didn't have the power to introduce the reforms by himself and that she opposed regional variations in education standards.

Hear what she had to say in The Northern Agenda podcast:

Using his trailblazer devolution deal, Mr Burnham wants to roll out the MBacc - a ‘flexible’ qualification aimed at offering students an alternative route to certain jobs when they choose their GCSEs - by September 2024.

The DfE has already said the new alternative route would ‘narrow opportunities available to young people’ and speaking on The Northern Agenda podcast Ms Keegan said it was important to "have some national standards and national qualifications that are equally understood".

Pressed on whether she