Mike Tomlinson wants 'learning for life'

Mike Tomlinson said "large volumes of mechanistic assessment" damaged the curriculum, learners and teachers.

He and his review team are due to publish their latest proposals next week, with a final report in September.

They are looking at a suite of diplomas to reflect everyone's achievements, on the basis of which employers and universities can select people.

Core skills

Writing in the Times Education Supplement, Mr Tomlinson said that at the moment, testing drove the content of curriculum.

This told us "more about how good our young people are at exams than it does about their ability to progress and succeed as learners, employees and adults."

Mr Tomlinson said the proposals next week would involve "a coherent approach" in which the curriculum was supported by "assessment that is fit for purpose".

A common core of skills would be communication, maths and information and communication technology.

He pointed out that more than a quarter of 17 year olds were not in education or training in 2001 - excluded by the system.

"To tackle this, we need a system that provides valued qualifications and progression routes for all 14 to 19 year olds."

Teacher workload

The Confederation of British Industry has said employers do not want to see an end to GCSEs and A-levels, which they understand.

Mr Tomlinson, the former chief inspector of schools, said he aimed to build on "the best of the existing system, including the A-levels and vocational programmes".

But problems needed tackling.

"An overall reduction in assessment load must and will be real," he said.

But he said his working group realised it could not simply push more work onto teachers.

"After all, it is the quality of what goes on in the classroom, workplace or training room that will determine the success of any changes".

The Secondary Heads Association has long advocated schools' having their own "chartered examiners", teachers whose job it would be to check exams and maintain standards.