Wales has been leading the way with its Welsh Bac trial

There are two Bac levels: intermediate - equivalent to GCSEs, NVQ level 2 or BTEC First or Intermediate GNVQ; the advanced Bac, equivalent to A-levels.

Around 700 began the advanced Bac pilot in 2003 but 400 dropped out by out by exam time earlier this year.

It is thought most of those had been studying at further education colleges.

The fact so many kids have dropped out really is worrying David Reynolds

Project director Keith Davies, from the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC), conceded that the rigours of the course might have come as a surprise for some students but insisted it still had a future.

"The demands were higher than the students first felt I think," he said.

"They thought this was an easy way of getting 120 Ucas points, it has proved not to be the case."

Heledd Hayes, of the National Union of Teachers Cymru, said it provided a "broadly based and balanced education" and it was important that it did not fall at the first hurdle.

She said: "We hope that it is just a a hiccup. We have to consider this seriously and see what can be done but the whole ethos of the Welsh Bac is too important to be lost".

Professor David Reynolds, professor of education at Exeter University, said he supported the Bac but added the drop-out rate could be a problem.

"I think this is worrying because in education, normally, our pilots are better than the real thing because our pilots have volunteers, our pilots have resources," he said.

"The fact so many kids have dropped out really is worrying. I think it tells us the future is going to be difficult to get right."

Pilot continues

There are two levels; the intermediate Bac, which is equivalent to GCSEs, NVQ level 2 or BTec First or Intermediate GNVQ, and the advanced Bac, which is equivalent to A-levels.

One of the reasons being put forward for the drop-out rate is that universities do not know enough about the qualification, while the amount of academic work has also been cited as a problem.

Students have been studying for the Welsh Bac at 18 centres across Wales - seven are school sixth forms, one is a Catholic sixth form college and 11 are further education colleges.

The Welsh Bac aims to broaden post-16 education, and give credits for activities such as community work and work experience, but also for proving they were capable in key skills such as maths, ICT, languages and communications.

The pilot will continue in September, with 31 schools and colleges involved.

The assembly government said that it was never meant to be "an 'easy' qualification".

"Some students may have decided to complete only some of the Key Skills Qualifications and so would not have been formally entered for the Bac - this is not a 'failure'," it said.

The statement added that one of the main purposes of a pilot scheme was to learn lessons, and it will be looking at ways to "encourage completion".