West Ham MP Lyn Brown joined Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families as he launched the new Diploma qualification for young people at Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIC) in Prince Regent Lane, Plaistow on Wednesday 3 September 2008.

The Minister toured the College, which will be among the first in the country to offer the Diploma, accompanied by local MP Lyn Brown and Eddie Playfair, the new principal of NewVIC. Mr Balls took the opportunity to chat with both staff and students about their work and aspirations. He was particularly impressed by the fact that he met several budding architects and entrepreneurs, all of whom were excited about continuing their studies at NewVIC.

Launching the Diploma, the Secretary of State said:

“Education is all about opportunities - a good education opens doors. It is the single best way for anyone, regardless of background, to do well and to gain the skills they need to succeed at whatever they want to do.

“We have made great inroads in this area and we now have more young people staying on post-16 than ever before, with record GCSE and A Level results.

“But there is always more to do, especially if we want the most disadvantaged to be able fulfil their full potential. Our reforms are all about ensuring this happens. I want to see a situation where every single young person has a range of interesting, exciting and challenging options ahead of them at every stage of their education, so that they never feel tempted to drop out or give up. This year will see some of the biggest steps towards this goal yet.”

Lyn Brown MP said:

“These young people are wanting to learn vital skills that will be of real benefit to them and gain a better insight into the world of work. The Diplomas offer students a new style of qualification, and a new way of learning alongside practical work experience. I am confident they will be a very attractive option for many of our young people and will help them to develop the skills that are highly valued by our universities and employers.”