My challenge is to increase the number of practical vocational courses offered by schools at Level 2 (GCSE). Following Government reforms, courses such as Motor Mechanics have been scrapped by schools as the course is no longer worth GCSE points for the school, therefore don’t count towards performance tables. Prior to the wolf report (2014) and the introduction of the Ebacc, local schools were successfully offering Hairdressing, Construction and Motor Mechanics, providing disengaged students an alternate pathway. In 2018 there was an estimated 75,000 16-18 NEETS (Not in Education, Employment or Training) in the UK rising from 70,000 (2017). Furthermore the number of permanent exclusions rose from 4950 (2013/14) to 7720 (2016/17) and the number of fixed exclusions 269,475 (2013/14) to 381,865 (2016/17). This project matters because if students have more pathways at Level 2 and ambition it will be instrumental in reducing the number of NEETS and exclusions.