Michael Gove's exams shake-up is a 'huge mistake', Tory grandee warns The EBacc was introduced as a performance measure in 2010, recognising pupils who secure a C grade or better in five "core" GCSEs - English, mathematics, history or geography, the sciences and a language. From 2015, pupils will study for English Baccalaureate Certificates (EBCs), which will replace GCSEs in the core subjects. I don't think the English Baccalaureate will survive a change of government. The Tory peer, who chairs the Baker Dearing Educational Trust which promotes University Technical Colleges, said that a better reform would be to delay from 11 to 14 the age at which children transfer from primary to secondary school. A network of 33 UTCs is planned across England, each sponsored by a university and offering a technically-oriented course of study for children aged 14-19, as well as links to local businesses. In a forthcoming book, Lord Baker will argue that 14 is a better age than 11 for pupils to move to a more specialist learning environment. "I think 11 is too soon to change and 16 is too late," he said. Under his proposals, younger children would attend either one school from four to 14, or a primary school from four to nine and a middle school from nine to 14. Four options would be offered for the 14-19 age-group: liberal arts colleges offering traditional grammar school-style education; UTC-style schools offering technical vocational education and engineering; performing arts schools offering training for the entertainment industry; and specialist career colleges preparing young people for a range of professions. However, he acknowledged that it would be "difficult to persuade" Mr Gove that his proposal was best. Lord Baker's concerns about the EBacc were echoed by a letter to The Independent signed by 33 academics at Goldsmiths, University of London, who said it will "downgrade the creative arts and design in the secondary schools curriculum." The EBacc system will "discriminate unfairly against students with ability in the visual and creative arts" and "cause long-term economic harm to Britain," the letter warned.