A secondary school head teacher in the Western Wards said the decision to replace GCSE exams with the English Baccalaureate Certificate (EBacc) may not prepare pupils for the modern workplace.
Education Secretary Michael Gove unveiled the new exam system, which will mean a single end-of-course exam and one exam board for core subjects, earlier this week.
It will mean pupils beginning secondary school this year will take the first new exams – in English, maths and sciences – in 2017.
Ria Allan, head teacher at Brookfield School in Sarisbury Green, said although the declaration of change did not come as a surprise, she feared it might not prepare students for the 21st Century workplace.
“I’m concerned that it’s not an inclusive curriculum,” she said. “If it’s not coming out until 2015, with the first exams to be taken in 2017, I’m concerned with what message we’re giving young people with what they’re studying currently.
“It’s very difficult to motivate them when they’re hearing the same news we are about the changes.
“I’m not convinced it’s a curriculum for the 21st Century workplace.”
Mrs Allan said the skills being offered to students at school to prepare them for their future careers needed to be appropriately reflected in the curriculum – but said the change did not mirror that.
She added: “I don’t think it embraces or reflects a world that’s fast moving. The world is continuing and developing around us, so you’d hope the education system would be in line with global changes.”
The changes are likely to be introduced from 2015 – with the first candidates taking the new-look exams in 2017.
Initially this will be in three core subject areas – English, maths and sciences – and is set to be extended later to history, geography and languages.
It will mean GCSE exams will continue for some subjects alongside the new English Bacs for a number of years.