Changes to T-levels and vocational qualifications: What schools need to know

Plans mean vocational qualifications will in future be delivered by multiple exam boards, like A-levels

Billy Camden

Single licensing model axed

In his 2016 review of technical education, Lord Sainsbury recommended using a single awarding body per T-level, instead of the multi-exam board approach for A-levels.

The Department for Education adopted the policy when T-levels launched in 2020.

However, the government’s own research warned that with no alternative to step in if problems arose with a contracted body, there was a “risk of system failure”.

Exams regulator Ofqual also “advised on the risks related to the single provider model” ahead of their launch. In recent months, DfE officials have aired their view that the exclusive licensing model has been “incredibly challenging”.

The DfE announced today that “going forward”, the department “does not intend to use contracted models such as single licensing” and confirmed that existing T-level provision will “transition away from exclusive single licences and towards an Ofqual-regulated market model”.

Under this model, awarding organisations that meet Ofqual’s recognition criteria will be able to enter the market and offer their own T-levels and V-levels, as well as incoming foundation and occupational certificates.

It will bring the qualifications in line with arrangements for GCSEs and A-levels.

However, demand for the technical and vocational qualifications is much less predictable than their academic counterparts.

Ofqual’s regulatory approach, nationally set subject content and common rules about assessment design and grading scales will “ensure high quality and consistency across qualifications offered by different awarding organisations and support coherent progression between qualifications delivered by multiple providers”, the DfE said.

The DfE said the timing of the transition for T-levels will “respect contractual arrangements and will be managed to protect continuity for learners and providers.

No V-level ‘partnering’ in 2027

Ministers have decided that V-levels will be a similar size to a single A Level – 360 guided learning hours – with the intention being that students can mix and match between the two qualifications.

The DfE is considering whether to allow V-levels to be “partnered” with another V-level in the same subject area for 720 guided learning hours – in a similar way to how A-levels in maths and further maths can be taken together.

Along with other criteria, partnered V-levels must “offer the same level of demand as two V-levels taken in different subjects which are not partnered” and also not offer an “alternative large study programme which competes with T-levels”.

The DfE expects a “very limited number of exceptional cases” to be granted for V-level partnering and decided that the first V-levels to be rolled out in 2027 – in accounting and finance, digital systems and data, and education – do not meet the criteria.

Officials will now consider if there is a “need” for partnering V-levels which are part of the 2028 expansion, which will see, for example, two V-levels in engineering and two in health rolled out.

For the 2027-28 academic year, DfE will also not implement any rules that restrict qualifications from being combined to form a study programme.

This will allow settings to combine new V-levels in education, accounting and finance and digital systems and data with existing funded qualifications, such as A-levels, alternative academic qualifications, applied generals, tech levels and maths and English re-takes.

And DfE has promised to work with UCAS to publish the tariff points for V-levels “as soon as possible”.

Finance T-level written off and other subject nuggets

The planning document confirmed the DfE will remove the T-level in finance, which launched in 2022, after no awarding organisation bid to run it in the latest procurement round.

The final cohort for this qualification will commence from September 2026.

Officials also confirmed that several subject areas will not move forward as V-levels after testing found they were not viable. These include catering, onsite construction, and hair, beauty and aesthetics.

Qualification pioneers revealed

A new sector-led group called “qualification pioneers” has been created to “lead the way for the sector, shaping and sharing best practice as providers transition to the new qualifications”.

As previously announced, schools, colleges and training providers will be required to have individual “robust” transition plans to support staff, students, and employers through the change.

The plans must be “owned” by the accounting officer for each provider, confirm “high-level intentions” for delivery from the 2027-28 academic year, and be submitted to DfE by July 6.

Qualification pioneers will “play an important role in helping providers to develop and implement transition plans, modelling effective practice, and identifying practical support needed to help providers navigate the transition to reformed qualifications”, DfE said.

The qualification pioneers for each region are…