The Department for Education has revealed the names of two more schools that will deliver its new technical qualifications.
These are George Abbot School, a secondary school in Surrey that is part of the Guildford Education Partnership, and Priestley College, a sixth form college turned 16-to-19 academy that belongs to The Challenge Academy Trust, which join a list of 52 providers selected to deliver T-levels from 2020.
Neither school has been visited by Ofsted since converting to academy status, in 2011 and 2017 respectively. George Abbot School was rated ‘outstanding’ in 2006, while Priestley College gained the top grade in 2007.
George Abbot School is in the process of deciding which T-levels it is best suited to offer, but Priestley College has opted for education and childcare and digital skills.
Priestley College principal Matthew Grant said the opportunity was “incredible news for young people in Warrington”.
“One of the reasons we’ve been chosen is because of our track record for delivering high quality, academic and vocational programmes and our professional expertise in childcare and digital technologies so it is something of which we are extremely proud.
“To be able to provide the academic, vocational and technical routes at Priestley means our students will continue to have the widest choice possible as they make decisions that could set them up for life.”
Earlier this month it was revealed that 15 schools were among the first wave of T-level providers. Today’s additions take the total number of schools taking part in the first phase of the programme to 17.
T-levels are post-16 vocational courses designed to have “parity of esteem” with A-levels.
Three T-level “pathways” will be taught from September 2020, involving courses in design, surveying and planning for the construction industry, software application development for the digital industry, and education for the education and childcare industry.
Further courses will be rolled out in stages from 2023, covering areas such as design, accounting, and engineering.
The original 15 schools named among the pioneering T-level providers are listed below:
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