Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Accepted
Publish clarity for students, colleges, and teachers on T Levels' alignment with other qualifications.
Recommendation
The Department has not provided clarity on how T Levels align with other technical qualifications and career pathways. After pausing the previous government’s decision to defund qualifications overlapping with T Levels, in December 2024 the new government announced funding would continue for certain technical qualifications until 2027. The Department believes too many overlapping qualifications creates confusion for students and confirmed further funding decisions will be made following the Curriculum and Assessment Review expected in Autumn 2025. In February 2024, there were 4,337 level 3 qualifications, with 39% being vocational. In 2023, 2% of 16- to 17-year-olds were taking T Levels. The Department has since announced that students will no longer be able to enrol on either the Onsite Construction and Healthcare Science T Levels, risking confidence amongst students, teachers, colleges and employers. Students need clarity on which qualification, or combination of qualifications, best suits their chosen career route. This is particularly true for those interested in hair and beauty and catering where T Levels will no-longer be developed. 4 recommendation The Department should set out publicly, for students, colleges and teachers, how T Levels fit with other funded qualifications, so students understand their route into skilled professions.
Government Response Summary
The government will publish a post-16 education and skills strategy in autumn 2025, which will clearly set out how T Levels fit with other funded qualifications. Skills England has also published occupational maps to provide clarity on career routes.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. becoming an established brand which support successful outcomes for learners taking them. The department is developing a post-16 education and skills strategy to be published in autumn 2025 and will set out its system-wide approach to ensuring every learner has a clear route to further study or work, guided by the Curriculum and Assessment Review, and strengthening support for the Further Education (FE) workforce to boost teaching quality and sector prestige. As part of this the government will set out clearly where T Levels will sit alongside other funded qualifications and their purpose. The department is working closely with Skills England to make sure that students have clear routes into skilled professions. To provide further clarity for learners, Skills England have published a set of occupational maps for students to access to establish the types of careers technical education can lead to.