Post-16 (16 - 25 Years)
- Written by: Nicki Harris
T Levels Core Assessment Awarding 2021
DfE have today announced that, based on feedback from the recent consultation, this summer’s T Level Core written exams will not go ahead, because of the impact of Covid-19 on learning. T Level students will have the option to receive a Teacher Assessed Grade for the whole core component this summer. This means students should receive an overall core grade in August that accounts for the core employer-set project and core knowledge exams. It aims to give students more time to prepare for occupational specialism assessments and to go out on their industry placement in the second year. This approach only applies to the Summer 2021 and we expect normal arrangements for the T Level Core assessment in the Autumn and summer 2022.
2023 T Level registration
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-register-to-deliver-t-levels-in-2023-to-2024-academic-year
DfE have also launched the T Level 2023 registration portal which will allow providers not currently delivering T Levels to register. There is guidance for providers who are already delivering 16 to 19 study programmes, which outlines how to register their intention to deliver T Levels in the 2023 to 2024 academic year and to indicate their interest in delivering a T Level Transition Programme.
- Written by: Nicki Harris
T Level Delivery Division of the Professional and Technical Education Group at DfE has informed us of a couple of recent announcements about T levels and the DfE press notice can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/135m-boost-to-support-t-level-students-to-succeed
"We have today launched a £135 million T Levels capital fund to help providers delivering T Levels in September 2022 to fund the building/facilities works and equipment needed to deliver the new qualifications. The closing date for the submission of bids is 26th March 2021 and the published guidance, application form and other information on the fund is available https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-levels-capital-fund
We have also announced the approval of £48.5m worth of projects as part of wave 2 capital funding, for providers delivering T Levels from September this year: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-levels-capital-fund-wave-2-successful-applications
In addition, we have published the fourth in our series of annual T Level Action Plans. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/951488/T_Level_Action_Plan_2020_.pdf 2020 T Level Action Plan provides information on the delivery of the first three T Levels in September 2020, and on our continued work with a range of delivery partners towards the full rollout of T Levels. The main points include:
- The launch of the first three T Levels, including early recruitment information
- Eligibility criteria and how to register for T Level delivery in 2023 and beyond
- Updates on the rollout of T Level routes and pathways
- Support packages available to T Level Providers; and
- Progress with the Level 3 Qualifications Review and Higher Technical Qualifications"
- Written by: Nicki Harris
The second wave T Level technical qualifications (TQs) have been published by awarding organisations. The publication notice has been posted on https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/about/newshub/news-events/wave-2-t-level-technical-qualifications-tqs-approved/
City & Guilds have announced and published the details on their website and NCFE have published details https://www.qualhub.co.uk/delivery-and-learner-support/t-level-provider-support/digital-t-level-provider-support/approved-digital-t-level-qualification-materials/
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
T Levels are new courses which follow GCSEs and are equivalent to 3 A levels. These 2-year courses, which launched September 2020, have been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses so that the content meets the needs of industry and prepares students for work, further training or study. Updated guidance was published on 4th September 2020 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-t-levels/introduction-of-t-levels
- Written by: Martin McLean
NDCS, with support from BATOD and NatSIP have now produced some Return to College guidance.
It is available in English and Welsh and can be accessed throught these links:
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/6053/return-to-college-guidance-english-finaldocx.pdf
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/6054/return-to-college-guidance-welsh-final.pdf
- Written by: Nicki Harris
The DfE and Gillian Kegan, Minister for for Skills and Apprenticeships, have today (3 July 2020) issued the following press release. (See https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-package-of-support-for-t-level-industry-placements)
A new package of support to help employers and FE providers deliver high-quality industry placements which are at the heart of pioneering new T Level qualifications have been announced today (Friday 3 July) by Gillian Keegan, Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships.
T Levels – high-quality technical alternatives equivalent to three A Levels – have been created in collaboration with industry experts so students gain the skills they need to succeed in the workplace and so businesses can access the workforce they need to thrive.
A unique part of a T Level will be the completion of a high-quality industry placement – of at least 315 hours, or approximately 45 days – where students will build the knowledge and skills and develop the confidence they need in a workplace environment.
- Written by: Nicki Harris
The government announced today the 88 new providers selected to deliver T Levels from September 2022.
"It is great to see so many more providers coming forward to get involved in T Level delivery – and this will take the total number to almost 200 across England. New subjects being introduced in 2022 are Engineering and Manufacturing, Business and Administration and Legal Finance and Accounting. The list of providers can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providers-selected-to-deliver-t-levels
We have also announced the criteria that providers wishing to deliver T Levels in 2023 must meet, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/t-levels-next-steps-for-providers.
This will open up delivery to significantly more providers as T Levels become more widely available as a technical education route. We will confirm the process for providers to register their wish to take part in 2023 delivery by the end of this year."
The press notice is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/education-secretary-accelerates-t-level-roll-out
A Prior Information Notice was published on contracts finder on 12th June 2020. The notice is available here.
- Written by: Nicki Harris
The T Level directorate division at DfE has announced additional support to help providers deliver T Levels https://www.gov.uk/government/news/t-level-providers-to-benefit-from-110-million-boost
T Levels capital fund
A new £95 million T Levels capital fund has been launched today to help providers delivering T Levels in September 2021 to fund building/ facilities works and equipment needed to deliver the new qualifications. 2020 providers will also be able to bid for funding to support the delivery of T Levels from the Health and Science route or existing routes for which they have not had this capital funding.
This is a competitive fund and will be run in a similar way to last years’ fund for 2020 T Level providers. The closing date for the submission of bids is 30 April and the published guidance, application form and other information on the fund is available here here.
Capital Project Development Fee Support Grant
The Department acknowledges the commitment that providers are making in completing and submitting an application for T Levels capital in a limited timeframe. In order to support the development of project applications during this stage, the Secretary of State has agreed to provide a grant of up a maximum of £20,000 to providers eligible to apply for financial support for building/ facilities works.
In order to receive this fee support grant, providers will need to apply for it by completing the form available on the guidance pages here and submitting it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 19 February.
Providers will need to agree to our conditions of funding which include a requirement that a fully completed application for T Levels capital funding be submitted by the bid closing date and that the fee support should only be used to fund eligible expenditure.
The Project Development Fee Support Grant will be available to cover eligible providers’ external professional costs incurred in developing T Levels capital applications for funding support. Examples of eligible spend include:
- preparation of estate strategies/ plans which are under-pinned and driven by the strategic requirements of providers, including robust option appraisals with realistic delivery/implementation plans
- undertaking specialist surveys (for example asbestos, services, building condition and structural surveys) required to develop a capital project
- professional fees for preparing a feasibility study to assess options identified in the property strategy
- professional fees for developing a capital project – design team, cost consultants, town planning and procurement
- any external costs of developing the capital application for submission to the Department for grant support
- improving the value for money of the bid.
Further details on Project Development Fee Support Grant and how to apply for it can be found in Annex 6 of the published guidance. We aim to confirm the fee support allocations by week commencing 9 March and payments will be made in April 2020.
T Level Professional Development
As part of the continued investment in ensuring the T Level workforce is ready to teach T Levels, we have announced that the contract for the next phase of T Level Professional Development has been awarded to the Educational and Training Foundation following an open procurement.
The Education and Training Foundation (ETF), building on excellent work done to date, will continue to support FE providers to prepare for delivery of T Levels. As with phase 1 of TLPD, the training will be at no charge to providers planning to deliver T Levels.
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