Asked by
The Lord
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of
the acceptance of T Levels by Higher Education institutions for
candidates for admission to universities via the Universities and
Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) in the current application
cycle.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Education () (Con)
My Lords, we recently published a list of higher education
providers that will accept T-levels. Some 118 higher education
providers, of which 78 are English universities, have so far
agreed to accept applications from T-level students. This overall
figure has increased from 75 since December last year, and we
expect it to continue to grow.
The Lord
My Lords, I thank the Minister for her very helpful response and
the progress that has been made. Given the importance of students
and parents having every opportunity to find out about T-levels,
alongside other routes into intended careers, what further steps
are the Government considering to better ensure that parents and
students receive the right kind of information and advice at the
right time? Might the Minister consider bringing together those
with a specific contribution to make in addressing these and
other issues to ensure the success and full take-up of T-levels
in advance of the next admissions cycle?
(Con)
In response to the last part of the right reverend Prelate’s
question, I say that we would be delighted. We are already
hosting a number of round tables, particularly with higher
education providers, and would be glad to widen that circle and
learn from his expertise and that of others like him. We are
working hard to engage with the sector directly. We are providing
support and resources so that students can find the course that
is right for them.
(LD)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that we need a better picture
of universities— 115 is the figure I had found as well—that might
sometimes offer only one or two courses? Students need a better
picture of what they are signing up to and what they are removing
themselves from if they take the T-level option. Will the
Government look at how A-level options can work with the T-level,
as they currently do with BTECs?
(Con)
To the best of my knowledge there are no plans to look at the
noble Lord’s second proposal, because a single T-level is
equivalent to three A-levels, so it would perhaps be unrealistic
to do that. We are obviously in the very early stages of
T-levels. We currently have 11 T-level options, I think. There
was some confusion in the early stages about some of the content
of those courses and how that translated to universities.
However, we remain optimistic about the potential of
T-levels.
(Con)
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that one of the most
important aspects of T-levels is that students have to spend nine
weeks of work experience with a local firm? This is quite
difficult to find even in the great metropolitan areas, but in
areas of deprivation and in rural areas it is very difficult
indeed to find such placements. What inducements will the
Government provide for firms in those areas to take part? I
remind your Lordships of my interest as chairman of the Chartered
Institution for Further Education.
(Con)
I absolutely agree with my noble friend about the value of work
experience and the whole philosophy of T-levels—that students
undertaking them will be work-ready. I am aware that there has
been disruption to opportunities for work experience—caused
principally by the pandemic—but, having designed the
qualification with employers, we remain confident that those
opportunities will emerge.
(Lab)
My question follows rather well from the previous question. In
the information to employers, the Government say:
“At the heart of each course, a 45-day industry placement will
give you early access to the brightest talent entering your
market”.
How are we going to ensure that this happens? The Minister has
responded to that point, but what oversight will there be to
ensure that this really is good-quality work experience?
(Con)
I am happy to write to the noble Baroness and send more details
on the oversight. We know that local colleges are working closely
with their employers so that the framework and aspirations of
T-levels will be delivered most effectively.
(Lab)
My Lords, the Minister will appreciate that further education,
technical education and engineering have had a devastating time
over the last decade, with the failure of the Government to
sustain anything like the resources which colleges needed. If we
are to make a success of the qualifications, let us make no bones
about it, that is what students and their parents and those who
look after them will look at closely. They will be keen to see
what credibility is attached to this development. Will the
Government give the assurance that it will be a high
priority?
(Con)
It is absolutely a high priority for this Government. Within the
department, we have three key areas of focus: skills, schools and
families. I hope I can reassure the noble Lord that we are all
very focused on this issue.
(LD)
My Lords, it is important that we make the T-levels the success
that they should be for vocational education as a whole. I am not
sure the Minister properly answered the question about rural
areas, where there will be a much narrower choice of options and
students will struggle to find employers who will give
placements. Could encouragement be given to those employers
through financial incentives?
(Con)
I will gladly take the noble Lord’s suggestion back to the
department. Obviously, the colleges can deliver the T-levels that
they believe will be most relevant in their community and where
work experience exists.
of Hudnall (Lab)
My Lords, closely tied in with the emergence of T-levels is the
fate of BTEC qualifications. Are the Government confident that
the range of opportunities aside from A-levels that will be
available to all students once T-levels have been phased in will
be wide enough to encompass the many students who may have
special needs or special abilities—sometimes those things go
together—which are best served currently by BTEC? I ask
particularly, given that the Government declined to extend the
life of BTECs by more than a very short amount in the Bill.
(Con)
I understand the noble Baroness’s concern. Of course we want to
make sure that young people in this country have the range of
opportunities that they deserve, and that the industries and
employers get the range of skills they need to be able to
deliver. The Wolf review and the Sainsbury review were clear that
things needed to change in terms of technical and vocational
qualifications, and we are addressing those recommendations.
(Con)
Will my noble friend give the House a little more information
about what the Government are doing to try to secure
opportunities among employers, in rural areas in particular, to
which my noble friend referred?
(Con)
I will try to answer that question twice. I can only reiterate
what I said to the noble Lord, ; namely, that local colleges
will choose the courses most appropriate in their communities and
work with employers to deliver those experiences.
(Lab)
My Lords, if T-levels are to be a success—we on these Benches
very much want them to be—there are two issues. One has been
raised by the noble Lords, and , which is the question of
placements. The other is the question of recognition by
universities. The list on the DfE website of the 118 higher
education providers, which the Minister referred to, that will
accept T-levels for entry is welcome and encouraging, but only 10
of the 24 Russell group universities are on that list. What are
the Government doing to encourage more of these institutions to
recognise T-levels, as a means of widening the access for young
people from less well-off families to the more selective
universities?
(Con)
I will answer the noble Lord in two parts. First, we are working
closely and engaging actively with a number of universities,
including those in the Russell group. I am sure that he will
share my pleasure in seeing that the number of applicants to
universities in England from the most disadvantaged backgrounds
rose by 10% year on year in January 2022, which is perhaps not an
outcome we would have expected. Equally, the point of T-levels is
to give the students who take them choice. For some students that
will be university, for some it will be Russell group, for others
it will be going straight into employment, and for others it will
be further qualifications at different levels. Choice is
essential.
