Transformational new qualifications to rewire education system and support young people into work
New V levels will support young people into good jobs or study
and replace the 900 qualifications that are currently
available alongside A and T Levels Government commits to
stronger support for students to get vital pass in English and
maths GCSEs – driving up standards Ambitious reforms to be
announced in Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper will be
pivotal in delivering plan for national renewal Generations
of young people...Request free trial
Generations of young people will be supported to progress into work or university with new qualifications to break down barriers to opportunity and help to deliver on the Prime Minister's plan to get two-thirds of young people participating in higher-level learning – academic, technical or on an apprenticeship. The Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper – being published today – will reveal plans for the introduction of V levels. These are new vocational qualifications tied to rigorous and real-world job standards. They will replace other qualifications to sit alongside T Levels and A levels, providing a clear option for young people who want to get on in the world of work, university or apprenticeships but want to explore different key sectors, which could include engineering, agriculture, digital or creative, before choosing where to specialise. Unlike T Levels, which are equivalent to 3 A Levels, young people will be able to take a mixture of V Levels and A Levels – offering more choice and flexibility. For example, a student wanting to get into either the creative arts or media industry could choose to do a mixed V Level and A level study programme, by taking two V Levels (one in Craft and Design; and one in Media, Broadcast and Production) and one A Level in Music. Or, a student wanting to get into either the health or fitness industry – but also wants to learn more about digital – could do three V Levels (in Sport and Exercise Science; Digital; and Health and Care services). The new qualification will streamline the confusing landscape of approximately 900 equivalent vocational qualifications at level 3 currently available to 16 to 19-year-olds which mean learners and employers are unclear about the purpose and value of some qualifications. Young people will also be supported to get the vital pass they need in English and maths GCSEs. A new qualification will be targeted at students with lower attainment as a stepping stone to better prepare them to resit these GCSEs. This will support white working class pupils in particular. More than six in ten White British pupils eligible for free school meals do not achieve a grade 4 or above in English and maths by the end of Key Stage 4, meaning they are more than twice as likely to need to resit these exams post-16 than their more affluent peers. This package of ambitious reforms will drive up standards and better prepare young people for the world of work or further study – in turn, growing our economy and delivering on the government's plan for national renewal. Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said: “Technical and vocational education is the backbone of this country's economy and central to breaking the link between background and success, helping hundreds of thousands of young people get the skills they need to get good jobs. “But for too long it has been an afterthought. Young people have been left to navigate an overcomplicated landscape and repeatedly labelled as ‘failures' by a system that has held them back from all-important English and maths grades. “Through our Plan for Change we are turning the tide. Our reforms are building a post-16 education system that truly matches young people's aspirations and abilities, delivering the opportunity and growth our economy needs.” These ambitious reforms in the upcoming White Paper are backed by an extra £800 million of funding for 16-19 education in 2026/27, 14 new Technical Excellence Colleges in key Industrial Strategy sectors and improvements to the quality of teaching in further education. Schools will play a greater role in ensuring every pupil has a clear post-16 destination, supported by Ofsted, with a new approach to a guaranteed college or FE provider place available as a safety net being tested. Two new pathways at level 2 are also being launched to prepare more young people for success, whether that is progressing from level 2, including GCSEs, onto a level 3 qualification, including A levels, T Levels or V levels, or joining the workforce. These transformative reforms to the post-16 education landscape have been informed by the Curriculum and Assessment Review, which will publish its full recommendations later this year. Chair of the Curriculum & Assessment Review, Professor Becky Francis CBE: “Post-16 education is crucial as young people study for their qualifications that will allow them to progress to work, training or university. But while academic qualifications have a strong reputation and provide a clear pathway, the routes for those wanting a more applied offer have been much less coherent. “The Curriculum and Assessment Review has collected and weighed a huge quantity evidence. Our full report will be published very soon, and I am delighted that the Government has recognised and accepted our recommendations to promote excellence and improve young people's life chances by ensuring a choice of strong, well-regarded qualifications: A level, T Level or V level. The direction supporting improved Level 2 progress, including study of maths and English, will also help secure successful futures. “I hope that leaders, teachers, employers and young people themselves engage closely with the consultation to ensure that these new vocational qualifications flourish and support young people to succeed.” The government will launch a consultation to support the introduction of V levels, designed to strengthen skills across industry including in the government's priority industries. T Levels will continue to expand to other subjects. Further details on the measures announced today will be confirmed soon in the government's Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper. ENDS Notes to editors
Pepe Di'Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “We are pleased that the government has recognised the importance of having a third vocational pathway to sit alongside the academic and technical qualifications offered by A-levels and T-levels. It is vital that post-16 students are provided with a choice of pathways which suit the interests and aspirations of different learners, and supports them in accessing higher education, apprenticeships, and careers. “We have to get to grips with the fact that a very large number of young people are currently not in education, employment or training. Ensuring that there are a range of excellent pathways available to all our students is essential in tackling this issue. We are also pleased with the recognition that a new approach is needed to support post-16 students in English and maths. “This must move us away from the current morale-sapping system of mandatory GCSE resits. We need an approach which builds confidence in these subjects and gives young people the best possible opportunity to achieve qualifications of which they can be proud.” David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges said: "I am delighted that at the heart of this white paper there is a recognition of the key strategic role that colleges play, backed up by proposals to support them to have even more impact. Colleges, as anchor institutions, are major players in equipping people with the skills they need for successful work and life, boosting business productivity and success, as well as supporting and growing their local communities. "They are central to local collaboration, as set out in the white paper, and together with elected mayors, local government, employers, universities and schools will help drive economic growth and extend opportunities for people across the country." "Today's announcement shows that the government is ambitious for colleges and wants them to scale up their impact through more investment and enabling policies. It also sets out ambitious plans for the post-16 education and skills system, with employers as partners and a collaborative approach in which colleges can work in tandem with schools and universities. We look forward to working with them and with the sector on how to start implementing those ambitions and plans." Phil Smith, chair of Skills England, said: “Our nation needs a joined-up and forward-looking skills system that supports businesses to succeed and creates life-changing opportunities for people from all walks of life. We are on a clear path towards that and I'm delighted Skills England will be key to making it happen.” |