The education landscape in England

In secondary schools in England, students study a broad and balanced curriculum, culminating in GCSE exams at the end of Year 11. Following GCSEs, students have a range of options to consider as the next step towards their career. Options typically include A Levels, T Levels, vocational qualifications at school or college, or an apprenticeship.

The academic path of GCSEs, A Levels and undergraduate degree courses is well-understood. However, the technical education system is less understood and can seem complex to learners, parents and employers. Employers are at the heart of the technical education system and the government works closely with businesses to ensure that technical education meets the needs of both employers and individuals, to meet the skills gaps faced by our economy.

The technical education landscape is currently under reform, aiming to:

  • ensure that academic and technical pathways are held in equal esteem;
  • reduce the complexity of the system;
  • ensure that it meets the needs of industry.

The section below outlines the timeline of the reforms and the latest government review into the post-16 qualifications system.

Timeline of qualifications reform

  • Background

In late 2015, Lord David Sainsbury was asked by the government to chair a panel of experts that would provide clear recommendations for measures to improve and transform technical education in England. In response to Lord Sainsbury's review, the government produced a Post-16 Skills Plan which was published in July 2016. A new system of technical education was proposed, structured around 15 routes to skilled employment. The route structure enabled two approaches to technical education:

(1) Employer based (Apprenticeships)

(2) Classroom based (T Levels)

Both routes are underpinned by high quality, employer-designed occupational standards.

  • Introduction of T Levels

As a result of the Sainsbury review, the government introduced T Levels in 2020. Developed in collaboration with employers and education providers to meet the needs of industry and prepare students for entry into skilled employment, an apprenticeship or related technical study through further or higher education. 

  • Aim of Post-16 Qualifications Reform

Post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below are currently under review, with the aim of streamlining the qualifications landscape, simplifying choices for young people and only funding qualifications that are high-quality and lead to good progression outcomes. By ensuring that approved qualifications meet new, rigorous criteria for public funding, young people can be confident that they will be able to progress to university and higher technical education and directly into apprenticeships and skilled employment.

In May 2024, the Conservative government published a list of qualifications that would have public funding removed on 31 July 2025. Funding was to be removed from qualifications with low or no enrolments and from technical qualifications that overlap with T Levels. This included Applied General Qualifications in areas such as Construction and the Built Environment, Digital, Education and Childcare, Health and Science.

  • 'Pause and Review'

After the general election in July 2024, the new Labour government announced that they would 'pause and review' the defunding of certain qualifications and would carry out a focused review of the post-16 qualifications landscape.  The Department for Education (DfE) carried out in-depth stakeholder interviews with over 250 individuals in education and industry, to help inform their decisions on qualifications reform.

There were 9 routes in scope of the review, all focused at level 3: Legal, Finance and Accounting; Business and Administration; Health and Science (inc. Social Care); Education and Early Years; Engineering and Manufacturing; Construction and the Built Environment; Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care; Digital, and Creative and Design.

Where qualifications had low (less than 100) or no enrolments for three years, the qualifications were deemed not to be required. The DfE worked closely with awarding organisations, who had the opportunity to appeal where necessary. 

The DfE then considered which of the remaining qualifications in all of the nine routes needed to be retained for longer, based on learner need and employer demand, taking into account the reformed options that would be available, including the 74 new level 3 Alternative Academic Qualifications and Technical Qualifications that will be available for delivery from 1 August 2025. 

  • Outcome of the Review of Qualifications Reform

The review into post-16 qualification reforms concluded in December 2024. The review affirmed the government's commitment to T Levels as one of  the high-quality post-16 education and training options, alongside A Levels. Where alternatives are needed, they are being retained and will continue to be reformed.

Whilst the previous government's blanket rule of removing funding from all technical qualification that overlapped with T Levels was not implemented, it was announced that over 200 qualifications that had low or no enrolments per year over the last 3 years will be removed from the system from 1 August 2025. 157 qualifications in the system that were previously scheduled to be defunded by 31 July 2025 will be retained, alongside T Levels and A-Levels. The previous government planned to introduce rules of combination for 16-19 study programmes. The DfE has chosen not to introduce rules of combination, allowing providers to create study programmes from any of the available qualifications. This announcement sets out the government's plans up to 2027.

Certain large qualifications will only be retained for a specific period of time, allowing the sector to transition to T Levels and time for providers to develop study programmes that meet the needs of learners. The ongoing Curriculum and Assessment Review will take a view of qualifications in the longer term (and will include a review of qualifications at level 2 and below). This independent review will refresh the curriculum and statutory assessment system for 5-19 year olds, to make sure they meet the needs of every child and young person. A report covering recommendations from the review will be published in autumn 2025.

More details on the outcome of this review can be found in the resources below.

						  							

Technical education resources on qualifications reform

Technical education landscape and qualifications reform

Outcomes of the review of qualifications reform

This section provides the detail of the outcomes of the government's review into qualifications reform at Post-16.


Technical education landscape and qualifications reform

List of qualifications that had funding extended or removed

In this section, you will find a provisional list of Post-16 level 3 qualifications that have had their funding approval extended (and for how long) or removed from 1 August 2025 (and the reasons why).


Technical education landscape and qualifications reform

FAQs on the outcome of the review of qualifications reform

The Department for Education (DfE) produced this useful set of FAQs on the outcome of their review into qualifications reform at Post-16. This document provides information on the route-by-route review.


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