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.