Educators

Their future – their choice

Have your say on learner choice at 16+.

The UK Government is reviewing the qualification choices available to young people and adults from 16 years. Young learners and adults have told us it's important for them to have choice in qualifications that suit their career aspirations and best support them and they want that choice to include BTEC.

Time is short to have your say as the consultation response window closes on 31 January.

Respond to the consultation

What's happening?

The UK Government is reviewing the qualification choices available to young people and adults from 16 years. They want to know what options need to be available to 16-19-year-olds in the future along with:

A levels, which primarily prepare learners for higher education.
T Levels, which primarily prepare learners for skilled employment in a specific occupation and can also be used to progress to higher technical study. T Levels include a Technical qualification, a 45-day industry work placement, and Level 2 English and maths.

Young learners, adults, parents, teachers, tutors and employers tell us they want BTEC to continue as a choice alongside T Levels and A Levels. BTEC is a career-focused qualification that gives young people and adults the knowledge and skills they need for careers within industry, further study, higher education or an apprenticeship.

A BTEC choice at 16-19 means your learners can study:

A broad practical and career-focused route - ideal for learners with aspirations for a career within a certain sector, but who have not yet decided which job role they wish to pursue
BTEC qualifications alongside an A level give learners a breadth of an academic and practical knowledge and skills
Qualifications like BTEC have been designed with employers, professional bodies and higher education institutions to support learners into employment and a broad range of higher technical education and degree specialisms.
A career-focused qualification where a T Level is not available in a learner’s area.

A BTEC choice at 19+ means learners can study:

Have your say

BTECs have been at the heart of national need for many years and continue to transform lives and careers. Help us to protect learners right to choose the right qualification for their future. Time is short as the consultation response window closes on 31 January.

Respond to the consultation

FAQs

What is the consultation about?

This consultation is the second stage of the review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below in England. The review’s aim is clearer qualifications choices for young people and adults, and to ensure that every qualification approved for public funding has a distinct purpose, is high quality and supports progression to positive outcomes for students. This consultation focuses on level 3 qualifications.

When do I need to respond?

Why do I need to respond?

Is the consultation just about 16-19 year-olds?

What are the proposals in summary?

Level 3 technical qualifications for 16- to 19-year-olds

16- to 19-year-olds who want a classroom-based route to employment will be able to choose either a T Level or high-quality technical qualifications that are necessary for progression into occupational areas where there is no relevant T Level.
Additional specialist qualifications will also be available to be studied alongside these for students to build on and enhance their skills.
The qualification approval process will mean qualifications are aligned to employer-led standards wherever possible.
The proposal is to review technical qualifications in the routes featuring wave 1 and 2 T Levels ready for 2023/24 and qualifications in the routes featuring wave 3 and 4 T Levels ready for 2024/25.
DfE propose removing funding from qualifications that overlap with T levels, or do not fall into the categories above.

Level 3 academic qualifications for 16- to 19-year-olds

DfE propose to fund alternatives to A levels where they enable progression to specialist HE courses, such as providers of world leading arts education. These are expected to be limited in number.
Qualifications designed to be taken alongside A levels will be funded where they support progression to high quality HE courses and provide content distinct from A levels, such as core maths.
The proposal is to have reformed academic qualifications available for first teaching in September 2024.
DfE propose removing funding from qualifications that overlap with A levels, or do not fall into the categories above.

Level 3 qualifications for adults

Adults will generally need greater flexibility than 16 to 19-year olds and will also tend to have greater prior experience.
Adults will have a similar offer as 16 to 19-year olds but with some additional technical qualifications to meet their needs.
Technical qualifications for adults should allow for modular delivery of content, recognise prior learning and have robust assessment of an adult’s level of competence at the end of the course (summative assessment).
As well as T Levels, adults should have access to:

- Technical qualifications that are aligned with a level 3 employer-led standard and deliver a minimum of occupational entry-level competence (in both T Level and non-T Level areas).
- Additional specialist qualifications to build on and enhance their skills – this will be the same as the 16 to 19 year old offer with some additional qualifications which are only suitable for adults (e.g. those essential to certain safety critical industries and with some age-restricted content).
- Qualifications in some cross-sectoral skills where they lead to skilled employment.

Where can I find the consultation?

Where can I find the DfE’s impact assessment of the consultation?

Where can I find the response to the first stage of the consultation?

Where can I find the proposals for level 2 and below qualifications?

Quotes

We have sent students that were on a solely BTEC programmes to universities such as York, Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff.

- Jason Henham, Bede's Senior School

We value the BTEC vocational routes our students take. It allows them the ability to not only learn academic skills, but the additional skills to gain work.

- Martyn Morgan, Smestow School