Mentions:
1: Robert Halfon (Con - Harlow) As part of our delivery of wave 4 T-levels and our assessment of overlap between T-levels and technical - Speech Link
Jan. 30 2024
Source Page: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualificationsFound: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualifications
Jan. 30 2024
Source Page: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualificationsFound: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualifications
Jan. 30 2024
Source Page: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualificationsFound: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualifications
Mar. 04 2024
Source Page: Higher education providers with T Levels in entry requirementsFound: Higher education providers with T Levels in entry requirements
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what research they have undertaken into (1) reasons for the dropout rate for T Levels, (2) why only 8 per cent of students taking foundation level T Levels progress to full T levels, and (3) whether T Levels or BTECs provide a more appropriate preparation for employment in different skill areas.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As relatively new qualifications, retention rates on T Levels may be expected to fluctuate. The department is keen to understand the reasons behind students dropping out of their T Level programme and have undertaken a range of research. This has included discussing the issue in routine conversations with further education (FE) providers and holding workshops with a variety of providers to explore further the reasons for students dropping out of specific T Levels. The department has also reviewed data from the Individualised Learner Record and school census to identify patterns in students dropping out of T Levels, and examined responses to the Technical Education Learner Survey (2021 and 2022) to understand student motivations for dropping out. Links to these surveys can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-education-learner-survey, and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-education-learner-survey-2022. The department has also spoken to Awarding Organisations to discuss student retention on T Levels.
The T Level Foundation Year is the first step on a 3-year path to achieving a T Level, for those who need it. The programme is supporting good progression to level 3 destinations in its first two years, compared with other level 2 courses. Reasons why more students are not progressing onto T Levels may include not meeting providers’ entry criteria and the early cohorts being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The T Level Foundation Year is still early in its rollout and the department will monitor outcomes as the programme continues to roll out and funding is removed from level 3 qualifications that overlap with T Levels. Research by the National Foundation for Education Research and the Technical Education Learner Surveys provide information on the early cohorts. This research can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-on-early-delivery-of-the-t-level-transition-programme. The department is undertaking further research with providers to identify good practice and success factors in supporting progression to T Levels.
Lord Sainsbury’s report on technical education defined the skills areas suitable for T Levels, drawing on analysis of relevant apprenticeship standards, existing taught qualifications, and labour market information. All T Levels are based on the same employer-led occupational standards as apprenticeships, and these standards were led by, and updated with, employers. That means that employers and young people can be confident in these new qualifications. This is not consistently the case with the large qualifications they are replacing, which often do not support a young person to enter the sector they thought the qualification was preparing them for. For example, in the latest data for health and social care qualifications only 9% of those who complete worked in ‘Health and social care’ the following year. This data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/detailed-destinations-of-16-to-18-year-olds-in-further-education. T Levels will not be the only technical qualification available in the future landscape. Where there are occupational standards at level 3, but no T Level, the department is allowing technical qualifications to be developed, which will allow students to continue to study areas currently covered by applied general qualifications such as travel consultant, highways electrician, and personal trainer, to list a few. The key distinction here is that they will be based on employer led occupational standards, unlike the current applied general qualifications. The department will also allow for large alternative academic qualifications in areas not well served by A levels or T levels and where an academic pathway is required, such as performing arts and sport.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of courses per higher education provider that accept T-levels for entry standards.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
T Levels set students up to progress onto a number of routes including employment, further education or higher education (HE). The government was delighted to see that last year, 97% of T Level students who applied for undergraduate study through UCAS received at least one offer. More information can be found here: https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/79-uk-18-year-old-applicants-receiving-results-gain-place-first-choice-university. Students secured places on a range of courses such as Midwifery, Computer Science and Architecture at a range of institutions.
The department has published a list of over 160 HE providers that have confirmed that they accept T Levels on at least one course. The list can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-providers-with-t-levels-in-entry-requirements. This list is not exhaustive or an official register of all HE providers that accept T Levels and is updated as providers confirm that they accept T Levels. Given that HE providers are autonomous institutions that regularly review the entry requirements, the department recommends that students look at the UCAS website and the websites of higher education providers for more information on entry requirements for specific courses.
The department works closely with the HE sector to ensure providers understand the content and quality of T Levels. The department has published a range of resources to support HE providers at the following site: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-level-resources-for-universities. The department has also published a range of resources for T Level providers who wish to support their students who are considering progressing into HE, which can be found here:https://support.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/15892783337362-T-Levels-and-Higher-Education-Progression.
Jan. 30 2024
Source Page: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualificationsFound: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualifications
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which colleges provide T Level courses; and which T Level courses each college provides.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Over 250 providers are delivering 18 T Levels in a range of in-demand subject areas in all regions of the country. A list of these providers is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providers-selected-to-deliver-t-levels.
Each of these providers will have information on their website relating to their T Level curriculum offer as this differs by school or college, depending on local student demand and employer needs.
Prospective students can also find details of the T Levels available in their area on GOV.UK at: https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/students/find.
Jan. 30 2024
Source Page: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualificationsFound: Wave 4 T Levels: overlapping qualifications