New qualification to be rolled out alongside A-levels in overhaul of education system
The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a new V-Level qualification aimed at overhauling the education system for 16 to 19 year olds.
Education Minister Bridget Phillipson said vocational training had been “an afterthought for too long”.
This new qualification will create a third route alongside A levels and T levels, and all plans will be detailed in a white paper on post-16 education and skills to be published on Monday.
The DfE has confirmed that V-Levels will replace the 900 existing vocational qualifications for this age group, aiming to streamline the “confusing landscape” of options available.
The move will also offer students greater flexibility, allowing them to explore key sectors such as engineering, agriculture or digital before deciding where to specialise, the ministry said.
It was said that unlike T-Levels, which are equivalent to three A-Levels, V-Levels will offer more options as students will be able to sit alongside A-Levels.
Meanwhile, the DfE has also announced plans to support students to get the “vital pass” they need at English and maths GCSE.
Currently, students who fail to achieve grade 4 at maths and English GCSE must continue studying beyond year 16 to pass the exams.
The rule is regularly criticized by sector leaders and recently the House of Commons Education Select Committee said the policy was not working for the majority and called on the Government to change it.
The government has announced that a new qualification will “target students with lower attainment levels as a stepping stone to better prepare them to re-take these GCSEs”.
The DfE said the policy would particularly “support white working-class students”, as those eligible for free school meals would be more likely to need to retake these exams than their wealthier peers.
Ms Phillipson said: “Technical and vocational education is the backbone of this country’s economy and is at the heart of breaking the link between background and success, helping hundreds of thousands of young people to gain the skills they need to find good jobs.
“But for too long this has been an afterthought. Young people have been left to navigate an overly complex environment and have been repeatedly labeled ‘failures’ by a system that robs them of crucial English and maths grades.”
“We are changing the course with our change plan.
“Our reforms are building a post-16 education system that fully suits the aspirations and talents of young people and delivers the opportunity and growth our economy needs.”
The government has said it will launch a consultation to support the introduction of V-Levels.
He added that T-Levels will continue to expand into other subject areas.
Commenting on the announcement, Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “We are pleased that the government has recognized the importance of having a third vocational pathway alongside the academic and technical qualifications offered by A levels and T levels.
“It is vital that post-16 students are provided with pathway options that suit the interests and aspirations of different students and are supported in their access to higher education, apprenticeships and careers.
“We need to recognize the fact that large numbers of young people are not currently in education, employment or training; ensuring a range of excellent pathways are available for all our students is crucial to tackling this problem.
“We are also pleased that it has been recognized that a new approach is needed to support post-16 students in English and mathematics.
“This should move us away from the current demoralizing system of compulsory GCSE exams.
“We need an approach to these issues that builds confidence and gives young people the best possible opportunity to achieve qualifications they can be proud of.”
Daniel Kebede, Secretary General of the National Education Union, said: “As the National Education Union, we welcome today’s announcement as an important step towards vocational education.
“For too long the post-16 qualifications framework has lacked consistency and clarity.
“Students pursuing academic routes benefited from a clear and structured pathway, while those pursuing vocational options often faced a confusing and under-resourced system.
“These reforms provide an important opportunity to deliver greater fairness, consistency and quality to all students.”
He added: “The government is right to listen to teachers and school leaders who have long stressed that forcing pupils to sit English and maths GCSEs repeatedly is both demoralizing and ineffective.
“We now have the chance to build a system that engages every student, values a broad range of skills, and accurately recognizes their achievements.”
David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “There is a lot we are looking for, from the desire for a more cohesive system focused on local labor markets, productivity and helping adults and young people get into and progress into good jobs, to a renewed focus on ensuring young people do not become or remain Neet but not in education, employment or training.”
