B.Tech: What are they and how are they classified?
According to Ofqual, which oversees qualifications in England, in 2020, more than 12,000 vocational qualifications were offered at all levels by more than 150 awarding bodies.
Plans by former Conservative governments to streamline post-16 education meant that many BTech and other Level 3 courses would lose their funding to make way for the new T-level qualifications.
However, the Labor government halted and reviewed the plans, and has since announced that 157 qualifications will no longer be abolished as planned.
They include “key courses” in “important areas”, externalSuch as agriculture, engineering, manufacturing and health and social care, the DfE said.
Some have confirmed funding through July 2026 and others through July 2027.
The government also confirmed that funding will be withdrawn from 1 August 2025 for more than 200 qualifications with “low or no enrolment”.
Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders union NAHT, said the announcement provided “much-needed clarity” for schools and colleges.
“The previous government’s ambition to make A-levels and T-levels the only two qualification routes post-16 will have failed to meet the needs and ambitions of many students,” he said.
The government has confirmed that the rollout of T-tiers will continue.
In the first three years, T-levels have suffered from delays, high dropout rates and the exam board has been fined £300,000 over “major failures” in question papers.
