The Government has delayed four of its flagship T-Levels, which were due to launch in England from September.
Specialist qualifications in areas such as hair and beauty were planned for the coming academic year.
But the Department of Education (DfE) said more work was needed to ensure they were of sufficient quality.
The Association of Colleges (AoC) welcomed the decision but said the news caused “massive disruption”.
The first students to complete T-Levels received their results last year – with a 92% success rate.
The qualifications started in 2020 and were completed by 1,029 students in England.
Six more T-Levels were due to launch in September – but three of those are now being delayed until 2024:
- Hairdressing, hairdressing and beauty therapy
- craftsmanship and design
- Media, broadcasting and production
A fourth in catering has been delayed until “beyond 2024”.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said T-Levels would offer students a technical option of the same quality as A-Levels after 16 years.
“T-level technical qualifications are only approved for delivery if we are sure they are good enough and can be delivered at a high level,” she said. And further work is required that “is not possible at the start in September”.
AoC Chief Executive David Hughes said the DfE has “rightly ensured that only T-Levels of high enough quality come to market” but added: “Colleges are going to be massive by this announcement coming so late in the year to be disturbed.
“Colleges already had plans on how to provide these now-delayed T-Levels and marketed them to prospective learners.
“Alternatives must now urgently be found.”
- developed together with employers
- two-year courses
- corresponds to three high school diplomas
- accepted by 134 universities and colleges
- 80% learning in the classroom
- 20% industrial internship – at least 315 hours (approx. 45 days)
- successful students receive a pass, merit, award, or distinction*
T-Levels are “an important addition to the qualifications landscape,” he said. But new qualifications with ‘risks’ and T-levels should be completed by two cohorts of students before other qualifications are cancelled.
The government has said there will be “at least a year” between the introduction of a T-level and the end of funding for overlapping qualifications such as BTecs.
A total of 18 T-Levels will be available from September – and the following courses will be launched as planned:
- legal services (2023)
- Agriculture, Land Management and Production (2023)
- Animal Care and Management (2024)
- Marketing (2025)
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