Last month the Department for Education (DfE) announced a review of post-16 vocational qualifications at level 3 and below in England (excluding T levels, A levels and GCSEs).

This consultation is part of a two-stage process with stage 1 ending on 10 June 2019 and stage 2 ending in December 2019. The consultation will affect qualifications from all Awarding Organisations.

What the review could mean for you

The current proposals include a review of Entry Level, Level 1, Level 2 and other Level 3 qualifications for learners aged 16 years and over. The consultation will also gather views and evidence about the general principles that should apply to qualifications that 19+ students use, reflecting the differing circumstances of adult learners.

The results of the consultation will inform the principles on which these qualifications will be eligible for funding in the future. The DfE will consult on their proposals for changes to funding later in 2019.

The qualifications in scope of the review cover a large proportion of the provision that Centres working with Gateway Qualifications offer and so we wanted to ensure that all our Centres are aware of the consultation and have the opportunity to respond.

Responding to the consultation

The review includes a number of questions that will be of interest to Centres with provision at Level 2 and below. For example:

  • Are standalone qualifications in personal, social and employability skills necessary?
  • How could post-16 qualification reform and broader study best support more people to achieve at Level 3?
  • What are the key roles that qualifications at Level 1 and below need to play?

Gateway Qualifications will be responding to the consultation. We would also strongly encourage Centres and individuals to respond, which you can do on the Government website here.

If you would value a discussion about the possible impacts or want to contribute any examples or evidence to our response, please drop an email to qualdev@gatewayqualifications.org.uk.