Cash pulled from popular BTecs in move to T-levels

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By Hazel Shearing
Education correspondent

BTecs in engineering and health and social care are to be scrapped for teenagers in England, as part of a move to T-level technical qualifications.

The government has published a draft list of 160 qualifications it says overlap with T-levels.

Plans to withdraw funding for most BTecs and other applied general qualifications from 2024 were criticised last year.

Colleges said BTecs opened doors for poorer students.

Other BTec Nationals on the list include:

  • computer science

  • business information systems

  • children's play, learning and development

It is estimated more than 230,000 students completed BTec Nationals in 2021.

T-levels, studied over one or two years and each worth three A-levels for university applications, were introduced in 2020.

The 10 courses available so far include:

  • education and childcare

  • design, surveying and planning for construction

BTecs can also be used for university applications, although many use them to gain occupation-specific skills.

'Cause for concern'

Gill Burbridge,

The engineering and health-and-social-care BTecs are popular at Leyton Sixth Form College, in London, principal Gill Burbridge says, and scrapping them would be "a real cause for concern".

T-levels are important, she says, and she is introducing the college's first in September - but she is concerned about the pace of the rollout - because they require "an awful lot of preparation".

"We're not going to be in a position to rapidly expand our T-level provision, which means that other vocational qualifications - particularly the applied generals - are absolutely key in insuring that young people can access the right educational programme for them," Ms Burbridge says.

And the changes could restrict students' choice, as it is possible to take only T-Level at a time.

"How confident are you at 16 to know with that degree of precision, 'I want to work within this sector?'" Ms Burbridge asks.

She is also worried about the ability to find work-experience placements for the pupils - and the financial impact on those who may have to find courses elsewhere.

"That may not be an option that they have because of the cost of travel," she says.

Skills Minister Alex Burghart said this was the "next step" in the rollout of T-levels and about 175 colleges would offer them from September.

"Young people deserve a clear path and understanding of the qualifications and training routes that will lead to great careers," he said.

And "retiring" some qualifications would "help end the confusion and complexity we know puts some young people off studying technical options".

Awarding organisations with qualifications on the provisional list can appeal and a final list is due to be published in September.

Sixth Form Colleges Association chief executive Bill Watkin is pleased only a "small proportion" of more than 2,000 level-three applied general qualifications are on the list.

But he said: "Although only 160 qualifications appear on today's list, some - like the BTec diploma in health and social care - are enormously popular and are well respected by universities and employers and the impact of their removal will be felt by a significant number of young people."

BTecs "have a vital role to play in the future qualifications landscape", Mr Watkin added.

He has previously called the shake-up "a hammer-blow for social mobility".

Poorer pupils

Originally, funding for most BTecs was due to be phased out between 2023 and 2025.

But a campaign to stop them being scrapped so soon won the backing of MPs and peers from across the parties in October.

The move was then delayed by a year, with education leaders warning scrapping the qualifications was "reckless" and would harm the prospects of poorer pupils.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi also announced the English and maths requirements for T-Levels would be removed so the government did not "unnecessarily inhibit talented students".

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