DfE cleanses post-16 qualifications

Education Secretary Damian Hinds has announced two further measures to support the government’s ongoing review of qualifications at Level 3 and below.

This includes removing funding for more than 160 duplicate qualifications from August 2020, ensuring that students take the newer, more rigorous versions.

Stopping any new qualification at Level 3 and below from getting approval for funding from 2020, to avoid adding to the already confusing and complicated system of over 12,000 qualifications already available at these levels.

This is part of the DfE's crack down on poor quality post-16 qualifications. If a student chooses another qualification the Government wants to make sure they are as high-quality and will set them on a clear path to a job, further education or training.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: "We want young people to be confident that whatever option they choose after their GCSEs will be high-quality, valued by employers and will lead to a good, well-paid job. This is at the heart of everything we are doing to reform technical and vocational education in this country.

"I have previously said you cannot legislate for parity of esteem between technical and academic education - you’ve got to ensure high standards, then the esteem will come. Our unrelenting focus on improving the quality of the qualifications available is key to this.

"The current system is confusing and complicated, with more than 12,000 qualifications available at Level 3 and below. We are reviewing qualifications to boost the quality of the options out there so more students and parents will trust them."