Delivering an engaging, industry-informed T Level curriculum requires access to high-quality teaching materials that support educators and inspire learners. 

NCFE and Gatsby's Technical Education Networks (TEN) have come together to develop and promote a range of free resources designed to enrich teaching and learning and bring technical education to life in the classroom.  

Through this collaboration, T Level providers can access specialist teaching materials supporting delivery across multiple routes, including Education and Early Years. 

Supporting teachers with practical resources 

A key focus of the partnership has been raising awareness of the Education and Early Years resources available through TEN. 

The resources are shaped by T Level teachers and curriculum leads, working alongside employers, awarding organisations and industry bodies to help shape materials that reflect curriculum requirements and employer expectations. 

Designed to support engaging and contextualised learning, the resources help learners develop the knowledge, behaviours and understanding needed for progression into education and childcare careers. By bringing real-world industry insight into the classroom, they help bridge the gap between learning and professional practice. 

Resources currently available through TEN include: 

• an introduction to professional discussions resource, consisting of a teaching guide, worksheets and a video 
• a visual curriculum model to support and inform holistic curriculum planning. 

A resource to support SEND is also in development. 

NCFE's Provider Hub brings these free materials together with qualification support resources, creating a straightforward and accessible experience for T Level providers. 

Bringing teachers together through Communities of Practice 

The partnership also supports collaboration between teachers through TEN's Communities of Practice (CoPs), delivered in partnership with the Association of Colleges. 

Communities of Practice bring T Level teachers together nationally to connect, share ideas and experiences, and access practical support for their teaching. Each of the 15 route-specific CoPs meet online three times a year, with an annual in-person event. 

Within each Community of Practice, teachers have the opportunity to collaborate on the development of teaching and learning resources tailored to their specialist area, meaning the materials are shaped by those delivering T Levels in the classroom.  

The impact in the classroom 

Since their introduction, the resources have helped teachers to bring greater industry context into lessons, while providing practical materials that can be incorporated into existing delivery. 

As one teacher explained: "We used [the professional discussions resource] as a task with a large group of students who loved it!" 

Another highlighted the impact on planning and lesson delivery: "The resources are practical, easy to use and have saved valuable planning time. They have helped us bring industry context into lessons and sparked some really meaningful discussions with learners." 

Together, the resources and Communities of Practice give teachers both ready-to-use materials and a national network of peers to learn from.  

A shared commitment to excellent technical education 

NCFE and Gatsby share a commitment to improving learner outcomes and opportunities through high-quality technical education. By combining NCFE's expertise as an awarding organisation with Gatsby's extensive work supporting technical education providers, the partnership helps ensure teachers have access to practical, relevant and engaging resources that complement qualification delivery. 

Reflecting on the partnership, Charlie Moss, Head of Further Education Curriculum Support at Gatsby, said: "We are really pleased with how our partnership with NCFE has evolved. They have always been advocates and supporters of our work and this is really appreciated.  

“We hope our curriculum models for the T Level and teaching materials supporting professional discussions are useful for practitioners and look forward to continuing to work with NCFE in the future." 

Sharon Veitch, Head of Provider External Quality Assurance and Development at NCFE, added: “Our partnership with Gatsby helps to ensure teachers have access to practical, employer-informed resources that bring learning to life and support positive learner outcomes. Together, we’re helping providers deliver engaging T Level programmes that prepare learners for their next steps in education, employment and beyond.” 

As new resources are developed and Communities of Practice continue to grow, the collaboration will continue to support teachers with high-quality materials, professional networks and sector insight, helping providers deliver engaging, employer-informed learning that enables T Level students to succeed. 

T Level teachers can get involved with future resource development, contribute to feedback, and connect with other T Level teachers nationally through TEN's Communities of Practice. For further information, contact [email protected].