How to navigate qualification reforms and plan your curriculum

The following article was first featured in Schools Week on Thursday 2 July 2026

In October 2025, the Post-16 Education and Skills white paper set out plans for reform in England, much of which centred on simplifying the 16-19 qualification landscape. 

Since then, the Department for Education has provided a steady stream of further details, namely the government’s consultation response in March, following feedback from across the education sector including NCFE, and the subsequent implementation plan in May. 

The post-16 world is a mix of different provider types, such as FE colleges, sixth form colleges, and independent training providers. This means the new landscape will be utilised in many ways, and not all will be relevant to schools. 

How do we filter out changes aimed at FE institutions, focus only on aspects crucial for schools, and start curriculum planning in this new world?  

What's happening? 

The reforms introduce major changes to Level 2 and 3 16-19 vocational qualifications, but A Levels are unaffected. With a staggered introduction from 2027 to 2030, there'll only be four types of funded vocational qualifications. In simple terms: 

Level 2 

• Foundation certificates – small (2-3 GCSEs) vocational qualifications taken over one year designed to progress learners up to Level 3. 
• Occupational certificates – large (5-6 GCSEs) technical qualifications taken over two years designed to lead directly to employment. 

Level 3 

• V Levels – small (1 A Level) vocational qualifications taken in a mixed programme with A Levels or other V Levels designed to progress learners to higher education or apprenticeships. 
• T Levels – large (3 A Levels) technical qualifications taken on their own designed to lead to higher education, employment, or apprenticeships. 

Don’t get confused by Level 2 

Post-16 Level 2 study is relatively rare in school sixth forms. In 2025, only 585 pupil entries were made on performance table Level 2 vocational technical qualifications (VTQs). 

The system all but invites schools to opt out of occupational certificates, casting them as the remit of FE providers. In practice, any residual Level 2 offer in sixth forms is channelled into foundation certificates. 

Think Key Stages, not levels 

FE colleges generally plan their curriculum based on progression through Levels 1, 2, 3 and beyond. This is not the reality in schools as most pupils are making transitions between Key Stage 4 (KS4) and 5 (KS5) and an effective school curriculum has clear progression routes.  

The best way to imagine V Levels is to compare them to Level 1/2 Technical Awards. V Levels are to A Levels (KS5), as Technical Awards are to GCSEs (KS4). This means that schools need to plan natural routes from KS4 vocational provision onto KS5 vocational provision, rather than trying to fit Level 2 into the mix.  

As you can see, Technical Awards are far more common than Level 2 VTQs. Think of it like this; you wouldn’t run a Chemistry A Level unless you had a Chemistry GCSE. Similarly, if you're running a Travel and Tourism V Level, it would be wise to run a Travel and Tourism Technical Award to create a pipeline of learners. 

Replacing large diplomas 

Over time, all large diplomas, such as BTECs, will be defunded. There are two ways to replace that provision: Three V Levels or one T Level. It’s important here to consider each sector separately and weigh up the various factors.  

Can you find three V Levels which naturally fit together? Are you concerned about three different sets of assessments via this route? Do you prefer the coherence of one subject as a T Level? Would you have trouble sourcing and managing T Level industry placements? 

There are many things to think about, and it will be different for every school. There are positives and negatives to both, so careful and considered research is required before committing to either approach.  

Simple, right? 

With the overarching aim to simplify the system, it probably seems like the opposite. From V to T Levels and everything in between, it can feel overwhelming. 

As a former school teacher, I know that offering a mixed curriculum of academic and technical qualifications supports a broader range of pupils with different learning styles and interests.  

It also means that your curriculum is even more aligned to labour market needs, both improving outcomes for learners and wider society as well.  

With lots of changes ahead, and the pace only increasing, it can be easy to feel lost. Don't despair. Speak to vocational specialists, analyse your options, and cut through the noise to understand the impact on you.   

Discover more about the upcoming post-16 reforms and changes on our dedicated webpage.