“T Levels have the potential to make a valuable contribution to our education system, but this will only be realised if they are conceived, designed and delivered in the wider context of building a high-quality and sustainable technical education route.” This is the conclusion from the Policy Exchange’s investigation into T Levels and the wider vocational system.

Whilst the report A Qualified Success asks questions about many aspects of T Levels policies to date, it provides recommendations for the future success of T Levels, supporting the need for technical education reform within a broader system.

The recommendations include:

• Build a simpler and stable 16-19 qualifications system with three pathways - ‘academic’, ‘applied’ and ‘technical’ with each subject only appearing in one pathway
• Replace the single awarding organisation model with a single assessment model (one assessment, multiple providers) and allow current regulated awarding organisations to create the first two waves of T Levels within a consortium
• Merge Apprenticeship ‘Trailblazer’ groups with T Level employer panels
• Allow employers to use apprenticeship levies to pay for T Level industry placements.

The report believes that its recommendations will go some way to supporting the Sainsbury Review’s aim to create “a system of technical education in England that is the match for any in the world”.

Policy Exchange is a think tank aiming to develop and promote new policy ideas which deliver better public services, a stronger society and a more dynamic economy.