The Department for Education (DfE) opened a consultation in October 2025 to seek views on the planned design and implementation of the new pathways for 16 to 19-year olds announced in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper.
The consultation set out proposals including:
- A third, vocational pathway at Level 3: creating V Level qualifications. V Levels will sit alongside A Levels and T Levels and will offer a vocational alternative to these academic and technical routes.
- Two new pathways at Level 2: simplifying the current offer and creating clear progression routes to further study at Level 3 and skilled employment through the Further Study pathway and Occupational pathway.
The consultation ran from 20 October 2025 to 12 January 2026.
Our response
In our response, we welcome the DfE’s ambition to simplify the Level 3 and below qualification landscape and improve clarity for learners, providers and employers. We support the principle of streamlining pathways where this helps reduce confusion and strengthens vocational and technical education. However, we have identified several risks and considerations that must be addressed to ensure the proposed reforms genuinely widen opportunity, support progression and maintain quality.
These include:
- Proposed V Levels, at 360 GLH, may be too narrow and occupation-focused, limiting flexibility for learners who are still exploring options.
- Practical, skills-intensive sectors such as creative, culinary, and technical fields require more guided learning hours for meaningful training and portfolio development.
- V Levels will need significant employer engagement to gain recognition, and staffing shortages – particularly in recruiting industry-experienced teachers – pose a significant risk.
- Removing established Level 3 vocational qualifications before V Levels are proven could undermine social mobility and progression routes.
- The absence of medium-sized V Levels creates risks for sectors where depth and coherence are essential for occupational competence.
- Clear progression maps, funding information, and employer-led resources are critical to help learners make informed decisions.
- Proposed timescales are unrealistic. A phased, evidence-led approach with retention of Level 2 pathways for 14-16 learners is essential.
Read our full response using the download link below.