Government unveils plans to reform post-16 education

The government has unveiled plans to reform post-16 education in England, unveiling new qualifications, a review of funding and a national auto-enrolment scheme aimed at keeping young people in education or training.

Outlined in the Skills White Paper, plans include proposals for new V-levels, a vocational alternative to A-levels and T-levels, as well as a “stepping stone” qualification for students resitting English and maths GCSEs.

Other headline measures include a review of 16 to 19 funding, reforms to level 2 provision, and a pilot to automatically place school-leavers without a confirmed destination into further education.

The government is consulting on the design of V-levels, subject-based qualifications intended to give students broader vocational learning before specialising.

Set to launch from 2027, the qualifications will be regulated by Ofqual and aligned with A-levels in size and rigour, but will include a greater proportion of non-exam assessment. 

The white paper confirms that many Applied General Qualifications (AGQs), including BTECs, will be defunded from 2026 and 2027, depending on size. Medium and large qualifications in areas covered by T-levels will no longer be available.

The government also plans to overhaul level 2 qualifications, replacing the troubled T-level foundation year with two new routes from 2027: A one-year “further study pathway” to prepare students for level 3 courses and a two-year “occupational pathway” aimed at students heading directly into work or apprenticeships.

Both routes will continue to include English and maths learning for students who haven’t achieved GCSE grade 4.

Responding to concerns about low success rates in GCSE resits, a new level 1 “preparation for GCSE” qualification in English and maths will be introduced for students with a grade 2 or below. The new qualification, due for consultation in 2026, will help consolidate foundational skills before students attempt a full resit.

To tackle the rising number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), the government plans to automatically enrol 16-year-olds without a post-school destination into further education.

Pilots will trial the use of “default providers”, most likely colleges, who will place students who haven’t made a choice or who drop out mid-year.

For the first time, attendance in 16 to 19 education will be nationally tracked, echoing systems used in schools. This is aimed at early intervention to reduce drop-out and persistent absence.

Meanwhile, a full review of the 16 to 19 funding formula is underway, with changes due by 2027–28. Ministers have pledged to increase investment by £1.2 billion a year by 2028–29, in part to support the growing number of young people and address staff recruitment challenges.