Changes to T-Levels Could Help the Early Years Sector
T-Levels were introduced in September 2020 as an alternative vocational technical qualification for 16–19-year-olds in the UK. They last 2 years and are a level 3 qualification to 3 A-Levels. The idea behind T-Levels is that 80% will be classroom based and 20% will be placement based, with a minimum 9-week placement or 750 hours for the early years sector. Even with a 92% pass rate in 2022, there was a general feeling across all sectors that the full potential was not being utilised.
The Education Select Committee recently published a report into the future of post-16 qualifications which set out some recommendations on how T-Levels could be improved. One of the key recommendations was improving the awareness across all key stakeholders, including: students, parents, and employers. Other suggested improvements included ensuring T-Levels are accessible to all 16–19-year-olds regardless of their socio-economic or geographical background and to make the transition after the qualification smoother.
There is little doubt that T-Levels have the potential to address some of the known staffing issues in the early years sector by improving the skill set of the staff and by granting 16–19-year-olds valuable experience in the sector early on in their career. As the implementation of T-Levels evolves and the recommendations are put in place, the early years sector will have to see how impactful the qualifications can be.
If you are interested in learning more about the Early Years and Childcare T-Level or want to register your site to participate in T-Level placements, then follow the link here.