Delays to the relicensing of health and science T Levels will not impact the rollout of “generation 2” versions of the qualifications, the government’s technical education quango has assured.
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) began tendering for exclusive awarding licenses for health, healthcare science and science T Levels in March. Bids had to be in by June, with successful awarding organisations notified in September, followed by contracts starting in October.
But the procurement winners are yet to be announced, three months after the contracts were due to start for the redevelopment of the qualifications in time for delivery in 2026.
Separate procurement rounds for other T Levels are taking place as existing licenses come to an end.
IfATE operates a single-license model for the technical qualifications in each T Level, meaning that one awarding organisation is responsible for updating content and assessment materials, providing training to teachers and provider staff, quality control, and assessing and grading students.
The first batch of so-called ‘generation 2’ T Level license holders, covering education and early years, construction and digital courses, were announced following a competitive re-tender process in August.
That procurement round resulted in four contracts changing hands. Two construction T Levels, first held by City and Guilds, were awarded to WJEC, and two digital T Levels, first held by NCFE, were awarded to Pearson. NCFE retained education and early years.
Procurement for health, healthcare science and science T Level awarding licenses, all held currently by NCFE, took place separately,
A third procurement, this one for three engineering T Levels and T Levels in management, finance and accounting, had been planned to launch this spring.
‘Delays happen‘
IfATE has bloated potential contract values and introduced a controversial new pricing mechanism for centres in a bid to make the gen 2 qualifications more commercially attractive to awarding organisations, some of whom have reported losses on the current licesnes due to low student take-up.
IfATE told FE Week it was “confident” delivery of relicensed health and science T Levels would still begin as planned in 2026 despite the procurement delays.
A spokesperson claimed the bidding period was extended due to the general election, which had a knock-on impact on approvals.
“We remain confident in the 2026 delivery date as planned, and we have communicated with awarding organisations throughout,” they said.
“Delays to process happen – but our priority remains making sure we get this right and that the end-product delivers for learners.
“At present we are working through the final due diligence in the proper way.”
Controversial contracts
FE Week revealed last January that generation 2 contracts feature a new adaptive pricing mechanism which allows awarding organisations to hike entry fees paid by providers if student numbers are lower than forecast.
College leaders criticised the new pricing model for pushing T Level recruitment risks onto providers, rather than awarding organisations and the government.
In an attempt to reassure the sector, the then skills minister Robert Halfon said DfE officials would consider “whether any further action is needed to mitigate” the impact on providers of adaptive pricing should it be triggered.
Awarding insiders previously told FE Week that DfE forecasts for T Level student numbers are often too optimistic, leading to huge financial risks for awarding organisations. Some have also suggested growth in T Level students is now less likely as a result of the new government’s decision to allow some overlapping level 3 qualifications to remain funded alongside T Levels.
IfATE did not provide a date when the new health and science contracts would be announced.
Hair today…
Elsewhere, IfATE has yet to confirm whether it will continue with plans to introduce T Levels in beauty and catering.
The catering course was originally earmarked to be taught from September 2023. Highfield Qualifications had a £2.6 million contract to develop the T Level, but this was pulled in July 2023 because there was not a “shared vision of the technical qualification”.
There remains no planned delivery date for the catering T Level, with some expecting the qualification to be scrapped.
The previous government scrapped the hairdressing and barbering T Level this time last year, citing a lack of employer buy-in.
A qualification in beauty and aesthetics was floated, although the DfE is yet to reveal whether an assessment of employer demand will give it the green light.
The only remaining confirmed T Level yet to be rolled out is marketing, set to start this September.
DfE’s T Level webpage still incorrectly publicised the hair, beauty and aesthetics T Levels as ready for delivery in September 2024 at the time of going to press.
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