KRIVET

In England, students can obtain qualifications upon completing secondary-level education. Additionally, vocational education programs at the secondary level are designed to provide qualifications. England manages qualifications acquired through secondary schools, colleges, and various vocational training programs under a unified National Qualifications Framework (NQF). This framework ensures that qualifications are integrated and transferable across England1), Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland (Lee et al., 2015). In England, the education system follows a 6-5-2-3 structure. After completing secondary education by the age of 16, students can pursue Level 3 qualifications within the NQF3) through three pathways: the Advanced Levels (A Levels2)) for university entrance, technical qualifications linked to specific occupations and applied general qualifications combining practical skills with academic learning (including 134 qualifications such as the BTEC) 

The final two years of secondary education, during which students prepare for university entrance exams (A Levels), and the institutions providing this education, are commonly referred to as the 'Sixth Form.' These students receive their training through a variety of institutions, including general academic schools (school sixth forms, sixth form colleges), further education colleges, higher education institutions, apprenticeship programs, and private training providers (CEDEFOP, 2019).  In a policy statement released in July 2021, the English government announced its intention to create "clearly defined academic and technical pathways" for post-16 education (DfE, 2021). The A Levels will serve as the academic route for students aiming to pursue higher education at universities. Meanwhile, the T Levels will become the main qualification option within the technical pathway, designed to support entry into skilled professions (requiring specialized training or knowledge), advanced technical skill acquisition, participation in apprenticeships, and potentially progression to higher education programs. Previously, vocational education at the secondary level could be completed through preparatory courses for ‘qualifications linked to specific occupations’ or ‘applied general qualifications that combined practical skills with academic learning.’ Moving forward, the government plans to manage vocational training under the reformed T Level system, which will be positioned alongside apprenticeships. The T Levels refer both to the name of the course in upper secondary vocational education and the vocational qualification obtained at this stage, with qualifications being newly designed in line with government-defined curricula, hours of instruction, and assessment methods for each vocational field. Since the release of the “Post-16 Skills Plan” draft in 2016 (DfBIS & DfE, 2016), the timeline for the introduction of T Levels has been adjusted due to concerns over the feasibility of the original schedule. Initially, T Levels were set to launch in September 2019 with a few technical pathways. However, under the 2017 T Level Implementation Plan, the start date was postponed to September 2020, and later, the target for full implementation was further revised, shifting from 2023 to 2025. Following 2021, the introduction of T Levels in several fields—such as ‘Human Resources,’ ‘Animal Care and Management,’ ‘Hair, Beauty, and Aesthetics,’ ‘Craft and Design,’ and ‘Media, Broadcast, and Production’—was delayed. In October 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to introduce the Advanced British Standard (ABS), a qualification set to replace both the A Levels and T Levels by 2033 (DfE, 2023). Although further changes are expected, it is still worth examining the new secondary vocational education system that has recently been introduced in England.

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