Concern over short window for early years T-Level consultation

The Department for Education revealed at the weekend it is pushing back the introduction of some T-Levels until after 2022 following concerns from senior civil servants and business leaders that the programme is being rushed.

However, the first three T-Levels in education and childcare, digital and construction are still scheduled to be rolled out from 2020, and a consultation on their content has also just been published by the Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA), giving people until 10 June to respond.

The Association of Employment and Learning (AELP) has raised concern about the quality of feedback to the consultations given the short timescale.

Mark Dawes, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning (AELP), said, ‘While we know that the T-Level panels contain many experts, the experience of the apprenticeship trailblazers offers serious lessons on why proper consultation is needed before content is signed off. 

'It’s staggering that the Institute is giving people so little time to submit views on whether the content is right. Even worse it is open over a bank holiday and half-term, so you can’t help wondering how serious they are about getting feedback.’

The consultation on the content of the Education and Childcare T-Level for the Early Years Education and Childcare stream, one of three, sets out five performance outcomes, which are:

• Performance Outcome 1: support and promote children’s play, development and early education.
• Performance Outcome 2: develop relationships with children to facilitate their development.
• Performance Outcome 3: plan, provide and review care, play and educational opportunities to enable children to progress.
• Performance Outcome 4: safeguard and promote the health, safety and well-being of children.
• Performance Outcome 5: work in partnership with colleagues, parents, carers and other professionals to support children’s development.

T-Level colleges

During the weekend, education secretary Damian Hinds also announced the first 52 colleges and post-16 providers that will be offering T-Levels from 2020, including York College, Cirencester College, HCHC (the merged Uxbridge College and Harrow College) and Chichester College Group.

Mr Hinds said, ‘Naming the first 52 colleges and providers where young people will be able to study the first T Levels is an important step forward, and we will continue the work with business and the education sector so everyone can benefit from these vital reforms.

‘Technology and the world economy are fast-changing, and we need to make sure our young people have the skills they need to get the jobs of tomorrow. This is at the heart of our modern industrial strategy.’

The DfE is due to publish a list of all the colleges and post-16 providers shortly when this page will be updated.

The much-criticised occupational map on education and childcare has also been updated following a public consultation.

• For the consultation on the content of the Education and Childcare T-Level click here