Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper - What it means for you
23 October 2025
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Continue to teach BTEC with confidence
On 20 October, the government published its Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, setting out significant reforms to vocational education in England. We know you'll have questions about what this means for you and your students, and we want to provide you with clear information and reassurance.
What it means for you
You should continue to register students and deliver your programmes as planned in 2025/26. There are no immediate changes to your current provision, and BTECs continue to provide excellent outcomes for the thousands of students who choose vocational pathways each year.
Defunding of certain BTEC Level 3 qualifications will still continue as planned, but our new BTEC Level 3 Nationals (AAQs) are fully approved and ready for registration. These new qualifications will remain in place until the introduction of V Levels, ensuring continuity for you and your students.
Explore BTEC Level 3 National AAQs
As soon as we have full details about the funding arrangements for 2026/27, we’ll share them with you straight away, so you can plan with confidence.
What does the White Paper propose?
The government has announced plans to introduce "V Levels" as a new vocational qualification pathway at level 3, sitting alongside A levels and T Levels. These qualifications aim to simplify the current vocational landscape and will be designed to be similar in size to A levels, allowing students to combine vocational and academic study more flexibly.
The government has opened the consultation to test the key design principles of V Levels, and new qualifications at level 2 that sit alongside GCSEs. It invites views on size and subject areas, information advice and guidance, new T Levels, level 2 qualifications and pathways, non qualification activities, the transition plan, the co-design approach to setting content, and qualification branding. The deadline for responses in 12 January 2026.
Have your say: Take part in the government consultation
We’re ready for what’s next
As experts in vocational and technical qualifications, we bring decades of expertise in developing qualifications that work for students, educators, and employers. We are ready and committed to working with the government to ensure any new qualifications meet the needs of learners and the economy.
Our commitment to you
Our top priority right now is to keep you informed and support you through this period of change. We’ll keep you updated on funding implications by updating our funding guides, and we’ll be in touch when the Curriculum and Assessment Review is published shortly. In the meantime, if you have questions or concerns, please contact us through the Pearson support portal.
Thank you for your continued partnership. Together, we'll ensure your learners continue to receive the excellent vocational education they deserve. |
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