New Vocational GCSEs to Replace Technical Awards

• New Vocational GCSEs for students to study vocational courses at school, with nationally-set content, grading and assessment, alongside a strong academic core of English, maths and science,
• Vocational GCSEs to sit alongside traditional GCSEs and replace existing Technical Awards, helping create pathways to A, V and T Levels, and employment, apprenticeships and university
• Work experience for all teenagers, as new National Mission on Work Experience to create 200,000 more opportunities to plug the current gap 
• Delivers on Prime Minister’s commitment to make sure the hard hat is every bit as valued as the graduation cap and give young people a clear line of sight to the world of work, no matter where they live

Every young person across the country will be able to pursue prestigious new Vocational GCSEs and access work experience in a major shake-up of the education system to prepare them for the world of work.

Delivering on the Prime Minister’s commitment in his first week in the role to put technical education on an equal footing with the traditional academic path, the new national qualifications will be created to sit alongside traditional GCSEs and will replace the current Technical Awards.

Part of action to revolutionise technical and vocational learning, the rigorous new qualifications will help ensure today’s students have the skills for the jobs of the future.

The shake-up builds on reforms including new V Levels, Occupational and Foundational Certificates and expanded T Levels – giving young people more routes to a brighter future, ensuring they have a clear line of sight to employment, and helping to tackle the crisis of the 1 million young people who are out of education, employment or training.  

Alongside revolutions inside the classroom, the government is launching a National Mission on Work Experience, working alongside the Good Growth Business Forum and other businesses, to boost opportunities outside the classroom.

Call to arms to employers to provide an additional 200,000 work experience placements

It is a call to arms to employers to provide an additional 200,000 work experience placements to ensure all young people have vital exposure to the workplace between 14 and 16, with Mayors and local authorities helping to make links between schools and employers. This could include spending time in key sectors including accountancy firms, digital media companies and construction companies. Employers can contact their local Careers Hub to pledge new work experience placements.

No10 North will establish work experience placements for 14-16 year old students this academic year

Alongside businesses, No10 North will establish work experience placements for 14-16 year old students this academic year. This will give young people the chance to see into the heart of government, experience the world of work, and demonstrate the real opportunities available to them on their doorstep

It is part of the Prime Minister’s mission to fix the most difficult issues facing the country, and create opportunities in every postcode. 

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

“We’ve all heard someone say ‘school wasn’t really for me’ because they were not given the chance to study vocational courses as well as traditional subjects.

“That one-size-fits-all approach isn’t working, so we’re building an education system that values both academic and technical paths.

“I want to give all young people across Britain the hope that their future will be brighter – whether it starts at university or not.”

Education Secretary Lucy Powell said:

“Young people today are entering a world of work full of exciting opportunities. We need to prepare them for it. Time and again young people, parents and employers tell me they want schools to do more to help them understand and prepare for the jobs of the future.

“That is why we are transforming technical education and ensuring every young person can access the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to thrive in a changing world.

“Our new Vocational GCSEs will give young people a stronger connection to the careers and industries shaping our economy, helping them discover and develop their talents while maintaining high standards across our education system.

“This is not about creating different routes for different children. It is about ensuring every child has access to a rich and ambitious education that opens doors, creates opportunity and prepares them for life beyond the classroom.”

The same size as GCSEs, these new qualifications will be nationally set, with subject content based on subject expert advice. Assessment and grading will be regulated by Ofqual to ensure full parity with traditional GCSEs.

They will eventually replace existing Technical Awards, which currently vary by provider with no nationally set content, and do not consistently support progression to further study.

Available in some subjects from as early as September 2029

They are set to be available in some subjects from as early as September 2029, as part of broader new technical pathways starting in September 2028. Subject options could include Business Management and Finance, Creative Media Production, Digital Tech, Child Development, and Building and Construction, supporting progression into further study through T Levels and V Levels in these subjects, or through A Levels.

New subjects will be developed as part of a review of existing GCSEs and new Vocational GCSEs

New subjects will be developed as part of a review of existing GCSEs and new Vocational GCSEs, to create a complementary set of qualifications that give students greater choice, but avoid duplication or unnecessary overlap. English, Maths and Science will remain a common entitlement. Together, the qualifications on offer at age 14 will be aligned to 16-19 progression routes including A Levels, T Levels and the new V Levels. 

Aligned to 16-19 progression routes including A Levels, T Levels and the new V Levels. 

The work to move away from a one-size-fits-all system designed in Whitehall was kicked off earlier this month as the Education Secretary hosted a summit at No10 North with mayors, businesses, schools and colleges.

Sir Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said:

“Over the past two decades, we have strengthened GCSEs through greater rigour, clearer and more coherently sequenced subject content, and more robust assessment. These reforms extend those same high standards into vocational education, ensuring qualifications are underpinned by nationally agreed content, strong regulatory oversight and clear progression routes into apprenticeships, T Levels, V Levels, A Levels, higher education and employment.

“The new vocational GCSEs have the potential to command the confidence of parents, employers, colleges and universities alike, while providing young people with meaningful pathways into high-skilled careers. Importantly, they will sit alongside a strong core academic education, ensuring that pupils continue to study the essential subjects that underpin future success. Crucially, they can help ensure that education is better aligned to the skills and workforce needs of local communities and regional economies, supporting the growth ambitions of mayors and combined authorities across the country.”

John Yarham, Chief Executive Officer, The Careers & Enterprise Company, said:

“We welcome the national mission on work experience. High-quality pathways, alongside modern work experience, are vital to bringing the world of work to life and giving young people the skills and knowledge they need for their future. 

“Employers of all sizes and sectors tell us they see real benefits from outreach that builds diverse future talent. To make this happen at scale, we need an ambitious shared framework, underpinned by strong local coordination, so opportunities are targeted where they can have the greatest impact – particularly for young people currently missing out.

“CEC stands ready to work with our Careers Hub partners in every region, connecting employers with schools and colleges to create more high-quality opportunities and bridge the gap between education and the world of work.”

Michelle Ovens CBE, CEO & Founder of Small Business Britain, said:

“We’re pleased to see the government’s mission to boost work experience opportunities for young people. Small businesses across the country are often where young people get their first exposure to the world of work, helping them build practical skills and experience, while also playing a vital role in strengthening local and regional economies.

“Stronger public-private partnerships between government, education and business are vital to ensuring young people leave education with the skills, experience, and confidence they need to navigate the world of work, and that small businesses are equipped to help provide those opportunities.”

Sarah Bradbury, Chief Executive of IGD, said:

“Modern work experience has the power to open young people’s eyes to careers they may never have considered and give them the skills and confidence to take that first step into work. Through our industry-wide Feeding Britain’s Future movement, businesses within the food and drink industry are trialling a new, flexible approach in partnership with The Careers & Enterprise Company, that brings employers together to create meaningful work experiences at scale. The food and drink industry is the UK’s largest private sector employer and we want young people to see the huge range of opportunities it offers. We welcome the national mission on work experience and stand ready to work with industry to bridge the gap between schools, colleges and the world of work.”

Shevaun Haviland CBE, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce said:

“Business leaders are deeply committed to their communities and want to support young people on their journey from education to employment.

“That’s why the British Chambers of Commerce is pleased to support the National Mission on Work Experience, and will work through our Chambers, who are already closely engaged with both businesses and schools across the country, to rally local employers to the cause.

“Expanding access to work experience and increased business engagement in schools is critical to supporting the workforce of tomorrow. It is welcome that this government initiative is being delivered in partnership with business organisations”.

Irene Graham, CEO, ScaleUp Institute, said:

“Scaling firms, across sectors and regions, are strong supporters of work experience. This National Mission is a vital one to help young people’s entry in to the world of the work and the ScaleUp Institute looks forward to supporting the initiative as it develops.”

Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Executive Director of Made UK said:

“Manufacturers and Make UK support the Government’s commitment to expanding technical education from the age of 14. Employers need the next generation of engineers and manufacturing workers, and the Prime Minister is right that the gap between the classroom and the workplace has to be bridged if that need is to be met. What matters now is quality. Technical education only works when it is taught to a high standard, and expansion without rigour would fail the young people it is meant to serve.

“A young person working towards an engineering qualification is doing hard maths, applied physics and problem-solving under real constraints. There is nothing soft about it. The right mix of technical knowledge and practical application of skills is vital for all young people, and delivering it demands qualifications employers recognise, teachers with real industry experience, and workshops equipped to modern standards. Get that right and technical education becomes a genuine ladder of opportunity into skilled, well-paid careers.

“Make UK has long argued for technical education to begin earlier and for industry and education to work far more closely together, so that young people leave with the knowledge and skills that employers value. The Government has taken positive steps towards this and has the manufacturing sector’s support in holding standards high as it does so.”

Responding after the government announced plans to establish new vocational GCSEs, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“We welcome the principle of ensuring vocational and technical subjects have parity with academic options, and these new GCSEs could help achieve that, offering more flexible and appropriate pathways for different students.

“If delivered in the right way, these GCSEs have the potential to increase awareness among parents and students of alternatives to more traditional academic routes, and boost the status and esteem in which vocational and technical options are held.  

“In recent years, the content behind too many GCSEs became unwieldy and the over-reliance on final exams did not play to the strengths of all students. It will be crucial these pitfalls are avoided in developing these qualifications and that the government works closely with educators, local leaders and employers to ensure they offer high-quality learning which sets young people up for future training, education or employment.”

Commenting on the government’s plans to introduce new Vocational GCSEs, Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“Reshaping and rebadging vocational and technical qualifications is well-intentioned but will not in itself address the barriers to more young people taking these subjects. Reform needs to be accompanied by a strategy to ensure that schools have the staffing and resources to deliver them, and a campaign to raise public awareness of vocational and technical routes. We’re pleased to see that the government intends to adjust school performance measures to reflect these new qualifications but it is essential that this change genuinely provides flexibility between vocational and academic pathways.

“Without this wider action, revamping qualifications will simply mean more upheaval and workload for hard-pressed schools, without actually achieving the objective of boosting vocational and technical pathways. We would also question why it is necessary to call these qualifications Vocational GCSEs, when genuine parity of esteem would be better served by simply calling them GCSEs, in line with existing academic qualifications.

“Schools will welcome the launch of a national mission to source work experience opportunities for young people. These placements are often extremely difficult to secure and more support from employers is badly needed to give young people the invaluable opportunity to gain real-world workplace experience.”

Responding to the government’s announcement on vocational GCSEs, AoC Chief Executive David Hughes said:

“We are delighted to see this announcement in support of the Prime Minister’s promotion of young people having the opportunity to explore more vocational and technical options from 14. Whenever they are asked, young people say they want to learn relevant skills to help them see a route into work after school and college. This announcement should help to achieve that, resulting in more young people feeling engaged and motivated by education at a crucial stage in their lives.
 
“At the design stage, it will be crucial to work with the college sector to dovetail new KS4 qualifications with post-16 T levels, V Levels and occupational certificates to ensure they do help young people make a flying start at 16 when they be embark on their technical learning routes.

“Colleges are ideal partners for schools in delivering the new qualifications because they offer industry standard facilities, staff experience and links to employers which will mean the learning experience is authentically different to school and properly employment focused.
 
“The national mission on work experience should also embrace and bring into one place the promotion of post-16 work experience to employers to ensure that all young people on T Levels and other study programmes have access to high-quality work placements. 
 
“We are ready to work with central government, and locally in partnership with strategic authorities, business and schools to make this the exciting reality it can be for young people.”

AELP’s Ben Rowland said:

“Vocational GCSEs, done well, could help many more young people find things at school that interest them, play to their strengths, build their confidence and give them an earlier sense of where an attractive and possible future might lie. Too often, young people are made to feel they have failed because the academic bias of school does not suit them.

“Schools will need support to make this a success. Independent training providers as well as colleges have an important role to play: ITPs deliver 60% of all apprenticeships for young people and can bring specialist expertise, real-world insight and deep employer relationships.

“Increasing work experience is vital. The test will be whether it moves from pledge to embedded part of the system. To achieve this we need employers of every size to feel able to take part. That means making placements flexible and manageable, from a short workplace visit through to a longer placement, while ensuring every experience gives young people a genuine insight into working life. The aim should be to make employers less daunting for young people, and young people less daunting for employers.”

Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:

“Teachers and school leaders will recognise the value of expanding vocational learning and giving young people more routes to success. But they will also have legitimate questions and concerns about how these proposals will work in practice.

“The Government’s emphasis on young people who are not in education, employment or training risks implying that schools are chiefly responsible for solving a wider problem that is rooted in jobs, apprenticeships, poverty, health and transport. Changing qualifications alone will not fix those issues.

“Government and employers must take responsibility for the wider factors that shape young people’s options. We do not want see the aspirations of young people undermined. We should not be closing the door to university for young people from a working class background or from less affluent communities.

“There is also a real question about timing. The first Vocational GCSEs may not be taught until 2029 so we want to know what support will be available for young people who are already out of education, employment or training, and need help now.

“It is deeply concerning that the decision to replace Technical Awards has been announced before teachers and trade unions were consulted. Teachers must have a meaningful say in the design, assessment and timetable for these qualifications, rather than simply being asked to deliver decisions that appear to have been made without them.

“None of this can be delivered without proper funding. Schools will need specialist teachers, suitable facilities, equipment, materials and protected training time. Without that investment, these reforms will simply add to already unacceptably high workloads.

“The commitment to 200,000 additional work experience placements is ambitious, but ambition alone is not enough. Ministers must explain how these will translate into safe, worthwhile placements for every pupil, including those without family contacts or who need additional support. Schools cannot be expected to coordinate this work without clear funding and infrastructure.

“Teachers want vocational education to succeed but success requires investment and genuine partnership with the profession. Without that, these reforms risk overpromising and under-delivering for the young people they are intended to support.”

Carl Cullinane, Director of Research and Policy at the Sutton Trust, said:

“Overall, we welcome the bolstering of technical and vocational routes, given historic underfunding and skills gaps, and the potential to create opportunity for very disadvantaged groups. And efforts to boost work experience placements will help provide valuable opportunities for young people. 

“But we’re concerned that disadvantaged young people are nudged towards the technical track, increasing divides and ultimately reducing social mobility. These reforms shouldn’t get in the way of efforts to narrow attainment gaps in crucial core subjects.”

Kate Ambrosi, Chief Executive of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust said:

“We fully welcome the government’s moves towards establishing new technical Level 2 qualifications.

“Putting an end to the youth unemployment crisis will require an ambitious and comprehensive approach. That means improving the technical GCSE offer, opening up many more work experience opportunities, and other measures to create better lines of sight from the classroom to the workplace.

“There needs to be a serious inspection of how we are training and developing specialist teachers; investment in state-of-the-art, industry-standard equipment and facilities; and more work on partnering schools with local employers.

“Today’s announcement shows the government is off to a great start. It is right that the existing GCSEs, particularly technical and vocational ones, are put under review to ensure they are properly preparing young people for apprenticeships and work.

“We look forward to working with the Department for Education to ensure that the review and any subsequent reforms help engage young people in education, improve their skills and knowledge, and progress them to great destinations. But also that the reforms build on the good work that has been done before now and helpful measures already in place.

“Baker Dearing and the University Technical College secondary schools and UTC Sleeves we support are looking forward to sharing with educators, employers and ministers our nearly 20 years’ experience delivering high-quality, employer-led technical education for students.”

Freya Thomas Monk, Managing Director, Pearson Qualifications said:

“Giving young people access to high-quality vocational education earlier can help them discover their strengths and passions, make more informed choices about their future, and build the skills our economy needs.

“As these proposals develop, it will be important that they build on the strengths of our existing academic and vocational system and that any new qualifications have the rigour and recognition valued by learners, educators, and employers.

“Pearson has decades of experience delivering academic and vocational qualifications, with one in five people in the UK holding one of our vocational qualifications. This gives us a unique understanding of how academic and vocational learning can work together to support learner success and help build the skilled workforce employers need.

“We look forward to working with government, educators, and employers to help ensure these reforms deliver high standards, meaningful opportunities, and strong outcomes for young people across the country.”

Myles McGinley, Managing Director of Cambridge OCR, said:

“The Government’s new energy and focus on vocational education is welcome. But we need to think beyond the qualifications themselves if we are serious about enabling vocational education to thrive. Structural barriers are holding back uptake of vocational qualifications – and they need addressing as part of any reform. We need stronger incentives, better awareness and understanding, and specialist resources in place if we are to secure wider vocational uptake.

“The Government has the chance to deliver real change here, but the pace of change needs careful consideration, with the right conditions in place for schools to deliver these reforms. Rushing through a new qualification type is no panacea. For vocational qualifications to thrive, they must maintain and lean into their distinctiveness.

“Recent Cambridge OCR research highlighted the structural barriers that are holding back vocational qualifications“

Olly Newton, Executive Director, Edge Foundation said:

“We are delighted to see the announcement of vocational GCSEs as a vehicle for delivering on the government’s commitment to strengthen post-14 vocational pathways. Done right, the new qualifications will allow young people a line of sight to future careers and boost engagement in education, learning from the past experience of 14-19 Diplomas and other previous initiatives. It will also be important to ensure high-quality progression pathways for learners, including V Levels, which require further consultation with the FE sector.

“We also warmly welcome the government’s mission to mobilise employers to deliver 200,000 additional work experience. We know that employer engagement can build young people’s confidence, aspirations and understanding of opportunities beyond their immediate experience. A network of local intermediary organisations, similar to Education Business Partnerships, will be vital to mobilising employers to deliver these places.

“We look forward to supporting the government as it develops and implements wider reforms to strengthen post-14 vocational pathways from 2028.”

Commenting on the Government’s plans to introduce new vocational GCSEs from 2029, Jude Hillary, Co-Head of Policy and Practice at NFER, said:

“Giving young people more opportunities to develop practical and technical knowledge and skills alongside their academic education could strengthen the connection between education and the world of work. Meaningful work experience could also help young people understand different careers and make more informed choices about their futures.

“However, while the Government is not formally proposing to split students into academic and vocational tracks at 14, an expansion of vocational GCSEs could lead to this happening in practice. NFER’s research on international evidence suggests that earlier tracking can increase socio-economic inequalities, with choices at younger ages more likely to reflect prior attainment and family background. It will therefore be important that these qualifications have high status, are taken by a substantial proportion of young people and that they are able to change direction later. There is also a risk that the range of vocational GCSEs available could vary depending on where young people live given research shows smaller institutions can struggle to sustain marginal and specialist subjects. The Government will therefore need to consider how this can be avoided.

“The ambition to expand work experience is welcome, but providing meaningful placements at scale will require sustained employer engagement and effective local coordination. Careful implementation and independent evaluation will be essential to ensure these reforms expand opportunities without narrowing choices or exacerbating existing inequalities.”

Milburn

Alan Milburn’s interim report into NEETs commissioned by the government warned that Britain is at risk of a “lost generation”. His findings painted a stark picture of a system that too often leaves young people leaving school without the skills, experience or connections they need to step into the world of work. 

He pointed to “strong evidence” that practical learning is effective in helping those at risk of being NEET move into work.

The White Working Class Inquiry also laid bare the lack of opportunity for working-class children to thrive, concluding that the technical and vocational system is broken for disadvantaged groups. 

It highlighted that vocational and technical routes are valued highly by white working-class families, and recommend a major structural overhaul of technical and vocational routes to help close the disadvantage gap.