First V Level Subjects Revealed: What You Need to Know

• First students to do V Levels from 2027 as part of ambitious reforms post-16 system that will prepare them for future jobs
• Reforms come as poll finds majority of parents want their children to enjoy combination of academic and vocational training
• Progress to help reach the Prime Minister’s target to get two-thirds of young people taking a gold standard apprenticeship, higher training or heading to university by age 25

Young people will be able to take the very first V Levels in education, finance, and digital in 2027, under landmark reforms to help young people secure well-paid jobs.  

Too many young people have been held back by a system that didn’t value every route to success. That’s why the government has introduced V Levels, which offer transformational new qualifications – equivalent to an A level – with learning designed around real jobs and the skills employers actually need.

They are central to the Prime Minister’s ambition to ensure two‑thirds of young people are in a gold‑standard apprenticeship, higher training or university by the age of 25, helping to close skills gaps, cut the number of young people not in education, employment or training, and drive economic growth as part of our national renewal.

Students who want to specialise in technical, sector-focused studies will also have more options, as T Levels – which combine study and real‑world work experience – will be expanded to include subjects such as Sports, Fitness and Exercise Science, along with Care Services. 

New qualifications will be introduced next year for 16‑year‑olds, providing a year of study before progressing to V Levels, T Levels or A levels, with initial subjects in Education and Early Years, and Digital. A separate two‑year, employment‑focused route will also be available for those aiming to move straight into work or an apprenticeship, starting in Catering and Hospitality, and Education and Early Years.

It comes as a new poll of over 1,120 parents of 14 to 18-year-olds show that a quarter (24%) don’t feel confident that their child understands the options available beyond GCSEs and nearly half (45%) overwhelmingly prefer a mix of academic and work-based or technical training for their children after GCSEs to better prepare them for the future. 

The government’s landmark reforms to post-16 education will do exactly this – provide clearer options for young people, allowing them to mix and match academic and vocational subjects, and setting them up for the jobs of tomorrow.  

What are V Levels?

V Levels are a new Vocational Qualifications (V Levels) at level 3, and will be available as a ‘mix and match’ with A Levels for students aged 16-19 years old. Unlike T Levels, (which are equivalent to 3 A Levels), young people will be able to take a mixture of the new V Levels and A Levels together, offering more choice and flexibility to students. The new V Levels will streamline what DfE has called ‘the confusing landscape’ of approximately 900 equivalent vocational qualifications at level 3 currently available to 16 to 19-year-olds.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 

“Our bold reforms will end the snobbery in post-16 education, supporting young people with real choice and real opportunity to build secure, future‑proof careers.

“Not only that, but it will give parents much-needed confidence in a system that values every route to success – academic, technical or vocational – as we continuing driving forward our mission to ensure two‑thirds of young people are in education, training or apprenticeships by 25.”

The government’s response to a consultation on the new qualifications announced in the transformative Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper has been published today.

It gives young people and providers information on which subjects areas the first set of new qualifications will be available in for the following new qualifications: 

• V Levels which will sit alongside A Levels and T Levels, and will be equivalent to one A Level, allowing students to mix and match academic and vocational subjects if they are unsure where to specialise. 
• The Further Study pathway, which provides a year of study to support students who want to go on to do V Levels, T Levels or A levels but aren’t ready to progress beyond GCSE-equivalent study due to lower attainment. It will be supported by a new Foundation Certificate qualification. 
• The Occupational pathway which is a two-year programme to provide extra support to lower attainers while developing the skills to go into employment or an apprenticeship. It will be supported by a new Occupational Certificate qualification. 

Further changes to T Levels will refine content and assessment, and allow providers more scope to tailor industry placements, to ensure that more young people can access them. 

A consultation has also been launched on new qualifications that will be targeted at students with lower attainment in English or Maths as a stepping stone to better prepare them to resit their GCSEs the following year. This will support around a third of 16-year-olds who do not achieve a GCSE grade 4 or above in English and/or maths by the time they leave Year 11. 

These reforms are backed by nearly £800 million extra for 16-19 education in 2026-27, with average per student funding increasing to £6,874 in the next academic year, from £6,762 in 2025/26. 

Sector Reaction

David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said:

“I’m pleased to see this announcement today. For many years, we have had a lack of certainty and stability about the future qualification landscape which this package of measures addresses.

“I am very optimistic that by working together and through co-design with college experts, we can make this work. The proposed complete framework for qualifications offers the prospect of a system which offers all young people the learning and training which excites and engages them and helps them progress into work and onto further learning and a system that is viable and deliverable for colleges and schools.

“The simplicity of an agile, adaptable system with only V, A and T levels at level 3 and with a new set of level 2 qualifications is a good one. Now we need to work through the inevitable list of implementation and detailed issues that will require evidenced and grounded knowledge and understanding. I am confident that colleges will step in and help make this new system a success.”

Bill Watkin, Chief Executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said:

“Our members will warmly welcome the government’s decision to retain existing qualifications while the new suite of V level qualifications is phased in.

“Colleges and schools can now make the most of this period of stability and certainty to ensure that tens of thousands of young people have an uninterrupted educational experience, while also engaging constructively and with focus in the design and rollout of V levels.

“We are pleased that a third qualification pathway will sit alongside A levels and T levels in the future. The changes announced to T levels today are also very welcome and should make it easier for more young people to study a T level and for schools and colleges to offer them.”

Sir Ian Bauckham, Chief Regulator at Ofqual, said:

“All young people should have a post 16 pathway that is ambitious and prepares them for their future.

“Ofqual will ensure that the new post 16 qualifications announced by the government are well designed and will be valued by students, schools and colleges, universities and employers.

“They will provide high-quality pathways for young people making decisions about their futures.”

Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Exec of UUK said:

“There is no single route into university and students should feel confident that when they get there, their previous qualifications will equip them with the academic and practical skills needed to go on to enter and thrive in the workforce.

“We look forward to working with the government to ensure V Levels open doors for young people.

“Through our Future Jobs programme, universities across the UK are listening to business leaders to ensure their offering continues to deliver real opportunity and prepares young people for the jobs of tomorrow.”

The consultation response also includes details for providers on how to move to a reformed system. There will be a phased, sustainable approach for providers to transition to the reformed system. Legacy Level 3 qualifications that are equivalent to the size of around two A Levels, including BTECs, or smaller will have funding approval removed where T Levels exist. V Levels will be introduced in those areas. 

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:

“V-Levels have real potential to widen access to high‑quality vocational and technical education, but only if reforms protect student choice, maintain equity, and avoid defunding existing qualifications before proven alternatives are in place. 

“We urge the government to phase in the introduction of V-Levels to avoid a cliff‑edge for the many young people currently studying existing level 3 qualifications including BTECs. These qualifications provide tried and tested progression routes – especially for students with lower GCSE attainment, those from disadvantaged backgrounds and young people with SEND.  

“Delivering on the government’s ambitions for post‑16 education also depend on addressing the chronic and long-term underinvestment in FE staff pay and recruitment. A fairly rewarded workforce is essential to success. 

“Ministers are right to focus on the rising numbers of young people not in education, employment or training. However, continuing to push students without a grade 4 in English and maths down a single, one‑size‑fits‑all route is not the answer. Ending the GCSE resit policy and offering a broader range of relevant qualifications would better equip young people for work, further study and life.”

Jo Grady, general secretary at the University and College Union (UCU), said:

“College staff and students have endured almost constant, top down, change to the curriculum over the past 15 years. Now we have some coherent policy, the sector needs a period of stability. The V-level rollout is incredibly quick, and substantive investment is now needed to ensure the Government delivers on its aims.

“In a fragmented sector, ministers must work with staff unions to provide a coherent England wide framework that leaves no student behind. This must include national bargaining and better rates of pay so staff are able to adequately teach and train students, and support national renewal.”

Rob Nitsch, CEO of the Federation of Awarding Bodies, said:

“This is a significant waypoint on the delivery of the Curriculum and Assessment Review. Awarding Organisations will be exploring the detail over the coming days – nevertheless it does not feel that there has been a response to the over-riding warnings from Awarding Organisations and others that the ambitious timetable introduces excessive risk. There will also be disappointment that there is not more clarity on the criteria that will define where and how V Levels might be linked – this will be important for subjects in which 360 Guided Learning Hours is insufficient for a credible qualification.

“Awarding Organisations will be interested to see the plans for more T Levels, and also the commitment to Level 1 English and Maths qualifications. Taken with the tight timeline for V Levels and the changes at Level 2, this amounts to a huge amount of work and investment. I know that the Sector will do its best to respond, but the extent of these changes should not be under-estimated.”

Commenting following the announcement that the first V level subjects will be available from 2027, Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“We welcome the government’s decision to retain existing Level 3 qualifications until the new V levels are introduced. These remain popular courses and we have consistently argued – alongside many others in the sector – that they should continue to be funded until robust alternative pathways are fully established. The certainty now provided around existing qualifications is a positive and much‑needed step as we move towards a new post‑16 landscape.

“We also welcome the government’s plans to reform T levels, and we hope these changes will strengthen their accessibility, quality, and suitability for a wider range of learners.

“The transition period will inevitably be complex for schools and colleges, and the timeline set out by the government will be crucial in enabling providers to plan their future offer. We encourage the government to publish the full implementation plan, including the detailed qualification-level information underpinning the timeline, as soon as possible.

“We hope today’s announcement signals that lessons have been learned from the challenges experienced during the initial rollout of T levels, and that schools and colleges will receive the clarity, support and resources required to ensure a smooth transition to the new suite of qualifications.”

Philip Le Feuvre, Chief Operating Officer at NCFE, said: “We welcome the move toward a clearer post‑16 landscape that makes options easier for young people and their families to understand. Simplicity must go hand‑in‑hand with real choice, especially for those who want strong vocational routes into specific careers.

“We’re pleased to see V Levels creating a meaningful blend of academic and technical learning. It will be essential that updates to T Levels make them more accessible for learners and improve deliverability for providers to help these qualifications scale. Large vocational qualifications remain a key preference for many young people, so it’s critical that the reforms protect progression routes into work and further study.

“While the implementation date has not been moved – as many across the sector had hoped – we recognise this and will work closely with DfE and partners to ensure the qualifications learners need are developed and delivered in time.

“We’re confident that our V Certs provide an excellent foundation for 14-16 year old students considering V Levels, giving them a strong starting point for future technical study. We also welcome the proposal for two distinct Level 2 pathways, which we believe will support better outcomes and ensure learners can choose the path that’s right for them.”

National Union of Students welcomes new plans for gradual transition from BTECs to V Levels

Qasim Hussain, National Union of Students Vice President Further Education said:

“The new plans for the transition from BTECs to V Levels and T Levels will be a welcome relief for learners and colleges, many of whom have been uncertain about their futures over the past few months.

“It is positive to see steps that provide greater clarity and flexibility in the system, helping to ensure that young people have clear and accessible pathways after GCSEs, whether they choose academic or technical routes.

“This stability and certainty will be vital for colleges planning their courses and for learners deciding their next steps. We look forward to continuing to work with the Government to ensure the rollout of V Levels keeps learners’ needs first and the transition is smooth and fair.”

Olly Newton, Executive Director of the Edge Foundation, said: 

“It’s encouraging to see progress towards a more flexible post-16 system where young people can combine academic and technical learning. The ability to mix and match qualifications has strong public support and could help many more students find a pathway that suits their interests and ambitions. However, the success of V Levels will depend on careful implementation. The roll-out of T Levels taught us that providers and employers need clarity, time, and the right resources to make these reforms work in practice. Above all, young people must receive high-quality careers advice so they can make informed choices about these new options.” 

Ben Rowland, CEO of AELP, said:

“Today’s announcement reflects an ambition to create clearer and more coherent pathways for young people after the age of 16. If implemented effectively, V Levels have the potential to strengthen technical routes and support programmes that fit closely with the needs of learners and employers.

“As these new qualifications are developed, clarity will be essential. Learners, parents and providers need accessible and consistent information about how V Levels will sit alongside existing options such as T Levels, A Levels and apprenticeships. Without that clarity there is a real risk the system becomes more complicated rather than easier to navigate.

“Independent training providers will also have an important role to play. Their experience delivering vocational programmes and working closely with employers will help ensure these qualifications are practical, deliverable and linked to labour market demand.

“At the same time, stability during the transition will matter. Maintaining existing qualifications until strong alternatives are fully in place, alongside adequate investment in the post-16 system, will help ensure these reforms deliver real opportunities for young people. We are pleased to see the Minister recognise the need for this in her comments today.”

Andy Rayner, Director of Skills and Apprenticeships at Travis Perkins Plc, said:

“As a leading apprenticeship employer that has supported more than 2,000 apprentices, Travis Perkins understands how important clear vocational pathways are in strengthening the UK’s future workforce.

“Construction offers skilled, long-term careers, but the industry continues to face a significant skills gap. Creating routes that allow students to combine academic learning with practical, job focused training can help more people see construction as a viable and rewarding career.

“The planned introduction of construction V levels from 2028 is a positive step. Alongside apprenticeships, college courses and retraining opportunities, qualifications like this can help widen access to the industry and support the next generation of skilled tradespeople.”