Written question asked by Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Josh MacAlister (Labour) on Friday, 4 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Qualifications

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of GCSE pass requirements in specific subjects on access to T Levels and other vocational qualifications for students who have demonstrated competence through alternative qualifications or relevant subjects.

Answer

Entry requirements for all vocational and technical qualifications for 16–19-year-olds, including T Levels, are set by individual providers. Young people with a range of prior attainment are accessing T Levels - the GCSE grade split for students receiving T Level results is very similar to those receiving results for Applied General Qualifications (AGQs). In addition, the proportion of students accessing T Levels without having achieved GCSE English and maths at grade 4 or above has increased each year, demonstrating that T Levels are reaching a broader group of learners and becoming increasingly accessible.

16-19 students have access to a range of English and maths qualifications: GCSEs, Functional Skills Qualifications and other approved Level 1 and entry-level qualifications where appropriate. New Level 1 qualifications will provide an additional progression route for learners with prior GCSE attainment of grade 2 or below. The government consultation response will be published later this year.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 24684
Session: 2026-27
Subjects: Qualifications
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk

Qualifications

Secondary information

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