The qualifications landscape for 16 to 19-year-olds is about to change fundamentally. The EdTech implications have barely been discussed.
The government's transition plan for post-16 qualifications, published in March, sets out a once-in-a-generation shift in vocational education. V Levels will replace most BTECs by 2027. For FE colleges, the digital curriculum infrastructure built around existing qualifications will need substantial rebuilding.
By Wistl · · FE / Training
The government published its transition plan for the reformed 16 to 19 qualifications landscape in March 2026, setting out the timetable for a fundamental restructuring of vocational and technical qualifications in England. Applied General Qualifications, which include the BTEC portfolio that hundreds of thousands of students currently study, will have funding approval removed from 2027 to 2028 for new starts in most routes. They will be replaced by a new set of qualifications, including V Levels, described by the government as a once-in-a-generation shift in vocational education. T Levels wil