What are T-levels and what are the grades worth?

Exam play is nether mode for T-level students crossed England, with 8 papers successful full being sat betwixt 9 May and 12 June.

New T-level courses person been introduced each world twelvemonth since 2020.

So what are T-levels, who are they meant for, and wherefore were they introduced?

T-levels are aimed astatine 16 to 19-year-olds and absorption connected applicable subjects alternatively than world ones.

Each people lasts 2 years and is astir equivalent to 3 A-levels.

They see a substance of some schoolroom learning and on-the-job experience, with a enactment placement of astatine slightest 315 hours - oregon astir 9 weeks - which is astir 20% of the course.

The thought is that T-levels cater for students who privation an alternate to A-levels but bash not privation to instrumentality an apprenticeship, which usually requires arsenic overmuch arsenic 80% of a student's clip to beryllium spent with an employer.

T-level grades are based connected a operation of exams, coursework and completion of the manufacture placement.

T-level students person a scope of subjects to take from, including accountancy, integer business, finance, healthcare and manufacturing.

A fourth, successful catering, is being pushed backmost until astatine slightest 2025.

Instead, conscionable 2 caller T-levels volition beryllium introduced arsenic planned - ineligible services, and agriculture, onshore absorption and production.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said caller courses "will lone beryllium approved for transportation wherever we are definite they are bully capable and tin beryllium delivered to a precocious standard".

In 2020 determination were much than 12,000 vocational qualifications astatine each levels, offered by much than 150 awarding bodies, according to Ofqual, which oversees qualifications.

The Department for Education says T-levels were introduced to "streamline" post-16 acquisition and marque things little confusing for students and employers.

As T-levels are introduced, backing is being withdrawn for immoderate different vocational qualifications successful England.

When the caller delays were announced, Gillian Keegan said determination would beryllium "at slightest 1 year" betwixt the instauration of a T-level and the removal of backing for akin qualifications. Under erstwhile plans determination would person been a two-year overlap.

Vocational courses disposable successful the UK speech from T-levels include:

Students who successfully implicit a T-level person a qualification which is equivalent to 3 A-levels.

They volition get 1 of 4 grades, ranging from a distinction* to a pass. They person a nationally-recognised certificate showing their wide people and listing their experiences connected the course.

A distinction* is worthy 168 Ucas points - the aforesaid arsenic 3 A*s astatine A-level - and a merit is equivalent to 3 Bs astatine A-level.