Morning, Thursday, 14th July 2022
This conference focuses on the future of the level 3 qualifications system following the Department for Education’s review of post-16 qualifications, and the Skills and Post-16 Education Act becoming law.
Areas for discussion include:
- designing a coherent qualifications system
- next steps for funding
- the continuation of the T Level rollout
- raising awareness of the qualification
- progression routes under the new system
- encouraging collaboration between employers and the FE sector
It will be a timely opportunity to consider the future of Applied General Qualifications, as the Government prepares to publish the list of qualifications that will be defunded from 2024 - as well as the impact of the decision on the sector and students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds - and the value of AGQs within the qualifications system.
The conference also comes as Ofqual consults on the future regulation of alternative qualifications to A Levels and T Levels, with the consultation looking at future grading scales, how the qualifications should be branded, the conduct of non-exam assessment, how to drive up standards and their future design.
The agenda also looks at:
- achieving high quality provision and standards throughout the system
- information, advice and guidance (IAG) - priorities for providing clarity for students and raising awareness of qualification choice
- aligning post-16 qualifications with the needs of the labour market and tackling skills shortages
We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with:
- Stella Pearson, Deputy Director for T Level Delivery, Department for Education - on the continued T Level rollout following the publication of the latest T-Level Action Plan and the fourth T-Level Capital Fund
- Lucy Andrew, Deputy Director, Technical Education & Qualifications Reform Division, Department for Education - on the future outlook for post-16 qualification
- Jenifer Burden, Director of Programmes, The Gatsby Charitable Foundation
- Helen Bowles, Head of New Concepts (Post-16 Qualifications), Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
- Claire Gill, Director, Strategic Relationships VTQ, Ofqual
The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from: DfE; the IfATE; DLUHC; the Tertiary Education Review, NI; the Cabinet Office; DWP; BEIS; DIT; the Department for the Economy, NI; the IPO; the GLD; and the Welsh Government - as well as parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons.
