It is not yet clear when V-levels will be introduced, how they will be rolled out, or which subjects will be on offer – although the Department for Education (DfE) gave craft and design and media, broadcast and production as examples.
Skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith said V-levels aimed to simplify options for students.
“There are over 900 courses at the moment that young people have the choice of, and it’s confusing,” she said.
“[V-levels] will build on what’s good about BTecs and other alternative qualifications – the ability to be able to work practically, the concentration on things that are going to lead to employment.”
Students will still be able to study A-levels or T-levels after their GCSEs, or start an apprenticeship.
Ministers expect many will want to mix and match between A-levels and V-levels.
T-levels, introduced in 2020, already offer a technical route for students, but the initial findings of a government-commissioned review said they shouldn’t be the only option, partly because of their high entry requirements.
Students study one T-level geared towards a specific occupation, whereas they might study three A-levels in different subjects.
Baroness Smith said T-levels therefore suited students who “really know that’s what [they] want to do”, while V-levels would be better for those who were less sure.
