Amplifying Student Voice in T Levels

Today, the Edge Foundation publishes a new research report: Student Voices: what are students saying about their experiences of T Levels?

As the nation faces skills shortages in critical sectors, ensuring T Levels effectively prepare students for employment and further education is crucial. This research emphasises the need to listen to and incorporate student perspectives in policy discussions to ensure the qualification evolves in a practical, equitable, and impactful way for learners.

With the UK government investing £1.75 billion into T Levels by 2024/25, we hope this research provides timely feedback to guide these reforms and enhance their alignment with students’ needs and aspirations.

Key Findings

1. Why do Students take T Levels?

Influence and Information: Many students chose T Levels due to school or college guidance, family influence or the appeal of industry placements. Information received about T Levels was often unclear and this limited awareness. It occasionally led students to feel misinformed about T Levels, including regarding their expectations of the balance between practical and theoretical learning.

Appeal of Industry Placement:

The work placement component was a major attraction promising real-world experience and a competitive edge in the job market. However, variability in placement quality sometimes left students feeling unsupported.

2. Students’ Experience of T Level Delivery

Challenges of a New Qualification:

The novelty of T Levels has led to inconsistent delivery across courses and colleges, largely due to limited resources, high tutor turnover and a lack of established teaching practices. This variability affected students’ understanding of course requirements and diminished their confidence in the programme.

Diversity of Teaching Styles:

The lack of a clear guide for tutors for various T Level courses has led to diverse teaching methods being utilised. While some students valued project-based and interactive learning, many expressed frustration with lecture-heavy methods and limited practical activities. Tutor familiarity with T Levels was inconsistent, and the high stakes associated with end-of-year exams further contributed to a heavy theoretical focus in year one.

3. Students’ Experience of T Level Placements

Positive experiences due to increased employability:

Work placements were often praised for providing students with practical skills, exposure to the workplace, and real-world experiences, yet significant challenges emerged in organising and securing these placements.

Relevance and task matching:

Students reported that placements varied widely in relevance. While some placements were highly aligned with students’ fields of study, others felt they were performing tasks unrelated to their learning which detracted from the experience.

4. Intended Student Destinations and Perceived Preparedness

Diverse Destinations:

T Level students have diverse goals, with many planning to attend university, pursue apprenticeships, or directly enter the workforce. Apprenticeships were an appealing option, especially for students who preferred practical experience.

Confidence in Job Readiness:

Students generally felt that T Levels provide a solid foundation for employment thanks to the industry placement component which builds confidence and practical skills.

Recommendations

1. Employer Engagement and Work Placements
   • Employer connections and work placements are critical to vocational education success.
   • Challenges include insufficient placement opportunities and growing demand due to additional programmes like apprenticeships and youth work guarantees.
   • A systematic approach to broker employer placements is necessary, rather than relying on individual education providers.

2. Integration of Classroom and Workplace Learning
   • Vocational education must better integrate classroom and workplace elements for more effective learning experiences.
   • High staff turnover and inadequate pay, conditions, and professional development in the Further Education (FE) sector hinder progress.
   • The FE workforce requires significant investment to ensure stability and quality delivery of T Levels.

3. Simplification of Careers Guidance
   • The post-16 education system is overly complex, creating challenges for students, educators, and employers.
   • A comprehensive review of the education system, akin to the Tomlinson Review, is necessary to streamline options and improve career information advice and guidance.

4. Celebrating Vocational Education’s Unique Strengths
   • Vocational education should embrace its distinct pedagogy and assessment methods, rather than mimicking academic education.
   • Success should be measured by student outcomes and progression, not just course completion or exam results.

By addressing these challenges, vocational education, including T Levels, can better serve students, employers, and the economy.

Click here to see the full report.

By Dana Dabbous, Education and Policy Senior Researcher at the Edge Foundation.