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11 January 2024 - T Level Newsletter

This week's newsletter includes updates on:

Specialist Equipment Allocation: Monitoring Form due 26 January 2024

This is a reminder to all providers who received SEA funding as part of Wave 4, the deadline for returning the Monitoring Form is Friday 26 January.

It is important that this form is returned to us, so that we can confirm that your use of the allocation is compliant with the regulations set out in the T Level Capital Fund Guidance and your grant offer letter. Completing the form is a condition of funding set out in your grant offer letter.

The form can be found here. If you have any questions regarding the form, please contact routesreadiness.te@education.gov.uk.

‘It all starts with skills’ is now live! 

On Thursday 4th January, DfE launched its brand-new skills campaign ‘It all starts with skills’. The campaign brings together information on T Levels with other priority skills programmes, such as apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs). To get involved with the campaign online use #SkillsForLife and #ItAllStartsWithSkills. Further resources are available in our ‘It all starts with skills’ stakeholder toolkit.

T Level Thursday 

T Level Thursday is fast approaching! 

On February 8th, as part of National Apprenticeships Week (NAW) we will be marking T Level Thursday. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the successes of T Level providers and their students. Use the hashtags #TLevelThursday and #NAW2024 to participate in the day online.

Head to NAW Home (appawards.co.uk) to find further materials to help you promote the day, including the T Level Thursday Toolkit and be sure to register any events you may be holding on the NAW Events Map. 

Resources on progression to HE 

As the UCAS application deadline for 2024 entry undergraduate courses approaches, we wanted to remind you of the resources and materials published by the department that can be shared with HE providers to promote T Levels as well as support students with their HE journeys. You can see a collation of the range of resources and materials here. 

Into Work grant

To help employers recruit and retain talent within the construction industry, we have introduced the Into Work grant. This grant offers financial support to employers who offer an initial work experience placement through to employment. 

Full details and rules for this grant, including employer cap information, how to apply and evidence requirements can be found on the Into Work grant webpage.

Employer Support Fund survey – responses by 25th January

The Employer Support Fund is designed to support employers with legitimate costs incurred when offering a T Level industry placement. As part of our evaluation of the fund, we are grateful for providers who opted into the ESF in FY23-24 to share views on the importance of the fund and how it has supported you to secure industry placements. Please complete the survey here by 5PM on Thursday 25th January 2024.

As part of our evaluation of the fund it is vital providers also continue to submit evidence of payments made to employers via our Employer Support Fund Online Tool in a timely manner.

Help us to improve the ‘Connect with employers interested in T Levels’ service

A year on from the launch of the Connect service, the T Levels digital support services team would welcome your feedback in a short survey. Click here to take part.

Employer Feedback on T Levels 

National Highways: ‘We have increased the number we take year on year with plans for further expansion… The placements provide a pipeline of talent into our roles, helping us to meet our future skills requirements’. 

HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprises): ‘T-Levels have brought a real buzz of excitement through our workforce, as our team is passionate about helping young talent’

Mango Studios: ‘We have found delivering T Level placements to be a great opportunity, not only for the students but for us as an employer’

Let us know how you’ve spent your Careers Guidance Grant

In May 2023, all T Level providers expecting to deliver T Levels in September 2023, received a grant from DfE to support in providing careers guidance to prospective T Level students. All examples of how you have spent the grant are really helpful as we consider the future of the scheme. Please submit your monitoring form informing us how you have spent the grant as soon possible, and no later than 31st March 2024. Any funds that haven’t been spent by 31st March will be reclaimed by the department. 

T Level Foundation Year: DfE facilitated focus groups with awarding organisations to shape the new T Level Foundation Qualifications

Are you a provider currently delivering the TL Foundation Year? Sign up today to participate in the focus group discussion to share your views directly with awarding organisations about how you think these new qualifications could be designed to support and complement the programme.

Register to get involved via the link here to the registration form to participate in one of the on-line focus group sessions

Session 1 - Tuesday 20 February 2023 @ 3:30-4:30pm, or

Session 2 - Thursday 22 February 2023 @ 3:30-4:30pm

For more details click here.

Your role in the process is crucial to the development of high-quality T Level Foundation Qualifications for learners.  If you have a question, please email the team @ TLevel.FOUNDATIONYEAR@education.gov.uk

ABS consultation events

On 14th December 2023, the Department for Education launched a 14-week consultation on the Advanced British Standard (ABS) – a groundbreaking new qualification framework for 16-19-year-olds. The publication of the consultation commences three months of engagement over the design of the new qualification framework, which will inform further policy development, delivery planning and a White Paper next year. 

As part of this engagement, the ABS team are hosting regional events across the country in January and February and would like to invite you to attend one of these events. You will have the opportunity to hear from the Department for Education on the latest policy developments and provide in-depth contributions to key areas of the consultation through small-group discussions. 

For more information on the events and to sign-up please click the link here. 

 

AoC Updates

T Level Mentor/Mentee Project: Enhancing Excellence Together

The Association of Colleges is excited to introduce a new mentoring initiative aimed at enriching T Level delivery. Find out more here. 

Sign up to the introductory workshop here. 

T Level Foundation Year Masterclass: Mastering Curriculum Planning

Date: Wednesday 17th January

Time: 16:00-17:00

Description: Join us for this insightful webinar that equips you with essential tools for effective planning of your T Level Foundation Year programmes.

Book here. 

T Level Masterclass: Industry Placement Essentials, Rules and Processes

Date: Thursday 18th January

Time: 15:30-16:45

Description: The webinar will cover essential aspects of Industry Placement, such as the rules, planning process, reporting obligations, pre/post-placement responsibilities, and evaluation strategies.

Book here.

8 Month Countdown to T Level Delivery: Are you prepared?

Date: Wednesday 24th January

Time: 15:30-17:00

Description: This webinar aims to guide you on 'achieving readiness,' providing actionable steps if you're still in the process, along with supplementary tasks to keep you on course.

Book here. 

Awarding Organisations Updates 

Pearson: 

Pearson’s December E-Bulletin was published and included the following:  

City & Guilds:

In-person Introduction to T Level events for pre-delivery centres 

Between January and April, City and Guilds team of experienced Technical Advisors will be hosting in-person events across the country for providers not yet delivering T Levels. There will be specific events for:

  • Onsite Construction and Building Services Engineering
  • Management and Administration 
  • Engineering and Manufacturing
  • Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care

These events will be an opportunity to ask questions and network with other colleges in your region and will be particularly relevant to anyone who would be involved in the implementation or delivery of T Levels, including heads of centre, curriculum leads and tutors.

Find an event near you here.  

Provider Approval Process 

The approval window for providers intending to deliver from September 2024 will open on Monday 26 February 2024 and close on Friday 28 June 2024.  Application forms are now available on the T Level Resource Hub. 

NCFE: 

NCFE’s first term-time checkpoint is now open to ensure the timely delivery of VTQ results  

To ensure the timely delivery of vocational technical qualifications (VTQ) results for learners in 2024 and beyond, NCFE recently shared their plan and timelines with you for these arrangements, which you can find on the VTQ timely results webpage. 

As T Level qualifications are in scope of this year’s arrangements, you must complete the actions required for the first term-time checkpoint, which is open now, and will close on Friday 9 February 2024.  

Find out how to complete the required actions and get support.

 

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