Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) current year 9 learners and (b) future cohorts are aware of T-levels.

We are already communicating with the education sector and employers to increase awareness and understanding of T Levels. As we move towards the first teaching of T Levels in 2020, the scale and pace of this communication will increase to make sure that parents, teachers, students and careers professionals know about T Levels and when they will be available.

Schools are legally responsible for providing independent careers guidance for all year 8-13 pupils on the full range of education and training options, including further technical education and apprenticeships. The government’s careers strategy sets out how we will go further to make sure that young people can talk regularly to employers and training providers to inform the decisions that they make at important transition points. The strategy includes new legislation, introduced in January 2018, which requires all maintained schools and academies to make sure that there is an opportunity for a range of providers to talk to year 8-13 pupils about approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships. Further information about the new law can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/skills-minister-highlights-new-provider-access-law-for-schools. The Careers & Enterprise Company are also building on their network of Enterprise Coordinators, Advisors and Cornerstone Employers.