Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to continue the BTEC for Performing Arts.

The department is reviewing post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below, to ensure that every qualification approved for public funding has a distinct purpose, is high quality and supports progression to positive outcomes. No decisions have been made about the future of particular subjects or qualifications.

Our second stage consultation of the review, which closed on 31 January, proposed a number of groups of qualifications for funding alongside A levels and T levels in the future. These include qualifications that have a strong practical focus and support progression to specialist higher education, where they deliver valuable skills not offered by A levels. This could include performing arts qualifications. We recognise concerns about the potential removal of well-established qualifications, which is why we have consulted extensively.