Ofqual confirms new V Level regulations to give students clear route into skilled careers

Ofqual has today confirmed its arrangements for the regulation of V Levels, Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates.

V Levels are new vocational qualifications that will join A Levels and T Levels as options for post-16 students thinking about their next steps to further education and employment.

Together, these qualifications will offer meaningful choice and high-quality vocational, academic, and technical routes to university, higher technical study, apprenticeships and employment.

Ofqual’s regulatory approach provides a consistent national framework for V Levels while allowing important flexibility at subject level.

Sir Ian Bauckham, chief regulator at Ofqual, said:

V Levels offer a high-quality vocational pathway alongside the technical routes provided by T Levels, and the academic route through A Levels.

Ofqual’s role is to ensure V Levels are understood and valued by the students who take them and the employers and others who will use them.

Our framework ensures consistency and quality in these qualifications, while allowing flexibility in how V Levels are assessed to reflect their vocational nature and the demands of individual subjects.

Ofqual’s framework will provide scope for courses to respond to specific local employment opportunities, appropriate to the subjects being studied.

Awarding organisations will be able to introduce innovative approaches to assessment, to make sure that they are aligned to the vocational contexts students will be learning about.

Ofqual’s framework allows on-screen assessment in two V Levels: digital systems and data and accounting and finance. Further decisions on on-screen assessment will be taken on a subject-by-subject basis.

V Levels will be assessed using a grading scale from A* to E and a P ‘pass’ grade, plus U for ungraded. At 360 guided learning hours, they are a similar size to, and can be taken alongside, A Levels.

V Levels will generally consist of two forms of assessment: timetabled assessment, which will make up 40% of the overall marks, and other forms of assessment, which will account for the remaining 60%.

These proportions will be reviewed by Ofqual on a subject-by-subject basis as further V Levels are introduced.

Timetabled assessments can include more ‘hands-on’ applied and practical tasks alongside written exams. Awarding organisations will be encouraged to use a range of assessment types as appropriate to each subject.

Alongside V Levels, Ofqual has confirmed its approach to Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates – Level 2 qualifications taken post-16.

Foundation Certificates are designed to help students build the foundational knowledge and skills they need before progressing to further study or training. They will be set at 240 to 300 guided learning hours and graded pass, merit, distinction or ungraded.

Occupational Certificates, aimed at students who are preparing to enter employment or progress to an apprenticeship, will be set at 540 to 720 guided learning hours.

Ofqual has also confirmed that assessment in Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates will be appropriately tailored to the needs of the subject in question.