Finishing Year 11 is an important time - after more than a decade at school, you are ready to start laying the foundations of your future career. With that in mind, post-16 options have been designed to help bridge the gap between school and work.
There are a few routes you can take, including continuing in fulltime education, undertaking an apprenticeship, or combining part-time working with study. Here, we outline the differences between two of the options available if you decide to stay in fulltime education – T Levels and A Levels.
What is a T Level?
A T Level is a Level 3 equivalent, two-year qualification, which can be studied after GCSEs, just like A Levels. You can study for a T Level at a further education college, like Moulton College, and you can choose from a range of subjects.
Unlike A Levels, which are more of a traditional subject-based academic qualification, T levels help you to develop the practical and technical skills required to work in specific sectors, like construction, agriculture and animal care. What’s more, T Levels have been designed in collaboration with employers, meaning you can learn job-ready skills that will help you kickstart your future career.
T Levels are assessed via exams, an employer set project and an industry placement, with a Pass, Merit, or Distinction grade at the end.
What qualifications do I need to get onto a T Level course?
You will need a minimum of five GCSES at grades 4-9, including English, maths and a science.
What is an A Level and what qualifications will I need?
A Levels are subject-based, for example, biology, history and geography, and involve more theory work than T Levels. They are offered at schools and sixth form colleges and include the opportunity to choose from a broad range of topics.
Most students choose to study three or four subjects over two years. Unlike T Levels, A Levels are mainly classroom-based and include exams at the end of the two-year period. A Levels require five GCSES at grades 4-9, with a grade 6 minimum expected in your chosen subjects.
If I do a T Level rather than A Levels, can I still go to university?
Yes - a single T Level is roughly equivalent to three A Levels. T Levels earn you UCAS points, with some universities accepting T Levels as an entry to your chosen course. It is worth bearing in mind that, as a more specialised post-16 study option, your T level should generally relate to the degree course you are looking to apply for.
Do employers recognise T Levels?
Yes. In fact, employers across the UK have helped to design what goes into T Levels. They were first launched in 2020 as part of moves to reform technical education, improve links between education and employers, and ensure students were able to gain work experience as part of their studies.
T Levels are an attractive qualification for employers looking for entry-level recruits because they offer a more structured and skills-based alternative to A Levels. The ‘hands-on’ learning approach in the sector or career you are interested in gives you the chance to develop practical skills and theoretical, technical knowledge that will stand you in good stead when you start looking for a job.
Will I have to do work experience if I do a T Level?
Yes, alongside classroom learning, work experience is a fundamental part of the course, with a mandatory, 45-day minimum, industry placement making up part of your studies.
As part of your industry placement, which should take place in the relevant sector, you will complete your experience either as a day release or as a block of consecutive days. The work experience element must be completed for you to be awarded your final qualification.
These are unpaid, structured opportunities which will see you carry out supervised work tasks with the employer, giving you meaningful experience of a real working environment. What’s more, they are the ideal chance to impress prospective employers looking to recruit future talent!
