Exam boards launch legal challenge over government’s flagship T-level qualifications

Challenge issued days after skills minister admits she would not encourage her children to take them

Business leaders have warned that the new qualifications have been rushed and are not ready (Getty)

Legal action has been launched against the Department for Education over the introduction of the government’s flagship technical qualification, by the body which represents exam boards.

The Federation of Awarding Bodies has formally written to the Department for Education and the Institute for Apprenticeships over the new T-level qualifications.

The news comes after skills minister Anne Milton admitted this week that she would advise her own children to "leave it a year" before taking them – despite being in charge of the reforms.

The timetable for introducing the T-levels – which should be phased in from 2020 – has faced criticism from business leaders who have warned that they are not ready and have been rushed.

And now the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB)’s proposals to launch a judicial review to challenge the reforms could put plans to start the first qualifications in September 2020 in doubt.

The legal action centres on concerns over the timetable for the first wave of the procurement process and the decision to adopt a single awarding body for each qualification.

Paul Eeles, chair of FAB’s board, said: “It is highly regrettable that we feel the need to take these steps. It seems the government is simply not willing to listen to a chorus of concerns about its T-level implementation plans. Ultimately, our concerns come down to the future job prospects of the 30,000 learners that will be invited to enrol in the first wave of the T-Level programme.

“We can’t afford a rushed process that could result in a whole generation of people being let down in the same way that those who took 14-19 Diplomas were prior to 2010.”

Mr Eeles added: “Of course, we are four-square behind the government in wanting to introduce a genuinely world-class technical qualification. But the desire to meet a politically driven timescale of September 2020 should not come at the expense of the capacity of the education and awarding system to respond adequately.”

A Department for Education permanent secretary recently wrote to the education secretary Damian Hinds asking for a delay in the introduction of T-levels which he warned it would be “challenging” to ensure the new qualifications were ready to be taught from 2020 “to a consistently high standard”.

But Mr Hinds rejected the plea and said he was "convinced of the case to press ahead" with the original plans to start teaching the first T level subjects from September 2020.

And skills minister Anne Milton prompted criticism earlier this week after she told the education select committee that she would tell her children to “leave it a year” before embarking on T-levels.

Tom Bewick, chief executive of FAB, told The Independent: “I think it is widely thought in my profession that the minister committed a ‘Gerald Ratner’ moment. He famously said he wouldn't buy his own jewellery because it was tat. It is absolutely vital that when government introduces these kinds of policies - and this messaging to parents that this is the new gold standard - that as a parent you are prepared to put your children through potentially the same qualification route.”

Gordon Marsden MP, Labour’s shadow minister for higher education, said: "It’s astounding that the minister doesn’t have confidence in her own government’s flagship education policy. It is not acceptable for there to be one rule for the government, and another for everyone else.”

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: "With a rapidly changing world and a big productivity challenge, we have a pressing need to raise our game on technical education. This needs to be a shared endeavour across the world of education, government and business.

"I am deeply disappointed that this organisation is taking this action, which could ultimately disrupt this vital work.

He added: "The trade body involved does not like the idea of a single awarding body in each subject. But this arrangement was central to the Sainsbury plan that is the blueprint for our technical and vocational reforms, and is key to upholding quality. We have been clear since 2016 that this would be the model and it is the right thing to do.

"We are pressing on with T Levels, because we owe it to young people in England to give them a technical education to rival that in Germany or Holland or Switzerland; and I urge the Federation of Awarding Bodies to pull back from this unnecessary action and instead focus their energies on making technical education better for the sake of the next generation."