Post-16 qualification reform

The Department for Education published its long awaited policy on the approval of qualifications to replace BTECs and other Applied General Qualifications on Tuesday 10th January. These qualifications will be called ‘Alternative Academic Qualifications’ and the first group of ‘small’ (1 A level equivalent) courses in the scientific and biomedical sector subject areas (SSA) will be developed for first teaching from August 2025. At that point funding for existing courses in scientific/biomedical SSAs will be withdrawn. All other qualifications in the remaining SSAs will continue to be funded for new starts until August 2026 when their replacements will become available for first teaching. Details of the DfE’s updated policy on post-16 qualifications are found here.

As you know the full IB Diploma Programme has retained funding but the future of the Career-related Programme and the separate Diploma Programme Courses has been uncertain. What is now clear is that the Diploma Programme Courses will continue to be funded so long as IB takes them through the new approvals process and accredits each one. In the first place, the 4 Science courses: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Sports Exercise & Health Science will be allowed to be put through the approvals process for first teaching under the new framework from August 2025. The remaining Diploma Programme courses will be allowed to be put through the approvals process for first teaching from August 2026. IB is in discussion with DfE on the amount of detail available to be shared with schools as the ‘Qualifications funding approval manual’ introduced on the 10th January refers solely to the first cycle of reformed qualifications taught in academic year 2025-2026 and makes no reference to the following year when most of the new AAQs will be introduced and funding of the existing AGQs will terminate. We also anticipate that combinations of the approved Diploma Programme Courses and the other AAQs will be funded.

We are very relieved that DfE has decided to allow Diploma Programme Courses to be accredited for funding under the new framework as for some time it looked as if only courses in a very limited range of sector subject areas would be allowed which would have prevented schools from offering a broad range of separate subjects to learners and will have made the CP impractical. The lobbying of the Department, Parliament and other key decision makers by IBSCA schools has been central in securing this outcome and shows the importance of schools working together supported and guided by the Association.

 Peter Fidczuk

Universities Officer, IBSCA