BackFor parents and caregivers: what are T levels?

What are T levels, how are they different from apprenticeships, and do universities and employers value them? This guide, which includes a case study with a former T level student, will help you to support your child in deciding if a T level is the best next step for them.

What are T levels? 

T levels are a career-focused qualification for 16- to 19-year olds, equivalent to taking three A levels. 

They’re a mix of classroom learning and on-the-job experience that take two years to study. They were developed with leading companies, and include a work placement of at least 315 hours (roughly 45 days). 

At what stage can your child take T levels?

T levels will be one of the main choices for your child after they finish their GCSEs/level 2 qualifications, similar to:

• A levels
• college courses
• the International Baccalaureate
• apprenticeships

However, it’s worth keeping in mind that not every college or sixth form offers T levels, so if your child is considering them, they’ll need to do some research to see what’s available nearby (you can use Unifrog to find T levels – more on this below).

What subjects are available?

There are now over 20 T level subjects to choose from, including digital business services, educational and childcare, health, onsite construction, legal services, and craft and design. We link to a full list of subjects at the end of this guide. 

How are T levels different from apprenticeships?

Both T levels and apprenticeships offer routes into skilled employment, but there are three main differences between them: 

1. Proportion of workplace training
   
   The most important difference is that apprenticeships are typically 80% on-the-job training, with the other 20% in the classroom. You earn a wage, and they take between one and four years to complete. T levels, on the other hand, are 80% classroom-based and 20% on-the-job experience, and they are unpaid. They last two years, so your child will be ready to enter the workplace from the age of 18. 
    
2. Specialisation 
   
   Apprenticeships are more specialised from the beginning. In a T level, your child will first learn about the general sector, and then specialise more in the second year. This makes them a good choice for someone who knows they want to work in a certain sector (e.g. health), but doesn’t yet know which career they want within that sector. 
    
3. Option to change placements
   
   If your child does an apprenticeship, they’ll likely need to stay with the same employer throughout. But if they do a T level, they can split their placement hours across multiple employers and roles. So using the health example above, they could do one placement at a dentist, another at a care home, and another at a hospital.
   
   Read the case study at the end of this guide to see how this option helped Ravia, who completed a T level in Education and Early Years. 

Do universities accept T levels? 

In 2022, 80 universities accepted students who had studied T levels. There are now more than 150, which includes some of the more ‘traditional’ Russell Group universities like Bristol, Manchester, and Nottingham (you can find a full, up-to-date list at the end of this guide). 

However, many universities will only accept certain T levels for certain degree programmes. At the time of writing, for example, The University of Manchester has said it will only accept T levels in ‘Construction: design, surveying and planning’, ‘Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control’, ‘Health’, ‘Healthcare Science’, and ‘Science’.

Do employers value job applicants who have T levels? 

T levels were designed with help from leading businesses, so the skills your child will develop are likely to appeal to many employers. 

It’s also worth keeping in mind that many employers retain T level students on completion of their course, and support progression within their business onto an apprenticeship or into another role. 

‘T levels are now, along with apprenticeships, one of the best ways to get started with a career in early years education.’ 
- Kirstie, Early Careers Manager at Bright Horizons (August 2024) 

‘We’d definitely consider applicants with T levels for an entry-level position at Asda, because we recognise the hands-on experience that students gain while on placements.' 
- Lyndsay, Future Talent Programmes Manager at Asda (July 2024) 

How can you help your child to apply for a T level?

You can find local T level providers using Unifrog’s College / Sixth form tool:

1. With your child, choose the subjects they’re interested in and the distance they’re willing to travel.
2. When you’re asked which level you’re interested in, select level 3. 
3. On the longlist, select the T level filter: 
4. Select the courses that interest your child. You’ll be taken to a Shortlist, where you can learn more about them. Your child can then contact the colleges/sixth forms directly to apply.

Case study

Ravia finished her T level in Education and Early Years in June 2024. Today, she works as an Early Years Practitioner at Bright Horizons, which is where she did one of her placements. 

What made you decide to do a T level? 

I knew I wanted to work with children and I needed a qualification that would help me to achieve that, but I was torn between doing a BTEC and a T level. The Education and Early Years T level had only been around for a year or so. There were only three colleges in my area offering it and I didn’t know much about it. But in the end, I went for the T level anyway because it offered a longer placement – 750 hours over the two years, compared to 350 hours for the BTEC. I really wanted that extra experience and hands-on learning.

How did you find your placement? 

The first step was doing a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, which took around a month to come back. Once I had that, I started ringing around different nurseries and primary schools to see if they’d take me on for a placement. My college offered to do it for me, but I wanted to get experience in making those kinds of calls. Some places said no, which was disappointing (especially when it was a school I knew well), but in a way that helped me to step outside of my comfort zone. In the end, I got my first placement with a school down the road from where I live.

Where did you work for your placement? 

I did my placement at a primary school for six months. I enjoyed it, but I was working with children in years 5 and 6 (9-11 years old) and wanted to try working with younger children, so I went to a pre-school nursery for the next six months. 

While I was there, I heard of Bright Horizons through a workshop they did at our school. Their nurseries taught a wide range of age groups – from babies right through to four-year-olds – and their hours were longer, which would allow me more flexibility. I called the manager at my local Bright Horizons nursery to apply, and she offered me an interview. I had the interview, spent 30 minutes in a room with the children to get a feel of it, and got the placement. 

What did you do during your placements? 

There were three main parts to my placement: observing other practitioners carry out activities with children, carrying out activities myself, and going through the theory. I got a buddy during the placement (she’s still my buddy now!) and we’d go through a part of the theory booklet each week. She’d talk me through things like policies, routines, safeguarding, and why things are done the way they are. 

How was your T level assessed? 

My placement was assessed by an external examiner. In my second year, they came in every two weeks, watched me for around 30 minutes in the room with the children, and observed me doing an activity with the children. Then, we’d have a professional discussion about that activity, where they’d ask me things like why I chose it and implemented it in the way I did.

The college component was assessed by two exams at the end of the first year, and three assignments at the end of the second year. The exams tested us on things like special educational needs, development across different age ranges, and safeguarding. For one of the assignments, we were given details about a fictional child and asked to create an activity plan for them, using things we’d learned in the curriculum. 

What are you doing now, and what are your plans for the future? 

Since my T level finished, I’ve been working as a Bank Early Years Practitioner at the same Bright Horizons nursery I did my placement at (a ‘bank’ practitioner is someone who works on a flexible basis). At the same time, I’m studying for a degree in Education and Learning at Bolton University. 

When I’ve finished my degree, I want to get some more experience in a primary school, so I can decide which age range I enjoy teaching the most. 

Would you recommend this T level to other students? 

Absolutely! For me, the big advantage of doing a T level is the amount of workplace experience you get, and the fact that you can do a few different placements and figure out exactly what kind of career you want. The scope of the T level is quite wide too, so you’ll have lots of options available to you after you finish – including university, if that’s something you’re interested in! 

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