Digital Software Development T Level results 2025/26 Provisional
How this cohort did — results funnel
Of the students who received a Digital Software Development T Level result in 2025/26, this is how many reached each grade level. Percentages are of the students with results (not of everyone who started the course).
Separately, 96.6% of these students completed the required industry placement (including special consideration). The industry placement is a completion status, not a grade, so it sits alongside — not inside — this grade funnel.
Overall grade distribution
The overall T Level grade combines the core component and the occupational specialism; the industry placement must also be completed for the full award.
| Overall grade | Students | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distinction* | 1 | 0.1% | |
| Distinction | 320 | 18.6% | |
| Merit | 838 | 48.7% | |
| Pass | 397 | 23.1% | |
| Partial achievement | 162 | 9.4% | |
| Unclassified | 1 | 0.1% | |
| Students with results | 1,719 | — |
Pass or above 90.5% · Merit or above 67.4% · Distinction or above 18.7%.
Core component (A*–E)
The core is assessed in the first year through written exams and an employer-set project, and is graded A* to E.
| Core grade | Students | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A* | 4 | 0.2% | |
| A | 69 | 4% | |
| B | 371 | 21.6% | |
| C | 600 | 34.9% | |
| D | 478 | 27.8% | |
| E | 191 | 11.1% | |
| Unclassified | 6 | 0.3% | |
| Students with results | 1,719 | — |
A*–C 60.7% · A*–E (core achieved) 99.7%.
Occupational specialism
The occupational specialism is the practical, job-specific part of the T Level, graded Distinction, Merit or Pass.
| Specialism grade | Students | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distinction | 373 | 21.7% | |
| Merit | 801 | 46.6% | |
| Pass | 432 | 25.1% | |
| Unclassified | 113 | 6.6% | |
| Students with results | 1,719 | — |
Specialism Pass or above 93.4%.
Industry placement
Every T Level includes a substantial industry placement (typically at least 315 hours). It carries a completion status rather than a grade, but completing it is required for the full award.
| Placement status | Students | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completed | 1,637 | 95.2% | |
| Completed with special consideration | 24 | 1.4% | |
| Not completed | 58 | 3.4% | |
| Students with results | 1,719 | — |
Placement completed (including special consideration) 96.6%.
How Digital Software Development compares with all T Levels
The same measures for this pathway set against the figure for all T Levels combined in 2025/26. A green tag means this pathway is above the all–T Level figure; an amber tag means below. Differences are in percentage points (pp).
| Measure | Digital Software Development | All T Levels | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass or above | 90.5% | 92.6% | −2.1pp |
| Merit or above | 67.4% | 68.9% | −1.5pp |
| Distinction or above | 18.7% | 18.1% | +0.6pp |
| Specialism Pass or above | 93.4% | 95.4% | −2pp |
| Industry placement completed | 96.6% | 97.2% | −0.6pp |
Comparisons use the same published year (2025/26). Pathways with small cohorts can sit well above or below the average, so read the difference alongside the cohort size (1,719 students here).
Participation by sex
DfE publishes results for female and male students. Small numbers in some pathways can make shares move sharply year to year.
Where this T Level is studied
Students by region (2025/26)
Number of students who received a Digital Software Development result in each English region.
Centres delivering this T Level
114 centres had published Digital Software Development results in 2025/26. The largest by cohort:
Trend over time
| Year | Students with results | Pass or above | Merit or above |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 331 | 94.3% | 71.6% |
| 2022/23 | 695 | 88.8% | 51.7% |
| 2023/24 | 1,037 | 87.8% | 51.3% |
| 2024/25 (Revised) | 1,473 | 92.4% | 58.9% |
| 2025/26 (Provisional) | 1,719 | 90.5% | 67.4% |
Years are not directly comparable: the latest year is provisional, earlier years were revised, and the intake has grown as the pathway matured.
Occupational specialisms in this T Level
- Digital Production, Design and Development
About the Digital Software Development T Level
A T Level is a two-year, classroom-based technical qualification (about the size of three A Levels) built from a core component, an occupational specialism and a required industry placement. For a plain-English explanation of how the grades work and what they mean, see our companion guides.
📊 See Digital Software Development in the interactive Explorer 📈 T Level Insights — data-driven reads
Compare with other post-16 pathways
A T Level is one of several routes after GCSEs. See how it sits alongside the alternatives with tutor2u's companion resources, built from the same DfE official statistics.