tutor2u · T Level Insights
Why a high T Level pass rate isn't the whole story

Why a high pass rate isn’t the whole story

The insight
A 92.6% pass rate describes students who reached results. As a share of everyone who started, it’s closer to 71%. Pass rate, placement completion and retention are three different measures.

Two ways to read the T Level pass rate

The same pass converted into two denominators, plus placement completion

Pass+ (of those with results)92.6%Pass+ (of everyone who started)71%Placement completed97.2%
Why the headline can mislead. “92.6% of T Level students passed” is true of students who reached results. But only about 76.7% of those who started reached that point — so as a share of all starters, the pass rate is closer to 71%. Neither figure is wrong; they answer different questions.

Pass, completion and retention are three different things

Pass rate = the grade share among those assessed. Placement completion (97.2%) = whether the workplace requirement was met. Retention = how many starters stayed to be assessed (76.7% for the latest cohort). A pathway can look strong on one and weaker on another, which is why the explorer always shows the count a rate is based on.

📊 See the full funnel with counts

Source & how this was made

Figures are computed from the Department for Education’s Provisional T Level results statistics (2025/26) and its retention analysis, under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Charts are generated directly from that data. Developed and checked with AI assistance alongside expert human review by tutor2u; an independent interpretation aid, not official DfE analysis. Last reviewed 15 August 2026.