Who runs a T Level?
Quick answer
No single organisation runs a T Level end to end. Government (the DfE, supported by Skills England) sets policy, funds it and approves the qualification; an awarding organisation develops and awards the Technical Qualification; schools and colleges deliver it; employers help design it and provide the industry placement; and Ofqual regulates quality.Who does what
| Body | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Department for Education (DfE) | Overall policy, funding and approval of T Levels. Since 2024–25 the DfE has absorbed the functions of the former Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE). |
| Skills England | An executive agency within the DfE (operational from 2025) that took on IfATE's work — including approving the Technical Qualifications and managing awarding-organisation licences, informed by employer-defined standards. |
| Awarding organisation | Develops the Technical Qualification for a T Level, sets and marks the assessments, and issues the results (e.g. NCFE, Pearson, City & Guilds). |
| Providers (schools & colleges) | Deliver the teaching, arrange and support industry placements, and enter students for assessment. |
| Employers | Help define what each T Level covers, and host the industry placements. |
| Ofqual | The independent regulator that assures the quality and standards of the qualifications. |
Why it's structured this way
Splitting these roles is deliberate: employers keep the content relevant, an independent awarding organisation runs fair assessment, a regulator guards standards, and providers focus on teaching. It's more moving parts than an A Level, which is part of why the terminology can feel unfamiliar — but each part exists to keep the qualification both credible and connected to real work.
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