A move to prevent students from taking a level 1 qualification, if they had already obtained a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and maths, has been delayed by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

The new funding guidance was going to state that students “with prior attainment in English and maths at grade 4 or above that are undertaking a vocational qualification are not expected to be on an entry level or level 1 core aim, even if they have no previous experience in the vocational area - they should undertake a core aim at [level 2] or above, except in exceptional circumstances”.

The change was meant to come into effect for 2019-20. But the ESFA has now said that, following feedback from “a small but significant number of providers”, this has now been postponed.

Further consideration

The ESFA added that it would discuss the responses with the sector over the next few months and would then “decide whether to proceed with this change for the academic year 2020 to 2021”.

The move was proposed in December, when the ESFA published its findings from its review of end of year 16 to 19 study programmes data for 2016-17.