The Department for Education has refused to say how it arrived at the decision to force learners on certain T levels routes to undertake apprenticeships.

The first T levels are due to start in 2020, with the rest due to be implemented by 2022. A considerable number of the expected T levels will have no classroom-based learning option.

The Sainsbury review, which led to the government’s post-16 plan, set out 15 occupational routes. Four of these are expected to be delivered through apprenticeships only. The four routes are protective services; transport and logistics; sales, marketing and procurement; and social care.

According to figures in the Sainsbury review, there are currently 2.8 million non-graduates who work in the four occupational routes that will purely be apprenticeship-only which implies that in the near future thousands of learners will have no classroom-based option to enter these careers and will be forced to take an apprenticeship.

‘No rationale’

Mick Fletcher, FE policy analyst, said no justification or explanation has been offered by the government for its decision, so he asked the DfE to explain the rationale for making these four T level routes apprenticeship-only by submitting a Freedom of Information (FoI) request.

In his FoI request, Mr Fletcher wrote: “In the Sainsbury Review there are brief notes against four of the routes stating ‘we expect this route will primarily be delivered through apprenticeships’. No rationale for this expectation is given.

“I am seeking to understand the rationale for this decision and would be grateful therefore for sight of any paper presented to the Sainsbury Review Group that led them to their expectation and to the Department that led to their decision in this matter.”

Not in public interest

In its response, the department refused to reveal the information. An official said: “The department has concluded that, in this instance, the public interest in withholding the information requested outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.”

In an official response to a further request by Tes to reveal their reasons why these routes are “apprenticeship-only”, a spokesperson for the Department for Education (DfE) said: “The information was withheld under Section 35, which ensures that government is able to consider the pros and cons of policies and programmes without premature disclosure, which might close off discussion and the development of other options.

“The responses to the consultations on T level implementation and the IFA’s consultation on the occupational maps have not yet been published.”

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