T Levels February 2026 update
Welcome to February's T Level update. This month's update includes news of our new contracts, invitations to our listening sessions, the second half of our 28 days of T Levels and your usual sector updates.
Are you missing out on these updates? Make sure you receive the latest news and updates about T Levels directly to your inbox by signing up.
New T Level contracts awarded to Pearson
The following T Levels are joining our growing T Level family:
- Management and Administration
- Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing
- Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control
- Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing
We've also kept the contract to deliver the Generation 2 T Level in Accounting.
These new Generation 2 T Levels will be ready for first teach September 2027. This will not affect your 2025 or 2026 intake; those students will complete their T level with City and Guilds.
Things to do this month
Our Generation 2 development starts this month, and we want to collaborate with you from the very beginning. We've set up listening sessions to gather your insight on the current qualifications; we want to know your opinions about the content, the structure and manageability of the assessments, and anything else you feel would be useful as we refresh these Technical Qualifications.
| Listening session | Date, time and booking link |
|---|---|
| Accounting session 1 | 11 February, 3:30–4.30 p.m. | Book your place |
| Accounting session 2 | 23 February, 4:00–5.00 p.m. | Book your place |
| Engineering | 23 February, 4:00–5.30 p.m. | Book your place |
| Management and Administration session 1 | 24 February, 3:30–4.30 p.m. | Book your place |
| Management and Administration session 2 | 25 February, 3:30–4.30 p.m. | Book your place |
The entry window for core assessments for the summer 2026 series is now open. You must make an entry for every student wishing to enter the assessment.
If you are making resit entries, make sure you’re familiar with the resit rules, which you can find in the specification or watch our ‘assessment, results and resits video’ on the admin support page.
We’re almost halfway through our T Level support festival, packed with live events, practical guidance, and expert-led sessions.
This year’s programme includes live support events for new Providers in Digital, Health and Science, guidance on transitioning to T Levels ahead of BTEC defunding this summer, ideas and best practice for planning the industry placement, support from ETF and Gatsby, and curriculum-planning drop-in sessions:
- What About Other Options to T Levels? - 12 February
- How ETF Can Help Support Your T Level Journey – 16 February
- Introduction to the Science T Level – 17 February
- Level 2 Planning for a T Level Provision – 19 February
- How Gatsby Can Help Support Your T Level Journey – 23 February
- Introduction to the Health T Level – 24 February
- Generation 2 Wave 2 (Health and Science) Exams Officers Kick Start – 26 February
See the full event timetable with more details and book your place on our events and training page.
Explore all the events and book your place
Can’t make a session? Don’t worry; we’ll share recorded videos and resources via LinkedIn and our website, so keep an eye out for updates throughout February.
If you’re currently delivering the Generation 1 T Levels, it's important we hear your views and collaborate on creating a qualification that meets the needs of you and your students. Joining our provider panel, means you can help shape the development of the new Technical Qualifications, with access to draft specifications and assessment materials as they’re developed.
If you'd like to get involved, please contact Andrew Hambelton at andrew.hambelton@pearson.com or tlevelsemployers@pearson.com.
We're looking for employers to join our employer panel. If you're already running these T Levels and have links to employers, please ask them to get in touch.
We’ll keep you updated via the sector updates this newsletter. If you’ve got any questions or would like to work with us on an individual level as we develop these new T Levels, please contact Andrew Hambelton at andrew.hambelton@pearson.com or tlevelsemployers@pearson.com.
We’ll host our usual termly network event on 19 March, from 3.30 to 5:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to hear from our T Level team and share good practice with other providers offering T Levels.
The window for providers to apply for approval to start delivery in September 2026 opens on 26 February. You must gain approval for each Technical Qualification you want to deliver.
Watch our provider approval video before starting your application.
You can find all the support documents and approval forms you'll need on our training and admin support page. Simply start with the Guide to Provider Approval document and follow the instructions from there.
Find everything you need for your provider approval
If you’re starting delivery of the T Level in Health or the T Level in Science with Pearson in September 2026, you can’t apply for approval until the Generation 2 Technical Qualifications have been approved by DfE. We’re expecting this to happen in April, and we’ll let you know once they’ve been approved. From there, you’ll have until 28 June to apply for approval to deliver these T Levels starting in September 2026.
For more information and support, join our Generation 2 Wave 2 (Health and Science) Exams Officers Kick Start event on 26 February as part of the 28 Days of T Level.
If you have any questions about Provider approval, please get in touch.
We're attending Gatsby's communities of practice exchange event in London on 6 March, and we’d love to see you there.
This event will bring together Gatsby's 15 Technical Education Network (TEN) communities of practice to build on the outputs and discussions from previous meetings, allowing T Level teachers to collaborate in person. With separate breakout spaces for each community, the event will foster deep discussions on route specific T Level support, while providing a valuable opportunity to learn and share ideas with teachers in your route/ pathway.
Sector updates
Available now: new occupational specialism from 2025/26
Don't foget, we've introduced the Project Delivery for Construction and the Built Environment occupational specialism as part of the 2025 Gen 2 specification. To help you prepare, you’ll find specimen assessment materials, a practice project resource and guide standard exemplification materials on the course materials page.
Explore the occupational specialism course materials
Help your students shine with our principal examiner deep-dive sessions
Want practical tips to boost your students’ performance? Our principal examiner has created an on-demand session packed with insights to help you guide learners through the core exam.
We’re adding new resources to the training page this month to support you with the internal marking of occupational specialisms. These will include recorded walkthroughs of sample assessment materials, giving you the clarity and confidence you need throughout delivery and submission. We’ll also be running live training sessions; dates will be available soon on the events and training page.
Explore our training resources
We’ll also be publishing an updated admin support guide for Craft and Design occupational specialisms. Inside, you’ll find key dates, how to submit marks, how samples are selected, how to upload student work, and an overview of the moderation process.
The student exemplar responses for the employer set projects are now live. These real examples of past student portfolios are a helpful way to understand how assessments are marked in practice. You can find them under ‘Exemplification materials’ on the course materials page.
Download student exemplar responses for the employer set projects
We’re adding new resources to the training page this month to support you with the internal marking of occupational specialisms. These will include recorded walkthroughs of sample assessment materials, giving you the clarity and confidence you need throughout delivery and submission. We’ll also be running live training sessions; dates will be available soon on the events and training page.
Explore our training resources
We’ll also be publishing an updated admin support guide for Media, Broadcast and Production occupational specialisms. Inside, you’ll find key dates, how to submit marks, how samples are selected, how to upload student work, and an overview of the moderation process.
You can now access the content delivery guide for the core component in the ‘teaching and learning’ section of the specification page. It breaks down every part of the specification, offers activity ideas, and shows how each element connects to the employer set project and occupational specialisms.
Download the core component delivery guide
The student exemplar responses for the employer set projects are now live. These real examples of past student portfolios are a helpful way to understand how assessments are marked in practice. You can find them under ‘Exemplification materials’ on the course materials page.
Download student exemplar responses for the employer set projects
In December, we released the additional sample assessment materials for the core exams and the employer set project across all three T Levels. This summer, we’ll follow up with additional sample assessment materials for the occupational specialism.
Gatsby have launched their support materials for the employer set project. This includes worksheets, videos and other materials.
Explore Gatsby’s Digital employer set project support materials
This month, we submit all materials to the DfE and Ofqual for approval, which normally takes a couple of months, after which we’ll publish specifications and sample assessment materials on our website.
You’ll need to apply for Provider Approval if you’re delivering in September 2026; see the provider approval section above for more details.
If you want to be ready for delivery in September, join our Introduction to Health and Science T Level live sessions as part of the 28 Days of T Levels in February. See the full section above and book your place on our training and events page.
Book your place at our Introduction to Health and Science T Level events
Bookmark the T Level Health and Science pages so you can keep up to date:
Support from ACCA
ACCA is working with providers to improve the employability of your T level Accounting students. They offer:
- free access to ACCA X and the ACCA Careers website
ACCA X
ACCA Careers - promotion of the Accounting T Level to their employers, along with local introductions
- discounted ACCA student membership to allow students to take their Management Accounting exam and add value to their CVs
- careers insight days to providers who engage with ACCA student membership.
If you'd like to know more, contact Rob Alder at rob.alder@accaglobal.com.
Events and training from Xero
Training for T Level Accounting teachers | 19 February
Xero invites T Level Accounting teachers to an in-person training session at their head office in Milton Keynes. The session will take you through the full Xero programme and support you in completing their level 1 and level 2 Xero certification. By the end of the day, you’ll feel confident using Xero in practice.
This training isn’t designed specifically for teachers delivering the T Level, so you may be joined by Xero’s accounting partners who will also be completing their training. It could be a great chance to network and hear first‑hand industry insights.
An introduction to Xero and T Level Accounting | 27 February 2026
(In conjunction with Education and Training Foundation)
Discover how Xero can support your delivery of T Level Accounting by giving students hands‑on experience with the tools they’re likely to use in the workplace. In this session, you’ll learn how to access Xero free of charge through our Xero HQ agreement, set up and manage student access to full live Xero organisations, and make the most of our demo company, case studies, workbooks and step‑by‑step guides, including best‑practice support for OSP task 1A.
We’ll also explore our updated Xero certifications, and how the modular learning, instructional videos, simulations and assessments completed in the demo company can help your students gain real‑world Xero achievements alongside their T Level programme.
Xero Accounting T Level exchange: Supporting your students’ journey | 20 March 2026
(In conjunction with Education and Training Foundation)
Join Lindsey Birtwhistle, Senior Integrated Programme Manager, and Stacey Morrison, Digital Curriculum Lead, at Xero’s Milton Keynes HQ for a follow‑up to their February introductory session. This exchange is a chance to share approaches, explore what’s working in your delivery, and discuss how Xero can support your curriculum and your students’ T Level journey.
On the day, you will:
- gain an in-depth look at our modular learning, instructional videos, simulations and assessments in Xero’s demo company enabling you to help your learners gain real-world Xero achievements alongside their T Level programme
- learn how to set up and control student access to full live Xero organisations via Xero HQ, and make use of the demo company, case studies, workbooks and “how to” guides, including best-practice support for OSP task 1A
- get the opportunity to get hands on by completing a OSP task 1A using Xero.
If you’d like to know more about any of these events, contact Lindsey Birtwhistle at lindsey.birtwhistle@xero.com.
New resources are available for the core component and the occupational specialism on the course materials page, under ‘teaching and learning materials’.
Download new Marketing teaching and learning materials
New CIM opportunity for T Level Marketing students
Pearson and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) have partnered to give your T Level Marketing students a new way to work towards a professional marketing qualification alongside their studies.
Eligible students can receive exemptions towards the CIM Level 3 Professional & Digital Marketing qualification, achieve a CIM professional award during their programme, and then claim the full qualification once they’ve completed their T Level. CIM assessments are assessed by an online exam or embedded assignment, making it easy to integrate into existing T Level delivery.
Students can also join the CIM Marketing Club at a special rate of just £10, supporting both students and tutors with industry insight, resources, webinars, and employability tools throughout the course and beyond.
To find out more or discuss how this could work for your college, contact Rachel.thomas@cim.co.uk.
Need help?
Our training and admin support hub makes it easier for you to find the help you need when you need it. You can find admin documents and support, on-demand and live training resources, our training archive, provider FAQs, support from industry professionals and more, all in one place.
Some support materials are padlocked, meaning you'll need to have an Edexcel Online account to download them. If you don't have Edexcel Online access, please speak to your centre exams officer.
Need support? Our subject advisors are ready to help with your questions. Book a 15-minute one-to-one call and get personalised advice and guidance for your subject.
