T Levels October 2026 update
Welcome to your October T Level update.
This month's update covers T Level Week, a host of upcoming training and support events, our new quick-start guide, your admin jobs for the month and your usual sector updates.
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T Levels Week 2026
Celebrating student success and sharing stories to inspire
T Levels Week runs from 19 to 23 October, giving you a chance to celebrate the achievements of your students and explore the growing range of T Level courses available for 2026.
To mark the week, we're sharing stories from across the T Level community. First up is Poppy Pearson, who talks about her experience studying a Marketing T Level, what she's learned so far and how the qualification is helping her prepare for the future.
Could your story help inspire others?
Every T Level journey is different, and hearing directly from students, educators and employers helps others understand the impact these qualifications can have.
If you have a story to share, we'd love to hear from you. Whether it's a student's success, an employer partnership or your experience delivering T Levels, your story could help inspire centres and learners across the country.
Submit a student, educator, or employer story
Things to do this month
If you're involved in delivering or administering Technical Qualifications, join our annual exams officer and administrator training event on Wednesday 4 November at 1:30pm.
We'll cover the key processes you'll manage throughout the year, including qualification approval, registrations, entries and assessment scheduling, helping you feel confident supporting Technical Qualifications at your centre.
Get started with our quick start guide, which brings together the key support, training and resources you'll need to plan and deliver T Levels confidently.
Whether you're delivering a T Level for the first time or supporting a new team member, the guide is a useful starting point and includes links to the most important information in one place.
Make sure you register students starting their Technical Qualification this academic year by 1 November. Registrations received from 2 November onwards will incur late fees.
You must be approved by Pearson for each Technical Qualification you plan to deliver. If you didn’t apply for approval during the approval window, please contact us as soon as possible.
Need help? Visit our admin support page for guidance on making registrations and updating student details.
Submit your core component entries by 6 October for students taking assessments this autumn. Make sure every student entered for an assessment has an entry in place. If you're entering students for a resit, check the resit rules before you submit your entries.
Entries received from 7 October onwards will incur late fees.
Need help? Our admin support page includes guides and videos covering entries, assessments, results and resits.
If you've made employer-set project entries for the autumn series, tell us who'll upload student work to SharePoint so we can give them access before submission windows open.
Read our full email for more information on what you need to do.
Once you've made your entries, you'll start receiving question papers, attendance registers and labels for the autumn series from 17 November.
You'll use the yellow label service to return completed scripts for this series.
Find out more about the yellow label service
If you need an electronic copy of a question paper, for example because you've made a very late entry or need to print on coloured paper, you can download one from the assessment download page. You'll need Secure Download Service access on your Edexcel Online account to access secure materials.
You can now make your occupational specialism entries for the summer 2027 series. Make sure you submit an entry for every student taking an assessment.
Make sure you submit your entries by 6 October. Entries received from 7 October onwards will incur late fees.
We've updated the administrative support guides for the new academic year. Download the latest versions to help you manage registrations, entries, assessments and results using the most up-to-date guidance.
We'll be updating the key dates schedules for Digital Production, Design and Development and Construction (generation 1).
The updated schedules will reflect the final assessment opportunities available before these qualifications reach the end of delivery in summer 2027.
Join one of our upcoming general or sector-specific briefings to hear the latest updates on post-16 vocational qualification reform in England.
You'll find the latest news, upcoming briefing dates and additional support on our reform hub.
Sector updates
Make sure you're using the latest specification
Core assessments from summer 2027 onwards will be based on the September 2026 specification. If you're teaching the core content this academic year, make sure you're using the latest version for planning and delivery.
Help shape the next Accounting specification
We're developing the next-generation Accounting specification for first teaching from September 2027 and would like your feedback.
Join our provider panel for the opportunity to review draft specifications and assessments, and share your views before they're submitted.
Contact Andrew.hambelton@pearson.com to join the provider panel.
Tell us which software you're using for the occupational specialism
If you're delivering the T Level Accounting occupational specialism, we'd like to know which software packages you're using.
Your feedback will help us shape future assessment materials and guidance so they reflect the systems students are familiar with.
Complete the T Level Accounting occupational specialism software survey
Join the next Accounting drop-in session
Connect, Collaborate, Create: Accounting teacher drop-in
If you've got questions about delivering Accounting, join our new half-termly teacher drop-in sessions. You'll have the chance to discuss delivery, share experiences and get answers from the product and subject teams.
Join the next Accounting drop-in on 16 October, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Explore support from our industry partners
Our industry partners provide resources, training and industry insight to help you deliver these qualifications and prepare students for future careers.
Help shape future support for Craft and Design
If you've taught Craft and Design, we'd like to hear about your experience.
Your feedback helps us understand what's working well, where you need more support and how we can continue improving the qualification and resources available to centres.
Complete the Craft and Design feedback survey
Build your confidence with upcoming training
Lessons from T Level Craft and Design core assessments: maximising success in the core paper and ESP
2 November 2026, 5–6 p.m.
Drawing on lessons from previous assessment series, this session explores practical ways to help students achieve their best in the core assessments. We'll look at the knowledge, understanding and response skills that support success in higher-mark questions, including discuss and evaluate questions, and share approaches that can strengthen performance in the employer-set project.
Register for the Craft and Design core assessments: maximising success session
From Questions to Confidence: T Level Craft and Design Drop‑In
These informal monthly sessions, held on the first Thursday of each month, give you the chance to connect with other centres, share experiences and get answers to your questions. Whether you'd like to discuss course content, assessment or delivery, you can bring the topics that matter most to you.
Join the next Craft and Design drop-in on 4 November, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Get ready for the first occupational specialism assessments
The first occupational specialism assessments for Digital pathways will take place in 2027. Join our upcoming training sessions to understand how the assessments will work in practice and how you can prepare your students with confidence.
Understanding the occupational specialism assessment in Digital Support Services
18 November 2026, 1–2 p.m.
This session explains how the occupational specialism assessment in Digital Support Services will work in practice. You'll get an overview of the assessment requirements and learn how to prepare for the first assessment series in 2027.
Register for the Digital Support Services occupational specialism assessment session
Understanding the occupational specialism assessment in Digital Software Development and Digital Data Analytics
25 November 2026, 1–2 p.m.
Find out what to expect from the occupational specialism assessments in Digital Software Development and Digital Data Analytics. We'll cover the assessment requirements, explain how the assessments will work in practice and look at the new task 1C in Digital Software Development ahead of the first assessment series in 2027.
Help shape the next Engineering qualifications
We're developing new versions of the T Levels in Engineering and Manufacturing for first teaching from September 2027.
The updated qualifications are designed to improve clarity, make delivery more manageable and reduce provider burden in practical assessments.
You can still get involved through our provider panel. As a panel member, you'll have the opportunity to review draft specifications and assessments and share feedback before the final submission to the Department for Education in December.
Contact Andrew.Hambelton@pearson.com to join the provider panel.
Look ahead to the occupational specialisms available from 2027
The range of occupational specialisms will be streamlined from September 2027.
Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering & Manufacturing
- Mechanical
- Mechatronic
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Light and Electric Vehicles
Engineering Manufacturing Processing and Control
- Fitting & Assembly Technologies
- Machining and Toolmaking Technologies
- Fabrication and Welding Technologies
Design and Development for Engineering & Manufacturing
- Mechanical
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Make sure you're using the latest specification
Core assessments from summer 2027 onwards will be based on the latest specifications. If you're teaching the core content this academic year, make sure you're using the correct version for your subject.
Explore support from our industry partners
Our industry partners provide resources, training and industry insight to help you deliver these qualifications and prepare students for their future careers.
Access support and training from industry partners
Join an upcoming teacher drop-in session
Connect, Collaborate, Create teacher drop-ins
These half-termly sessions give you the chance to ask questions, share ideas and discuss delivery with the product and subject teams.
Upcoming sessions:
- Legal Services: 16 October, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
- Marketing: 19 October, 3.30–4:30 p.m.
If you're attending the Legal Services session, you can also join the Association of Colleges Community of Practice afterwards.
Make sure you're using the latest specification
We made a small number of updates to the specification over the summer. Make sure you're using version 1.2 for your teaching and learning this academic year.
Get answers to your Health T Level questions
From Questions to Confidence: T Level Health drop‑in
These informal sessions give you the chance to ask questions, share experiences and discuss the topics that matter most to you. You can also submit questions in advance and hear directly from the product manager and subject advisor.
Join the next Health drop-in on 10 November, 3:30–4 p.m.
Bring Health learning to life with a new virtual reality resource
Health teachers can now access a new virtual reality learning resource through Gatsby's Technical Education Networks (TEN).
The resource places students in a realistic home visit scenario, supporting a service user living with chronic kidney disease. It gives them the chance to practise communication, active listening and person-centred care in a safe learning environment.
The scenario is free to use and works on laptops, desktop computers and mobile devices, so there's no need for a virtual reality headset.
Explore Health resources on Technical Education Networks
If you've used the resource with your students, the Technical Education Networks team would love to hear your feedback. Email them at TEN@gatsby.org.uk.
Look out for qualification updates from September 2027
From September 2027, the T Level Technical Qualification in Management and Administration will be renamed the T Level Technical Qualification in Business & Management.
We've also updated the occupational specialism titles. From September 2027, these will be:
- Team Leadership and Management
- Business Operations Improvement
We'll share more information as updated materials become available.
Help shape future support for Media, Broadcast and Production
If you've taught Media, Broadcast and Production, we'd like to hear about your experience.
Your feedback helps us understand what's working well, where you need more support and how we can continue improving the qualification and resources available to centres.
Complete the Media, Broadcast and Production feedback survey
Build your confidence with upcoming training
Lessons from T Level Media core assessments: maximising success in the core paper and ESP
19 October 2026, 5–6 p.m.
Drawing on lessons from previous assessment series, this session explores practical ways to help students achieve their best in the core assessments. You'll look at the knowledge, understanding and response skills that support success in higher-mark questions, including discuss and evaluate questions, and consider approaches that can strengthen performance in the employer-set project.
Register for the Media core assessments: maximising success session
From Questions to Confidence: T Level Media drop‑in
These informal monthly sessions, held on the first Thursday of each month, give you the chance to connect with other centres, share experiences and get answers to your questions. Whether you'd like to discuss course content, assessment or delivery, you can bring the topics that matter most to you.
Get support with your T Level Science delivery
T Level Laboratory Science: Ask, Share, Solve
These regular support sessions give you the chance to ask questions, share experiences and discuss the topics that matter most to you as you deliver T Level Science. The next sessions will focus on Core B: teaching and learning guidance, including the resources available to support delivery of the core content. If you register, you'll also receive a copy of the presentation slides after the session.
Upcoming sessions (all 4–5 p.m.):
- 14 October
- 11 November
- 25 November
- 9 December
Explore all T Level events and training
Explore the latest teaching and learning resources
A growing range of teaching and learning materials is available to support planning and classroom delivery of T Level Science.
Resources are currently available for Chemistry topics A1 to A15, Physics topics A16 to A18 and Biology topic A1. More Physics and Biology resources will be added soon.
Access T Level Science teaching and learning resources
Help shape future Science support
Your feedback helps us understand what's working well and where you need additional support.
If you've attended a support session, tell us about your experience and suggest topics you'd like us to cover in future training.
Share feedback on Science support sessions
We're also gathering feedback on training and support needs across T Level Science. Tell us where additional guidance, resources or training would be most useful.
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.
You can also explore our principal examiner deep dives, where principal examiners walk through key examination questions and share insights to support teaching and assessment. Deep dives are currently available for Legal Services, Construction, Digital, Craft and Design, and Media, with Marketing and Accounting coming soon.
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.
