Transparency data

Post-16 level 2 qualifications submitted for funding approval from 1 August 2025

Updated 26 March 2024

Applies to England

This page is an update to the reforms to post-16 qualifications in England. It gives information about the range of reformed level 2 qualifications submitted by awarding organisations for public funding approval from 1 August 2025 (cycle 1).

The Department for Education will confirm the list of approved qualifications in September 2024. Those that have been approved will be available for first teaching from 1 August 2025.

 This information is intended as a guide to support education providers in planning their curriculum and should not be used as confirmation of funding approval. These qualifications are still subject to the new funding approval process, this means it is possible that not all of these qualifications will be approved for funding. It:

• is only relevant to the first cycle of submissions – there will be subsequent cycles
• does not constitute the total range of areas in which new and reformed level 2 qualifications will be available once the reforms are complete

Qualifications reform at level 2

Reforms to qualifications at level 2 will be phased in over a 4-year period. The first reformed technical qualifications will be available for teaching from August 2025 (cycle 1 ), with further technical qualifications being approved for teaching from 2026.

This page only includes qualifications submitted in cycle 1, we will consider technical qualifications in all remaining occupational routes in cycle 2. In cycle 2 we will also consider level 2 qualifications that support progression to further study at level 3, including progression to T Levels.

GCSEs, functional skills, essential digital skills, higher project qualifications and performing arts graded exams are out of scope of these reforms and will continue to be funded. 

For further information on the cycles, please refer to the guide to the future post-16 qualifications landscape.

Cycle 1 submissions

The qualifications we have received to date are currently being assessed, and must meet the funding approval criteria.

In many areas, several qualifications have been submitted. However, for commercial sensitivity reasons, we are unable to publish numbers, or any further detail about the specific qualifications being assessed. For questions about qualifications, or potential future qualifications, education providers should engage directly with the relevant awarding organisation.

Occupational routes

In cycle 1, we will approve level 2 technical qualifications in subjects in the following occupational routes:

• construction and the built environment
• education and early years
• engineering and manufacturing
• health and science

These occupational routes align with those in cycle 1 at level 3, with the exception of digital, as there are no level 2 standards in this route.

Providers should note that awarding organisations can also submit qualifications in the above occupational routes in cycle 2, alongside all other occupational routes, for first teaching in 2026.  

Technical qualifications

Level 2 occupational entry qualifications

The following information sets out the occupational standards against which technical occupational entry qualifications were submitted for funding approval in cycle 1. If a qualification has been submitted for funding approval for both 16- to 19-year-olds and adults, and has been approved for funding, it will be available in both funding streams.

Health, Public Services and Care

Occupational Routes	Occupational Standard	Occupational entry	Extended Occupational entry
Education and early years	ST0888 Early years practitioner	Yes	Yes
Health and science	ST0216 Healthcare support worker	Yes	Yes
Health and science	ST0299 Pharmacy services assistant	No	Yes

Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies

Occupational Routes	Occupational Standard	Occupational entry	Extended Occupational entry
Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies	ST0349 General welder (arc processes), ST0537 Engineering operative	No	Yes
Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies	ST0420 Lean manufacturing operative	Yes	No
Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies	ST0499 Autocare technician	Yes	No
Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies	ST0537 Engineering operative	Yes	No

Construction, Planning and the Built Environment

Occupational Routes	Occupational Standard	Occupational entry	Extended Occupational entry
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	ST0051 Highway electrical maintenance and installation operative	Yes	No
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	ST0095 Bricklayer	Yes	Yes
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	ST0096 Plasterer	Yes	Yes
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	ST0171 Property maintenance operative	No	Yes
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	ST0264 Carpentry and joinery	Yes	Yes
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	ST0267 Lifting technician	Yes	No
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	ST0295 Painter and decorator	Yes	Yes
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	ST0359 Scaffolder	Yes	No
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment	ST0513 Groundworker	Yes	No

Leisure, Travel and Tourism

Occupational Routes	Occupational Standard	Occupational entry	Extended Occupational entry
Health and science	ST0390 Leisure team member	Yes	Yes
Health and science	ST0478 Community activator coach	Yes	No

Level 2 additional specialist technical qualifications

The following information pertains to additional specialist qualifications received in cycle 1.

Sector subject area classification	Occupational routes	Additional specialist qualifications
Health, Public Services and Care	Education and early years	Yes
Health, Public Services and Care	Health and Science	Yes
Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies	Engineering and Manufacturing	Yes
Leisure, Travel and Tourism	Health and Science	Yes