ALL Briefing No. 49
Date: October 2026
Theme: V-levels
Background:
V Levels are new Level 3 vocational qualifications for 16-to-19-year-olds in England, launching in September 2027.
Each V Level is equal to one A Level (360 guided learning hours) and is studied over two years.
Key messages:
ALL understands there are currently no plans to include languages in any of these, although we have made representations about relevance.
Sample salient quotations:
DfE has set out its intention to introduce V Levels at level 3. V Levels will be new qualifications that offer a vocational pathway for students who want to explore different sectors before deciding where to specialise. They will exist alongside A Levels and T Levels to enable students to study a range of vocational areas.
Each V Level will be equivalent in size to one A Level. This means students will be able to combine V Levels with A Levels, creating a programme that reflects their interests and career ambitions. V Levels will be designed against common content specified by DfE, linked to occupational standards.
The first V Levels will be available from September 2027 in education, accounting and finance, and digital systems and data, with more subjects to follow over time.
DfE proposes to put in place rules at a qualification level that will apply to all V Levels. We also propose to put in place some subject-specific rules for each V Level subject to further support consistency and comparability in these qualifications.
You can read this Teacher Briefing in full: Briefing 49 V levels.