As a result of the first stage of the DfE’s review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below in England, the ESFA have announced the qualifications with low or no publicly-funded enrolments that will have post-16 funding removed after 31 July 2021.
This removal will affect 16-18 year old students on study programmes and 19+ students under the Adult Education Budget, including those entitled to legal entitlement and those requiring Advanced Learner Loans.
The DfE refers to this removal of funding as ‘securing early progress’ towards a simpler post-16 vocational system before the next stage of the review is released this year. In the next stage, the DfE will say more about the criteria that will be used to manage the funding approval of all post-16 level 3 and below qualifications in the future. We expect the changes to the funding approval of qualifications to take place from September 2023 onwards, in line with the rollout of T Levels.
The ESFA announcement applies to funded provision in England only. We will inform you if we plan to withdraw any provision in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Which qualifications are affected?
Qualifications identified with no publicly funded enrolments
Five qualifications will have funding approval removed from the end of July 2021. These qualifications have had no publicly funded enrolments since 2015/16.
In accordance with the criteria set out in the ESFA process for retaining funding, we will not be able to submit a request to retain public funding for these qualifications:
Q/N | Qualification title | Sector |
60164815 | UAL Level 2 Award in Fashion Business and Retail | Fashion |
50106806 | UAL Level 3 Award in Printmaking | Art and Design |
60007102 | UAL Level 2 Diploma In Professional Competence for Grips | Film Suite |
60025554 | UAL Level 2 Diploma For Clapper Loaders | Film Suite |
60025542 | UAL Level 3 Diploma For Focus Pullers | Film Suite |
Centres are still able to register students on the above qualifications for the 2020/21 academic year.
UAL Awarding Body will notify centres about the future of these qualifications, and whether they will still be available through private funding from 2021 onwards.
Qualifications identified with low publicly funded enrolments
ESFA has currently suspended the process for qualifications with low publicly funded enrolments, therefore the following qualifications with low enrolments will retain funding approval for 2021/22 academic year:
Q/N | Qualification title | Sector |
6016489X | UAL Level 1 Award in Music, Performing and Production Arts | Music/Performing Arts |
60164645 | UAL Level 2 Award in Music, Performance and Production | Music |
60118192 | UAL Level 2 Award In Performing and Production Arts | Performing Arts |
60164827 | UAL Level 2 Diploma in Fashion Business and Retail | Fashion |
50079086 | UAL Level 2 Award in Drawing | Art and Design |
5007992X | UAL Level 2 Certificate in Drawing | Art and Design |
50096710 | UAL Level 2 Certificate in Photography | Art and Design |
50096722 | UAL Level 2 Award in Printmaking | Art and Design |
50096758 | UAL Level 2 Award in Photography | Art and Design |
50079761 | UAL Level 3 Certificate in Drawing | Art and Design |
50095031 | UAL Level 3 Certificate in Photography | Art and Design |
50098986 | UAL Level 3 Award in Photography | Art and Design |
60007096 | UAL Level 2 Diploma In Professional Competence for Crane Technicians | Film Suite |
60007114 | UAL Level 2 Diploma in Professional Competence for Stagehands | Film Suite |
6000776X | UAL Level 3 Diploma in Professional Competence for Advanced Grips | Film Suite |
For qualifications with low enrolments, the ESFA have set up a process for awarding bodies to make a request to retain public funding where removal would have an adverse impact on specific individuals or schools, or on specific occupational or geographical areas.
For the vast majority of qualifications above, UAL Awarding Body will be looking to retain public funding. However, we will be in contact with centres once ESFA restarts the process in Autumn, to confirm our plans for the above qualifications.
Centres are still able to register students on the above qualifications for the 2020/21 academic year.
However in the meantime, if you’d like to talk to us about any of the qualifications affected, please contact qualdev.awarding@arts.ac.uk.