The first 11 colleges and schools to benefit from the £38 million capital fund for T levels have been announced by the Department for Education.
The institutions will share £8.65 million to help build new classrooms and refurbish buildings in readiness for the introduction of the first wave of the new technical qualifications in September 2020.
The fund was announced by education secretary Damian Hinds at the Conservative Party Conference in 2018. The next wave of recipients is expected to be awarded later this year. While the initial funding is for providers delivering the first T levels in digital, education and construction from next September, the fund will be opened up to all providers delivering the qualifications in spring 2020.
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Capital cash for T levels
The biggest funding allocation has been won by Barnsley College, which will receive £2.2 million to build a new digital innovation hub.
Today the DfE will also name the 37 providers that will take part in the first round of phased implementation of the T-level transition programme. The programme will help young people “get up to speed with the skills and gain the confidence they need before starting their T level”.
Apprenticeships and skills minister Anne Milton (pictured) said: “T levels will be the biggest change to technical education in a generation - helping young people fast-track their career and get a head start in the world of work.
‘High-quality facilities’
“I’m thrilled to announce the first batch of T-level providers who will benefit from the T-level capital fund, so young people will have access to high-quality facilities come September 2020 when the first T-level courses will be taught. I look forward to announcing further allocations of funding soon.”
Bev Robinson, principal of Blackpool and the Fylde College, which has been awarded £400,000, said: “The announcement of a financial contribution towards ongoing extensive capital investment will assist in maintaining [the college’s] very high standards of technical and professional education and training aligned to the needs of the economy.”
Seven more T-level subjects will be taught from 2021, with a further 15 coming on stream from 2022 onwards in sectors such as legal, financial and accounting, engineering and manufacturing, and creative and design.
The providers allocated T-level funding
- Shipley College of Further Education - £121,125
- The College of Richard Collyer - £206,292
- City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College: £296,551
- Barnsley College: £2,250,000
- Fareham College: £446,625
- Havant and South Downs College: £495,030
- Farnborough College of Technology: £767,500
- Cardinal Newman Sixth Form College: £868,382
- Salesian School: £1,184,000
- Blackpool and The Fylde College: £400,000
- Bridgwater and Taunton College: £646,988
- Bridgwater and Taunton College: £999,089
