13 March 2023

The NHBF welcomes the announcement from the Department of Education that the launch of T Levels in Hairdressing, Barbering and Beauty Therapy will be postponed from September 2023 until September 2024.

The move comes after the Department and the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education consulted with Ofqual and relevant awarding bodies and decided that more time is needed to consult with employers and sector bodies to ensure the successful launch of T levels from September 2024.

After meeting Sue Lovelock, Director, Department of Education, the NHBF’s Caroline Larissey, Director of Quality and Standards, commented:

“I am delighted that the Department of Education have taken on our concerns regarding the launch of T levels. We need more time as a sector to introduce the T Levels to employers so that they understand that T Levels will provide a broad education offering across the sector, not a replacement for the NVQ. We need time to educate salon owners on T levels, the breadth of education that will be covered and the opportunity of taking a student on a work placement. We look forward to working closely with the Department of Education over the next year to ensure the successful launch of T-Levels in 2024.”