Background
Post-16 level 3 qualifications in England are undergoing major reform. What reforms are taking place? What's already happened? What's still to come? Discover the routes and options available to students from September 2025 including the DfE's plan to approve reformed academic qualifications, known as Alternative Academic Qualifications (AAQs).
Level 3 Cambridge Advanced Nationals (AAQs)
Level 3 Cambridge Advanced Nationals are our new Alternative Academic Qualifications (AAQs) for first teach in September 2025. Our new qualifications will complement existing A Level study programmes by providing students with the practical and essential skills and knowledge they need to better prepare themselves for entry into higher education and university.
Our Post-16 Programme of Study
16 to 19 year old students who want to progress onto further or higher education, but don't want to study only A Levels (or a T Level programme), can choose a mixed study programme. We offer over 30 A Level qualifications alongside vocational qualifications such as our existing Cambridge Technicals which can be supplemented with Core Maths or an EPQ.
Level 2 Post-16 qualifications
The DfE has confirmed it's moving ahead with post-16 level 2 reforms. Its aims are to improve quality and better prepare individuals to progress to further study/training at level 3, or directly into skilled employment in sectors and occupations where level 2 skills are needed. Discover how this affects your current curriculum and existing Level 2 Cambridge Technicals.
Key dates for our current Cambridge Technicals
The DfE published a list of qualifications that overlap with Wave 1 and 2 T Levels on 11 May 2022. Most of our Cambridge Technicals (2016) qualifications didn't overlap with T Levels and will continue to be funded until our new AAQs are launched. Find out when funding eligibility is removed from all our current Cambridge Technicals.
Get involved in the development - join our teacher panel
Would you like to have your say about the re-development of our new AAQs? What should content look like? What support do you need? What's important to you when delivering new qualifications? Sign up to our teacher panel and tell us your thoughts about our qualification re-development. We'd love your feedback.
Frequently asked questions
Browse our frequently asked questions to find answers to some commonly asked questions about post-16 reform including what reform means to you and what's going to happen to Cambridge Technicals. If you have a question that you can't find the answer to, please contact one of our support team on partnerships@cambridge.org
