Guidance

14 to 19 technical and applied qualifications: technical guidance

Guidance for awarding organisations submitting technical and applied qualifications for school and college performance tables.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 16 August 2016
• Last updated: 19 December 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

16 to 18 performance measures qualifications: amendments for 2026

PDF, 195 KB, 8 pages

14 to 16 qualifications technical guide: 2024 performance tables

PDF, 339 KB, 22 pages

14 to 19 qualifications technical guide: 2020 performance tables

PDF, 333 KB, 42 pages

Details

These guidance documents explain the requirements for the Department for Education to include:

• technical qualifications for 14- to 16-year olds in school and college performance tables from 2024
• technical awards, technical certificates, tech levels or applied general qualifications in the key stage 4 and 16 to 18 performance tables from 2020

We’re not adding any new qualifications to: 

• the key stage 4 (14 to 16) performance tables until further notice 
• the 16 to 18 performance tables while the post-16 qualifications review is taking place

The list of key stage 4 qualifications and discount codes for the 2014 to 2025 performance tables is available.

Contact technical.education@education.gov.uk if you have any queries.

Technical guides for earlier performance tables are available in the National Archives.

Published 16 August 2016
Last updated 19 December 2023 + show all updates

1. 19 December 2023

   Added 'Performance Measures Qualifications: amendments for 2026'.

2. 7 December 2023

   Updated the page details to confirm that we're not currently adding any new qualifications to the key stage 4 and 16 to 18 performance tables. The review for submitting key stage 4 qualifications for 2027 performance tables will not open until further notice.

3. 8 February 2023

   Removed out of date documents. Updated the page details with information about the next review to submit qualifications for key stage 4 performance tables.

4. 15 September 2020

   Added 2024 performance tables technical guide, '2024 key stage 4 performance tables: process for submitting qualifications' and contact details proforma.

5. 6 April 2020

   Updated guidance about delaying the implementation of the new key stage 4 performance tables qualifications approvals process due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

6. 6 March 2020

   Added '14 to 16 qualifications technical guide: 2023 process for submitting qualifications'.

7. 18 February 2020

   Added '14 to 16 qualifications technical guide: 2023 performance tables'.

8. 19 April 2018

   Updated document '14 to 19 qualifications inclusion application process guide: 2020 performance tables'.

9. 23 November 2017

   Updated to add 2020 technical guide and application process guide.

10. 16 August 2016

    First published.