Which T Level programmes are affected, and how to spot the COLLECT errors

T Level issue note  ·  Prepared 2 November 2026  ·  Prompted by the Bordesley Green T Level Health error  ·  Applies to all sixth forms delivering T Levels

Why this matters this year

The T Level Technical Qualifications are being re-procured and re-accredited in a second wave (“Generation 2”). As each T Level moves to Generation 2, it gets a brand-new Qualification Number (QAN), and in most cases a new awarding organisation, and the occupational-specialism codes change with it. The previous version is withdrawn for new starts. Because 2025 and 2026 are the first-teaching years for several of these, the Autumn 2026 census is the first return where old and new versions run side by side — which is exactly where COLLECT errors appear when the wrong version, or an incomplete set of components, is recorded.

The core rule

New starts from a T Level’s Generation 2 first-teaching year must be recorded on the NEW QAN (and new occupational-specialism code). Continuing students stay on the QAN they started with — they cannot move awarding organisation, even for a resit. So in the same subject you will legitimately have two different TQ QANs: the old one on your continuing (Year 13/14) students and the new one on your new (Year 12) students.

Which T Levels change, and when

New QAN and (unless already Pearson) new awarding organisation, by Generation 2 first-teaching year:

Education & Childcare has also moved to a new version (new QAN 61057484, specialism ZTLOS080), replacing the older version (60358294, specialism ZTLOS006) — both delivered by NCFE. The same old-vs-new rule applies.

The three ways it errors in COLLECT

• Wrong version QAN for a new start. A 2026 Health start recorded on the old NCFE TQ (603/7066/X), or a 2025 Digital start on the Generation 1 QAN, errors because that version is withdrawn for new starts. This is usually what is happening when “two QANs both error” — one is the old version, and the occupational specialism belongs to the new version.
• Occupational specialism without the Technical Qualification. If the occupational specialism (ZTLOS…) and placement are recorded but the Technical Qualification (core aim) is missing, COLLECT rejects the occupational specialism — it has no parent TQ. The error points at the specialism, but the missing item is the TQ. (This was the Bordesley Green Health issue.)
• Mismatched TQ and occupational-specialism versions. The occupational-specialism code must belong to the same version as the TQ. A new-version specialism (e.g. ZTLOS100) paired with the old TQ QAN — or vice versa — errors.

How to spot impacted students in any school

For each school, check the T Level students against four points:

• Start year drives the version. A T Level programme that STARTED in (or after) its Generation 2 first-teaching year must use the new QAN; one that started earlier keeps the old QAN. Sort the T Level students by programme start date.
• Every T Level student has all four components. Programme aim (ZPROG001), Technical Qualification (as the core aim, with a real QAN), occupational specialism (ZTLOS…), and industry placement (ZWRKX003). A student missing the Technical Qualification is the most common error.
• TQ QAN and specialism code are the same generation. Old TQ ↔ old ZTLOS code; new TQ ↔ new ZTLOS code. A new specialism on an old TQ (or the reverse) will not clear.
• Confirm the exact QAN on Find a Learning Aim for the student’s academic year before keying it in — Generation 2 QANs are new and the old ones are withdrawn for new starts.

Confirmed QANs (the two we have verified)

For the other Generation 2 T Levels (the 2025 Digital and Construction QANs, and the 2027 subjects) take the exact new QAN from Find a Learning Aim for the relevant academic year — they are newly issued and are not reproduced here to avoid keying in an unverified number.

Bordesley Green — where it stands

• Health (7 students, new 2026 starts) — affected. Occupational specialism and placement recorded, Technical Qualification missing. Fix: add Pearson Health TQ 610/7438/X as the core aim (see the separate urgent note).
• Education & Childcare (22 students) — correct. The 2024-start continuing students are on the old TQ (60358294 / ZTLOS006) and the 2025/2026 starts on the new TQ (61057484 / ZTLOS080) — exactly as the old-vs-new rule requires. No action.
• No other T Levels are delivered at this school, so no further Generation 2 exposure here.

Recommended standing check

For every school you review that delivers a T Level in Health, Science, or Digital (and, from 2027, Accounting, Management & Administration or Engineering), add a step to the T Level section: confirm each new-cohort student is on the Generation 2 QAN with a matching occupational-specialism code and a present Technical Qualification core aim. This will catch the same class of COLLECT error before submission.

Sources

• Pearson — T Levels Provider FAQs (Generation 2 transfers, first-teaching years, continuing-student rule, new QANs).
• Pearson — T Level Technical Qualification in Health specification (QN 610/7438/X, first teaching September 2026).
• NCFE — T Level Technical Qualification in Health (603/7066/X, previous version, withdrawn for new starts).
• ESFA / ILR guidance — recording a T Level: programme aim ZPROG001, Technical Qualification as core aim, occupational specialism ZTLOS…, industry placement ZWRKX003.
• Find a Learning Aim — occupational-specialism codes and TQ QANs by academic year.