2025 VTQ Results in England

1. 239 705 VTQ results were issued in 2025.
2. 216 640 results were for Applied Generals.
3. 29 065 were for Tech Levels.
4. The graph on the left from FFT shows the % of D*-D grades rose again in 2025 across all types of Applied General qualifications. 
5. In Diplomas and Extended Diplomas, the D*-D higher pass rate was similar to 2020 when CAGs were used in place of the exams. 

Value-added context for VTQs

Alps Customer benchmark for vocational qualifications in 2025

1. The Alps Customer dataset for vocational qualifications is not as representative a dataset as it is with A level.
   
1. In 2024, comparisons made between the Alps 2024 Customer dataset and the DfE 2024 national dataset showed discrepancies not seen at A level
   
2. When we integrated the 2024 DfE benchmark into the platform early in the Summer Term, there was a significant rise in value-added scores across vocational provision in most schools and colleges.
   
3. Therefore we conclude that our sub-set of data is not wholly representative of the national and presented a negative value-added context 
   
2. The 2025 Alps Customer benchmarks are therefore likely to yield the same value-added bias, where our Minimum Expected Points are more exacting across the prior attainment bands than those that we might generate from the 2025 DfE dataset when released later in the Academic Year. 
   
3. The subject coverage in our 2025 Alps Customer dataset is not as extensive as the 2024 DfE national dataset, therefore subjects where there were value-added thermometers in 2024 DfE analysis will not be covered in the customer benchmark. 

Benchmarks available for vocational analysis in Connect and Summit

There are two benchmarks available within the platforms for Key Stage 5. For your vocational analysis these are: 

1. The National Benchmark on Toggle 1 contains the DfE 2019 dataset
   
2. The Alps Benchmark on Toggle 2 contains the 2024 DfE national data for KS5 vocational subjects. 
   
1. Note: at A level, this is where you will find the 2025 Alps Customer benchmark
   

The grid below shows which benchmark you will see in Connect and Summit analysis across the last 5 years when switching between benchmark sets. Note the 'hybrid' nature of the Alps Benchmark on toggle 2 for both cohorts 2024/25 and for 2025/26. 

Selecting the appropriate benchmark  

1. Both the DfE 2019 and the DfE 2024 datasets are likely to be less exacting than the DfE 2025 dataset and will potentially lead to an overestimation of value-added when compared to this final 2025 DfE dataset
   
2. This means that regardless of the benchmark selection, when the 2025 DfE national benchmarks are integrated into the platform later in the Academic Year, colleagues are likely to see a drop in the value-added scores and grades.
   
3. In other words, vocational value-added is likely to be more Alps 'red' against these benchmarks, and become less Alps 'red' when compared to 2025 DfE. 
   
4. The 2019 DfE dataset is likely to be less exacting than the 2024 DfE dataset, in other words, a closer fit, and therefore less of a value-added drop when compared to the 2025 DfE national. 
5. The 2024 DfE dataset covers a wider range of subjects than the DfE 2019 dataset. If you have a larger range of vocational courses, the 2024 DfE dataset is giving more value-added subject thermometers. 

Recommendation: Analysis of results, and for target setting and tracking across 2025/26, and 2026/27

1. The National Benchmark on Toggle 1 contains the DfE 2019 dataset
   
2. The Alps Benchmark on Toggle 2 contains the 2024 DfE national data for KS5 vocational subjects.

You may select whichever benchmark you feel is most appropriate for you. We have set out some considerations:

1. Subject consideration: The DfE 2024 National data (Toggle 2), includes more benchmarked vocational courses/subjects than the DfE 2019 National benchmark (Toggle 1).
2. Previous target setting pathways: You may have been tracking your new Year 13 students' progress since the start of Year 12 in September 2024 against target grades/MEGs generated from the DfE 2019 national benchmark. Therefore, you may feel this is the most suitable benchmark when tracking student progress in 2025/26.
3. Differences to expected DfE 2025 outcomes:
   
1. Minimum Expected Points:
   
1. For vocational qualifications, the Minimum Expected Points and MEGs calculated from the DfE 2019 National data are more exacting than those calculated from the DfE 2024 National data.
   
2. Our internal research suggests that both the DfE 2019 and the DfE 2024 analysis for vocational subjects is likely to be overestimates of value-added progress, meaning that customers may be in the ‘Red’ against both sets of analysis.
   
3. When the DfE 2025 data is released, this means that there may be a move downwards into the ‘Black’ or ‘Blue’.
   
4. The DfE 2019 is likely to be closer, although still possibly an overestimate, but will potentially give more aspirational MEGs