Key dates and timetables

Key Dates Schedule consultation  

[Updated 28/04/2026]

We need your feedback on our proposed T Level Key Dates Schedule for 2026-27 and 2027-28. 

Timelines 

• You can submit your feedback before Friday 15 May. 
• We’ll conduct an internal review before we publish a narrative response to feedback and a final version of the Key Dates Schedule on Wednesday 1 July. 

Context 

To support you to understand some of the changes and additions to this version, as well as addressing some areas of previous feedback received, we’ve provided the following guidance for you to consider prior to reviewing and submitting feedback:  

Process and work to this point  

• We’ve worked with other awarding organisations offering T Levels to ensure our Key Dates Schedule consultation periods align.   
• We’ve worked with other awarding organisations to ensure that core exam set date and time assessments avoid overlap for all but the lowest volume qualifications.  
• We publish our Key Dates Schedule two years in advance, whereas the GCSE and A Level timetable is published only one year in advance. Therefore, we’re aware there may be some clashes between T Levels and GCSE and A Levels but will manage these where possible through existing regulation allowances and assessment variation requests if needed.  

Changes and additions   

2026-27 changes  

• T Level Technical Qualification in Science Core A assessment time and date amended to 9am on 11 June 2027 from the previously published 1pm on 14 June 2027 to avoid a clash with GCSE Mathematics 
• T Level Technical Qualification in Science Core B assessment start time amended to 1pm on 18 June 2027, which is a change to the previously published start time of 9am on 18 June 2027 to avoid a clash with GCSE Science  
• The T Level results release date to both providers and students, for the summer 2027 series, together with the associated Review of Moderation and Marking deadline, have been brought forward by one week to align with the general Level 3 results release date, as confirmed within the JCQ GCE common timetable for 2026-27. 

Easter 2027 and 2028  

Easter holidays always present a challenge when timetabling assessments, and is especially noteworthy in both 2027 and 2028, as it falls early in the season in the first case, and late in the second case. In addition, across the country there are always varying timings for Easter and other half-term holidays.  

We prepare our Key Dates Schedule to avoid a three-week period covering the most common Easter holidays across the country, meaning Easter is a driver for some variation in dates between 2027 and 2028, and when compared to previous assessment dates.  

Assessments are never scheduled over the Easter holiday; however, this does mean some dates of advanced assessment materials will be moved in the calendar to accommodate this and that some assessment materials themselves may be made available earlier than is standard.  

We will continue to communicate specific dates for the availability of advanced assessment materials on 1 October (in advance of the autumn series) and 1 February (in advance of the summer series) each year. 

Previous feedback  

We welcome all of your feedback, there are some themes which we acknowledge but either cannot change, or have already provided a rationale for why a change is not currently planned, including:  

• Potential clashes with GCSE/A Level assessments in the summer period is a known concern, but the T Level Key Dates Schedule is published two years in advance, before these general qualification dates are known. We’re working with other awarding organisations to raise awareness of this concern and will continue to manage through our assessment variation process, KDS updates, and other regulatory flexibility allowed by exception, should this occur.  
• The Employer Set Project (ESP) assessment window length has been raised previously, with some providers believing it to be too short. From 2026, we’ll continue to extend the Health ESP window to three weeks, to meet your requirements for this high-volume assessment. 
• Previous feedback has requested that the OS windows begin later to allow more time for preparation, therefore with a high volume of assessments to timetable and a limited time period in which to schedule them, there are a small number of overlaps which remain but on the basis that to completely remove would mean some OS windows starting even earlier in the session.  

Who can respond?  

Your feedback is valuable to us, so we encourage all current, approved T Level providers to review the proposed Key Dates Schedule and submit a response. You may wish to submit more than one response on behalf of your provider, such as one from your exams department focussing on the dates, and another from a teaching department with feedback on the level of detail or other assessment arrangements.  

How can I respond?  

Review this proposed Key Dates Schedule for 2026-27 and 2027-28  and complete this form with all feedback no later than Friday 15 May.  

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Upcoming critical deadlines

Please ensure all marks are submitted by the deadlines below to avoid delays to moderation and results release. 

V Cert 

• 30 April 2026 – Level 1/2 Technical Awards – mark submission deadline 

T Levels 

• 24 April 2026 – Health: Supporting healthcare, Part 1 (PAA) Core – mark submission deadline 
• 15 May 2026 – Education and Early Years – mark submission deadline 
• 15 May 2026 – Health: All Part 2 (PAA) Option (Options A-E), – mark submission deadline 
• 15 May 2026 – Healthcare Science: Assisting with Healthcare Science – mark submission deadline 

Further T Level dates can be found in the Key Dates Schedule  

Other Vocational Technical Qualifications (VTQ)  

• 23 March 2026 to 29 May 2026 – Term time check window 
• 30 June 2026 – Deadline for all EQA reviews for VTQ  
• 10 July 2026 – Most external assessment results are released 
• 16 July 2026 – Deadline for most centres to claim certificates for VTQ learners to guarantee result on results release day 
• 13 August 2026 – Level 3 results day 

Sampling and evidence upload for moderated components only: A list of learners for sampling will be generated at 00:01 the day after marks are submitted including any DNAs where a learner did not attempt the assessment or individual task. Your sampling plan list will be available to view in the Portal provided all marks have been entered. You will then have 3 working days to upload learner evidence to the Portal. 

Please note for Education and Early Years visiting moderation only: A sampling plan will only generate if the provider marks are found to be out of tolerance once all marks are submitted. 

For further support please see our Portal User Guide