Yep it is now a vocational degree under the vocational national apprenticeship scheme or what ever its called and its through an education establishment designated by the education act.
No VAT payable on vocational training.
You didn't honestly think they would go to all that effort just so the students could get a 0-9k's worth of cheap loan did you? Its to get the extra 16k plus more likely over 20k with the type rating per student profit.