Consultation on the assessment and awarding of Vocational, Technical and other General Qualifications in 2020 to 2021
Applies to England
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
Given the high level of agreement with the arrangements proposed in our first consultation, we have decided to implement them in full, as set out below:
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to enable awarding organisations to assist with mitigating the impact of disruption to teaching, learning and assessment, and any ongoing disruption to or restrictions on the delivery of assessments, through the adaptation of qualifications and assessments
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to introduce a second version of the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework (ERF), the Extended ERF, to reflect this approach to mitigation and adaptation. The Extended ERF will apply to all qualifications except AS, A levels, GCSEs, and apprenticeship end-point assessments
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to make no provision in the Extended ERF for the issue of calculated results which we introduced specifically in relation to the cancellation of assessments in the summer of 2020
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to retain the ERF issued in May for 2 specific purposes only – to enable eligible learners who did not receive a calculated result this summer to receive their calculated result and to permit appeals for qualifications awarded under the Summer ERF. We will clarify in our second consultation how the ERF, alongside the Extended ERF, will cover assessments taken in autumn 2020
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in light of the diversity of the VTQ landscape, not to prescribe a single approach to adaptation but to issue statutory guidance to inform awarding organisations’ decisions and to support the development of consistent approaches
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to work with awarding organisations to develop consistent approaches for qualifications which signal similar knowledge, understanding and skills, or practical competence, and have the same assessment approaches and delivery context, or have the same qualification type, for example Performance Table qualifications
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to include within our statutory guidance some specific guidance on the application of Special Consideration in the context of 2020 to 2021 and the ongoing impact of the pandemic
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to permit awarding organisations to adapt qualifications and assessments taken in international markets, where this is necessary, provided that this does not undermine the validity of the qualifications, and risks around malpractice and the particular needs of the international market are considered and addressed
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that certificates are issued (where appropriate) as normal, with no reference to a result having being determined under the arrangements in the Extended ERF
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not to supplement General Condition I1 (Appeals process) with any additional guidance around appeals in 2020 to 2021
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to require awarding organisations to maintain records of the decisions they have made when adapting assessments and qualifications in compliance with our requirements and guidance, and to make those available to us on request
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to require awarding organisations to have regard to any advice that we provide in writing, in the form of a Technical Advice Notice
Feedback received
Detail of feedback received
We received 364 responses to our consultation. We also received 2 free-text responses and relevant comments from these have been included against the appropriate questions.
Original consultation
Consultation description
Our proposed approach for 2020/21 will apply to Vocational and Technical Qualifications (VTQs), including Technical Qualifications within T Levels, and general qualifications other than GCSEs, AS and A levels.
It builds on the approach set out in our position paper and seeks to balance:
- mitigating disruption to teaching, learning and assessments so that, as far as possible, learners, taking VTQs and other general qualifications, have the opportunity to receive a fair result and are not disadvantaged by the longer term impacts of the pandemic. Also, that learners taking qualifications most similar to A levels or GCSEs are not advantaged or disadvantaged compared to their peers taking those qualifications and competing for the same progression places
- ensuring that assessments lead to the award of qualifications that are a valid and reliable indication of knowledge, understanding and skills, or practical competence, and that, as far as possible, standards are maintained
- developing, as far as possible, consistent approaches across similar qualifications, whilst recognising the diversity of the VTQ landscape
This consultation is open to anyone who may wish to make representations but may be of particular interest to:
- the awarding organisations we regulate, and their representative bodies
- learners who are expecting to be awarded a vocational or technical qualification, or other general qualification, in 2021
- the family, parents or carers of these learners
- teachers, tutors, exam staff and other representatives from schools, colleges, training providers and other places where the relevant qualifications are delivered
- higher education institutions, further education colleges and training providers that may be making offers to learners for future academic years
- education representative bodies
- employers who might be receiving job applications from learners taking these qualifications, or who might already employ these learners
- professional bodies, regulators and industry groups
Documents
Updates to this page
Last updated 7 September 2020 + show all updates
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Outcomes and public feedback sections updated with relevant documents.
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First published.