Consultation outcome

Regulating academic and technical qualifications at level 3

From:: Ofqual
Published: 24 February 2022
Last updated: 30 June 2022 — See all updates

Applies to England

Read the full outcome

Decisions on regulating academic and technical qualifications at level 3

Ref: Ofqual/22/6938/1

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Detail of outcome

In the areas below, Ofqual sought views on the proposed approaches. As a result of feedback received, Ofqual has made the following decisions:

to put in place statutory guidance, on which we are now consulting, relating to grading scales for alternative academic qualifications
to set a specific requirement in relation to titling for alternative academic and alternative technical qualifications, and as a consequence, to disapply General Condition E2.1 (Requirements on qualification titling)
not to put in place a specific requirement in relation to assessor judgements in directly graded assessments for alternative academic or alternative technical qualifications, but to consider, as part of our work on qualifications in which assessors confirm the acquisition of specified learning outcomes (CASLO) and the monitoring of our Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny (CASS) requirements, whether additional controls may be beneficial in this area

Feedback received

Analysis of consultation responses for regulating academic and technical qualifications at level 3

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Detail of feedback received

There was broad agreement with the proposals in the consultation. There were some differences between stakeholders depending upon the type of qualification (alternative academic or alternative technical) and their respective viewpoint. Some respondents were concerned that they did not have sufficient information about the future qualifications landscape in general, or the specific requirements that would be put in place by IfATE, to provide informed answers to all the questions.

Ofqual consulted more openly on titling and grading, and these were areas where responses were more mixed. More detailed proposals in these areas will be included in the technical consultation published alongside this analysis document.

Other areas where there was less overall agreement included proposals to:

disapply Ofqual requirements where approval for funding of alternative academic and alternative technical qualifications is removed, and in particular the proposal that awarding organisations inform Ofqual when the approval for funding was withdrawn from one of their qualifications. Respondents thought that placed an unnecessary burden on awarding organisations
require that, for alternative academic qualifications, a minimum of 40% of the contribution to the overall qualification is through Assessment by Examination. Those who agreed with the proposal thought it would help to control standards and improve validity and reliability in the assessment of some aspects of skills, knowledge and understanding. However, some respondents questioned how appropriate examinations were for these qualifications

Original consultation

Consultation description

This consultation sets out Ofqual’s proposed approach to regulating alternative academic qualifications and alternative technical qualifications, operating in conjunction with the Institute and the Department. These qualifications will be part of the future level 3 landscape, as part of the Department’s ‘Review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 in England’, alongside A levels, T Levels and Apprenticeships. These groups of qualifications are explained in more detail later in this document, but in summary:

alternative academic qualifications are those which have the primary purpose of evidencing students’ attainment in relation to their course of study, with a view to supporting informed decisions and choices about further study
alternative technical qualifications are those which have the primary purpose of identifying students that have attained the knowledge, skills and behaviours linked to competence in a given occupation.

This consultation is open to anyone who may wish to make representation but may be of most interest to:

awarding organisations and their representative bodies, particularly those that deliver (or want to deliver) alternative academic and alternative technical qualifications that would fit into the groups to be regulated by the proposed arrangements
schools, colleges and training providers, and their representative bodies – particularly those that deliver (or want to deliver) alternative academic and alternative technical qualifications that would fit into the groups to be regulated by the proposed arrangements
students
employers

Documents

Level 3 consultation in brief

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