We hope you will be able to find the time to read our guidance, which indicates how you will need to approach the process that is in place this year, for BTEC qualifications that are permitted to have ‘Qualification-level Teacher Assessed Grades’ (Q-TAGs).  

You will see that there are some areas within the guidance that are awaiting additional information or detail. Once we have confirmation in the outcomes of Ofqual’s technical consultation (expected next week), we plan to update these sections and release this detail as soon as possible.  

You can find all of the relevant information on awarding results in 2021 on our new webpage.

Thank you for your feedback to date on our guidance and support which is available on our new webpage.  

Or you can still access teaching, learning and assessment support for BTEC.  

We recorded our recent Quality Nominee briefing in respect of arrangements for Vocational Qualifications this year, these can be found on our Quality Nominee Hub page or accessed from these links:  

• Vocational Qualifications briefing, March 11, 2021 
• Vocational Qualifications briefing, Questions and Answers, March, 2021  

You’re not too late to sign up to our remaining sector-specific events, we’d love to see you there, you can book your free sector specific sessions here, using the filter for the appropriate BTEC in the Qualification drop-down. 

Recently we confirmed you should make exam entries for the summer 2021 by 25 March for learners that were due to take external assessments in summer 2021. 

Although exams will not take place, it’s important that the learner’s record reflects any external assessment that was due to take place this year. Therefore, we are asking you to make entries where you expected learners to sit an external assessment. We understand that in some cases you will not know if a learner would have needed a ‘resit’.  In these cases you do not need to make an entry; i.e. if a learner was absent for an existing entry in January 2021.  

Please see this helpful guide for support: BTEC External Assessments Entries 2021.

Examinations linked to license to practise qualifications will still take place, it’s essential you make entries for these assessments in order to receive assessment material on time. 

Please note, all net savings from implementing the alternative approaches to awarding this year, will be passed back to centres. 

Thank you to those who have already given us some feedback on the qualifications list we released last week, we have made some clarifications, (marked in red so you can identify them easily). View the list of qualifications, and the relevant Ofqual categorisation and mitigation for 2021.

Update on Assessment for BTEC Level 3 and Level 4 Foundation Diplomas in Art and Design (2010) and BTEC Level 3 and Level 4 Foundation Diplomas in Art, Design and Media Practice (2020) Qualifications.

For FAD (2010) and FADM (2020) qualifications, reduced assessment remains available and centres should continue to make every effort to assess and submit evidence for the External Examination process. Should students continue to be impacted by COVID-19 and are unable to complete assessment with reduction to assessment in place, you may submit Q-TAGs (Qualification-level Teacher Assessed Grades). In this circumstance, please contact your External Examiner and they will help you determine the most appropriate action. It is important that you contact your EE as soon as possible if you think you will need to submit Q-TAGs, as they have a submission deadline of 18th June 2021.  

For more information on external examination and reduced assessment for the 2021 academic year, please refer to the subject guides: 

• BTEC Level 3 and Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media Practice (2020) Subject Guide
• BTEC Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (2010) Subject Guide

In September 2020 the DfE published the technical guidance for KS4 qualifications to be included in 2024 performance tables in England. In order to meet these new requirements, Pearson has submitted the following re-developed BTEC Tech Award qualifications for approval for 2024 performance tables. Following approval, they will be available for first teaching September 2022: 

• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Animal Care  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Art and Design Practice  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Child Development  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Construction  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Creative Media Production  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Digital Information Technology  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Engineering  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Enterprise  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Music Practice  
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Sport 
• Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Travel and Tourism 

We've retained many key features of our current BTEC Tech Awards: 

Simple 3 component structure in most sectors.

Current Tech Awards have 40% external assessment, so no change was needed to meet new requirements. 

New additions to meet KS4 performance measure requirements will include: 

• Engaging Pearson Set Assignments for internal components, released with plenty of time for preparation and assessment to suit your programme timetable.
• Mark-based and moderated assessments that are compensatory within each component and across the qualification giving learners more opportunities to achieve.

We will be launching draft specifications later this year following regulator feedback and will be holding launch events at that time. Sign up to receive updates about these redeveloped qualifications and future launch event dates. 

Reminder of current KS4 qualifications on performance tables until 2023

The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that qualifications approved for inclusion in the KS4 2020 performance tables will also be included in performance tables for 2021, 2022 and 2023.

We are therefore very pleased to confirm that our BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Awards and seven of our BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Awards on 2020 performance tables will continue to count towards 2021, 2022 and 2023 Key Stage 4 performance tables. You can continue to register learners onto these qualifications for completion in 2023. 

Update: Key Stage 4 technical qualifications performance tables.

Here is a reminder of the qualifications approved for inclusion in the 2022 KS4 performance tables which will be carried forward and approved for inclusion in the 2023 KS4 performance tables.  

If you'd like to find out the latest information about our general qualifications (GCSEs and A-Levels) and see how we are supporting schools and colleges, teachers, learners, parents and carers for summer 2021, please visit our dedicated web page for further details.