Ofqual have released the outcomes of their technical consultation, and we are working through these to ensure we are compliant with the Vocational Contingency Regulatory Framework, which is the regulation that is in place and in effect now until at least 31 August 2021.

We have needed to wait for these outcomes before confirming some of the finer detail with you regarding how you will make judgements and what quality assurance activities we will have in place, to ensure results are sufficiently valid and reliable. As mentioned above, we will be finalising our guidance before Easter.

In addition, Ofqual have today announced a consultation to confirm the arrangements for any Autumn Assessment opportunities for Vocational Qualifications. Ofqual have stated:

“....we have decided that a very similar approach to last year should be adopted. We plan to include a condition within the VCRF (proposed Condition VCR8) to put this policy decision into effect.”

Based on your feedback, we have issued a separate administration guidance document, to support you with the administrative steps in the lead up to the Q-TAG submission.

We shared our overarching Q-TAG guidance with you earlier this month, and promised to give further details as they became available. As we now have the final consultation outcomes from Ofqual, we will add the finer detail to this guidance, and reissue it next week.

We will make sure additions are clearly marked.

We are pleased to be able to share Qualification-level sector-specific performance indicators (as referenced in our guidance document), to help support you with your review and sense check of the holistic Q-TAGs you put forward - please see our Awarding results in 2021: Vocational and technical qualifications webpage.

You will confirm via the Q-TAG submission and Head of Centre Declaration that these materials have been referenced as part of your review process, so please ensure your teaching teams familiarise themselves with this additional support material.

Whilst we review the outcomes of Ofqual’s Regulatory Arrangements for Awarding Vocational Qualifications, launched on 25 February 2021 for Vocational and Technical qualifications, we have created an outline of what the process will look like for awarding Higher Nationals this summer.

You can now download an outline of the proposed steps that centres will need to take and an outline of the proposed timeframes, with key things you should know detailed on our website.

Please note the documents are subject to the outcomes of the Ofqual consultation mentioned above. We will release detailed guidance once we have reviewed the outcomes of the Ofqual consultation.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please contact us at hnqa@pearson.com.

The policy, set out by the DfE and Ofqual, is that Teacher Assessed Grades for Functional Skills qualifications should only be used as a final option and that live assessments should continue wherever safely possible.

We have been working closely with the DfE, Ofqual and other FS Awarding Organisations to ensure that the guidance is closely aligned and to ensure there is consistency for learners.

We have launched our new webpage which brings together all of the Functional Skills support and guidance in one place.

ESFA has announced an extension to the current temporary flexibility that suspends the funding rule requiring level 2 apprentices to study towards and take a functional skills assessment at level 2. This has been extended until 31 July 2021. This extension recognises the continued disruption to the apprenticeship programme due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

A level 2 apprentice will still require a level 1 in English and Maths to complete their apprenticeship. The temporary suspension applies to both apprenticeship standards and frameworks.