We would greatly appreciate your help in ensuring the following measures are taken, in collaboration with the examination, curriculum and quality teams, to support accurate centre administration, in preparation for the upcoming quality assurance and certification activities.  

1. Check that all registrations have been made for learners currently undertaking a qualification at your centre are accurate. Complete the following further checks for each cohort of learners:  
   a. Correct qualification suite  
   b. Correct qualification size 
   c. Correct qualification pathway, if appropriate 
2. Undertake an historic audit of all active registrations at your centre, withdrawing learners who are no longer expected to complete and are no longer on programme. Please be advised that this will not generate a refund for the withdrawn registration but will ensure we can support you more accurately with relevant arrangements for this year. 
3. Ensure any registration transfers to a larger or smaller qualification size, or to an alternative qualification suite or pathway, have been completed. 
4. Check that unit delivery for each cohort matches the unit combinations for the appropriate qualification suite, size and pathway. If not, submit the Meeting Local Needs form so the temporary structure can be set up.  
5. Ensure that the most current guidance for external assessment entries has been reviewed and is being followed. 
6. Update the estimated completion date for each learner registration in Edexcel Online to reflect when you anticipate the learners to complete their qualification. This will help us give you the right support for this year’s alternative arrangements. The following completion date or date ranges should be entered in EOL.  
   

For further guidance on any of the above, please contact Pearson support.

We have continued to review the adaptations currently available for qualifications and can confirm the ‘Reduced Internal Assessment’ adaptation has also now been applied to some BTEC Sport and BTEC Creative qualifications. Full details can be found in our Reduced unit assessment guidance BTEC Firsts, Level 2 and BTEC Nationals document.

BTEC Creative qualifications

For BTEC Level 3 and Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (2010) and BTEC Level 3 and Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media Practice (2020) Qualifications, reduced assessment adaptations are now available for the following qualifications:

• BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (2010) - 20 Credits which can be applied to any unit in Stage 2 of the programme. Unit 10 must be assessed. We will contact you directly with guidance if you deliver this course.
• BTEC Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (2010) - 20 Credits which can be applied to any unit in Stage 2 of the programme. Unit 10 must be assessed. We will contact you directly with guidance if you deliver this course.
• BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media Practice (2020) - please refer to the subject guide.
• BTEC Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media Practice (2020) - please refer to the subject guide.

BTEC Sport Qualifications

The following qualifications have reduced assessment now available:

• 600/5697/6 Pearson BTEC Level 2 Certificate in Leadership Through Sport (180 GLH) 10 credit
• 600/5698/8 Pearson BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Leadership Through Sport (300 GLH) 20 Credit
• 500/8752/6 Pearson BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Skills and Activities for Sports and Active Leisure (Outdoor Education) 10 credit

The reduced assessment for RQF 2019 Sports qualifications have been adjusted, please refer to our guide for further details.

You can find details of Entry and Level 1 Adaptations in the following section.

Reduced Unit Assessment Adaptations for:

• BTEC Entry Level 1 & 2 Pre-Vocational Study
• BTEC Entry Level 3 Entry to Vocational Study
• BTEC Level 1 Introductory
• BTEC Workskills
• BTEC Personal Growth and Wellbeing
• BTEC Personal and Social Development

*NEW* Adaptations 

All units should still be taught. There are currently in-unit adaptations in the delivery guides. However, as of 10 February 2021, there are also options for reducing assessment as below.

These adaptations allow centres and learners to spend more time focusing on developing the skills required to progress and make up for lost contact time. The assessment reduction adaptations available ensure the validity and breadth of the qualifications are retained.

We will continue to monitor the situation and further adaptations may be introduced in the event of further lockdowns or restrictions.

Entry 1 and Entry 2 Pre-Vocational Study

All content must be taught but the following reductions in assessment, linked to qualification size, may be applied for the academic year 2020/2021:

Entry 3, Entry to Vocational Study

All content must be taught but the following reductions in assessment, linked to qualification size, may be applied for the academic year 2020/2021:

BTEC Introductory Level 1

All content must be taught but the following reductions in assessment, linked to qualification size, may be applied for the academic year 2020/2021:

BTEC Workskills

For all Workskills qualifications the minimum number of GLH required for each level qualification, as found in the specification, should be maintained.  

Workskills Entry 1 & Entry 2 (2020)

All content must be taught but the following reductions in assessment, linked to qualification size, may be applied for the academic year 2020/2021:

Workskills Entry 3 (2017)

All content must be taught but the following reductions in assessment, linked to qualification size, may be applied for the academic year 2020/2021:

Workskills Level 1 and Level 2 (2017)

All content must be taught but the following reductions in assessment, linked to qualification size, may be applied for the academic year 2020/2021:

Personal Growth and Wellbeing Entry 3 and Level 1 (2020)

All content must be taught but the following reductions in assessment, linked to qualification size, may be applied for the academic year 2020/2021:

Personal Growth and Wellbeing Level 2 (2020)

All content must be taught but the following reductions in assessment, linked to qualification size, may be applied for the academic year 2020/2021:

Personal and Social Development Entry 2, Entry 3 and Level 1 (2009/2011/2013)

All content must be taught but the following reductions in assessment, linked to qualification size, may be applied for the academic year 2020/2021:

We have an exciting competition opportunity for all Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 learners you may want to tell your students about.

We want to hear their ideas for a social enterprise that could improve the environment and communities. Delivered in a 60 second pitch and sent to us as a recording, it’s easy to enter and we have great prizes on offer.

As well as information on how to submit your entry, there are lots of resources on the Be The Future 21 webpage to support teaching and learning, and the context can be used as part of your delivery or as an enrichment activity. We would like to encourage entries from all sectors.

The deadline for entries is 26 February 2021 (5pm).

The Peter Jones Foundation are providing a social enterprise hamper to the winning entry, in each key stage, which includes a workshop for the centre and a hamper of goodies for the lucky individual or team.

Good luck, we look forward to seeing your entries!