We have been working collaboratively with Ofqual and other awarding organisations to introduce, where appropriate, adaptations to the assessment of qualifications in 2021/22 to mitigate some of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Where an adaptation has been made to the assessment of a unit/qualification, teachers are still required to teach the full course content.
Unit Teacher Assessed Grades (Unit TAGs) awarded to learners who were mid-way through their qualification in Summer 2021 (e.g. Years 10 and 12), remains the primary mitigation for disruption to teaching and learning experienced in 2020/21.
We have summarised below the main adaptations that apply to our qualifications. The specific adaptation used for each qualification takes into account the purpose and structure of the qualification and the associated assessment methods.
Information on adaptations and assessment arrangements for your specific subject can be found in our Adaptations 2021/22: Vocational Qualifications and other General Qualifications booklet.
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Additional assessment opportunities
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We have introduced additional assessment opportunities for both the internal and external units in many of our vocational qualifications. Information on our assessment timetables and key deadlines can be found here.
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Streamlining within assessment
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For some qualifications, we have made amendments to the internal assessment tasks e.g., the removal of duplication of assessment of the same/similar skill or removing specific tasks/assessment criterion or combining related assessments.
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Flexibility of windows for assessments
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We have extended the assessment window for some of our qualifications by releasing assessment tasks and/or pre-release material earlier or extending the deadline for the submission of work for marking/moderation
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Advance information
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We will be providing Advance Information about the focus of the content of the exams for some of our qualification (see below).
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To support students’ revision, we will provide advance information about the focus of some of the content of most exams* in our Level 3 Applied Certificates and Diplomas in both the January and summer 2022 series.
Advance Information for our Applied Certificate and Diploma qualifications can be found, under ‘Key Documents’, on the relevant subject pages.
* Advance Information will not be provided for the external examination in the Applied Certificate and Diploma in Medical Science as these examinations already include the use of pre-release materials. We will also not publish Advance Information for examinations that have no candidates entered by the AI publication date.
Our Adaptations 2021/22: Vocational Qualifications and other General Qualifications booklet has been updated to indicate which units will have Advance Information.
We continue to work collaboratively with DfE, Ofqual and other awarding organisations to monitor the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and to identify and consider any contingency arrangements which may be necessary in the event of any potential worsening public health situation that results in significant disruption to a learner’s ability to take their assessments.
Should you have any questions or would like further support with the delivery of your qualifications, please contact our subject teams, we will be very happy to support you.
Ofqual has recently published information on the approach to grading GCSE and AS/A Level exams and assessments in summer 2022 and autumn 2021. Further information can be found here.
We are working with Ofqual and other awarding bodies to discuss and agree the approach to grading vocational and other general qualifications in January and Summer 2022. Our approach will take account the decision on the approach to grading GCSEs and A levels, and will seek to ensure that our vocational learners are treated equitably compared with their GCSE and A level peers.
Please note that any adaptations to assessment arrangements for Summer 2022 are not intended to be carried forward to Summer 2023. Centres should therefore be planning to deliver the entire specification for all subjects. Specifications can be found on our qualifications pages.
Further to the announcement of ‘Plan B’ by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on 8 December, the Secretary of State has written to all schools and colleges in England, with the following information regarding January exams:
“There are exams for vocational and technical qualifications timetabled for January. Students who are due to sit these exams will be prepared and it is right that they should be given every opportunity to demonstrate what they have learnt. Exams and formal assessments will go ahead. Consequently, it is essential that students continue to prepare for these assessments.”
The additional January series for our Level 1/2 Vocational Awards, and Level 3 Applied Certificate and Diploma qualifications is one of the adaptations introduced for our vocational and other general qualifications in 2021/22. It provides students who are ready for assessment with an opportunity to sit these prior to our normal summer series. We would like to remind centres that students who are entered for assessments in January 2022 but are unable to complete these, cannot be awarded Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs). Students will be able to enter and complete their assessments in summer 2022.
Further information on the range of adaptations to assessment for 2021/22 can be here.
We appreciate that these are uncertain times and draw centre’s attention to the JCQ Guide to the special consideration process for general and vocational qualifications should candidates be disadvantaged or absent for an examination and meet the eligibility criteria for special consideration: Guide_to_spec_con_process_2021_FINAL.pdf (jcq.org.uk).
Our teams are on hand to support you should you have queries about the January 2022 exam series. Key contacts are available here.