We recognise that some learners taking vocational and
technical qualifications (VTQs) have experienced lost
teaching and training time as a result of the coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic, and that appropriate arrangements need
to be put in place to mitigate the impact of this
disruption and respond to any ongoing or future public
health measures.
We consulted on proposals to permit awarding organisations
to make adjustments to their qualifications and
assessments, which took account of the different ways in
which the qualifications are used – ranging from those
taken alongside, or instead of general qualifications, to
those used to signal occupational competency.
Responses to the consultation have been carefully
considered and given the high level of agreement to the
proposals, we have today, 7 September, confirmed our
decisions and that the proposed arrangements are being
implemented in full.
Dame Glenys Stacey, Acting Chief Regulator, Ofqual, said:
In many cases, awarding organisations will be able to
deliver VTQs as normal, but where this is not possible it
is important that any changes continue to deliver
qualifications that are a valid and reliable indication
of knowledge, understanding, skills or practical
competence.
We will continue to work with awarding organisations to
support their decision-making on when adaptations are
necessary and what adaptations are appropriate for
different qualifications. The work we are already doing
to facilitate the development of common approaches across
similar sectors and types of qualifications will also
continue.
As government’s expectation is that assessments will take
place during 2020/21, awarding organisations are being
allowed to adapt assessments to enable them to better cater
for any future disruptions. We will monitor plans they are
putting in place, ensuring that, as far as possible,
arrangements are in place to cope with different potential
scenarios depending on the progression of the pandemic. It
is therefore not necessary to permit awarding organisations
to offer calculated results for assessments taken in
2020/21.
Our second draft extended extraordinary regulatory
framework, on which we have launched a
consultation today, sets out the regulatory
arrangements and guidance with which awarding organisations
must comply when adapting their qualifications.
Awarding organisations must consider whether their
assessments and qualifications can progress as they
normally would, or if there is need to adapt assessments
and qualifications. This could include widening assessment
windows to provide greater flexibility, streamlining
assessments to free up time for teaching and learning, or
changing some assessment requirements to deal with the
impact of any ongoing social distancing measures, such as
group performances. However, if they can progress as
normal, qualifications and assessments will not be adapted.
It is important that centres receive information about
adaptations in a timely and consistent way and we are
working with stakeholders to agree deadlines by when
awarding organisations will provide qualification specific
information to their centres.
Our approach seeks to ensure that, as far as possible,
learners taking VTQs and other general qualifications, have
the opportunity to receive a fair result and are not
disadvantaged by the longer term impacts of the coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic.
