BTEC FAQs

If your learners are not completing in Summer 2021, you are not required to submit Q-TAGs by 18 June 2021. Please amend the learners' completion date on Edexcel Online to show a date post 31 August 2021. From September 2021, you will be able to claim the qualification for the learner as normal. 

Standards Verification will take on a different purpose this year, and not function in relation to certification ‘releases’, but as an external QA that will underpin the alternative arrangements this year 

Please see our statement on this (1/03/21).  

Key note: the sampling requirements have been be adjusted to 1 unit and 3 learners in recognition of the change of purpose. 

The Qualification-level Teacher Assessed Grades will be requested from centres for all qualifications. This includes QCF qualifications (which do not have an element of external assessment) within the relevant in-scope suites (BTEC Level 2 Tech Awards, Firsts, Technicals and Level 3 Nationals), for learners due to certificate in summer this year. This means that learners due to finish their qualification this year will still be able to do so. ‘Mid-flight’ learners (learners who are registered on a qualification, but who are not due to certificate this summer) will still be eligible for existing mitigations, including reduced internal assessment.

No. Centres will be asked to use evidence, gathered during the breadth of a learner’s course, to inform their judgements on a Qualification-level Teacher Assessed Grade for certificating learners.This means that, in line with A level and GCSE grading this year, the emphasis will be on teacher judgement at Qualification-level. We will provide guidance to teachers to enable them to do this. Unit-level grades issued for the ongoing internal assessments which form part of the BTEC qualifications, should continue to be assessed in line with the relevant guidance. Unit-level results will not be issued for external assessments that have not taken place this year.

Some qualifications have a core purpose of providing a ‘license to practise’ or assess occupational competence. For these qualifications, as assessments or work placement requirements cannot be cancelled, qualification results may need to be delayed.

The Department for Education advised that the January examination series would go ahead, and that centres were permitted to run those assessments if they judged it right to do so.

We understand from many centres that they felt their learners’ performance may have been compromised in light of the uncertainty and disruption. Ofqual have provided guidance that those learners who sat external assessments in January should therefore also be permitted to be included in the alternative arrangements. Teachers can use additional evidence gathered through the breadth of the learner’s course, to support the submission of a Qualification-level Teacher Assessment Grade that may better reflect the learner’s achievement of the unit. Learners who were entered but did not sit their exams in January, will also be able to use the Qualification-level Teacher Assessment Grade where they are due to certificate on their course. ‘Mid-flight’ learners (those who are registered on a qualification, but who are not due to certificate this summer) will receive a deferred result.

These students are included in the alternative arrangements outlined above.

We have reviewed all possible approaches to implementing Ofqual’s principles for the awarding of results this year. We have decided on this qualification-level approach for certificating learners to ensure a process that is manageable for teachers and centres, and fair for learners.

Centres will be asked to consider the evidence that their learners have produced over the course of their studies, and put forward the qualification-level grade they believe their learners are performing at. Unit level teaching and internal assessment should continue to support this process so learners can continue to develop their skills and knowledge, as they work to complete the course of study. For mid-flight learners (those who are registered on a qualification, but who are not due to certificate this summer), arrangements for awarding unit-level results will be confirmed later in the year. The existing ‘reduced internal assessment’ mitigations continue to apply to all registered learners.

It is essential that learners who are due to progress onto their next stage receive results in a timely fashion. We want to make this as straightforward as possible, by asking teachers and senior staff in schools and colleges to put forward qualification-level grades, in a similar way to how grades will be put forward for learners on General Qualifications (GCSE and A Levels). This is essential to ensure that learners on these qualifications, who may be competing for the same places at university, employment opportunities or other next steps, will be treated fairly.

Due to the nature of the arrangements this year, it would not be appropriate to issue the Notification of Performance and unit level results. As we will not be issuing unit-level results for external assessments, or for those internal assessment that are under the ‘reduced assessment’ mitigation, we have been permitted to align with the qualification-level results reporting that will take place in GQ. This will ensure learners are treated the same whether they have completed a general or vocational qualification.

We are working closely with UCAS, and HEIs to explain the results processing arrangements for this year, to avoid an impact on UCAS applications.

We will issue more information on mid-flight learners towards the end of this year. We advise that all teaching, learning and internal assessment to continue. Centres should make external exam entries for mid-flight learners who were due to be assessed in summer 2021, so that these mitigations can be applied at the point of certification.

This year student results days align to that of A levels and GCSEs:  

• 10 August 2021 - BTEC Level 3 Nationals  
• 12 August 2021 - BTEC Level 2 Technicals/ BTEC Level 1/2 Firsts/ BTEC Level 1/2 Tech Awards 
  

This template is not mandatory, and you can use your own template/records to present the common sources of alternative evidence used. 

If you do not wish to use the suggested Pearson template, you must fully complete the BTEC Q-TAG evidence record cover sheet to support your evidence. You could also look to incorporate this into your existing records.

No, centres will not be required to make any full award claim this academic year.

Yes, the Head of Centre can enter Q-TAG grades via the portal

Yes, please submit all Q-TAGs first. There will be 2 HOC declarations to submit.; one for GQ and one for VQ.

There is a reset option within the portal (see screen shot).

Yes, please submit the Q-TAG grade via our portal.

The deadline for submission of sample material for Vocational Qualifications has now passed and no more files can be uploaded here and the portal is now closed.

For all information relating to the appeal process for summer 2021 please see our website here.

Please refer to our guide for correcting Teacher Assessed Grades.

Yes. With COVID-19 still impacting on you and your learners, we've created a series of Sector Guides designed to offer you guidance on how you might adapt delivery of BTEC qualifications. 

These guides cover the following qualifications as well as additional sector-specific Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications where appropriate: 

• BTEC Nationals 
• BTEC Firsts 
• BTEC Level 2 Technicals 
• BTEC Level 2 Industry Skills 
• BTEC Tech Awards 
• Work Skills, PSD, Personal Growth and Wellbeing 
  

Whilst we do not yet know yet what this academic year holds, particularly in relation to the full impact of Covid-19 on teaching and assessing BTEC, we recommend that you focus on the delivery of mandatory/core units/components for now, prioritising them over the delivery of optional units. This will aid learner progression in the event of any later disruption. Ideally, you would also be banking learner’s achievement on our system, as you deliver the course, rather than waiting to submit grades at the end of the academic year. 

If Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs) were not entered for the unit/component, you should continue to assess as normal following the guidance set out in the BTEC Centre Guide to Internal Assessment. Centres may continue to assess all Learning Aims, and as the guidance states, all the content still needs to be taught. You do not need to re-assess any Learning Aims which have already being assessed. Where there is outstanding assessment this can be assessed in line with the adaptation requirements, where applicable for the qualification. 

As the outstanding Learning Aims will be taught and assessed, they can be submitted for standards verification.

Yes. The format of internal assessments for BTEC qualifications has always been flexible, and this can continue. For example, instead of requiring learners to write an evaluation or reflective journal you may wish to assess this through a viva voce or vlog. Whichever format you choose must enable learners to produce authentic and independent work. 

We have published guidance on delivering via a blended learning approach on our website.  

Yes. Assignments can be set remotely via a live or recorded online class to ensure all learners receive and access the assignment at the same time. 

If a unit was due to be completed/assessed and learners are completing this year in order to progress to higher or further education - the approach we are taking is that Teacher  Assessed Grades to be provided in line with this document. We expect that teachers/assessors will have good knowledge at this point in the year about their learners’ performance to be able to provide a Teacher Assessed Grade, based on alternative evidence listed in the guidance.

You can contact our Subject Advisor and Teaching Support Services using the contact us portal.

Yes, centres may apply these adaptations at Learning Aim level for mid-flight learners completing internal assessments prior to 31 August 2021. However, centres should ensure full assessment of any remaining Learning Aims in the next academic year, as the published adaptations do not currently apply to assessments due to be taken in the academic year 2021-2022.

This means Z flag should not be used for Tech Awards unless the whole unit was planned to, but was not assessed between 1 August 2020-31 August 2021.

However, centres  should retain their records in case the unit is selected for SV sampling next year. 

Yes, the adaptation does apply to mid-flight learners, centres do need to ensure that learners complete some assessments this academic year. If a centre can undertake assessments, we encourage you to do so. We will be releasing more information on our expectations and monitoring of this soon.

As teaching and learning is expected to take place for units that are claimed as ‘not assessed’ this year, we would not expect for learners to generate and submit evidence at a later date. 

You can find an update here on how adaptations to reduction of internal assessment can now apply (in non-licence to practise qualifications) to mandatory internally assessed units.

We will be issuing administration guidance on how to manage this in our systems, once we have the responses to the Ofqual consultation. For now, please keep a record of the units where you intend to reduce assessment, on your assessment plan, so your SV is aware of what assessment will or will not be available for sampling.

The Q-TAG process replaces guidance for certificating learners on reduced assessment, therefore for those learners completing in summer 2021 there is no immediate need to input this information. However, centres should be mindful of learners who may ‘top-up’ to larger qualifications, and in these cases, should look to submit the ‘reduced assessment’ information. Please see table for further breakdown.

**The ‘Z’ flag functionality is not yet available; We are working hard to provide you with what you need to report reduced assessed units to us on Edexcel Online. The functionality will be available soon and we will give you as much notice as possible of its go-live date.

In the meantime, we would encourage you to review which qualifications the reduced assessment is available for, and to cross check with your learners’ records which of their units you will be able to use this option for. Having this information to hand and readily available will speed up the process when the Z flag functionality goes live.

More information on reduced assessment can be found in the reduced unit assessment guidance (PDF | 720KB).

*Note that for childcare qualifications the additional sector-specific guidance (PDF | 469KB) should be followed.

We are working closely with Ofqual and the DfE to ensure that the standards set for January and Summer 2021 are aligned where appropriate to the principles that will underpin the General Qualifications approach. 

We have made some adaptations to our qualifications (as outlined in the Assessment Adaptations Guidance for BTEC Qualifications) to mitigate against some of the impact of the continued disruptions.

We continue to work closely with Ofqual and the DfE to look for other ways to account for any further disruption, including aligning where appropriate to any principles adaopted in General Qualifications. 

Standards Verification will take on a different purpose this year, and not function in relation to certification ‘releases’, but as an external QA that will underpin the alternative arrangements this year.

Please see our statement on this (1/03/21).  

For BTEC qualifications categorised as B2, Standards Verification will continue as normal. We will maintain this year’s BTEC sampling regime of 1 unit and 3 learners per programme; successful sampling is required before certification can be claimed. In line with normal practice, and subject to risk or standards not being met, second sampling (BTEC QA) or additional samples (WBL QA) may be required to ensure valid and reliable results (as per our normal sampling requirements). You are not subject to the SV deadline of 30th May. 

Key note: the sampling requirements have been be adjusted to 1 unit and 3 learners in recognition of the change of purpose. 

We are advising centres to submit their standards verification samples digitally using Pearson’s Digital Learner Work Transfer platform (DLWT) or their own file-share platform. 

Yes. If the work was completed within the last academic year, and the learner did not certificate, you can submit those units for Standards verification in 2020/21.

For qualifications which have received a low programme rating standards verification will not take place for this year.  

Centres should however retain all learner evidence and assessment  documentation. These programmes will remain subject to a different quality assurance approach. 

Certification for Low Control programmes will not be released until the summer following quality assurance checks of grades claimed. Allocations in this category will show as allocated to Dr Low Control in Edexcel Online. 

The window for standards verification will run until 30 May 2021. By this date, all standards verification reports will need to have been submitted by SVs. This deadline is in place to enable centres to meet the 18 June deadline for the submission of qualification level grades. 

Yes. The reviewed sample sizes apply to all qualifications, qualification and cohort sizes. Please remember that you should confirm with your SV if you have applied any Reduced Unit Assessment or Assessment Adaptations and the SV will then select the sample in line with this. 

The only exceptions are the following qualifications which remain subject to the sample sizes already published due to Licence to Practice or Regulatory Body Accreditation: 

Child Care (where there is Licence to Practice)

• Pearson BTEC First Level 2 Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development  
• Pearson BTEC Level 2 Technical Diploma in Children's Play, Learning and Development (Early Years Assistant)  
• Pearson BTEC Level 2 Technical Diploma in Children's Play, Learning and Development (Early Years Practitioner)  
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Children's Care, Learning and Development  
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development  
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Children’s Play, Learning and Development (Early Years Educator)  
• Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma in Children’s Play, Learning and Development (Early Years Educator)  
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Children's Play, Learning and Development (Early Years Educator) (VRQ)  
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Children's Play, Learning and Development (Early Years Educator) (VRQ)  

BTEC L3 Nationals in Dental Technology

BTEC L3 Nationals in Sport (2019)

• BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Sport & Outdoor Activities  
• BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Sport, Fitness and Personal Training 
•  BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Sporting Excellence and Performance 
•  BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Sports Coaching and Development 

No. In line with General Qualifications, it will be the Qualification-level Teacher Assessed Grade (QTAG) that will be the basis of results issued to certificating learners this year. The purpose of the SV report here is to provide feedback to your centre on the accuracy of assessment decisions ahead of the QTAG being submitted. 

No. You should however use the SV’s feedback to make relevant adjustments, to support you in arriving at the QTAGs for your learners.  

Please confirm with your SV which units on the assessment plan have been subject to a CAG in the 2019/20 academic year. The SV will not be able to sample these units. Your SV will then notify us and we will advise on the next steps to be taken. 

Wherever possible you should aim to submit a fully assessed unit to your SV. However, if this is not possible, please inform your SV of any partially assessed units which are available to sample. We will accept partial sampling for this year only as long as the following minimum requirements are met: 

• at least one Learning Aim has been fully assessed 

or  

• at least one set of assessment criteria at Pass, Merit and Distinction has been fully assessed which (for legacy QCF qualifications only) 

If, due to your assessment dates, you are unable to provide a sample by 30 May, you should inform your SV as soon as possible who will let us know. 

No.

The Secretary of State also set out an expectation for Ofqual to work with awarding organisations to determine whether there was a need for different provision of autumn and winter assessments beyond those already provided. The decision from the consultation was "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. This condition requires awarding organisations:

• who normally provide assessment opportunities between September and January of an academic year, to additionally make those assessments available to learners who were eligible to receive a result through a Teacher Assessed Grade as well as those who would ordinarily take an assessment at that time
• who do not normally provide assessment opportunities between September and January to provide those opportunities where it reasonably considers there is sufficient demand and would be manageable to both the awarding organisation and centres

This will allow awarding organisations to make decisions appropriate to their qualification design and approach to awarding in summer 2021 to enable learners to improve on their result where it is based on a Teacher Assessed Grade."

As such Pearson will be offering a January 2022 assessment opportunity, as in previous years.

BTEC exam and Task based assessments for spring and summer 2021 will not go ahead. This includes the onscreen on-demand tests for the BTEC L2 Firsts and L2 Technicals.  

However, BTEC examinations that contribute to qualifications that include a Licence to Practise (e.g. Childcare) may need to take place, and the consultation outcome will inform any alternative arrangements.  

If learners are unable to take their assessment this January, they may be able to take the assessment at a later date. In the event that is not possible, we will put in place arrangements to ensure they are not disadvantaged.  

We will certificate any learner who was due to complete the programme in 2020/21 and is now unable to take their exams and has enough evidence to receive a certificate that they need for progression (this forms part of the existing 'special considerations' processes agreed with Ofqual). 

If you go ahead or not with the external assessments, please ensure you return the attendance register fully completed as soon as possible via the Parcelforce yellow label service.  These can be returned via Parcelforce or can be taken to your local Post Office.  

For ease, you can return all attendance registers in one parcel with all learners marked as absent if the exams aren’t going ahead.  

If you are unable to gain access to the attendance register (as you are not in your centre), please export the register from Edexcel Online and send via email to resultsresolution@pearson.com.  Details of how to export the AR can be found here.  
 
Alternatively, if the exam is not going ahead, please email resultsresolution@pearson.com with your centre number and unit number of the exam not taking place.

Any Question Papers that will not be used for the January 2021 series should be secured until after the exam window. After this period, these materials can either be used for mock exam purposes or securely destroyed. 

We are working closely with Ofqual and DfE on our approach to awarding results this year. Following the outcomes of the Ofqual consultation we will be able to contact you with further information. Our commitment remains to ensure learners are not disadvantaged by the decision to run/not run exams this January.  

At this time, we ask you to securely destroy any printed tasks that remain unused. If learners have already begun preparing for these tasks, please safely hold onto this work, until we can provide further information once the consultation has concluded. Please note, these tasks should not be released for mock or practice purposes and entries should not be withdrawn.

We do not need you to return the materials to us. The materials can now be used for either mock purposes or securely destroyed.  In addition, we will upload the material to our qualification area of the website under silver padlock for your use. 

We can confirm that exam entries for the summer 2021 should be made by 25 March for learners that were due to take external assessments in summer 2021. 

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 the External Assessments process flow for further information (PDF | 74KB).

Yes, however have committed that any net savings from implementing the alternative approaches to awarding this year, will be passed back to our customers, for qualifications that fall into the ‘B1’ Ofqual category (most similar to GCSEs and A-Levels), and where a Q-TAG is permitted as the main mitigation.

In relation to the activities Pearson has undertaken, or is undertaking for BTECs this year:    

• Lead SV process 
• Standards Verification (which continued, to support centres with Q-TAG process) 
• Over 50 sector-specific training and support events   
• Monthly Quality Nominee events  
• Q-TAG guidance and support videos 
• Processes and systems to enable the certificating/completion dates to be updated to ensure eligible learners receive results
• Templates and Exemplars to support the Q-TAG process
• Technology systems updates to enable centres to claim reduced assessment units and Q-TAG submissions 
• Post Q-TAG submission External Quality Assurance. 
• Technology system updates to enable appeals processes

We will advise centres of our plans for rebates as soon as possible and once all of the associated costs have been accounted for.