Recognising Key Stage 4 learner achievement on 2019 performance measures in England

We're delighted to let you know that we have worked with the Department for Education (DfE) to ensure that the achievements of learners taking a larger size of BTEC First can also be fully recognised on the 2019 Key Stage 4 performance measures in England. 

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From summer 2017, the only size of BTEC First that is eligible for Key Stage 4 performance measures is the Award (equivalent in size to 1 GCSE).

However, if any student achieves a BTEC First in a larger size, which is not included on the List, but has met the eligibility criteria for the First Award, which is on the list, we will:

  • automatically certificate the Award size
  • pass the result to DfE to ensure their achievements are recognised in performance measures.

To meet the eligibility criteria for the First Award, students must take:

  • the compulsory core units (they will be taking these as part of the larger sized  BTEC First)
  • the required number of optional units selected from the list given in the BTEC First Award qualification (there may be fewer options in the First Award than in the larger BTEC Firsts)

What this means for you

This means you can continue to offer your learners the size of qualification that’s right for them, while being confident that their achievements will be included in performance measures.

What do you need to do?

Nothing! Our internal systems and teams will automatically recognise learners who fulfil all the criteria, and we will issue an Award result alongside the larger result. This result will be sent to DfE for contribution towards performance measures.

If you’d like to discuss this, or any other part of your curriculum offer, you can:

Contact your subject advisor

What qualifications does this apply to?

This applies to the following qualifications on the 2018/19 Technical Awards list as shown in the following table:
BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award Subject Performance Tables
2019 2020 2021 2022
Animal Care ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Art and Design ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Business ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
Children’s Play, Learning and Development ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Construction and the Built Environment ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Creative Digital Media Production ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
Engineering ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
Engineering Design and Product Investigation ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
Engineering Electronics and Computer Control Technologies ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
Engineering Materials and Manufacturing ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
Hospitality ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
Music ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Sport ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Travel and Tourism ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

The table also shows which subjects will continue on performance measures in 2020 and 2021 and which will no longer be approved for inclusion. The majority of qualifications that will no longer be on performance measures now have replacement BTEC Tech Awards which will be on performance measures in 2020 and 2021.

Last updated: 1 May 2019