Arrangements for learners who were classified as ‘mid-flight’ in 2020/21, and therefore were not eligible for a Qualification-level TAGs.

Unit Tags or UTAGs will be required to ensure that all eligible learners ‘bank’ unit-level results in order for their qualification level results to be aggregated in the ‘normal’ way via our systems in 2021/22.  

UTAGs will be required for:

• internally assessed units due to be assessed in the 2020-2021 academic year where a Z flag was entered to indicate incomplete assessment
• externally assessed units that were due to be completed last year (and where an entry has been made) but the assessment was marked as absent.
  

Key dates and activities to be aware of:

Mid-October: we anticipate that functionality for submitting U-TAGs for internally assessed units within EOL will be available mid-October

10 November 2021: deadline for submitting UTAGs

November-December:  quality assurance checks once the U-TAGs have been submitted. You may be contacted in November or December to provide the evidence that you have collated and recorded to support the U-TAG judgements.

13 January 2022: we will aim to confirm that your UTAGs have been accepted by this date.

Please see our Teacher Guidance for UTAGs below for further support. In addition, we have created a form (also below) which you can choose to use to help you record the evidence used and grades for these UTAGs.

We will provide guidance to support you to make unit-level TAG judgements for these learners. This will reflect the guidance that we issued for Q-TAG, but where you will look to available evidence across the content delivered in 2020/21 to make judgements at unit-level.

You will have already utilised the ‘Z flag’ to indicate all missed assessment that was due to take place between the eligible period for TAGs judgement; 1 August 2020 – 31 August 2021. We will now ask you to add a unitised grade to this flag.

You will also have made external assessment entries in line with our guidance indicating if the learner was due to be assessed during this time. We will now ask you to provide a unitised grade for this missed assessment, and we will apply a mid-way point score to enable aggregation.

Two Types of adaptation:

There are two types of adaptation for internal assessment that are available with the purpose of giving time back to teaching and learning:

Please note the following requirements:

• All content must be taught.
• Although adaptations are available, centres should consider whether they are required to give time back to teaching and learning. Adaptations can be applied at a centre's discretion where the pandemic continues to impact learners.
• Adaptations are only available in this academic year, for assessment due to take place between 1 September 2021- 31 August 2022. There are currently no plans to have these adaptations extend to learners who take assessments in 2022/23, regardless of when they are due to certificate.  

2020-2021: the Qualification-level  ‘Teacher Assessed Grade’ (QTAG) processes ensured that learners were able to claim certification.  

2021-2022: QTAGs not permitted.

2021-2022: an updated adaptation called ‘streamlined assessment’.  Streamlined assessment is where you will only be required to assess one Learning Aim from the selected unit.

Not all qualifications are able to use the streamlined adaptations, and some qualifications do not have any assessment adaptations in place, due to their smaller size.

The option to streamline the number of assessments indicated in the guidance is at the centre’s discretion upon reflection of the continued impact of disruption to learners caused by the pandemic.

Centres should continue to plan to deliver all content and assessment to ensure learners are best placed for their future progression. However, streamlined assessment is available, if required, to create additional time for lost teaching and learning.

All adaptations for the Tech Awards have been carried over from 2020/21 to 2021/22 academic year for these qualifications.

For the Level 2 Technicals, please see the Business or Enterprise centre guides for information about in-unit adaptations.

This might be an important page to bookmark this year.  The Teaching, Learning and Assessment web page will be updated throughout the year.  

Go to the Teaching, learning and assessment 2021/2022 page.

Our VQ Bulletin is a consolidated briefing from Pearson, which contains all the key updates you need about our vocational qualifications.

To view all past issues, please see our VQ Bulletin Blog, and if you would like to sign up please visit the sign up link.

Join us at our Preparing for the future: Effective Blended Learning for Business with Pearson Learning Hub online event to learn more about how you can deliver blended learning in an optimised way that addresses the challenges above. You will hear practical tips for implementing blended learning in your classroom for Business and learn best practice approaches for creating a seamless and integrated flipped classroom learning experience using a blended learning solution such as Business+ with Pearson Learning Hub.

The Pearson Quality Advisor Team offer a range of free online events to support all aspects of Quality Assurance in relation to your BTEC programmes. Whatever your role, please take a look at our list of events on offer on our Quality Support Hub Events page. These events are offered on different days and at different times so we are sure you will find a slot to suit you and your teams.

Go to the Quality Support Hub Events page

BTEC roles and responsibilities of the Assessor and Internal Verifier

This one hour event will run on 15 November and 9 December.

The session will covers assessment planning, producing an assignment brief , internal assessment resubmission and retake rules, assessment strategies, and conducting effective internal verification.  

You can book your place here.

Updated every year the BTEC Centre Guides provide details of the procedures you need to follow with regards to assessment and internal verification.

You can then complete the rest of the online form providing all the information relevant to your case, attach the assignment brief once you have submitted the case.

Please ensure that you have also read the ACS terms & conditions.

Find out more about the Assignment Checking Service.

The Professional Development Academy is a one-stop shop that provides access to a wide range of flexible, high-quality online courses for teachers.

You will find a range of on-demand, live and self-guided training courses creating flexible options for learning at a time that suits individual needs.

Our tuition can be used to help pupils of all abilities at your school. We provide unlimited online tutoring support, delivered by fully qualified UK teachers. This can help meet your school’s intervention needs with our tutoring support. We provide online tuition from fully qualified teachers to schools across the UK. Our affordable tutoring can be booked flexibly around the school timetable.

All adaptations have been carried over from the 2020/21 to the 2021/22 academic year for the Tech Awards.

Approved adaptations for the Level 1/2 Tech Awards can be found in the document below.

The Component 3 exam is on 7 February pm, 2022.

Results Day is 6 April 2022.

We've retained many key features of our current BTEC Tech Awards:

• Simple 3 component structure in most sectors
• Much of the teaching and learning content has been retained with some changes made to enhance clarity.
  
• Current Tech Awards have 40% external assessment, so no change was needed to meet new requirements.

New additions to meet KS4 performance measure requirements will include:

• Pearson Set Assignments for internal components, released with plenty of time for preparation and assessment to suit your programme timetable
• Mark-based and moderated assessments that are compensatory within each component and across the qualification giving learners more opportunities to achieve.

If you are starting to deliver the Tech Award this coming September then your learners will be claiming certification in 2024.  This means that they will be studying for the new (2022) Tech Award qualification.

The new qualification requires you to use Pearson Set Assignments (PSAs) for Components 1 and 2 and these PSAs will not be available in the 2021-2022 school year. The new qualification also requires Component 3 to be assessed in the year that learners claim certification.

This means that no assessment for the new qualification can take place in the 2021-2022 school year.  In terms of content there is very little change so you can still deliver this.  You may also be interested in developing enterprise skills in your learners and there are two competitions you may wish to consider to help you do this.

The first is the tycoon competition run by the Peter Jones Foundation which is an ideal way to develop enterprise skills and which provides teaching resources to help you.

Go to the Tycoon competition page.

The second is a social enterprise challenge which has been running for two years now and which encourages both creativity and enterprise.  It is called Be The Future.

Read about the 2021 Be The Future challenge

The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that qualifications approved for inclusion in the KS4 2020 performance tables will also be included in performance tables for 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Our BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Enterprise will continue to count towards 2021, 2022 and 2023 Key Stage 4 performance tables. You can continue to register learners onto this qualification for completion in 2023.

A guide to DfE performance tables.

Key DfE requirements for qualifications to be elgible for 2024 performance tables

Updated guide to BTEC qualifications and performance tables

Streamlined assessment

Streamlined assessment is where you will only be required to assess one Learning Aim from the selected unit.

Streamlined unit assessment means that the number of internally assessed units that need to be assessed in full is reduced, these could be mandatory or optional, but cannot be units that are synoptic.

So, for the First Award, Unit 3 would not be eligible.

Guidance for 2021-2022

The document below is intended to provide you with guidance for how you might adapt delivery for the BTEC Firsts in Business in the academic year of 2021-2022.

The guidance for the BTEC First Award (2018) can be found on pages 31-34.

The guidance for the BTEC First Certificate, Extended certificate and Diploma units can be found on pages 34-46.

Guidance for 2021-2022

The document below is intended to provide you with guidance for how you might adapt delivery for the Level 2 BTEC Technical Certificate in Business Enterprise in the academic year of 2021-2022.

The guidance can be found on pages 10-12.

The Level 2 BTEC Technical Certificate in Marketing (240 glh) is for post 16 learners and can be taken as part of a wider study programme. It's an ideal qualification for learners who are intending to progress directly to employment in an administrative role, or to a business administration apprenticeship.

Go to the qualification page

Guidance for 2021-2022

The document below is intended to provide you with guidance for how you might adapt delivery for the Level 2 BTEC Technical Certificate in Business Administration in the academic year of 2021-2022.

The guidance and the adaptations to the assessment criteria can be found on pages 47-49.

Adaptations are only available in this academic year, for assessment due to take place between 1 September 2021- 31 August 2022.  There are currently no plans to have these adaptations extend to learners who take assessments in 2022/23, regardless of when they are due to certificate.

Guidance for 2021-2022

The document below is intended to provide you with guidance for how you might adapt delivery for the Level 2 BTEC Technical Certificate in Marketing Enterprise in the academic year of 2021-2022.

The guidance and the adaptations to the assessment criteria can be found on pages 50-52.

Adaptations are only available in this academic year, for assessment due to take place between 1 September 2021- 31 August 2022. There are currently no plans to have these adaptations extend to learners who take assessments in 2022/23, regardless of when they are due to certificate.

The specifications on the qualification pages will be updated to reflect this change.

The changes are supported by new Sample Assessment Materials as well as four events in October:

• 13th Oct 4PM-6PM
• 18th Oct 4PM-6PM
• 19th Oct 4PM-6PM
  
• 20th Oct 4PM-6PM  

FAQs

What has changed for the Part A of the assessment?

The change to the condition of the assessment is that the pre-release period has been shortened and learners will be provided with a Pearson-set research pack, instead of having to carry out their own research.

We have worked with our subject and assessment experts in designing the Research Pack (Part A) to ensure that it will stimulate and engage the learners to respond with a sound level of understanding.  As such, we expect the introduction of the Research Pack (Part A) to provide accessible and meaningful information to enable all learners to grasp the context and engage with the assessment. 

We believe that the provision of research of the same quality to all  learners will support learners who  may have been disadvantaged by not being able to access good quality research.   

What has changed for the Part B of the assessment?

Nothing has changed in Part B of the assessment, either in format or style. The change that has been made is in the mark scheme, where the focus is now on the need to use rather that obtain market research.  The new Assessment Focus 3 is below.   

Why has Pearson made these changes? 

There are two fundamental reasons for the change:

• increasing levels of evidence that different learners and different centres are having variable experiences in their interaction with the assessment and;  
• the outcomes of the assessment over recent series have seen significantly increasing levels of homogenous  learner response which makes it increasingly difficult to differentiate outcomes within the awarding process for the unit.
  

Have you made changes to the timetable to reflect the Unit 2 changes?

Yes. We have removed the Part A 10-day window for learners to complete the practical investigation and added a 2-hour (Part A) review period on the afternoon prior to the Part B assessment. The Part B set task is timetabled for the morning after Part A.

Is there a new administration guide that we can refer to that takes into consideration the new arrangements of Unit 2?

Yes. We will be issuing an updated Administrative Support Guide to reflect the changes to the Part A document that is released before the start of the Part B examination.

Can you confirm the supervision and control for Unit 2 Part A and Part B?

Part A is low control and Part B must be conducted under medium-control supervision. Full details of supervision controls can be found in our Instructions for Conducting External Assessments (ICEA) document.

Can students make notes during the Part A review period and bring these notes into Part B?

Students can bring hand written annotated notes from their review of Part A materials into the Part B session but no other materials other than the Part A document should be present for Part B.

Should we retain Part A at our centre? If so, for how long? 

Yes. Centres must retain each learner’s Part A document and keep it securely until the end of the Review of Marking and Moderation period. The Part A document must not be returned to Pearson with the Part B document. 

Streamlined assessment

Streamlined assessment is where you will only be required to assess one Learning Aim from the selected unit.

Streamlined unit assessment means that the number of internally assessed units that need to be assessed in full is reduced, these could be mandatory or optional, but cannot be units that are synoptic.

So, for the BTEC National Foundation Diploma in Business, Unit 4 would not be eligible.

For the BTEC National Diploma in Business, Units 1, 4 and 5 would not be eligible.
 

Guidance for 2021- 2022

The document below is intended to provide you with guidance for how you might adapt delivery for the BTEC Nationals in Business (RQF) in the academic year of 2021-2022.

The guidance can be found on pages 7-17.

January 2022

The entry deadline is 18 October.

The timetable for January 2022 is below.

Results Day is 23 March 2022.

BTEC Business+

This new digital resource accompanies the BTEC Nationals in Business.

Currently, Business+ is available for marketing units:

• Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Campaign
• Unit 17: Digital Marketing
• Unit 22: Market Research

Each unit is available to purchase individually, with prices from as little as £6 per student.
Every purchase for the Learning Hub comes with a complementary login for teachers.

Find out more

Standardisation Marking

This event is for all teachers who assess learner work for internally assessed units on the qualification. During this event you will learn how to accurately assess a ‘Pass’ criteria and also a ‘Distinction’ criteria. During the session you will have the opportunity to assess samples of learner’s work in order to gain a better understanding of how the evidence submitted by the learner meets the requirements for a ‘Pass’ grade or a ‘Distinction grade. In addition, you will also learn the differences and what constitutes a merit or a distinction. You will be given some useful guidance to refer back to in your assessment of Pass, Merit and Distinction criteria.

Learning Aims:

• To learn how to mark and assess pass criteria
• To learn how to mark and assess distinction criteria
• To investigate what makes a distinction piece of work different from a merit piece of work.

Once you have understood how to apply the standard in this session, you can then apply this principal across the unit(s) that you teach. This event and the qualification covered, is for UK centres only. This event counts as 2 hours CPD.

Event Fee (GBP) - £66.00 (incl. VAT)

Pearson Event Code - 21UKVNBUSSM-01

Registration links:

17 November 4-6pm

24 November 4-6pm

Enhancing delivery

This session is for teachers, assessors and lecturers currently delivering the qualification but would like ideas on how to improve your delivery for better outcomes for your learners. This event focuses on teaching, learning and assessment, therefore if you would like a refresher on the processes for delivery of a BTEC qualification please view our Welcome to BTEC recording.

Learning aims:

• Tips for planning, delivery and supporting documents
• Internal assessment - teaching and learning ideas and how to mark holistically
• External Assessment - top tips for delivery, teaching and learning ideas and how to mark mock assessments
• Tips on how to deliver the qualification with a blended learning solution

This event and the qualification covered, is for UK centres only. This event counts as 2 hours CPD.

Event Fee (GBP) - £54.00 (incl. VAT)

Pearson Event Code - 21UKVNBUSED-01

Registration links:

11 November 4-6pm

16 November 4-6pm

Recorded training

Getting Started: ways to teach and assess BTEC Nationals in Business

Watch the recording

May 2022 Provisional timetable

Streamlined assessment

Streamlined assessment is where you will only be required to assess one Learning Aim from the selected unit.

Streamlined unit assessment means that the number of internally assessed units that need to be assessed in full is reduced, these could be mandatory or optional, but cannot be units that are synoptic.

So, for the BTEC National Foundation Diploma in Enterprise & Entrepreneurship, Unit 4 would not be eligible.

For the BTEC National Diploma in Enterprise & Entrepreneurship, Unit 1 would not be eligible.

For the BTEC National Extended Diploma in Enterprise & Entrepreneurship, Unit 13 would not be eligible.

Guidance for 2021- 2022

The document below is intended to provide you with guidance for how you might adapt delivery for the BTEC Nationals in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (RQF) in the academic year of 2021-2022.

The guidance can be found on pages 7-9.

January 2022

The entry deadline is 18 October

The timetable for January 2022 is below.

Results Day is 23 March 2022.

Recorded training

Getting Started: ways to teach and assess BTEC Nationals in Enterprise & Entrepreneurship

Watch the recording

May 2022 Provisional timetable

The Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Marketing are not eligible for inclusion in performance tables but are eligible for funding.

Go to the qualification page

Streamlined assessment

Streamlined assessment is where you will only be required to assess one Learning Aim from the selected unit.

Streamlined unit assessment means that the number of internally assessed units that need to be assessed in full is reduced, these could be mandatory or optional, but cannot be units that are synoptic.

So, for the BTEC National Extended Certificate in Marketing, Unit 3 would not be eligible.

For the BTEC National Diploma in Marketing, Unit 4 would not be eligible.

For the BTEC National Extended Diploma in Marketing, Unit 7 would not be eligible.

Guidance for 2021- 2022

The document below is intended to provide you with guidance for how you might adapt delivery for the BTEC Nationals in Marketing (RQF) in the academic year of 2021-2022.
 

January 2022

The entry deadline is 18 October.

The timetable for January 2022 is below.

Results Day is 23 March 2022.

Schemes of work and draft Delivery Guides

This are now available on the qualification page (please choose Course Materials and then Teaching and Learning Materials)

Go to the qualification page.

Recorded training

Getting Started with the BTEC Nationals in Marketing

Watch the recording

BTEC Marketing Plus

We have a new digital resource called Marketing Plus to support this qualification.

Find out more

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

We have professional partnership agreement with CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing)

Find out more about the CIM

May 2022 Provisional timetable

The main proposal is to introduce a binary system of T levels and A levels at Level 3, where most young people pursue one of these qualifications at the age of 16.

Consultation outcome

The Review of post-16 qualifications at level 3: second stage concluded in July 2021.

Read the outcome

Timelines

Qualifications which overlap with T Levels

No changes are being made to technical qualifications until the 2023/24 academic year at the earliest.  In 2022, we hope to hear which qualifications will and will not be funded for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Qualifications which overlap with A Levels

No changes are being made to academic qualifications, including Applied General qualifications, until the 2024/25 academic year at the earliest.  In 2022, we hope to learn about the criteria qualifications will need to satisfy in order to qualify for funding from 2024.

BTEC qualifications can continue to be available where there is a clear need for skills and knowledge that T Levels and A levels alone cannot provide. For example:

• Alternatives to T Levels
• Small specialist qualifications to sit alongside T Levels
• Alternatives to A levels
• Small qualifications taken alongside A levels (one A level size or smaller)

The Protect Student Choice campaign

The #ProtectStudentChoice campaign, focuses on the Department for Education’s current review of post-16 qualifications. The Six Form Colleges Association (SFCA) has launched a petition urging the government to reconsider restricting students' choice of qualifications at the age of 16.

Specification

The specification for International Level 3 Business and International Level 3 Enterprise & Entrepreneurship is available on the qualification page.

The following support materials are also available:

• Scheme of work
• Sample assignments
• Unit delivery guidance
• Authorised Assignment Briefs
• Pearson Set Assignments (PSAs)
  

Student resources

The student resources are only available as e-texts on the Learning Hub site, and are all available now. If a you want to have access, please complete an expression of Interest form .

If you have any queries, want to be kept updated or need to know how to start offering these qualifications in your centre, contact one of our Sales Representatives.

Specification

In an ever-changing and fast-paced world, marketing skills are key to modern-day businesses especially during and post the pandemic.

The ability to understand and create compelling stories which speak to the needs of an audience, where they are and at the time they need it, are important skills in every organisation and essential skills for a marketing professional to possess.

The new BTEC International Level 3 in Marketing qualification is available in a range of sizes and pathways to suit the needs of your learners. It’s digital content and resources have been created in partnership with The School of Marketing to help your learners to acquire current industry knowledge, and apply skills that are required from a modern-day marketer.

Learners will be able to understand and apply marketing principles such as; customer communications, marketing regulations, creating customer loyalty, influencer marketing, market research, digital marketing and more.

 Go to the qualification page

Student resources

BTEC Marketing+ is a new digital resource that supports your delivery of our BTEC in Marketing. It features the latest industry content from the School of Marketing, which makes it ideal for blended learning delivery , this innovative online resource gives your learners videos, infographics, case studies, work activities, self-learning quizzes and more, to enhance and secure learning aims of the qualification and keeps your learners engaged.

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global professional body for professional accountants.

Go to our ACCA partner page.

The CII is the Chartered Insurance Institute.

They are a professional body dedicated to building public trust in the insurance and financial planning professions.

Go to the CII partner page.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is the world’s leading professional body for marketing, with over 28,000 members worldwide, of which there are over 2,500 Chartered Marketers. CIM’s mission is to create a marketing advantage for the benefit of professionals, business and society with a focus on export, data and skills.

Go to our CIM partner page

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) are the the only Chartered professional body dedicated to promoting the highest standards in management and leadership excellence. With over 150,000 members worldwide, CMI's mission is to increase the number of professionally qualified managers and leaders resulting in better led and managed organisations.

Go to our CMI partner page

11 October 2021 at 08:00 - 14:00 GMT:  Grading Standardisation Workshop for BTEC Higher National Business(RQF)

Description
Want to get a better understanding of grading student work? Aimed at both UK and International centres, this Interactive online workshop is for all those involved in the following aspects of Higher Nationals in Business delivery: Internal verification (assignment brief), marking and grading of student work, and internal verification (assessment decisions).

Being delivered by one of our experienced trainers, during this highly interactive workshop delegates in small groups will:

• Examine the effectiveness of a historic assignment brief,
• Practically engage with the internal verification (assignment brief) process and the evidence of internal verification
• Review the accuracy of the marking and grading for two student assignments from a pre-selected unit disclosed in point 1
• Discuss the assessor feedback for the two pieces of student work
• Evaluate the internal verification (assessment decisions) process for student work.
• Conclude with a general Q&A based on any other questions that delegates may have regarding HN RQFs.

It is highly recommended that participants have previously attended the training session “Generic Internal Verification and preparing for EE RQF BTEC Higher Nationals” to have a sound understanding on the process and requirements.

Due to the length of this session, there will be breaks integrated into this training.

This session counts towards 5 hours of Continual Professional Development (CPD).

Event Fee (GBP)
£75

Pearson Event Code
21IOBHNB6/01

12 October 2021 at 08:00 - 10:30 GMT Get Ready To Teach Business RQF 2021 Higher Nationals

Description
This free online training is suitable for Program Managers, Internal Verifiers, Assessors, Tutors, Heads of Department, Quality Nominees, Centre Managers, new and existing BTEC subject practitioners.

This online training will provide you with support and guidance in planning, implementing and assessing the new RQF HNs in Business.

The online training will cover:

• The rationale and the purpose of the NEW Higher Nationals in Business
• Introduce the new features of the RQF Higher Nationals in Business
• Delegates will be introduced to changes in the use of Authorised Assignment Briefs, centre support and, receive preparation materials and information to support the teaching and delivery of the new qualification

This event can count as 2.5 hours of CPD

Event Fee (GBP)
Free

Pearson Event Code
21IOBHNB7/01

20 October 2021 at 09:00 - 11:30 GMT  Blended Learning for Higher Nationals in Business

Description
It is increasingly the case that centres are considering a delivery strategy that combines distance learning with face to face learning - blended learning. To ensure your blended learning strategy is effective you need to consider a range of different factors; ranging from the nature of the subject, tools and pedagogies.

During this session we will discuss:

• Defining blended learning
• Pedagogies of blended learning
• Balancing synchronous and asynchronous learning
• Pre-, In- and Post-session activities
• Promoting and supporting engagement in online learning
• Tools to support blended learning
• Examples of effective online learning

This will be an Interactive discussion, using a Unit from an HN qualification, to develop a blended strategy for delivery.

This session counts as 2.5 hours continual professional development.

Event Fee (GBP)
FREE

Pearson Event Code
21OBHNB3/02

Following Ofqual’s announcement which confirmed that exams and assessments will go ahead as planned for the academic year 2021-22, we have recently released guidance to support centres, should you need to make adaptations to teaching and delivery this year.

We have also created further guidance about quality assurance and assessment for your BTEC Higher Nationals and External Examination. For 2021-2022 external examination visits will continue remotely. If the opportunity arises to safely resume centre visits, we will advise centres of this.

Please note that after 30 September 2021 you will no longer be able to make claims for assessments that took place between 1 August 2020 and 31 August 2021 using Unit Level Teacher Assessed Grades (UTAGs).

Visit our Higher National web page for the latest guidance