Teaching and learning support in 202021

Please note: This information is valid for learners due to be assessed between 1 August 2020 - 31 August 2021.

For learners due to certificate in 2022, please visit our new webpage.

BTEC approach to adaptation to delivery and assessment in 2020/2021

Please note all external assessments for summer 2021 have been cancelled, except for Licence to Practise childcare qualifications.

Schools and colleges should continue to deliver internal assessment 

As in previous years, internal assessment continues to be important, and we can confirm that schools and colleges are strongly encouraged to continue to deliver teaching, learning and conducting internal assessment in order to continue to ‘bank’ unit performance. 

BTEC Level 2 Tech Awards, Firsts, Technicals and Level 3 Nationals 

We can now confirm that our BTEC Level 2 Tech Awards, Firsts, Technicals and Level 3 Nationals will be in scope for alternative arrangements, where these qualifications share a core purpose of progression. In addition, many of the Entry – Level 1 BTECs will also be in scope. ***

View the full list of qualifications (XLXS, 0.3 MB) 

For these qualifications, our priority is to ensure that learners are not disadvantaged, and that they can progress alongside those students taking General Qualifications (GCSEs and A levels).
2021 Certificating learners

For certificating learners only, we will be requesting a Qualification-level ‘Teacher Assessed Grade’ (TAG) to enable qualification results to be issued for learners completing these qualifications this year.  

The Q-TAG replaces previous guidance on ‘reduced assessment’ where the DfE have acknowledged that not all assessment may be completed.

Mid-flight learners

Mid- flight learners, refers to learners in year one of a two-year programme, aiming to certificate in 2022.  

For non-certificating learners (‘mid-flight’ learners) the Q-TAG process cannot be used. Instead, the reduced assessment mitigation continues, and exam entries for assessment that were due to take place should be made. 

Reduced Assessment and the cancellation of the 2021 External Assessment series, will mitigate against the ongoing disruption to teaching and learning in the 2020/2021 academic year.  

For certificating and non-certificating learners  for full details of the process to follow, please refer to the Administration Guidance.

Overview
Overview

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* Please note: For mid-flight learners we can confirm that a unit-level TAG will be requested by Pearson and more details will be shared with centres on this process as soon as possible. This will only apply only to those units which were due to be assessed between 1 August 2020 – 31 August 2021, including external assessments, in line with Ofqual’s regulation, the VCRF.

For internal assessments this means that all units scheduled to be completed between these dates (but were not fully assessed) should now be ‘flagged’ to us using the reduced assessment functionality - ‘Z flag’. This has previously been referred to as permitted assessment reductions. This functionality will allow us to understand which units were not completed this year due to the disruption experienced. We continue to work with the DfE and Ofqual to finalise the approach to 2022 which will enable us to communicate with some certainty how grades will be determined for mid-flight learners.

For internal assessments that have taken place fully, please report the unit grade achieved using the interim claim function.

Internally assessed units that are due to be assessed next academic year should not have anything reported against them, as they have not yet been assessed, and were not due to be assessed this academic year, so are not eligible for a Teacher Assessed Grade.

Information and guidance
General guidance

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Assessment guidance

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BTEC Higher Nationals

2021 Certificating learners

Work-based Learning

Functional skills

FAQs

Please note that additional internal assessment evidence adaptations can be found in the sector guides for Dance, Music and Music Technology, Performing Arts and Production Arts.
Teaching and learning sector guidance

We've included below a series of sector guides designed to offer you guidance on how you might adapt delivery of BTEC qualifications from September 2020. These guides cover the following qualifications as well as additional sector-specific qualifications where appropriate:

  • BTEC Nationals
  • BTEC Firsts
  • BTEC Level 2 Technicals
  • BTEC Level 2 Industry Skills
  • BTEC Tech Awards
  • BTEC Entry Level and Level 1 Introductory
  • Workskills, PSD, Personal Growth and Wellbeing

Please choose from the list below to view or download your latest BTEC sector guide:

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