Near-pass grades for BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Children's Play, Learning and Development
Find out how we're applying the near-pass grade to BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Children's Play, Learning and Development.
Earlier this year, Ofqual wrote to all Awarding Organisations to consider providing a "safety net" for those students who narrowly miss a pass on one or more externally-assessed units. As a result, this year we introduced the Near pass (N) grade into many of the BTEC Level 3 Nationals (RQF, first teaching from 2016).
This change did not apply to the two following qualifications, as they confer Early Years Educator (EYE) status on learners:
- BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Children’s Play, Learning and Development (Early Years Educator) - QN: 601/7571/0
- BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Children’s Play, Learning and Development (Early Years Educator) - QN: 601/7572/2.
Recognising the achievements of your learners
Following a review of the qualifications in this sector this summer, and to fully recognise the achievements of your learners, we’ve decided to create alternative qualifications for these two titles. This will benefit learners who meet all other BTEC qualification requirements, but narrowly miss the pass grade in either Unit 1: Children’s Development or Unit 2: Development of Children’s Communication, Literacy and Numeracy Skills.
These two alternative qualifications are:
- BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Children’s Play, Learning and Development - QN: 603/3573/7
- BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Children’s Play, Learning and Development - QN: 603/3572/5
Please note that these alternative qualifications will not confer EYE status on learners, given they will not have demonstrated that they have met the full Early Years Educator criteria. However, the qualification will still carry UCAS points and learners can progress to higher education into early years-related programmes, primary teaching, or related areas.
Eligibility for the new alternative qualifications
Learners who have failed to achieve a Pass or above in Unit 1 and/or Unit 2 in the Children's Play, Learning and Development Early Years Educator qualifications may be eligible for a transfer to the alternative qualification(s) provided they have achieved N grades or above in Units 1 & 2 and met all other requirements. We’ve provided details of these requirements in the FAQs on this page.
If learners are awarded one of the alternative qualifications, they could still resit the external assessment for Unit 1 or 2 (subject to the usual resit rules), if they wish to later gain EYE status in the future.
Please note that the aim of your learners at the start of their programme will be to achieve EYE status, and so you will register them on one of the Early Years Educator qualifications. On completion of their programme, if any of your students have not achieved the Early Years Educator qualification but are eligible for an award on the alternative qualification, Pearson will provide certification for that alternative qualification.
Get in touch with us
For more details about these changes, please take a look at the FAQs. If you still have questions or concerns, please get in touch with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
View the structure for the Diploma size
View the structure for the Extended Diploma size
All of the qualification requirements remain the same as the Early Years Educator qualifications, including the work placement and units to be undertaken. The key difference is that learners are able to obtain an N grade for Unit 1 and/or Unit 2, which may enable them to pass the qualification(s).
The eligibility requirements for these qualifications are the same as the EYE version with the exception that N grades are a permitted combination for Units 1 and 2. A new grading section and structure will be available in the specification which will be available in September.
The grade points table remains the same, though learners may be able to compensate for an N grade with a higher performance in other units.
The new alternative qualifications will not appear on performance measure tables.
The aim of creating these alternative qualifications is to create a safety net for students who narrowly miss a pass on one or more externally-assessed units.
Yes, these titles will carry the same number of UCAS points as other BTEC Nationals of the same size.
The qualifications do not require funding as the learner has already completed the required learning.
Please note that learners won’t have completed the planned qualification, which carries Early Years Educator status, which will have an impact on centres' success rates for funding.
These alternative qualifications will not confer Early Years Educator status on learners.
After September 2014, only qualifications that contain the words 'Early Years Educator’ in the title confer that status.
Whilst it may be possible to gain employment in the sector (depending on the criteria of individual employers); holders of the alternative qualifications will not count in the staff to children ratios in early years settings in England. Therefore it is strongly recommended that any learners intending to work directly in the sector after completion of the qualification, undertake relevant resit(s) to gain Early Years Educator status.
Following the announcement from the DfE this year, there are a maximum of two resits allowed for the externally assessed units. This means three attempts in total.
The registrations for learners in this category will remain open, so they can enter for resits within the usual resit rules. Any resits would need to take place during the lifespan of the qualification, during either the January or summer series windows.
No. These qualifications are unaffected by the introduction of the alternative qualifications.
