March 2024 BTEC Science update
This update is for BTEC Science teachers with key dates and information to support you over the results period for the January and February exam series. Other items have also been included that I hope you find useful.
Results day support
January and February results dates are summarised below.
| Qualification | Date results released to centres | Release of results to candidates |
|---|---|---|
BTEC Level 3 Nationals (January Exam series) |
20 March 2024 | 21 March 2024 |
BTEC Level 1/2 Firsts (February Exam series) |
3 April 2024 | 4 April 2024 |
Question papers from January 2024 series are available on the qualification pages, under course materials - external assessment tab. On results day mark schemes and examiner reports will also be available from the same page.
Grade boundaries are available on our website from results day. Please note, that the raw mark grade boundaries change from series to series. We provide raw marks to points calculators for each exam series to confirm how the raw marks are converted to points. They are updated soon after the results are published.
BTECs are modular qualifications which means that internal unit grades must be submitted by centres for certificating learners. Learners will also need to have the required external unit results to meet the ‘eligibility’ requirements of the qualification. These requirements are outlined in the specification and you can check your leaners have the required units and unit grades to achieve a qualification outcome using our BTEC Grade Calculators.
To find out about the raw marks your learners have achieved in the externally-assessed units you can follow the instructions below.
- Log in to Edexcel Online.
- Enter your centre number.
- From the drop-down menu, select BTEC.
- Hover over External Assessment from the menu.
- Select 'view results by assessment booking'.
- Fill in series/programme/unit and click next.
- Select programme and click export results.
- You will get a .csv file with the information you want. The information for the grade points is in the column headed UMS.
Please note that in order to access this you will need the ‘Results’ box ticked in your Edexcel Online user profile. It is not the policy of all centres to make this available so you may have to ask your Exams Officer to print out the spreadsheet for you. You can watch our video tutorial below for more information.
ResultsPlus is a free online results analysis tool for teachers that can help you analyse your learners' performance in the externally assessed units. You can find more information and how to login by visiting our ResultsPlus support page. To access ResultsPlus you will need the correct permission on your Edexcel Online account.
Centres can obtain results reports through Edexcel Online. Usually, it is the Exams Officer in a centre that obtains the reports.
Our Access to Script (ATS) services allow you to request copies of your candidates' marked exam papers. Scripts do not have examiner annotation on them. The marked script allows teachers to evaluate how the student performed on particular questions in relation to what they have been taught; the Principal Examiner's Report and the exemplars that we make available demonstrate how the mark scheme is applied.
Candidate consent
Signed consent from each learner, obtained after the publication of results, is required as a condition of using our free Access To Scripts service. You may wish to have a set of candidate consent forms ready for learners to sign as they collect their results.
How does ATS work?
First, you need to have the Exam Viewer box ticked in your Edexcel Online user profile. If you don’t, please ask your exams officer to do this. Your EO may have to phone your account specialist to get your profile updated. Second, select the menu option ‘Script Viewer’ at the bottom of the opening menu in Edexcel Online. This will open the self-service portal.
Find out more about this service and access the user guide.
This service is available until 13 June 2024.
How to apply for post-results services
You can request a review of the marking of exam papers for individual candidates and the results for each candidate will be reported separately.
Candidates must be made aware that their marks and subject grades may be lowered as a result of the review and must provide their written consent before an application is submitted. The last date for us to receive applications for reviews of marking services is 18 April 2024.
Please speak to your Exams Officer if you wish to proceed with a review of marking.
Exams officers should contact our support team on +44 (0) 344 463 2535 if they require any guidance or they can email examsofficers@pearson.com.
We also provide a post-results guidance video and support pages too - see links below. All applications for reviews of marking must be submitted through Edexcel Online.
We have a dedicated web page for student post-results support. Please forward this link to your students where they can find information on the services for students. We also have created a guide for students on Understanding results and grades and have '#ExamsSpelledOut' student videos.
Other BTEC news and support items
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 Applied Sciences 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.
This session counts towards 5 hours of Continual Professional Development (CPD)
29 April 2024 at 07:00 - 13:00 GMT | Event Fee (GBP) £50 excl. Tax | Pearson Event Code: 24OBHNAS4/02
Description
This online event should be attended by Program Managers, Internal Verifiers, Assessors, Tutors, Heads of Department, Quality Nominees, Centre Managers and HN BTEC subject practitioners who are preparing for Assignment Writing (RQF).Online events are a great way to train the whole department, you can do this by simply projecting the session onto a whiteboard rather than placing multiple bookings.
This online session will:- Help delegates understand the principles and ethos of assignments for the new Pearson RQF BTEC Higher Nationals
- Review various approaches to assignment design
- Review documentation and requirements for assignment briefs
- Look at the importance of Internal Verification
- Give delegates the opportunity to ask questions
This event can count as 2 hours of CPD
01 May 2024 at 07:00 - 09:00 GMT | Event Fee (GBP) £25 excl. Tax | Pearson Event Code 24IOBHNAP1/0
Description
Wanting to understand the holistic methodology around assessment planning and assignment writing for BTEC International Qualifications? This session is designed for Programme Managers, course leaders, Internal verifiers, Quality Nominees and the Delivery and assessment staff
This session will look to understand the Holistic Assignment writing and Assessment process for delivering the BTEC International Level 3 in Applied Science.During this session you will:
- Explore and understand the Pearson Authorised Assignment Briefs (AABs) and Pearson Set Assignments (PSAs)
- Discuss Assessment process, methods and the varied forms of evidence• Understand how to provide effective feedback to the learners• Examine command verbs in the context of your vocational area, the qualification units and the assessment criteria
- Discuss ways to develop links with employers and external stakeholders.
- Understand how to use the platform Pearson Progress and how ties into the assignment process.
Active participation in this session counts towards 5 hours of continual professional development
8 June 2024 at 07:00 - 13:00 GMT | Event Fee (GBP) £25 excl. Tax | Pearson Event Code 24IOBL3AS2/01
New BTEC Level 3 qualifications in Applied Science and Medical Science have been submitted for approval in England as new 'academic' AAQs. You can find out more about our new AAQs and also download our draft specifications we have submitted for approval from our website.
You can also keep up-to-date with the L3 reforms from our web page below.
Entry deadline for Summer 2024 external examinations is 22 March 2024.
We have released the BTEC Centre Guides for 2023-24 which are located on the Quality Assurance web page.Under the BTEC Level 2 & Level 3 section you will find centre guides for Internal Assessment, Internal Verification, Lead Internal Verifier, Quality Assurance, for Assignment Writing, for Managing Plagiarism (including AI). The BTEC Annual Year Planner is also available on this page.
Timetables for this academic year can be viewed on our website.
We published our provisional timetables for Summer 2025 on Monday 22nd January as agreed by JCQ and all other awarding bodies. They can be found on our Provisional timetables web page.
We have a Teaching, Learning and Assessment 2023/24 web page which will contain the most up-to-date information on vocational assessment for this academic year. The link to this page is provided below and it is a page you can refer to during the year.
We send out regular Vocational Qualification Bulletins to keep centres informed of our support and services. You can sign-up for these and also read previous bulletins on our website.
Sign-up to receive regular vocational qualification bulletins
Read previous vocational qualification bulletins on our website
Subject advisor
Irine Muhiuddin
Science
