This update includes training and resources to assist with assessment and submission of work as we approach key dates and deadlines for the summer series.
For updates on the qualification(s) you deliver, please click on the relevant sections below.
BTEC and T Level Art, Design and Media - May 2025 update
2 May 2025
Read more
Welcome to the May 2025 update from your Subject Advisor
A reminder that for Summer 2025, we will not be conducting moderation visits for BTEC First in Art and Design (2012).
Instead, moderation will be conducted remotely with the centre submitting the sample in a digital format. Full details can be found in the updated Administrative Support Guide.
The JCQ AI Use in Assessments document provides teachers/assessors with the information they need to manage the use of AI in assessments and will help students when completing their coursework and non-examination assessments.
Revision 2 of the document was published on 30 April 2025 and can be found on the JCQ website.
Summary of the JCQ document for teachers:
- Accept only work that is demonstrably the student’s own. There is information on how to check this in Section 8 Identifying misuse of the document.
- Investigate any doubts about the authenticity of a student’s work and take appropriate action.
- Make students aware of:
- appropriate and inappropriate AI use
- the risks of AI misuse
- the consequences of AI misuse, including disqualification.
- Guide students on proper referencing and acknowledgement of AI-generated content.
- Reinforce the importance of independent research and original work.
Ensure students sign authenticity declarations and understand their significance.
- Collaborate with colleagues to monitor AI use and refine school policies.
- Follow school policies if AI misuse is suspected before students sign the authenticity declaration.
- Do not use AI tools as the sole basis for marking student work.
The JCQ guide should be used alongside Pearson's Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Practical Creative Assessment guidance.
| May/June Series | Art and Design Practice |
|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2025 | Learner Work Transfer (LWT) available for upload of work for Component 2 |
| 15 May 2025 | Deadline to upload learner work for Component 2 external assessment |
| 48 hours prior to moderation visit | Component 1 marks must be submitted 48 hours in advance of the agreed moderation visit |
| 27 June 2025 | Deadline for amending marks following moderator feedback where necessary for internal assessments (optional) |
| 15 Aug 2025 | Restricted release of results to centres |
| 21 Aug 2025 | Release of results to learners |
All of the Tech Awards (2022) key dates can be found in the 2024-2025 key dates schedule.
Please note, due to the terminal assessment rules, Component 2 must be sat during the same assessment series in which certification for the qualification is requested.
| May/June Series | Creative Media Production |
|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2025 | Learner Work Transfer available for uploading work of learners for internal and external assessments |
| 15 May 2025 | Component 1 and 2 deadline for mark submission and upload of work for sampled learners |
| 15 May 2025 | Component 3 deadline to upload learner work for external assessment |
| 16 June 2025 | All initial moderator reports for should have been received (if 15 May deadline met) |
| 27 June 2025 | Deadline for amending marks following moderator feedback where necessary for internal assessments (optional) |
| 15 Aug 2025 | Restricted release of results to centres |
| 21 Aug 2025 | Release of results to learners |
All of the Tech Awards (2022) key dates can be found in the 2024-2025 key dates schedule.
Please note, due to the terminal assessment rules, Component 3 must be sat during the same assessment series in which certification for the qualification is requested.
We've heard your feedback and are excited to announce a key improvement to the release schedule for the BTEC Tech Award Pearson Set Assignments (PSAs) used for internally assessed components. PSAs will now be available three months earlier, giving you more time to plan, prepare, mark, and upload assessments.
Please note, these changes do not affect Art and Design Practice, which does not have a December/January assessment series.
New PSA Release Dates:
- 2 June 2025 – PSA for the December/January 2025/26 assessment series
- 1 September 2025 - PSA for the May/June 2026 assessment series.
We understand that learners may face setbacks, such as absences or other challenges. This change provides additional contingency time, allowing more opportunity for learners to catch up and stay on track. Although PSAs are being released earlier, teaching should remain focused on the full course content rather than preparing students specifically for the assignment.
The deadlines for submission of learner work will remain unchanged each series, and the updated release schedule will not affect learners who are currently completing a PSA this May/June 2025 series.
We have published a new video to support your understanding of moderator feedback.
For further support, please visit the Tech Awards Support Index.
Here you can find all the materials necessary for internal assessment and standardisation as you prepare for moderation.
Administrative Support Guide
This guide outlines key information for visiting moderation as well as other administrative details.
Assessment Record
Template for completing student assessment including the statement of authenticity signed by the teacher and learner.
Marking Grid
This document outlines the marking assessment criteria for internal assessment of Component 1.
Assessment Tracker
Use to track internal assessment and generate Assessment Records (guidance for use in the bitesize video playlist).
Exemplar Standardisation Materials
Use the Exemplar Standardisation Materials alongside the Marking Grid to internally assess and standardise.
Bitesize Videos
Our bitesize videos will help you with internal assessment, moderation, and using the Assessment Tracker
Here you can find all the materials necessary for digital submission and external assessment.
Administrative Support Guide
This guide outlines the digital submission guidance and use of Learner Work Transfer (LWT).
Authentication Form
This form must be signed by each candidate and the teacher to authenticate that the work submitted is their own.
Marking Grid
This document outlines how examiners use the 'best fit' approach for external assessment of Component 2.
Sample Marked Learner Work
Use the Sample Marked Learner Work to understand the external assessment standard for Component 2.
Tech Awards Support Index
For support with the Tech Award qualifications and processes, please visit our dedicated support portal.
View the Tech Awards Support index for further guidance and support
Here you can find all the materials necessary for internal assessment and standardisation as you prepare for moderation.
Administrative Support Guide
This guide outlines key information for visiting moderation as well as other administrative details.
Assessment Record
Template for completing student assessment including the statement of authenticity signed by the teacher and learner.
Marking Grids
This document outlines the marking assessment criteria for internal assessment of Components 1 and 2.
Assessment Tracker
Use to track internal assessment and generate Assessment Records (guidance for use in the bitesize video playlist).
Exemplar Standardisation Materials
Use the Exemplar Standardisation Materials alongside the Marking Grids to internally assess and standardise.
Bitesize Videos
Our bitesize videos will help you with internal assessment, moderation, and using the Assessment Tracker
Here you can find all the materials necessary for digital submission and external assessment.
Administrative Support Guide
This guide outlines the digital submission guidance and use of Learner Work Transfer (LWT).
Authentication Form
This form must be signed by each candidate and the teacher to authenticate that the work submitted is their own.
Marking Grid
This document outlines how examiners use the 'best fit' approach for external assessment of Component 3.
Sample Marked Learner Work
Use the Sample Marked Learner Work to understand the external assessment standard for Component 3.
Tech Awards Support Index
For support with the Tech Award qualifications and processes, please visit our dedicated support portal.
View the Tech Awards Support index for further guidance and support
Check out the latest updates on Tech Awards (2022) and sign up for future updates.
| Date | Creative Media Production |
|---|---|
| 15 May 2025 | Deadline to submit first sample for Standards Verification |
| 15 June 2025 | Deadline to submit second sample for Standards Verification (if required) |
| 5 July 2025 | Deadline to submit claims for summer 2025 certification |
| 6 August 2025 | Restricted release of results to centres |
| 14 August 2024 | Release of results to learners |
Dates for the external assessments can be found in the Pearson exam timetables for the relevant assessment series.
We are currently recruiting Examiners for the BTEC Nationals (Level 3) qualification in a wide range of sectors. This is a part time role which will be completed at home, and in your own time.
Current vacancies include:
Art and Design
- Unit 1: Visual recording and Communication
- Unit 2: Critical and Contextual Studies in Art and Design
- Unit 6: Managing a Client Brief
- Unit 7: Developing and Realising Creative Intentions
Creative Media
- Unit 1: Media Representations
- Unit 3: Digital Media Skills
- Unit 5: Specialist Subject Investigation
- Unit 8: Responding to a Commission
The deadline to submit first samples for Standards Verification is 15 May 2025.
- All samples should be verified by the Standards Verifier to ensure timely certification. Full award claims can only be made once a programme is ‘released’ by the SV.
- Only completed units can be sampled (i.e. all original, resubmissions and retakes completed).
- Any second sampling, if required, is to be submitted by 15 June.
Full guidance and support can be found in our Guide to Standards Verification and on the BTEC Quality Assurance website.
Please visit the relevant qualification course materials page for all the support, guidance, and paperwork you will need this assessment series.
The BTEC International Quality Assurance centre guides are for everyone involved in delivery, assessment and verification of BTEC qualifications and gives full details of our quality assurance processes for the academic year.
Join us for an informative Network featuring updates on Higher National
(HN) and Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQ) developments from Pearson.
The event will also include sector-specific round table discussions led by our
Higher Education (HE) Product Managers. Additionally, our External Examiners
will be available to address any delivery queries you may have.
- Monday 19th May - Milton Keynes College
- Thursday 22nd May - Wigan and Leigh College
The documents to help support the delivery and assessment of the BTEC Higher National qualifications are located on HN Global.
First, click on this link to log into your HN Global account:
Second, click on this link to access the Art, Design and Media (2023) delivery materials:
BTEC Higher National qualifications are subject to our enhanced quality assurance processes, and we have created a quality assurance handbook which provides more detailed guidance about the processes.
Please note the sampling window has started in May and the deadline to complete sampling is 30 July 2025.
View the BTEC Higher Nationals enhanced quality assurance support
We are running regional events in May to support the T Levels, with a focus on the core exams and how to improve student outcomes. Some of the events will have current T Level practitioners giving advice as well as offering the chance to network and learn more about T Levels.
Find the event that best suits you and book your place; we look forward to seeing you there!
On our training and admin support page, you’ll find Getting to know the specification videos for an introduction to key information in the specifications and overview of the course structure.
You can also sign up for live Getting ready to teach training events running in June on our events page, or you can watch the recordings of past sessions.
The approval window is now open for providers commencing delivery in September 2025. You must gain approval for each Technical Qualification you wish to deliver.
Entries for Core Component assessments are open. You must make an entry for every student wishing to enter the assessment.
We’ve recently released new additional specimen assessment materials (ADSAMs) for the core exam and employer-set project, so you now have two sets of specimen assessments to help you and your students prepare. You can find them on the qualification page under ‘course materials’
Also, make sure you've downloaded the updated versions of the specifications, as we’ve made a number of minor updates to improve clarity. Review the ‘summary of changes’ table at the front of each specification for full details of the changes.
These updates have not impacted the content or structure of assessments.
Check out the latest updates on T Levels and sign up for future updates.
All your frequently Ask Questions about these qualifications, answered via this YouTube video, presented by our Product Manager Kelly Adams.
A group for teachers of BTEC level 1 introductory, Entry Level and BTEC Workskills and BTEC personal growth and wellbeing to share best practice and to seek information about the courses on offer.
Check out the latest newsletter for BTEC Level 1 and below and sign up for future updates.
Here are some helpful resources and inspiration from creative organisations to emphasise the importance of arts in education and the benefits they bring to young people. Our priority is to create courses that provide students with an authentic creative experience, and we are committed to raising the profile of our subjects in education and beyond.
Calling Teachers of BTEC in Creative Media Practice and T Level in Broadcast Media Production, the Film and TV Educators Network aims to connect and support screen educators across the UK, through networking, sharing best practice and industry-facing events.
Membership of the Network and all events are free and open to all film/media teachers
TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry, has published a comprehensive and practical guide for Students and Graduates looking for a career in games.
At its heart, the Guide provides a full overview of the many and varied career opportunities available in the games industry – from coding and programming to marketing and communications; from design and narrative to business development; from QA and localisation to HR and talent acquisition.
But, importantly, the publication also provides invaluable guidance to students and graduates on how to take their first steps in securing a new career opportunity, including advice and insights on:
- Job Seekers Resources
- Jobs Boards & Recruitment Agencies
- Creating a CV and Portfolio
- Networking & Building Connections
- Interview Preparation
In addition, the Guide covers personal development topics such as Tackling Imposter Syndrome, as well as offering advice to those considering launching their own studios.
At over 80 pages in total, the Guide is an invaluable resource for anyone looking at a career in games.
This June, The Royal Society will host a free in-person and virtual lecture featuring Professor Ingrid Daubechies FRS, the 2025 Bakerian Medal recipient for her contributions to wavelets and image compression.
In her talk, she will explore how mathematical algorithms have helped art historians and conservators reconstruct Mantegna's frescoes and uncover hidden artworks.
Sign up for The Royal Society's free lecture
In this innovative research study, Joanna Fursman, Will Grant, and Carol Wild begin by revisiting the work undertaken by Dick Downing and Ruth Watson in their Tate-sponsored 2004 School Art: What Is It? report.
Twenty years later, they replicate the processes employed by Downing and Watson – asking secondary school art teachers across England about the curriculum they deliver: its contents, structure, and impact.
Candid interviews with 36 participants provide illustrative insight into the state of art education in England’s secondary schools in 2024. Through comparison, contextualisation, and critical reflection, Fursman, Grant, and Wild construct a new set of questions for today’s policymakers and practitioners.
Do you know a young person who loves art and enjoys writing?
Take part in Write on Art, the national writing programme by Art UK and Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art for young people (14–19 years old).
Young people are invited to write 400–600 words about an artwork of their choice on Art UK’s website for one of three categories:
✍️ Creative writing – an imaginative and expressive response to an artwork
💬 Review – a critical commentary about an artwork or installation
📝 Essay – a critical analysis of an artwork supported by evidence
Twelve successful applicants will be invited to attend a day-long Young Art Writers Workshop at Royal College of Art in September 2025 and have their work published.
The Arts and Minds campaign and coalition is calling for all children and young people to have the right to study creative subjects and for arts funding in schools to be fully restored.
Arts and Minds is a coalition of over 20 organisations including the National Education Union, Equity, the Musicians’ Union and NSEAD, which aims to draw attention to the ‘creative gap’ in schools and are calling for the government to put creativity at the heart of learning.
Thank you!
I hope you found this update useful. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me and the team using the contact details below.
You can also sign up to get these Art, Design & Media updates straight to your inbox every month.
Subject advisor
Jaclyn Wiid
Art, Design and Media
Phone :
+44 (0) 344 463 2535
(Teaching Services team | Mon - Fri, 8am - 5pm GMT )
