April update for Early years and Child Development
Welcome to the update for April. I hope you were able to get some down time over the Easter break.
There is information about Reforms and an important update for Children's Play Learning and Development (2016). There is a briefing about the reforms and what that means for Early Years qualifications so see below and book your place.
We will bring you up to date with the recent government announcements on Post-16 Vocational reform at Levels 2 and 3. You'll learn more about government decisions on what new qualifications will look like, when each subject area will transition, and what this means for funding of current qualifications.
We are aware that the Essential information for assessment decisions for Learning Aim D of Unit 5 states that to achieve a pass standard learner “must show that they have followed correct procedures, supporting their evidence with a witness statement of a qualified early years professional”.
However, a witness testimony is not required for Unit 5 achievement as there are no specific additional resource requirements for this unit i.e. a placement is not required to achieve this unit.
It is possible to achieve Unit 5 using theoretical scenarios, if necessary, in line with the information given in the Practical Evidence Portfolio (PEP). A witness testimony should be used to support learners work if they have used evidence from the placement to achieve Learning Aim D.
The annual BTEC Higher Nationals Student Survey is open for responses.
Please encourage your students to complete the survey for their chance to win one of two £100 Amazon vouchers.
Survey closes: Thursday 30th April 2026.
Ofqual has published a new blog highlighting the importance of open, honest conversations with students about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in coursework.
AI tools are now part of everyday life for many young people. But it’s important that students understand where the boundaries are. Using AI to generate coursework without proper disclosure is cheating, and the consequences can be serious - including the loss of a qualification.
The blog is designed to help you start those conversations with confidence. It includes:
A ready‑to‑use lesson plan to support classroom discussion about AI and assessed work. A senior leadership team briefing pack to help schools and colleges develop a clear, whole‑school approach to AI in coursework.
Together, these resources can help ensure students are informed, supported and clear about expectations - before assessment pressures begin.
We know many of our centres and students use the UCAS application service when applying to Higher Education in the UK. We wanted to let you know that UCAS are currently consulting on the operation of the UCAS undergraduate admissions cycle including:
This is an opportunity for you to have your say. You can find out further details about the consultation and respond on the UCAS website. The deadline to respond is 18.00 (UK time) on 22 April 2026.
Please check the website to ensure you are using the most up to date PSAB for each unit and you have the most recent addition of the Specification. This will ensure that there is no problems with students work when it comes to being sampled for Standards Verification.
Remember the deadline for you to send your samples to the Standards Verifier is 15 May 2026.
