April 2021 Construction update

In the video below, you will be able to go through the recently flowchart, which takes you through the decision making process for Q-TAGs.

Our sector experts have compiled some examples of the evidence you might use to make the holistic Qualification-level Teacher Assessed Grade (Q-TAG) judgement. They are not meant to be prescriptive and are provided as examples of how a teacher might approach grading the performance of a particular learner. The examples are intended to guide you, showing the judgements teachers might make in specific circumstances. See document below. 

When determining a Q-TAG, centres will need to have evidence of learner performance appropriate to the qualification level and purpose. Where this evidence consists mainly of practical activities, as in the construction sector, it might be challenging for a centre to make a holistic judgement in the absence of sufficient appropriate evidence. The following guidance document is intended to support centres in determining what might be considered as the most appropriate sources of evidence for certificating learners in the Construction sector.

The performance indicators in the link below are designed to be used to undertake a holistic sense check of the Q-TAG that you have arrived through the guidance documents. The performance indicators are not intended to replace or undermine the evidence you have already considered, but support in confirming, or highlighting the need to reconsider, the Q-TAG.

We have previously communicated unit level adaptations to qualifications to mitigate against loss time and the challenges brought by the pandemic, including school closures.

The adaptation that applied for Construction: 

• Reduced internal unit assessment adaptation for BTEC First and Nationals in Construction and the Built Environment.

Please make sure that you have signed up to receive our VQ Bulletins to ensure that you receive all new information detailing the processes which will operate for this year. You can also review past bulletins if you’ve missed any or sign up to receive future updates if you have not already done so, via the links below.

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As you are aware, following a consultation on arrangements for assessing vocational and technical qualifications this summer the DfE confirmed in February that students would be able to receive a Teacher Assessed grade for the core component of their T Level this summer.

Read the full update and access guidance here

Summer 2021 teacher assessed grades (TAG) support materials for T levels in Construction are published and can be accessed from the qualification page. See link below to access these documents.