May 2021 Construction update
Here is your May 2021 subject update for Construction and the Built Environment.
In this update, you will access the latest information on Q-TAGs for summer 2021 for BTEC Construction and T-Levels in Construction qualifications.
Summer 2021 Q-TAG information and guidance
Below are useful links to information and guidance on summer 2021 Q-TAGs. From the VQ bulletin blog, please sign up to receive the bulletins. These bulletins include the most up-to-date information and guidance on summer 2021 arrangements.
Further updates from the Construction sector
The deadline for the activity is 30 May* and this means all reports should be completed by that date. Please encourage your teams to get samples to Standards Verifiers as soon as possible, so you can receive feedback before the 18 June Q-TAG deadline. There will be no extension to this date, as we will move our focus to the Q-TAG process and associated quality assurance activities.
*with the exception of ’B2’ categorised BTEC qualifications.
You will already be aware of the existing mitigations regarding ‘reduced assessment’ available to mid-flight learners. We have heard and spoken to many of you regarding the need to ensure that mid-flight learners have the impact they’ve experienced this year as a result of the pandemic fully mitigated. In some cases you’ve told us that ‘reduced assessment’ mitigations do not go far enough.
We will release further support on mid-flight learners (including those who will ‘top-up’ next year) as soon as possible to ensure learners are not disadvantaged – and we thank you for your feedback.
We are sorry to inform you that there has been a delay to the release of ‘Z flag’ functionality, where you are able to ‘flag’ a unit as ‘reduced’, meaning it was taught, but not assessed. In line with our guidance, this is required for mid-flight learners, or certificating learners who plan to ‘top-up’ to a larger qualification next year. We will of course adjust deadlines in relation to the submission of this data and would like to reiterate it is not essential to submit reduced assessment flags for certificating learners who are not ‘topping-up’ – where the ‘Q-TAG’ is the primary mitigation for these learners.
Our expectation is that this functionality will be available towards the end of May. We thank you for your patience and understanding whilst we work as fast as we can to ensure this functionality is fully tested before being deployed.
As you know, the DfE have confirmed T Level students will have the option to receive a Teacher Assessed Grade (TAG) for the Core Component this summer. You can access the latest updates from the May 2021 E-bulletin.
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.
T Level - Construction training events
There is a selection of events available for T levels in Construction, including some network events. Please visit the training page below and filter for T levels and Construction to access and book on to these events.
Subject advisor
Evren Alibaba
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment
