April 2025 BTEC Performing Arts update
Hello and welcome to this April update. The Easter break is almost upon us and hope that you and your students are doing well.
If you ever need to get in touch, please use my details below.
In this update you will find:
BTEC Tech Award - Earlier release of Pearson set assignments
PSAs will now be available three months earlier.
New PSA Release Dates
- 2 June 2025 – PSA for the December/January 25/26 assessment series
- 1 September 2025 - PSA for the May/June 2026 assessment series.
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, working to a 15 May submission deadline.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 6 May | Tech Award: assessment window ends for Component 3 |
| 15 May | Standards Verification (Firsts, Nationals, Technicals): deadline for first sample to reach SV |
| 15 May | Tech Award: submission deadline for marks and moderation sample for internally assessed components |
| 15 May | Tech Award: deadline for upload of learner work for Component 3 external assessment |
| 27 June | Tech Award: deadline for amending marks following moderator feedback (where necessary) for internal assessments May submission |
| 5 July | Claiming deadline: all internally assessed unit grades to be submitted and full award claims to be made by 5 July. |
| 14 August | Level 3 results day |
| 21 August | Tech Award: Release of results to learners from May internal and external component submissions |
24 April BTEC Level 3 Performing Arts Sector Briefing
The session will focus on supporting you to continue to teach with confidence and we will provide an update on current Government reviews. There will also be the opportunity for you to ask questions and hear from other centres.
The session takes place online, 3 - 4pm on 24th April
Curriculum and Assessment Review
The interim report was published in March with the final report due in the autumn.
The report seems to acknowledge that "a significant proportion of young people require a mix of qualifications, or cannot access A levels or T Levels, or have not yet decided on career plans."
Standards Verification hints and tips
It's Standards Verification season and here are some reminders of best practice:
- Please use Learner Work Transfer (LWT) to share and upload work for your Standards Verifier (SV) and not to send any work directly to your SV or use other shared platforms e.g. Google Drive; this is to protect the confidentiality of learner work by ensuring it is uploaded into a secure environment.
- We want to reduce the admin burden for you in terms of uploading material. If the sampled students are in the same workshops, rehearsals and final performance, the videos can be uploaded once and assigned to each student rather than uploading the videos three times. This also applies to documentation, e.g. assignment briefs and IV documents.
- When evidencing the development of skills and techniques and/or the rehearsal process, we would normally expect approximately 3 - 5 milestone recordings. We understand that many assessors will have recorded a lot of videos, wanting to capture as much as possible, as opposed to recording just the milestone recordings. For Standards Verification, centres should avoid uploading all the videos they have. This can be incredibly time consuming for all parties involved. Assessors should select the recordings which best show the students demonstrating the skills at the grade they have awarded, and share these with the Standards Verifier.
- We have also had a few very large files shared. If students are performing in a showcase, but they are on stage in shorter extracts or in particular dances or musical numbers, please edit the video to share the relevant performance work only. Alternatively, reduce the size of video recording using editing software to support shorter upload and download timings, and provide detailed timings and students ID so the students can be found easily.
- Reducing the size of large video files can be helpful. The largest file that can be uploaded on LWT is 8GB, but these files can take a very long time to upload and prolong the process in submitting a sample for standards verification.
Zoonation CPD
Our friends at ZooNation are excited to announce two new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) events designed to empower and inspire dance and performing arts educators. Both events spotlight the ZooNation classic Some Like It Hip Hop, celebrated for its signature storytelling, dynamic Hip-Hop styles and original music.
Session 1: Some Like It Hip Hop Twilight Online CPD event
Support the academic studies of the production exploring the themes, creative approaches, and roles & responsibilities.
Date: Thursday, 19th June
Time: 4 PM – 6 PM
Book a place
Cost: £25 (includes follow-up notes and exclusive teaching resources)
Session 2: Some Like It Hip Hop Practical CPD event
Develop practical Hip-Hop dance techniques and teaching pedagogy, learn professional repertoire and improve student progress.
Date: Thursday, 3rd July
Time: 10 AM – 4 PM
Location: North London Studio (near Caledonian Road Tube)
Book a place
Cost: Early Bird £125 | Full Price £150 (includes Pret lunch, follow-up notes, and resources)
Use code EARLYBIRD25 at checkout to receive discounted ticket.
Teacher CPD in Peckham, London
As part of their 25th anniversary activity, Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation (CSSF) is a hosting a one-of-a-kind CPD event bringing together teachers and leading theatre practitioners; Playful Spaces (Saturday 12 July in Peckham) will explore how creativity can re-energise teaching practice and reintroduce joy to the classroom.
CSSF are looking for collaborators and offering sponsorship packages with the opportunity to receive tickets to attend Playful Spaces and other 25th anniversary activities.
Contact their Programmes and Creative Lead: Maddie.short@coramshakespeareschools.org.uk
Subject advisor
Paul Webster
Drama, Theatre and Performing Arts
