December 2021 Esports update
This December update includes news of how to understand your programme ratings as well as the usual features on delivery assessment and information for each qualification.
We hope that you are able to enjoy an enjoyable and relaxing winter break.
Programme ratings
The programme ratings are available on pages 17-18 of the BTEC Centre Guide to Quality Assurance (please see below).
Assessment 2021-2022
10 November 2021: deadline for submitting UTAGs
November-December: quality assurance checks once the U-TAGs have been submitted. You may be contacted in November or December to provide the evidence that you have collated and recorded to support the U-TAG judgements.
13 January 2022: we will aim to confirm that your UTAGs have been accepted by this date.
2020-2021: the Qualification-level ‘Teacher Assessed Grade’ (QTAG) processes ensured that learners were able to claim certification.
2021-2022: QTAGs not permitted.
2021-2022: an updated adaptation called ‘streamlined assessment’. Streamlined assessment is where you will only be required to assess one learning aim from the selected unit.
Not all qualifications are able to use the streamlined adaptations, and some qualifications do not have any assessment adaptations in place, due to their smaller size.
The option to streamline the number of assessments indicated in the guidance is at the centre’s discretion upon reflection of the continued impact of disruption to learners caused by the pandemic.
Centres should continue to plan to deliver all content and assessment to ensure learners are best placed for their future progression. However, streamlined assessment is available, if required, to create additional time for lost teaching and learning.
The following principles apply to all learners:
- All content must be taught.
- Centres should plan to take all assessments planned for 2021/22 academic year.
- Centres should prioritise mandatory unit assessments, and those that have been identified as important for learner progression (e.g. linked to HEI admissions).
- Streamlined assessments should only be applied to mandatory units as a last resort.
- Streamlined assessment cannot be applied to units that are synoptic (this is detailed in the relevant specification).
- The option to streamline the number of assessments indicated in the guidance, is at the centre’s discretion and on reflection on the continued impact of the disruption caused by the pandemic on the learners.
- Streamlined assessment is available to create additional time for teaching, learning and access to facilities like workshops, studies and laboratories.
- Where streamlined assessment is applied, centres must assess at least 1 learning aim, of the centres choice, that covers all available grades for the unit.
- The learning aim must be assessed, a grade awarded and submitted on EOL with the relevant ‘streamlined flag’ (further administration guidance to follow).
- Centres should continue to ‘bank’ units through the year using the ‘interim’ claims function in EOL.
Centres will need to declare which units have been subject to streamlined assessment (further administration guidance to follow). - Centres can choose to assess all units, and not use the streamlined internal assessment option if they are able to assess all content.
Videos
Support for Esports
On the eve of World Esports Day (Saturday 23 October), The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) added esports to DofE programmes.
The DofE’s CEO, Ruth Marvel said: “Esports is one of the fastest growing activities in the UK and helps young people develop essential skills. DofE has a proud history of evolving our programmes to reflect the changing interests and needs of young people, so I’m delighted that, following a successful pilot, we’ve added esports to the DofE Skills list.
The British Esports Association (BEA) Head of Education, Tom Dore, praised the DofE for adopting esports into its programme.
“The BEA couldn’t be more delighted that the DofE is now recognising value of esports. Like all traditional sports, it teaches young people many life-enhancing skills. It can also lead to a whole host of exciting education and career opportunities, not just within the global esports industry, but also wider digital, creative and STEM based industries.
The ‘Williams’ brand conjures up images of Formula One, rubber tyres screeching on concrete, engines roaring and mechanics rushing, tools in tow. But there’s a new sound emerging from the famous racing company to accompany the talking team and hubbub of working together – the sound of buttons mashing.
Get notified about the latest news, events and press releases from the British Esports Association.
To ensure smooth delivery of Esports qualifications, the three forms below will help you prepare the resources you will need to deliver the qualification.
- Resource requirements: what you will need
- Approvals checklist: a check that all resources are available
- Approvals form: details of where to send your approval request.
Videos
Pearson Esports Podcast: Episode 1 - Grants and Funding for Esports Equipment
The British Esports Association has developed a new parent and carers guide in collaboration with the NSPCC, which aims to educate parents and carers about esports and online safety.
This guide has been created to provide information to help parents understand more about the esports industry.
For many colleges across the country, this year will be the first time they’ve introduced the esports BTEC into their curriculum. For some this will be a seamless transition, but for others it may create more questions than answers. The BTEC has been designed in such a clever way that it enables colleges to run the course in lots of different ways based on a range of situations, staff and equipment bespoke to each institution.
Lecturer, consultant, and teacher of esports, Nik Turner has written his first blog post.
Support for BTEC qualifications
This might be an important page to bookmark this year. The Teaching, Learning and Assessment web page will be updated throughout the year.
Our VQ Bulletin is a consolidated briefing from Pearson, which contains all the key updates you need about our vocational qualifications.
To view all past issues, please see our VQ Bulletin Blog, and if you would like to sign up please visit the sign up link.
The Centre Guides can help you with all the Quality Assurance processes.
We have templates, forms and guides to help you save time and fulfil your part in the BTEC assessment and verification process with ease.
You’re welcome to use your own forms and templates, but it may be worth referring to ours to ensure you’ve got the essentials covered.
The Pearson quality advisor team offer a range of free online events to support all aspects of quality assurance in relation to your BTEC programmes. Whatever your role, please take a look at our list of events on offer on our Quality Support Hub Events page. These events are offered on different days and at different times so we are sure you will find a slot to suit you and your teams.
BTEC roles and responsibilities of the Assessor and Internal Verifier
This one hour event will run on 9 December.
The session will covers assessment planning, producing an assignment brief , internal assessment resubmission and retake rules, assessment strategies, and conducting effective internal verification.
In order to access the ACS, you will need to complete the form using the following options:
| Option | Please select |
|---|---|
| Customer options | Teacher & Department Heads |
| Issue type | Systems, Tools & Services |
| Category type | BTEC Assignment checking Service |
You can then complete the rest of the online form providing all the information relevant to your case, attach the assignment brief once you have submitted the case.
Please ensure that you have also read the ACS terms & conditions.
Please note that the Assignment Checking Service will be closed from Friday 3 December to Monday 10 January 2022.
The Professional Development Academy is a one-stop shop that provides access to a wide range of flexible, high-quality online courses for teachers.
You will find a range of on-demand, live and self-guided training courses creating flexible options for learning at a time that suits individual needs.
Our qualifications
BTEC Nationals in Esports
This is where you will find the specifications for the:
- Extended Certificate
- Foundation Diploma
- Diploma
- Extended Diploma
Delivery Guides are available for Units 1-5. Delivery guides include suggested resources.
We also have schemes of work for units 1-7, 11, 12, 14, 17, and 18.
The document below is intended to provide you with guidance for how you might adapt delivery for the BTEC Nationals in Esports (RQF) in the academic year of 2021-2022.
Streamlined assessment
Streamlined assessment is where you will only be required to assess one Learning Aim from the selected unit.
Streamlined unit assessment means that the number of internally assessed units that need to be assessed in full is reduced, and for Esports only optional units are eligible.
Authorised Assignment Briefs are available for most units.
You may use Authorised Assignment Briefs 'off the shelf' but they still need to be internally verified.
You may wish to use these as a model for your own assignment briefs and you can have these checked by our Assignment Checking Service.
The links below provide all the dates for the British Esports Student Champs covering registrations, group stages, playoffs and grand finals.
Videos
The British Esports Association have an interesting article on different tournament formats used in esports.
The British Esports Association have an interesting article containing advice on how to get into esports casting which may be of interest to our esports teachers and learners.
Level 2 Esports
Getting started: BTEC Level 2 in Esports
Content:
• Course structures
• Exploring the units
• Planning and delivery
• Resources and facilities
• Qualification grading
This is where you will find the specification for the
- Award (120 glh)
- Certificate (240 glh)
- Diploma (360 glh)
No external assessment
Performance tables (England): Not on performance measures (England)
These qualifications are for learners who want to develop a range of skills within the esports and related industries. They are designed primarily for learners at post-16, but are suitable qualifications for 14-16 and post-16 learners as part of their wider study programme. They are ideal qualifications for learners intending to progress to further education at level 3 or to an apprenticeship within esports and related industries.
Funding: 16-18, 19+
The document below is intended to provide you with guidance for how you might adapt delivery for the BTEC Level 2 Esports qualifications in the academic year of 2021-2022.
Streamlined assessment
Streamlined assessment is where you will only be required to assess one learning aim from the selected unit.
Streamlined unit assessment means that the number of internally assessed units that need to be assessed in full is reduced, these could be mandatory or optional, but cannot be units that are synoptic.
So, for the BTEC Level 2 Award in Esports, it would have to be Unit 1.
For the BTEC Level 2 Certificate in Esports, it would have to be Unit 1.
For the BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Esports, it would have to be one of Units 3, 4, 6 or 7.
We have assignment briefs for Units 1-4.
Level 1 Esports
Esports can be delivered at level 1 by changing the context of units within our Vocational Studies qualifications. All units are internally assessed. Centres will need to follow the rules for vocational studies i.e. cover the required mandatory units and correct number of sector units depending on the size of the qualification. - please refer to the specification for guidance.
Subject advisors
Colin Leith
Esports
