In this last update of the year I would like to draw your attention to preparation for results days and to the autumn 2021 exam series. We would also be grateful if you could take the time to complete a five-minute survey on our GCSE and A level Business qualifications.
Results day for A levels and IALs is 10 August and for GCSEs and International GCSEs on 12 August. The section below on Appeals will help you prepare for results day. Please make sure you have read the JCQ Appeals Guidance and have shared everything that you can in advance with learners.
Timetables for IAL and International GCSE Business are already available for the autumn series. We now have provisional timetables for A level and GCSE which you can see below.
Looking forward to next year, the DfE and Ofqual have not yet confirmed arrangements about the format of assessments in summer 2022 for GCSE, AS and A level. Any decision is likely to be preceded by a consultation.
For the moment however, I hope that, when it comes, you are able to enjoy a relaxing summer break.
Clearly, there will be a lot of information coming out over the next few weeks and it is important that you have the latest information. To keep up to date you can:
On 8 June Ofqual and the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) published their guidance for appeals in 2021. These are important documents that outline the processes that will be in place for this summer’s appeals process.
Go to the Ofqual Statutory guidance: appeals under the GQAA regulatory framework
Go to the JCQ A guide to appeals processes Summer 2021 series
You might find it helpful to start with the introduction for Heads of centre and senior leaders, at the start of the JCQ document, which highlights some activities which could be completed before the end of term to help reduce the number of appeals and to help ensure the appeals process runs smoothly.
Apprendix F contains a checklist of actions which centres might wish to use to help reduce the number of appeals on results day.
Appendix C contains a list of the evidence which Awarding Organisations will need in the event of an appeal, and which centres might want to review now to ensure that all the documentation that will be needed is readily available.
We also have an overview video on the appeals process and a Appeals summer 2021 web page.
On 8 June Ofqual and the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) published their guidance for appeals in 2021. These are important documents that outline the processes that will be in place for this summer’s appeals process.
Go to the Ofqual Statutory guidance: appeals under the GQAA regulatory framework
Go to the JCQ A guide to appeals processes Summer 2021 series
We will follow the same principles for Pearson’s International GCSEs and International AS/A Levels. The document below provides a summary of the appeals process for these international qualifications and also provides information on where the appeals process will differ from the arrangements detailed in the JCQ document.
International qualification appeals should be submitted using the Pearson Appeals Portal. This will be accessed by centres via Edexcel Online (EOL). Applications to appeal should be submitted with the relevant supporting evidence for the appeal.
To help international centres navigate the JCQ guidance and understand what you need prepare for before grade submission, after grade submission and for results day, as well as what you need to share with students, we have put together a visual guide that you can download.
Further information can be found on our Appeals summer 2021 web page, including information on the appeals process and guidance for our international qualifications.
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.
Browse all courses on the Professional Development Academy
In February this year, we launched the Be The Future social enterprise competition in collaboration with the Peter Jones Foundation.
We would like to say a huge congratulations to everyone who entered the challenge and are delighted to announce the three winners that have been chosen.
You can find out more about this year’s winners and sign up to receive updates on next year’s challenge on the Be The Future page. We hope you’ll try again next year, if possible.
Pearson Business School's brand new, Virtual Work Experience is an exciting programme where your learners can learn and build new skills, boost their employability, make new contacts and start expanding a professional network. We will be joined by industry professionals from the likes of IBM, Bloomberg, L'Oréal, Pearson and the BBC.
Teachers tend to think of using apps as teaching tools in the classroom. Yet, they can also be used for general tasks, such as workload management, productivity, and organisation.
The Economics, Business and Enterprise Association (EBEA) is the professional subject association for everyone interested in the teaching and study of Economics, Business and Enterprise.
It is free to become a registered member and this gives you access to an archive of journals and articles which are older than one year. Paid membership (which is tax deductible) provides you with a monthly newsletter and a termly printed journal.
The Financial Times is offering free online subscriptions to students aged 16-19, their teachers and schools around the world, and to colleges of further education in the UK.
Please open the support tab below for links to delivery and assessment support, as well as to the Facebook Group and the Subject Community
Entry for the autumn 2021 exam series for GCSE examinations is restricted to students who have received a teacher-assessed grade in summer 2021 and to students who are able to demonstrate that they would have entered summer 2021 exams had they not been cancelled. Centres should only submit entries for students where they are confident that they meet the eligibility criteria and can provide suitable evidence to the awarding organisation on request.
The entry deadline is 4 October 2021.
The November 2021 provisional exam timetable is:
Please open the support tab below for links to delivery and assessment support as well as to the subject community.
You will also find information on the 2021 summer exam series.
This is a repeat of the training that took place in spring 2021. This online training is designed for teachers who are new to delivering the International GCSE Business specification. The training is comprised of three 'standalone' modules which are booked separately.
12 July 08.00-10.00 Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Business: Welcome to Pearson (Module 1)
In Module 1, delegates will:
- Identify how the qualification is devised and fundamental documentation
- Review the content of the qualification
- explore how to plan the course and/or lessons
- Understand the assessment of the qualification and how to prepare students
- Identify support available from Pearson
Pearson Event Code: 4BS1-21IO2/02
14 July 08.00-10.00 Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Business: Welcome to Pearson (Module 2)
In Module 2, delegates will:
- Understand the Assessment Objectives for the qualification
- Understand the question types for the qualification
- Understand the mark schemes for the qualification
- Practise using the mark schemes using exemplar student work
- Learn about the support provided by Pearson around assessment and exemplars
Pearson Event Code: 4BS1-21IO3/02
26 August 08.00-09.00 Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and A level Welcome to Pearson (Module 3)
In Module 3, delegates will:
- Look in more detail at the free support available on the website
- Learn about personal support
- Such as subject advisor/credible specialists/training
- Investigate ResultsPlus, Exam Wizard and other assessment support (where available)
- Understand Access to Scripts and post-results support
- Look at the published resources for students and teachers available from Pearson
Please note: a recording of the events will be sent to attendees only.
We will be offering a November exam series. This is an additional arrangement for 2021 only and replaces the January 2022 exam series.
The entry deadline is 4 October 2021.
The provisional timetable is below.
Please open the support tab below for links to delivery and assessment support, as well as to the Facebook Group and the Subject Community
Entry for the autumn 2021 exam series for A level examinations is restricted to students who have received a teacher-assessed grade in summer 2021 and to students who are able to demonstrate that they would have entered summer 2021 exams had they not been cancelled. Centres should only submit entries for students where they are confident that they meet the eligibility criteria and can provide suitable evidence to the awarding organisation on request.
The entry deadline is 8 September 2021
The provisional timetable for the October 2021 exam series is:
Please open the support tab below for links to delivery and assessment support.
You will also find information on the 2021 summer and autumn exam series, student book answers and university recognition of IALs.
Pearson’s approach for IAS/IAL qualifications for May/June 2021 is for centres to provide letter grades by unit. The unit results from this series will have associated UMS scores so that they can be aggregated with both existing unit results from prior exam series and unit results from future exam series.
The first document below shows how UMS conversions worked last year (the same method will apply this year), and the second document explains and illustrates the application of the unit aggregation and certification rules
The International AS/A level October exam series will go ahead as planned.
The entry deadline is 29 August 2021
If you bought copies of the textbooks for this qualification the answers to the questions set in the textbooks are available.
We have secured IAL recognition from over 30 new global universities and admissions bodies.
New countries added to the list include Belarus, Israel and Turkey and we increased the recognition in popular European destinations Italy, Netherlands, Germany and Spain.
Welcome to this April 2024 update.
This update includes news of two Component 3 training events for the Tech Award this month. There is also information about the January 2024 Tech Award results including the grade boundaries, claiming certification, and entering for resits.
The deadline for the submission of work via Learner Work Transfer for the BTEC Tech Awards is now 15 May 2024 (extended from 1 May 2024).
Welcome to this March 2024 update.
The deadline for the submission of work via Learner Work Transfer for the BTEC Tech Awards is now 15 May 2024 (extended from 1 May 2024).
This update also includes news of two training events for the Tech Award before Easter about the internally assessed components, and one event after Easter about Component 3. There is also information about claiming certification and entering for resits.
I hope that you are able to enjoy the Easter break when it comes.
