Teaching, learning and assessment 2025/2026
Here's all the support you need for 2025/26 vocational qualifications in one place. We'll keep this page updated as you work through termtime checkpoints and exam series, right up until you issue results.
Last updated: 31 March 2026
Your BTEC cohort confirmation is now open
Your second term-time checkpoint, the cohort confirmation, is now open in the VQ Learner Tracker for you to complete by 1 May. This is a final check to make sure we know exactly which students are expecting a result in summer 2026.
We're not asking all centres to meet this checkpoint; you'll have had an email from us if you need to complete your confirmation.
What you need to do
Once you’ve logged in to the VQ Learner Tracker:
- Check that summer tags have been applied correctly, removing or adding any where needed.
- Take a look at any missing entries. We've contacted all centres who had summer-tagged students with missing entries when the confirmation opened on 31 March. Please make any missing entries or remove the summer tag if they are no longer expecting to complete this summer.
- If you've registered students on BTEC National (AAQ) programmes who are expecting a result in summer 2026, we need to know, so make sure to review these carefully.
- Finally, submit your cohort confirmation, which is at the top of the screen in the VQ Learner Tracker.
There’s no need to resolve any other outstanding actions you may see in the VQ Learner Tracker as part of this term-time checkpoint; we’re just asking for you to check summer tags. Once you've submitted your confirmation, you have until the claim deadline of 5 July to address outstanding actions.
Log in to the VQ Learner Tracker
Not quite ready to complete your cohort confirmation?
You can pledge to complete on time by clicking on the banner at the top of the VQ Learner Tracker screen. That way we know you’re on track.
New to the VQ Learner Tracker?
Follow our guide to adding or removing tags
Follow our guide to finding any missing entries
Join us at a live webinar
If you’d like more support, we’d love to see you at one of our webinars where we’ll walk you through exactly what to do.
Wednesday 22 April, 10:00–11:00 am | Book your place
Tuesday 28 April, 2:00–3:00 pm | Book your place
Any questions? Our team is ready to help through the Pearson support portal.
Catch up on what's been happening this month for vocational qualifications.
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Your spring term essentials
Key dates for everyone
Made with your input, here are your vocational key dates and term-time checkpoints for the 2025/26 academic year:
Here's a quick overview of your very first deadlines from 2025/26. These key dates are the responsibility of the exams officer to complete, but they rely on support from teachers, quality nominees, and senior leaders. That’s why it’s important that everyone knows what these dates are and works together to meet them.
| Date | Deadline |
|---|---|
| 30 January 2026 | Termtime checkpoint deadline: cohort declaration. Your head of centre completes a declaration to confirm all students who are expecting a result in summer 2026. |
| 21 February 2026 | BTEC Tech Award entry deadline: make entries for internal and external components for the May/June series |
| 18 March 2026 | Release of January results to centres |
| 19 March 2026 | Release of January results to students |
| 20 March 2026 | BTEC Firsts, Nationals, Technicals entry deadline: make external assessment entries for the May/June series |
| 1 April 2026 |
Release of February results to centres |
| 2 April 2026 | Release of February results to students |
Exams officers
New to the role? Tell us!
We’ve got a full support programme designed to help you get up to speed quickly and confidently, including regular exams officer webinars and modules in the Pearson Development Hub.
Quality nominees
Whether you’re new in post or a seasoned quality nominee, our vocational quality assurance managers are here to help you start the year strong. From clear, practical centre guides to live events and interactive resources, there’s plenty to help you feel confident and stay ahead.
Explore support for quality nominees at the home of quality assurance
Use our BTEC quality assurance year planner for a full breakdown of quality assurance processes over the course of the year.
Heads of centres
As head of centre, you should understand the key dates relating to vocational qualifications so you can make sure your teams have the support they need. At the start of the year, you'll need to complete your Edexcel Online account confirmation and terms and conditions.
Missed our email?
Teachers
Our team of subject advisors are experts in their fields, many of them former teachers. They are here to support you throughout the year and can help with all your subject-specific queries. They offer monthly newsletters and one-to-one appointments, and you can raise cases with them via the Pearson support portal.
ResultsPlus is our online results analysis tool for teachers. Included as part of your qualification fees, ResultsPlus gives you a detailed breakdown of your students’ performance in Pearson Edexcel exams and BTEC external assessments.
We have a wealth of training events available for teachers, with both live, in-person events and recorded sessions you can access at a time that suits you.
Students and parents
We’ve produced a dedicated guide to BTEC 2025 results to help you understand how we assess and award BTEC qualifications and what to do you if you’re not happy with your results.
Replace your original certificate for your qualification, change your name on your certificate and more.
If you’re a private candidate looking for information on where you can take Pearson qualification exams, where to find past papers or if you’re not happy with your results, we’re here to help.
Contact us
If you need more support with any ongoing activities or have any questions, we're here and ready to help you have a successful start to the year.
Contact us via the Pearson support portal.
Post-16 L3 qualifications Review
For the latest informaton about the future of post-16 level 3 vocational qualifications in England, please see our dedicated web page.