Consultation on the arrangements for the assessment and awarding of vocational, technical and other general qualifications in 2020 to 2021

Our proposed arrangements for 2020 to 2021 will apply to all regulated qualifications apart from GCSEs, AS and A levels, and end-point assessments, and seek to assist in mitigating disruption to teaching, learning and assessments so that, as far as possible, learners have the opportunity to receive fair results in 2020 to 2021 and are not disadvantaged by the longer term impacts of the pandemic.

We have consulted on our proposed arrangements for 2020 to 2021 in two stages.

The first stage of our consultation ran from 3 to 14 August. We consulted on the introduction of a second version of the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework (ERF), the Extended ERF, which would permit awarding organisations to mitigate the impact of disruptions to teaching, learning and assessment arising from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, through the adaptation of assessments and qualifications. We also consulted on a set of objectives to guide awarding organisations’ decisions about how assessments and qualifications could be adapted. We said that we would consider whether and how to include these objectives within the Extended ERF.

Given the high level of agreement with the arrangements proposed in our first consultation, we have decided to implement them in full.

In this second stage, we are consulting on a further draft version of the Extended ERF to put the arrangements in to effect. It is includes revised principles, the statutory guidance we have developed to guide awarding organisations’ decisions around adaptation, and statutory guidance on Special Consideration. We are not consulting on any changes to the overall approach.

This consultation is open to anyone who may wish to make representations but may be of particular interest to:

• the awarding organisations we regulate, and their representative bodies

• learners who are expecting to be awarded a vocational or technical qualification, or other general qualification, in 2021

• the family, parents or carers of these learners

• teachers, tutors, exam staff and other representatives from schools, colleges, training providers and other places where the relevant qualifications are delivered

• higher education institutions, further education colleges and training providers that may be making offers to learners for future academic years

• education representative bodies

• employers who might be receiving job applications from learners taking these qualifications, or who might already employ these learners

• professional bodies, regulators and industry groups