Regulating academic and technical qualifications at level 3

This consultation sets out Ofqual’s proposed approach to regulating alternative academic qualifications and alternative technical qualifications, operating in conjunction with the Institute and the Department. These qualifications will be part of the future level 3 landscape, as part of the Department’s ‘Review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 in England’, alongside A levels, T Levels and Apprenticeships. These groups of qualifications are explained in more detail later in this document, but in summary:

• alternative academic qualifications are those which have the primary purpose of evidencing students’ attainment in relation to their course of study, with a view to supporting informed decisions and choices about further study

• alternative technical qualifications are those which have the primary purpose of identifying students that have attained the knowledge, skills and behaviours linked to competence in a given occupation.

This consultation is open to anyone who may wish to make representation but may be of most interest to:

• awarding organisations and their representative bodies, particularly those that deliver (or want to deliver) alternative academic and alternative technical qualifications that would fit into the groups to be regulated by the proposed arrangements

• schools, colleges and training providers, and their representative bodies – particularly those that deliver (or want to deliver) alternative academic and alternative technical qualifications that would fit into the groups to be regulated by the proposed arrangements

• students

• employers