AQW 15608/17-22
Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim
Tabled Date: 02/03/2021
Answered On Date: 11/03/2021
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy for an update on alternative arrangements for the awarding of vocational and essential skills examinations for 2021.
Answer:
On 22 January 2021, I announced the cancellation of all external vocational exams in Northern Ireland for the remainder of this academic year, including BTecs and Essential Skills. CCEA Regulation has been working closely with other national regulators to develop the detail of the alternative arrangements and following stakeholder consultation, vocational qualifications have been split into 2 broad categories in terms of how they will be managed. Category A These are qualifications used to signal occupational or professional competency or act as a licence to practise. Results can only be awarded when assessments have taken place given the critical importance of learners practically demonstrating skills/competency prior to entering the workplace to protect public health and safety. Assessments will therefore be taken as normal, or with adaptations, where this is possible. Some assessments may need to be delayed until such times as they can be taken safely, to comply with public health guidance. Category B These qualifications are used in the same way as GCSEs, AS and A levels to progress to further or higher education. Exams will not go ahead and results will be awarded using a teacher assessed grade submitted by the learning centre, similar to the arrangements for awarding GCSEs and AS or A levels. This will apply to many vocational qualifications such as BTecs, Cambridge Nationals and Technicals, Technical Awards and Technical Certificates. There are also smaller qualifications in this category, such as ESOL Skills for Life. Exams and assessments for these qualifications will continue remotely, or in person, in line with public health measures. Where assessments cannot take place, teacher assessed grades will be applied. In terms of the alternative arrangements for Essential Skills, a teacher judgment approach will be utilised, based on trusted sources of evidence. To allow suitable transition to the new arrangements, on demand exams will be facilitated. In order to facilitate the alternative assessment and awarding arrangements this year, a new regulatory framework will be introduced. This will be called the VQ Contingency Regulatory Framework. This will permit awarding organisations to award results when exams do not take place and/or because learners cannot complete all internal assessments. Awarding organisations are now required to provide clear and timely guidance to learning centres on the operational requirements for the alternative assessment and awarding arrangements, including timing on when centres need to submit information, the records that they should maintain and the nature of any centre-based quality assurance.
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