Exams and other formal assessments will go ahead for vocational and technical qualifications and other general qualifications

Today the Department for Education (DfE) has published its guidance on contingencies for vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) and other general qualifications.

In July we jointly consulted on the arrangements for the assessment and awarding of VTQs and other general qualifications for the academic year 2021 to 2022. In the consultation, we explained that we had future-proofed our regulatory framework, the VTQ Contingency Regulatory Framework (VCRF), so that we could respond to a change in government policy if necessary.

We have retained the provisions in the VCRF which would enable awarding organisations to issue results based on alternative evidence, including teacher assessed grades (TAGs), should that become necessary. These provisions are not currently needed as exams and other formal assessments are able to go ahead. If the government decided that it was not viable for exams and other formal assessments to take place at any point in the future because of COVID-19, we would be able to put these provisions back into effect quickly. We would do this through a consultation at that time.

We will continue to work with the DfE to monitor the impact of the pandemic on teaching, learning and assessment to review the arrangements we have put in place through the VCRF.

Building on the research we undertook this summer, we are also working with awarding organisations to review their approach to TAGs. This includes where it might be appropriate to implement the improvements proposed for GCSEs, AS and A levels, should it be necessary to introduce them in the future.

Published 30 September 2021