Ofqual’s approach to regulating Technical Qualifications

Download the full outcome

Decisions on Ofqual’s approach to regulating Technical Qualifications

Ref: Ofqual/18/6422/2PDF, 628KB, 33 pages

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Detail of outcome

Changes in response to consultation feedback

We have decided:

• to require an awarding organisation to provide a minimum of one assessment series for the Core and the Occupational Specialisms (either in a single series, or a separate series for each)
• to allow, but not require, a maximum of one additional assessment series for the Core and the Occupational Specialisms (either in a single series, or a separate series for each)
• to allow each assessment series to be used both for students sitting assessments for the first time and those retaking assessments
• not to specify when in the year these should take place. It will be for an awarding organisation to determine based on the requirements of the particular Technical Qualification and to explain its approach to assessment scheduling as part of its assessment strategy

Proposals adopted unchanged

We have decided:

• to set a requirement that the whole of the Core should be assessed together and the whole of each Occupational Specialism should be assessed together
• to require that a student wishing to retake an assessment must retake all associated assessments for that part of the Technical Qualification (the whole of core knowledge and understanding, and/or the whole of core skills, and/or the whole of an Occupational Specialism)
• to require that where an awarding organisation ceases to make a Technical Qualification available, it must ensure that arrangements are in place to allow students to retake their assessments

Next steps

We have now published a further consultation on our proposed rules and guidance for Technical Qualifications.

We have also published correspondence about Technical Qualifications between the Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills, Anne Milton, and Ofqual’s Chief Regulator, Sally Collier.

Feedback received

Analysis of responses to our consultation on Ofqual’s approach to regulating Technical Qualifications

Published: 3 September 2018PDF, 1.17MB, 82 pages

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Detail of feedback received

There were 53 responses to the consultation. Of these responses, 50 were in a form that matched or broadly followed the layout of the online consultation and 3 responses were written submissions. The written submissions were not included in the quantitative data analysis, but were considered within the qualitative sections.

Of those responses that gave their respondent type, 6 were from individuals and 46 were from organisations. One respondent did not disclose their identity.

In addition, we held 3 consultation events and a webinar where awarding organisations provided feedback.

Consultation description

This consultation on our regulatory approach to this new suite of Technical Qualifications is detailed and takes into account the government’s clear policy intentions for the new Technical Qualifications as set out in their published Technical Annex and seeks to align with the Institute’s central role in T Levels.

If the T Level programme is to be viewed with similar esteem to other qualifications such as A levels, then the Technical Qualifications which form a large part of the course of study need to be high quality, reliable, comparable, of the right level of demand and have their standards trusted both within each qualification and over time. We are keen to see that the Technical Qualification, which will provide an engaging, motivating course of study, is deliverable in schools and colleges. The regulatory approach we set out in this consultation seeks to achieve these objectives.

Documents

Consultation on Ofqual’s approach to regulating Technical Qualifications

Ref: Ofqual/18/6397PDF, 924KB, 71 pages

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Published 10 July 2018 
Last updated 3 September 2018 + show all updates

1. 3 September 2018 We have published details of feedback received, and our decisions.
2. 26 July 2018 The attached response form was erroneously missing question 25. This has now been fixed.
3. 10 July 2018 First published.