Exams should go ahead in 2021-22, says Ofqual

Following a public consultation held by the Department for Education and Ofqual, arrangements for exams and other assessments for Vocational and Technical Qualifications in 2021 to 22 have been confirmed.

The outcome of the consultation launched on 12 July has been published, with the governnent confirming its policy position that exams and other assessments should go ahead in 2021-22. Some adaptations will be allowed to account for any further pandemic-related disruption and to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on learning.

The Department for Education has confirmed the permitted scope of adaptations for Functional Skills Qualifications, T Levels and VTQs approved for inclusion in performance tables. The two-week VTQ consultation received 259 responses, prompting minor changes to Ofqual’s regulatory framework. These changes will mean that qualifications can no longer be awarded based on teacher-assessed grades, as some were this summer because of the pandemic.

All qualifications taken after 1 September will be awarded based on evidence from exams and other assessments. Awarding organisations will be permitted to adapt their assessments and qualifications to free up time for teaching and learning and to build in resilience in case of any further disruption.