Update: on 18 August 2020, following Ofqual’s announcement that A Level and GCSE students are to receive centre assessment grades, OCR decided to do the same for students getting Cambridge Technicals and Cambridge Nationals results in summer 2020.

Ofqual has published the outcomes of its consultation on the awarding of vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) this summer.

The publication comes after analysis of over 1500 responses to Ofqual’s consultation on the exceptional arrangements for VTQs this summer following disruption to exams and assessments.

Ofqual has confirmed that different approaches will apply to different categories of VTQs, depending on whether they are for progression to Higher Education or Further Education, for occupational competence, or for a mixed purpose. The decision about the approach will be made by each exam board based on the qualification’s principal purpose and the approach most appropriate to deliver a valid result.

Ofqual has launched a new interactive tool to help users to search for a specific regulated qualification and find out how results will be generated for the majority of students.

Additional guidance for exam boards on malpractice, appeals and equality impacts for VTQs has been added to take account of feedback received from consultation respondents.

Ofqual has confirmed that where exam boards normally offer an autumn assessment opportunity for VTQs, they must take all reasonable steps to continue to do so.  Where an autumn assessment opportunity is not normally offered, exam boards should do so where there are enough students who need to take an assessment or where it would be unfair not to.

Arrangements for the awarding of GCSE, AS and A Levels this summer have also been confirmed.