(Teachers - Archived) Cambridge Nationals: Exceptional Autumn 2023 Submission Opportunity

For this year only, for those schools or colleges who were not able to submit their June 2023 students' marks by 15 May 2023 we're providing an autumn 2023 submission opportunity for our new Cambridge Nationals qualifications (first teaching September 2022).

For students who completed the January and June 2023 OCR set assignments for our new Cambridge Nationals qualifications, this is an exceptional opportunity to submit marks and work for moderation this autumn.

• Key dates
• General FAQs
• Entries FAQs for exams officers
• Marking and submission of marks FAQs
• Consortia arrangements FAQs

This exceptional autumn submission opportunity is not available for the legacy Cambridge Nationals qualifications as June 2023 was the final submission opportunity. A resit series for examined units only is available in January 2024.

Key dates

• 1 September 2023 – Basedata for the autumn submission opportunity available. You must use the 'November 23' basedata (ba23). This also contains GCSE English Language and Maths
• By 21 September, make entries – make entries using the 'November 2023' series on Interchange or by using the November 2023 basedata (ba23).
• By 2 October, submit your marks – Using Interchange or EDI for the 'November 2023' series. 
• 13 December, receive results – Restricted release of results to schools and colleges.
• 14 December, issue results – Results can be given to students from 8am.

General FAQs (updated 19/09/2023)

Will you be offering an autumn submission opportunity for Cambridge Nationals in the future?

No. We are offering an opportunity this autumn as it's been a challenging year for many centres and you told us that this had impacted your ability to meet the mark submission deadline for the June 2023 series.

We used the June 2023 series for a unit. Can we resubmit the unit in the exceptional autumn submission opportunity?

No. The autumn submission opportunity is an extension of the June 2023 series. You cannot submit the same unit in both June 2023 and the exceptional autumn 2023 submission opportunity.

We used the June 2023 series for a unit for some of our students. Can we enter other students in the exceptional autumn submission opportunity?

No. You cannot enter for the same unit in both the June 2023 series and the exceptional autumn 2023 submission opportunity, even for different students. If you have individual students that have completed the January/June 2023 assignments and these were not submitted in June 23 with the rest of your cohort, please contact us for advice.

We used the January 2023 series for a unit. Can we resubmit that unit in the exceptional autumn submission opportunity?

Yes. You can use the autumn opportunity for resubmissions from January 2023 as long as you did not use the June 2023 series for that same unit for any of your students. The usual rules in the specification on feedback and resubmission need to be applied and all the work needs to have been finished by end of Summer 2023 term.

We are using the exceptional autumn submission opportunity for some students but have decided to move other students to January 2024 or June 2024 for the same unit. Is this permitted?

Yes, you are not required to enter all students for the exceptional autumn submission opportunity. However, the students must complete the new tasks for January/June 2024. Any submissions for the January 2024 and/or June 2024 series must be on the new tasks*

*This does not apply to Sport Studies unit R185 and Enterprise and Marketing unit R069 as these assignments do not change each year.

Entries FAQs for exams officers

If we did not tell you we were using the exceptional autumn submission opportunity by completing your online form in April 2023, can we still enter for it?

If your students meet the criteria for using the exceptional autumn submission opportunity, you can still enter for it:

• Students completed the January/June 2023 OCR-set assignments*
• Students completed all assessment for the unit by the end of the summer 2023 term 
• Students did not receive a result for the unit in the June 2023 series

*This does not apply to Sport Studies unit R185 and Enterprise and Marketing unit R069 as these assignments do not change each year.

What basedata do we use to make entries via EDI?

You need to use the 'November 2023' basedata, ba23, available on our website.

This also contains GCSE English Language and Maths for November 2023.

What series do we use if we make entries via Interchange?

Please use the 'November 2023' series if making your entries via Interchange.

Which Entry Codes booklet should we use?

The exceptional autumn submission opportunity is an extension of the June 2023 series. The 'June 23' entry codes in the 2022/23 booklet should still be used. However, entries must be made in the November 2023 series, (ba23 if using EDI).

Marking and submission of marks FAQs (updated 12/09/2023)

When do we have to submit our marks for the exceptional autumn submission opportunity?

You must submit your marks by 2 October 2023.

Extensions to the marks submission deadline will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. It is likely that your results will be delayed if you don't meet our deadlines.

How do we submit our marks?

Marks can be submitted via Interchange or EDI. You must use the November 2023 series to submit your marks.

What if we made an error when submitting our marks, how do we amend them? (added 19/09/23)

If you identify an error in the marks that have been submitted, please complete the usual 'Centre Mark Amends form' available on Interchange in the Resources and materials>Pre-release materials area. Please select November 2023 as the series when submitting the form, do not select June 2023.

When will we get our sample request?

You will normally receive a sample request within one to two days of submitting your marks. The earliest you'll receive a request will be 30 September. All samples must be submitted within three working days of receiving the sample request. It is likely that your results will be delayed if you don't meet our deadlines.

We did not finish marking last term (summer 2023). Can we mark the work during September 2023?

Yes. The requirement for using the exceptional autumn submission opportunity is that students finish any assessment by the end of the summer term. You can still mark the work during September 2023. Marks must be submitted by 2 October 2023. 

Which OCR-set assignments will be accepted in the exceptional autumn submission opportunity?

Only the assignments for January/June 2023 can be submitted in this exceptional submission opportunity. This will be the last opportunity to submit the January/June 2023 assignments*.

The new assignments for January/June 2024, released 1 June 2023, cannot be submitted in the autumn. They must be submitted in January 2024 and/or June 2024 series.

*Sport Studies R185 and Enterprise and Marketing R069 do not change each year and can be worked on beyond the end of the summer 2023 term if they are being submitted in the January 2024 or June 2024 series.

The unit recording sheets (URS) do not have an option for autumn, which series should be used?

As the exceptional autumn submission opportunity is an extension of the June 2023 series, please select June 2023 on the URS.

We require a copy of a January/June 2023 assignment to complete our marking and it is no longer available on Teach Cambridge. What do we do?

The January/June 2023 assignments have been removed from Teach Cambridge. Please email support@ocr.org.uk or call 01223 553998 to request a copy. Please include the unit required and confirm that you are completing marking for the autumn opportunity and no longer have your previously downloaded copy.

Consortia arrangements FAQs

We had a consortia arrangement in place for June 2023, do we need to re-apply for the exceptional autumn submission opportunity?

No. Centres who submitted consortia arrangement forms for the June 2023 series will have those arrangements carried forward to the exceptional autumn submission opportunity. You do not need to re-apply. We will also contact you to confirm that these arrangements are still in place. If you have not heard from us by the deadline to submit entries (21 September), please contact postassessmentservices@ocr.org.uk.

If this arrangement is continuing for the January 2024/June 2024 series, you will still need to submit your request as usual on the JCQ Centre Admin Portal (CAP) by 31 October 2023 for the January 2024 series and 31 January 2024 for the June 2024 series.

We had a consortia arrangement in place for June 2023 but do not want this to be carried over into the exceptional autumn submission opportunity, what do we do?

All centres entering for autumn that had a consortia arrangement in place for June 2023 series will be  contacted to confirm that these arrangements are still in place. If you want to tell us now you will no longer be in a consortia for autumn, please contact postassessmentservices@ocr.org.uk  with your centre and consortia details. 

We did not have a consortia arrangement in place for June 2023 but do want this for the exceptional autumn submission opportunity, what do we do?

Please submit your request on the JCQ Centre Admin Portal (CAP), choosing the 'November 2023' series option. Please contact postassessmentservices@ocr.org.uk for any enquiries about this arrangement.