Cambridge Technicals (2012): Reduction in assessment for 2021/22

If teachers need to free up time spent on assessment to help address students’ loss of learning, we will allow a reduction in the number of assessments taken of moderated units.

Delivering the content is vital for your students’ progression and the content must be taught for the units due to be taken in 2021/22. As we said when we first announced this, we will seek assurances that qualification content has been taught as far as possible.

Reduction in assessment for 2021/22 (Updated January 2022)

With the approval of the DfE, we are allowing the number of assessments of moderated units to be reduced where disruption to teaching and learning has been so great that it is necessary.

Schools and colleges are best placed to decide if they need to use this adaptation. Where possible, it is best for your students to take all assessments to support their wider learning and progression. However, these adaptations are there if you need them and can apply to all students due to complete assessments during 2021/22.

You will not be permitted to use a reduction in assessment after 2021/22. It is expected all units planned for 2022/23 are completed as normal.  During the 2021/22 academic year, you will be required to tell us which unit assessment(s) will not be taken by your students in Year 12 (Year 13 in Northern Ireland). We will ask for this information during 2021/22, even if they are certificating in 2022/23 or beyond.

If you’re teaching a course with optional and mandatory units, we ask you to prioritise the assessment of mandatory units. Any reduction in the assessment of moderated mandatory units, including if you’re teaching a course with only mandatory units, should be as a last resort where all other options to complete them have been exhausted.

Students certificating in 2021/22 must take assessments this year. This is because we will determine the qualification-level result for students taking account of the reduction. You will not provide teacher assessed grades for these units. We recommend you aim to bank assessments (take/submit assessments) as soon as you can for all of your students, regardless of when they certificate.

We will ask you to confirm during 2021/22 if you need to use this adaptation. We will be asking you to tell us which units and candidates you want to reduce the assessments for after Easter. This will be done via Interchange, more details can be found in the exams officer area.

This adaptation is available if the impact of the disruption caused by the pandemic means you require it. However, we recommend you and the student consider which units the student may rely on for progression (into higher education for example) when deciding if this adaptation should be used and for which unit(s). All content for units due to be taken during 2021/22 must be taught

Can our new Year 12 students (Year 13 in Northern Ireland), starting the course in September 2021, use the reduction in the number of assessments of moderated units?

Yes, our adaptations, if they are needed, are available to all students regardless of which year they complete their qualification. However, the adaptations can only be used in the academic year 2021/22. It is expected that all units planned for 2022/23 are completed as normal, without any adaptations.

We will ask you to confirm during 2021/22 if you need to use this adaptation, even if your students are certificating in 2022/23 or beyond.

What is a considered a ‘last resort’ for a reduction of a mandatory moderated unit?

Reduction of a moderated mandatory unit should only be considered once all other options to complete them have been exhausted:

• If students are self-isolating but well enough to work on the assessment at home and have access to the software needed, work can be continued at home.
• If you are having difficulties in completing the assessment as normal, check our unit level adaptations to see if these can help.
• If the disruption faced so far (or last year) has been so great that not all content usually delivered by this point has been done, prioritise the delivery and assessment of mandatory moderated units over optional units

This adaptation is there if you need it, however if the assessment can be completed it should be to help your students to progress.

Do we have to apply the same reduction in assessment for all our students in the year-group?

No, the unit where assessment is not taken can vary between students. You may also choose not to use the reduction in assessment for some students if it is not needed.

Level 2 2012 suite (all subjects)

All 2012 Level 2 qualifications are credit based. Our adaptations allow you to reduce assessment for one or more units for the Extended Certificate and Diploma this year. Where mandatory units are left to complete, these must be prioritised:

• For students certificating in 2021/22 the reduction in the number of assessments taken can only include mandatory moderated assessment where a qualification only has mandatory units or the student does not have any optional moderated assessments left to take.
• For students certificating beyond 2021/22 the reduction in assessment of units due to be taken in 2021/22 can only include mandatory moderated assessment where a qualification only has mandatory units. Where the qualification has optional and mandatory units we expect this group of students will take all mandatory assessments.

 GLH = Guided Learning Hours

Level 3 2012 suite (all subjects)

All 2012 Level 3 qualifications are credit based. Our adaptations allow you to reduce assessment for one or more units this year. Where mandatory units are left to complete, these must be prioritised:

• For students certificating in 2021/22 the reduction in the number of assessments taken can only include mandatory moderated assessment where a qualification only has mandatory units or the student does not have any optional moderated assessments left to take.
• For students certificating beyond 2021/22 the reduction in assessment of units due to be taken in 2021/22 can only include mandatory moderated assessment where a qualification only has mandatory units. Where the qualification has optional and mandatory units we expect this group of students will take all mandatory assessments.

 GLH = Guided Learning Hours