Cambridge Nationals in Engineering (2022): What are the key dates we need to know?

We’re delighted to announce we’ve reached a major milestone and have submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofqual our suite of redeveloped Cambridge Nationals qualifications for consideration on key stage 4 performance tables in England for 2024.

February 2021

• Draft specifications submitted to the DfE and Ofqual for consideration on key stage 4 performance tables in England for 2024

Autumn 2021

• We expect the list of approved qualifications for the 2024 performance tables will be published. Final specifications and sample assessment materials will be published on our website

September 2022

• First teaching of our redeveloped Cambridge Nationals in Engineering:
  • Engineering Design (J822)
  • Engineering Manufacture (J823)
  • Engineering Programmable Systems (J824)

January 2023

• First assessment of moderated units:
  • Engineering Design: R038 (Communicating designs) and R040 (Design, evaluation and modelling)
  • Engineering Manufacture: R015 (Manufacturing a one-off product) and R016 (Manufacturing in quantity)
  • Engineering Systems: R048 (Making and testing electronic circuits) and 
    R049 (Developing programmable systems)

June 2023

• Assessment of all moderated units available

January 2024

• First assessment of examined units:
  • Engineering Design: R038 (Principles of engineering design)
  • Engineering Manufacture: R014 (Principles of engineering manufacture)
  • Engineering Systems: R047 (Principles of electronic and programmable systems)
• Assessment of all moderated units available
• First overall certification opportunity

June 2024 and every January and June thereafter

• All units and overall certification available

How can I give you feedback on the draft specifications? 

We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on the draft specifications, we have created a short survey that can be found here:

• Engineering Design feedback
• Engineering Manufacture feedback
• Engineering Programmable Systems feedback

You can leave your name and contact details if you would like to be contacted about your responses or, if you prefer, complete it anonymously.

When can I find out more about the redeveloped qualification?

We are running a series of subject virtual roadshows for you to find out more and ask questions of our Subject Advisors. 

These sessions will include;

• An overview of the redeveloped qualifications
• Key changes to topic areas in the specific subject specifications
• The approach to terminal assessment 
• An outline of the support and resources we'll be providing to help you plan and teach.

These are designed for teaching staff who are either new to these qualifications or those who are delivering our current Cambridge Nationals.

Book your place via our Cambridge Nationals 2022 page