Teacher Assessed Grades for larger Cambridge Technicals qualifications

Grading larger Cambridge Technicals qualifications

Cambridge Technicals are usually graded using multiple units of work scored on a points system for each grade achieved. Centres have reported that they are working with a mixture of completed units and incomplete or compromised units.

Producing a holistic or best fit grade from this collection of information has proved challenging for centres where disruption has made a significant impact.

We would like to encourage centres to use the holistic judgement approach where possible to determine grades for learners. This could be applied within the grading of a single partly completed unit, where for example LO1 and LO2 have been completed but LO3 and LO4 are incomplete or missing due to difficulties experienced by the learner or centre. The partial evidence could be used, alongside the grade descriptors, to generate a TAG for each compromised unit. These unit grades could then be used together with other more complete evidence to form a grading judgement for the whole qualification.

It should be remembered, as many of you will be aware, that to achieve a distinction grade overall it is not necessary to complete every unit, or even most units at distinction. This remains the case when determining TAGs for summer 2021. For example, in a normal year, the following grades would produce a DD grade for the Diploma in IT:

Example from a normal year with all units complete

Where the evidence shows a mixture of merit level and distinction level performance, a centre should consider if there is sufficient evidence for an overall DD or DDD grade.

If there is more distinction level performance, this would start to move the candidate up, e.g. D*D for Diploma or D*DD, or D*D*D grades on Extended Diploma.

Where all or most evidence is at distinction level, the highest grades should be considered: D*D* or D*D*D*.

Additionally, when trying to distinguish between the highest grades on larger qualifications (DDD, D*DD, D*D*D, D*D*D*), you may find it helpful to rank order the candidates based on their evidence. This may aid in distinguishing subtle variations in performance at this top level. 

Grading the Foundation Diploma (540 GLH)

The preferred course of action as described in the JCQ and OCR guidance is:

• Take a holistic view of each students work.
• Using the grade descriptors, select a grade which matches each student’s achievement across the evidence set available.

An alternative course of action would be:

• Identify units which have been completed and graded internally or externally.
• Use this reduced number of units to assess the qualification against a scaled back set of grade boundaries.

Remember:

• Grades must be based on evidence produced by students. Therefore, you must not generate predicted grades for units that have not been completed. 

Example: Cambridge Technical Level 3 Foundation Diploma (2016 suite)

Consider a Foundation Diploma with two missing units. For example, the Foundation Diploma in IT: Application Developer pathway with units 9 and 17 not completed.

Adding up the points for the completed units would generate 109 points, equivalent to the PP grade.

Dropping the grade boundaries in proportion to the number of GLH of the lost units, 120, produces grade boundaries reflecting a MM grade:

This example uses IT. However, the points ranges for the Foundation Diploma above are the same for all 2016 subjects.

Grading the Diploma (720 GLH)

The preferred course of action as described in the JCQ and OCR guidance is:

• Take a holistic view of each students work.
• Using the grade descriptors, select a grade which matches each student’s achievement across the evidence set available.

An alternative course of action would be:

• Identify units which have been completed and graded internally or externally.
• Use this reduced number of units to assess the qualification against a scaled back set of grade boundaries.

Remember:

• Grades must be based on evidence produced by students. Therefore, you must not generate predicted grades for units that have not been completed. 

Example: Cambridge Technical Level 3 Diploma (2016 suite)

Consider a Diploma with three missing units. For example, the Diploma in IT: Infrastructure Technician pathway with units 1, 2 and 17 not completed.

Adding up the points for the completed units would generate 130 points, equivalent to a U grade.

Dropping the grade boundaries in proportion to the number of GLH of the lost units, 240, produces grade boundaries reflecting the DM grade:

This example uses IT. However, the points ranges for the Diploma above are the same for all 2016 subjects.

Grading the Extended Diploma (1080 GLH)

The preferred course of action as described in the JCQ and OCR guidance is:

• Take a holistic view of each students work.
• Using the grade descriptors, then select a grade which matches each student’s achievement across the evidence set available.

An alternative course of action

• Identify units which have been completed and graded internally or externally.
• Use this reduced number of units to assess the qualification against a scaled back set of grade boundaries.

Remember:

• Grades must be based on evidence produced by students. Therefore, you must not generate predicted grades for units that have not been completed. 

Example: Cambridge Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma (2016 suite)

Consider an Extended Diploma with five missing units. For example, the Extended Diploma in IT:  Digital technician pathway with units 2, 8, 11, 16 and 19 not completed.

Adding up the points for the completed units would generate 202 points.

Dropping the grade boundaries in proportion to the number of GLH of the lost units, 330, produces grade boundaries reflecting the DMM grade:

This example uses IT. However, the points ranges for the Extended Diploma above are the same for all 2016 subjects.

2012 Suite

The same principles apply for the 2012 Subsidiary Diploma (540 GLH), Diploma (720 GLH) and Extended Diploma (1080 GLH) although the points range differ.

The preferred course of action as described in the JCQ and OCR guidance is:

• Take a holistic view of each students work.
• Using the grade descriptors, then select a grade which matches each student’s achievement across the evidence set available.

An alternative course of action

• Identify units which have been completed and graded internally or externally.
• Use this reduced number of units to assess the qualification against a scaled back set of grade boundaries.

The starting points values can be found in each qualification handbook.