Overview

Please find the link below to access the consulation questions.

This consultation sets out how Ofqual proposes to regulate academic and technical qualifications which serve as alternatives to A levels and T Levels. These will be part of the future level 3 landscape, as part of the Department’s ‘Review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 in England’, alongside A levels, T Levels and Apprenticeships. For the purpose of this consultation, these qualifications are referred to as ‘alternative academic’ and ‘alternative technical’ qualifications:

• alternative academic qualifications are those which have the primary purpose of evidencing students’ attainment in relation to their course of study, with a view to supporting informed decisions and choices about further study
• alternative technical qualifications are those which have the primary purpose of identifying students that have attained the knowledge, skills and behaviours linked to competence in a given occupation

Ofqual proposes to put in place requirements for these qualifications, which build on and strengthen the approaches required by the General Conditions of Recognition. For alternative academic qualifications, it is proposed to put in place requirements to strengthen the regulation of these qualifications and bring greater awarding organisation control to those areas of qualification design and delivery that are key to ensuring quality. For alternative technical qualifications, the Institute intends to put in place additional controls to help ensure they are high-quality; Ofqual’s proposed requirements will apply alongside these.

This consultation sets out Ofqual’s proposed regulatory approaches for both groups, on which we are seeking views. The survey includes the proposals and the detail relating to them can be found in the full consultation document.  Following this consultation we plan to consult further on any Conditions, requirements or guidance needed to implement this approach. We expect any new requirements to be in place later this year.

Thank you for your interest in this consultation and for any response you may submit. 

Why your views matter

This consultation is open to anyone who may wish to make representation but may be of most interest to:

• awarding organisations and their representative bodies, particularly those that deliver (or want to deliver) alternative academic and alternative technical qualifications that would fit into the groups to be regulated by the proposed arrangements
• schools, colleges and training providers, and their representative bodies – particularly those that deliver (or want to deliver) alternative academic and alternative technical qualifications that would fit into the groups to be regulated by the proposed arrangements
• students
• employers

What happens next

Your response has been submitted - thank you for completing the consultation

This information will now be analysed and the findings will be published on our website.

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