Regulating post-16 VTQs at L2 and L3

DfE has written to Ofqual to set out that Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates should each have a single grading scale. This will ensure consistency between awarding organisations for qualifications designed against the same content and which must meet the same assessment requirements.

It is important that qualifications have grading scales that signal to users of qualifications what results mean. The grading scale ensures results can be relied on as an indicator of the level of attainment a student has demonstrated. This helps students, employers, schools, colleges, further and higher education institutions and the public understand and interpret the results of qualifications and assessments. In determining what the grading scale should be, it is important to consider both the length of that scale (how many grades there are), and the labels for the grades on that scale (what each grade is called).

Proposal

We propose the following grading scale for both Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates:

• Pass/Merit/Distinction and U (Ungraded)

We set out our rationale for this proposal below.

Length of grading scale

Foundation Certificates are level 2 qualifications that support progression to further study at level 3. It is expected that progression to level 3 study will often, if not always, happen within the same institution. Occupational Certificates are level 2 qualifications that support students working towards competence in an occupation so they are ready for progression to employment, but they do not signal full occupational competence.  

There need to be enough grades to differentiate appropriately between students’ attainment. Depending on the purpose of the qualification, this could be a relatively broad indication of achievement (such as if a student had demonstrated they have particular knowledge, understanding or skills), or more granular differentiation (for example the extent to which a student had demonstrated their knowledge, understanding and skills across a range of content), to inform selection decisions for progression to further study. 

Our view is that for both Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates, a relatively short grading scale will support the level of differentiation between students needed for these qualifications. We think the scale also needs to be capable of motivating students to develop their expertise in a subject beyond any minimum required level. We propose that a 3-point grading scale will be suitable for the level of differentiation required for Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates. The existence of 2 additional grades above the minimum required level (or pass grade) will help to motivate students to develop their expertise and recognise the achievement of higher performing students, providing an appropriate level of differentiation.

Labelling of grading scale

Proposal

Currently, a Pass, Merit, Distinction scale is widely used and understood for existing vocational qualifications that are taken by the cohort of students likely to take Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates. We therefore propose for Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates, that awarding organisations must use a 3-point grading scale of Pass/Merit/Distinction. 

A Pass grade is likely to be perceived as a positive achievement, which would support the engagement purpose for these qualifications, while the achievements of more highly achieving students would be recognised through Merit and Distinction grades. A Pass grade will not necessarily indicate that a student is able to progress to all possible level 3 qualifications, nor to employment. Schools, colleges and employers will be able to set their own entry requirements, using the grades achieved, alongside other evidence of suitability for progression, for example English and maths qualifications where taken as part of the wider further study or occupational pathway.

Our proposed Conditions FC8 and OC8 and associated requirements are set out in Annexes B and C.