Regulating post-16 VTQs at L2 and L3
F Certs and Occ Certs Assessment design (Setting assessments)
Setting assessments
Requiring awarding organisations to set assessments provides a high level of control to ensure assessments appropriately assess the subject content developed by DfE and comply with our requirement for synoptic assessment.
Proposal
We have explained earlier in the consultation that we propose to require awarding organisations to set all timetabled assessments. We also propose to require awarding organisations to set all other assessments and to specify the conditions under which students must attempt the assessment tasks. This will be particularly important for assessments which are not timetabled and taken simultaneously and/or taken over an extended period of time, where there may be an increased risk of malpractice, including the use of generative AI. This is likely to include the level of supervision and students’ access to the internet.
Our proposed Conditions FC7 and OC7 and associated requirements are set out in Annexes B and C.
Proposal - centre adaptations
We are aware that schools and colleges operate in a variety of different contexts, according to their geographic location and the level of resources available. Ofqual therefore proposes to permit awarding organisations to allow centres to adapt certain aspects of assessments (such as the context of the questions or tasks), provided this does not change the level of demand of the assessment or its reliability. This would apply only to assessments that are not timetabled. For example, if an assessment ordinarily requires the use of a specific software package, an awarding organisation could permit centres to use a different but equivalent software package. This would ensure the same knowledge, understanding and skills were assessed, with the same level of demand and the conditions of the assessment unchanged. Centres will not be allowed to change the knowledge, understanding and skills assessed, the level of demand of the assessment, or any conditions specified by an awarding organisation. We propose to put in place guidance on the extent to which awarding organisations may permit centres to adapt assessment tasks.
Our proposed Conditions FC7 and OC7 and associated requirements and guidance are set out in Annexes B and C.