Awarding organisations will now have the option to provide an additional assessment series for the technical qualifications within T Levels. This is one of the changes from the original Ofqual proposals, which have emerged as the outcomes to its earlier consultation are published.

The consultation outcomes confirm that each of the assessment series can be used both for students sitting assessments for the first time and those retaking assessments. This means that students will not have to wait a whole year to retake – particularly important for those wishing to retake after their second year of study.

Other key points to note from the consultation outcomes include:

• Ofqual will not specify when in the year the assessments will take place.
• The whole of the core will be assessed together and the whole of each occupational specialism will be assessed together. This means that a student wishing to re-take an assessment must re-take all associated assessments for that part of the technical qualification.
• The core knowledge and understanding elements will be assessed by an exam and marked by the awarding organisation. In exceptional circumstances, centre marking of core skills assessments and occupational specialism assessments will be allowed where an assessment cannot be validly marked by an awarding organisation
• Due to its perceived limited value, Ofqual will not be moving forward with the ‘working towards’ grade below pass for the occupational specialisms.
• Awarding organisations will not issue certificates for the technical qualifications. Instead, certification will be for the overall T Level by the Government with a statement of achievement issued for students who do not successfully pass all elements of the T Level.

Ofqual has issued another consultation to move forward with the rules, conditions and guidance for the technical qualifications within T Levels.