Sarah Ash, Subject Advisor

As an awarding body, we know how important it is for students to feel they are supported in their journey, especially if they encounter challenges beyond their control. 

To support you and your students, we have several options when students in Year 10 may need more time to complete NEA assignments. You can apply for an extension to the deadline and we are now introducing further options – to defer to the following January or to adapt work from the previous year. 

In this blog, I’ll explain each of these options to help you decide which is most appropriate for your students.

Applying for an extension

What is an extension? 

An extension allows teachers to submit students’ NEA marks later than the original deadline for any series. Being granted an extension to the deadline can make a significant difference to your students when there has been unexpected short-term disruption. Typically, an extension of 5 to 10 days can be given, depending on the situation. 

When can an extension be requested? 

You can request an extension when the ability to complete NEA has been impacted by unforeseen circumstances. Reasons might include: short-term illness, family emergencies. Extensions are not automatically granted, and it is important to make sure you can provide evidence to support the request.

How to request an extension 

To request an extension, you need to make a request via Special Consideration Online. There is a step-by-step guide that explains the process.

Requesting a deferral

What is a deferral? 

A deferral allows students to defer their submission until January of the following year if they are unable to complete an NEA assignment as planned for the summer series in Year 10 due to exceptional circumstances. It will give more time than an extension and should enable work to be completed by the end of the academic year for submission in the next series (January). This deferred submission uses the same set assignment that was intended for Year 10, for example, submitting the January/June 2025 assignment in January 2026. 

A deferral will only be granted in exceptional circumstances when there has been significant lost assessment time that cannot be mitigated by an extension. 

When can a deferral be considered? 

Deferrals will be considered for more serious and long-term situations with Head of Centre support where the student has started the assessment, but unforeseen circumstances have prevented them from completing. For example, when: 

• a known health condition deteriorates 
• a student arrives mid-year because of a managed move.

How to request a deferral 

To request a deferral you’ll follow the same process as applying for an extension: you submit a request via Special Consideration Online. 

Key points: 

• An entry must have been made for the June series for the affected students. 
• The centre must apply for the deferral online, using Special Consideration Online (which also handles extensions). This must be done before the mark submission deadline. 
• We may request more information on the disruption to assessment to enable us to make a decision. 
• If a deferral is granted, the June series entry fee will be refunded. 
• Centres are responsible for re-entering deferred students in the following January series. 
• If a deferral from June to January is approved, it will be approved for submission in a specific series only, for example January 2026. 
• You will be required to authenticate students’ work as normal.

Supporting teachers in this process

We hope that by having the options for an extension or a deferral it should ensure that students are given the time they need to succeed. You should discuss your options with your Head of Centre before approaching us and consider what is best for the student(s). However, we are here to support you in your decision making and where you are uncertain which route to apply for, we’ll consider your circumstances and recommend the appropriate route. 

You should be aware that there is no guarantee that a request will be granted. We’ll review each case individually.

Adapting work from a previous live assignment

You explained to us the difficulties with the lifecycle of the NEA, and we’ve listened. Students who re-submit work for an assignment in a new academic year, are now allowed to adapt their work from a previous year’s live assignment. 

You must make sure that the evidence submitted meets all the requirements of the new assignment and all work for resubmission is marked against the marking criteria. You should be aware that student work may be at risk of marks adjustment if it doesn’t meet the requirements of the new assignment. 

What this means for your students 

When they re-submit in a different academic year, students can use the evidence they produced for the previous year’s assignment, but they will need to make any amendments that are necessary so that the work meets the requirements of the new scenario and task. 

In some cases, using work from a previous year’s assignment could mean using it without making any changes because the evidence still meets the requirements of the new assignment. The student can also build upon the work to improve it. 

An example would be Cambridge National in Health and Social Care, unit R033, where in Task 2 students interview an individual about two life events. This task is always the same and doesn’t change to fit the scenario in the new assignment. Previously students could not adapt evidence for the interview if they were re-entering on a new live assignment, but now they can adapt their evidence for the new live assignment. 

There is no need to submit the original unit recording sheet (URS); instead complete a new URS. 

How to request to adapt work 

You don’t need to make a request to adapt evidence.

Summary of the options

To summarise: 

• Extensions are available for any series where it is difficult for students to meet the marks submission deadline. 
• Deferrals are available for assignments that were planned for submission in the summer of Year 10 only. 
• Students can adapt their work but it must meet the new assignment requirements.
  

You should bear in mind when considering any of the options that grade boundaries are set each series. These grade boundaries will apply to all submissions in the series, including deferred submissions. 

We have updated our Cambridge Nationals administration pages to include more details on these processes and are sending a subject update that explains these options further.

Stay connected

Hopefully this blog has helped to explain the options available to you – if you have any thoughts, please share them in the comments below. If you have any questions, you can email us at support@ocr.org.uk or call us on 01223 553998.

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About the author

Before joining OCR in 2018, Sarah was a teacher and Subject Lead of Health and Social Care and worked in secondary schools and sixth forms in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. She was a sixth form tutor and moderated on a previous Level 3 HSC qualification. She has also worked as a teacher in a social care setting for young people aged 16-18 transitioning from living in care to becoming independent. At OCR Sarah has been involved in the redevelopment of Cambridge Nationals in Health and Social Care and Child Development, and the redevelopment of the Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ) in Health and Social Care.