Ofqual consultation on regulating alternative academic and alternative technical qualifications at level 3

05/08/2022

The fact that this is a second open consultation on regulatory approaches to alternative qualifications at level 3, which runs parallel to an alternative technical qualifications consultation being run by IfATE, reflects the importance of achieving fairness and consistency in the approaches to both academic and technical qualifications used by different awarding bodies.

However, the changes proposed may also mean extra costs for awarding organisations and this will, if these costs are passed on, impact negatively on both providers and students, especially given the cost-of-living crisis. We urge Ofqual and IfATE to consider the cost impact of these changes on providers and fee-paying students and to aim for ways to mitigate these extra costs.

ASCL believes that assessment must be fair and manageable both to the centre offering the qualification and its associated assessment and to the student taking the assessment. Whilst we understand the importance of keeping other stakeholders at the core of the technical qualifications system, it is important that we don’t lose sight of the impact of the prosed changes on providers and students who keep the system going.

Full consultation response

Read our response to IfATE's consultation