Vocational Quality Assurance
Manager Newsletter
October 2025
|
|
|
Dear colleague,
This month we would like to welcome a huge number of new Quality Nominees to our community. In this newsletter, you will find all the links needed to support you for the new academic year.
If you have any questions about quality assurance, please contact the team via live chat or the Pearson Support Portal. If you're not already a member, join our QN Community where we share the latest information, and you can network with other BTEC centres. |
- Ensure learners are registered on programme by 1 Nov deadline
- Remind Lead IVs / teams that entries for Jan – March external assessments deadline is 17/10/2025
- Ensure entries have been made for Tech Award (2022) PSAs – deadline of 17/10/2025
- Remind the Head of Centre to complete and submit the Edexcel Online Account Confirmation if they have not already done so by the deadline of 28 Oct
- Check out the Meet Your VQAM page – book in a call with us if you have any questions
- Continue to monitor assessment plans for compliance with rules of combination and meeting the standards verification timeline for sampling (Jan to May 15)
|
|
|
This part of the quality assurance cycle is now underway, and we will be in touch between now and February 2026 if you fall in scope. This is a fully supportive activity managed by your VQAM team and nothing any centre should be concerned about. |
|
|
|
Please note: centres who made temporary structure claims for students who were ineligible for certification, have now been included in the Centre Check-in Activity and will be contacted by their VQAM.
|
|
|
|
Not all centres are in scope for this activity, but whether you are in scope or not your VQAM team always welcome requests from centres for support if you need it.
|
|
|
The Annual Quality Declaration no longer exists (see page 6 of the centre guide to quality assurance). Instead, Heads of Centre need to accept Pearson’s terms and conditions and complete the EOL account confirmation by 28 October. QNs do not have access to complete either but please check both are done. |
|
|
WBL Annual Centre Self-Assessment – deadline extended to 3 November.
Note: A recent message about the self-assessment was sent in error to some centres. If you only deliver BTEC qualifications listed in Appendix 3B (page 53 of the WBL centre guide to quality assurance), you are not required to complete the self-assessment, as detailed at the bottom of page 23 in the same document. Functional Skills qualifications are also not in scope. We apologise for any confusion. |
|
|
Whether you’re new to the role of Quality Nominee or just want a refresher our Roles and Responsibilities of the QN event will support you, we have a range of dates available to suit your schedule.
We have a couple of quality nominee network events taking place in Northern Ireland in November. Please join us if you can for a curriculum update from Fiona, the Country Manager and a quality assurance update from Sally, the VQAM.
Use our bitesize video library on our dedicated YouTube channel and on-demand materials to develop your staff CPD. The latest additions include ‘Successful Certification of BTEC Learners’, ‘BTEC Centre Check-in, ‘The Role of the Lead IV and Team Standardisation’ and coming later in the term, ‘The BTEC QA Model’ and ‘Guide to Standards Verification’.
|
|
|
We’d love to hear how your centre uses digital tools, including Learning Management Systems (LMS), and how you manage assessment for BTECs and Functional Skills Qualifications.
It helps us understand what works best for you today, and make sure future developments are designed around your needs. The survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete, and every response helps shape what comes next. |
|
|
This is not a definitive list but for all those new Quality Nominees this is a quick guide that we hope will save you time. |
|
|
Subject Advisors – on each subject webpage there is a link to the relevant subject specialist who can support content understanding and application of the assessment criteria. There are emails addresses and links to book a meeting with them on that page.
|
|
Account Specialists – this team can support with a wide range of administration and will be the first port of call for your Exams Officer. Responsibilities include, Edexcel Online accounts, learner registration and claims, exam/external assessment bookings, authentication apps.
Contact via telephone on 0344 463 2535, the Pearson Support Portal or via the live chat link on the BTEC Exams Officer page. |
|
|
UK School Sales for support in planning and developing you school curriculum.
|
|
Curriculum Development Managers for FE and WBL centres that need to discuss planning and developing your curriculum.
|
|
|
Kind regards ,
Helen, Bill, Kieran, Liz & Sally
Vocational Quality Assurance Managers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
