Vocational Quality Assurance
Manager Newsletter
November 2025
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Dear colleague,
This month, we continue to welcome new Quality Nominees to our growing community. Each edition of this newsletter is designed to share essential information and guidance, helping every QN feel supported and informed as they strengthen quality assurance across their centres.
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. |
✓ Double check that all programme registrations have been made (the deadline was the 1 Nov)
✓ Check all PSA and external assessment entries have been made for the winter 2026 series
✓ Share the Centre Guide to Standards Verification with programme teams
✓ For those delivering work-based learning programmes, the deadline for the completion of the self-assessment was the 3 Nov – please get in touch if you have any issues with its submission
✓ 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) |
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To help you prepare for Standards verification, programme control measures (PCMs) will be sent to the you in early December. Please remind teams that this is an annual activity, and all programmes must be sampled to ensure national standards are being met.
You should share the Centre Guide for Standards Verification with your programme teams so that they can fully understand the process, what documents are required to be sent to the standards verifier, the timelines and size of sample to be prepared.
Allocations for BTEC Level 1 QCF, BTEC Level 2 and Level 3 will start in January 2026 and you can view who your standards verifier is by following our support article in the new year: BTEC: SV Allocation Details
How are programme control measure decided?
Your control measure is based on a range of data and quality indicators that together create a balanced view of your centre’s quality assurance profile. Because this process considers multiple factors, it’s not possible to isolate or explain the impact of any single element. What’s important to know is that the system is designed to be fair, consistent, and evidence-led.
If I’m unhappy with the programme control measure assigned, can I appeal?
There’s no appeal process for Programme Control Measures. This is because each measure is the result of a holistic review—a fair assessment that looks at many elements together rather than one in isolation. We understand you may want to know more, but this approach ensures equity and consistency for every centre. |
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Changes to BTEC Tech Award sample sizes
From the current PSA assessment series, you’ll need to submit a larger sample of student work for moderation - helping make the process smoother and reducing extra sample requests later. Don’t forget to include the highest and lowest marks. |
Cohort size |
Sample size |
| 1-15 |
All |
| 16-100 |
15 |
| 101-200 |
20 |
| >200 |
25 |
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For Sport, the video evidence requirement of 20 students is no different (providing you have under 200 students). You’ll just need to upload 15 rather than 10 students from the 20 already videoed.
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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 ‘The QA model’ and ‘BTEC Centre Check-in'.
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On 20 October, the government published its Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, setting out significant reforms to vocational education in England.
We can now share updated guides to the funding arrangements for 2026/27 so you can plan with confidence.
Defunding of certain BTEC Level 3 qualifications will continue as planned, but our new BTEC Level 3 Nationals (AAQs) are fully approved and ready for registration. These new qualifications will remain in place until the introduction of V Levels, ensuring continuity for you and your students. |
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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. |
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Kind regards ,
Helen, Bill, Kieran, Liz & Sally
Vocational Quality Assurance Managers |
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