Vocational Qualification Bulletin
January 2026 |
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Welcome to your January edition |
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Welcome back. We hope you had a restful break and found time to recharge after a busy end to the year.
At the start of January, we were straight into the assessment series. Despite some challenging weather at the start of term, your focus on supporting students hasn’t wavered. Thank you for adapting so quickly, and we’re here to help wherever you need us.
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This month also brings our first term-time checkpoint, your BTEC cohort declaration. It’s an important step in the year ahead, and this bulletin highlights what you need to do and when.
Read on for key reminders, guidance, and support to help you start the year with confidence.
Best wishes,
Hayley White
Vice President Assessment, Standards and Services
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This month's news and updates |
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Date |
Activity |
| 30 January |
Termtime checkpoint deadline: BTEC cohort declaration completion to confirm all students who are expecting a result in summer 2026 |
| 21 February |
BTEC Tech award entry deadline: make entries for internal and external components for May/June |
| 18 March |
Release of January results to centres |
| 19 March |
Release of January results to students |
| 20 March |
Entry deadline: make entries for external assessment for May/June for BTEC Firsts, L3 Nationals and L2 Technicals* |
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- Learners who sat BTEC assessments in the January 2026 series can be re-entered for June exams after January results have been issued, and no late fees will be charged. The entry deadline for these learners is 28 March.
- Learners who sat BTEC assessments in the February 2026 series can be re-entered for June exams after February results have been issued, and no late fees will be charged. The entry deadline for these learners is 10 April.
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Your BTEC cohort declaration for summer 2026 is open and the deadline of 30 January is fast approaching.
Completed in the VQ Learner Tracker, your declaration helps us build an accurate picture of students expecting results in August 2026, so we can work together to ensure your learners receive their results on time. |
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Need a hand?
As the deadline approaches, we’ve added additional live Q&A sessions. We’d love you to join us for a full walkthrough of the VQ Learner Tracker and hear our top tips for completing your BTEC Cohort Declaration. |
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Check your contingency plans
Winter weather can cause sudden disruption, and January assessments need to run smoothly even when conditions are challenging. Now is a good time to review your contingency arrangements so you can act quickly if travel, staffing, or site access become an issue.
JCQ guidance on contingency planning outlines the steps centres should have in place. You may wish to:
- have alternative invigilators available
- adjust start times, within JCQ regulations
- review how you will communicate last-minute changes to staff and students
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Explore our support exam series support articles
You’ll find answers to most of your exam series questions through the Pearson portal. We’ve rounded up the most relevant for you to bookmark ahead of January:
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Accessing secure materials
If you're running any set tasks this series, you may need to download secure materials from our website. You'll find all of these on our secure tests page, and you'll need your Edexcel Online details to access them.
If you need standard pdf copies of any papers that are sent via hard copy, they can be accessed via the BTEC and T Level assessment download page 60 minutes prior to the exam starting.
Make sure you're using each unit's admin support guide, available from each qualification's course materials page so you know exactly what you need and what you need to do, along with our new external assessment overview tool. |
Try the new BTEC external assessment overview tool
If you’re running BTEC external assessments, you want to find everything you need to know quickly and easily so that everything runs smoothly. We’ve made a new tool to help you do exactly that.
We’ve now added the ability to filter to multiple programmes at the same time, so you can export just what you need all at once.
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The government has confirmed that larger Level 3 qualifications will be defunded in subjects where T Levels exist - with Health, Science and Digital key areas being affected in 2026. We're committed to supporting you through this transition to T Levels and funded BTECs as part of a mixed study programme, with full support and resources coming soon.
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Look out for your initial moderator reports
You'll start receiving your draft moderator reports from 16 January for work and marks submitted by the 15 December deadline.
Exams staff and quality nominees get an email notification when the report is ready to download from Edexcel Online, and they can then share it with relevant staff. You'll then have until 23 January to amend any marks in line with the moderator's feedback, if you wish to.
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Don't forget about the terminal rule
The terminal assessment rule means students have to take their external assessment at the end of their qualification; i.e., the same series in which they'll certificate. This means students must sit their internal assessments either before or in the same series as the external assessment.
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Webinar dates for spring 2026
Keep up to date on the latest developments around the reforms, sector-specific briefings and sessions to support you when teaching new and current qualifications. Find your event and book your place today.
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Enhance your delivery
Built to support you and your learners from day one, our print and digital resources are available to help you deliver engaging effective learning and support your learners with assessment.
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Enhanced planning and teaching guide for Applied Science AAQ
We have refreshed the planning and teaching guide for the BTEC Level 3 National AAQs in Applied Science.
The latest version includes updates designed to make planning, delivery and assessment easier, and reflects the most recent guidance and clarifications.
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Pearson’s 28 days of T Levels
Our annual T Level support festival returns this February, packed with live events, practical guidance, and expert-led sessions.
This year’s programme includes live support events for new Providers in Digital, Health and Science, guidance on transitioning to T Levels ahead of larger Level 3 qualifications being defunded this summer, ideas and best practice for planning the industry placement, support from ETF and Gatsby, and curriculum-planning drop-in sessions:
- Pearson Support Offer for T Levels – 3 February
- Planning the Work Placement – 9 February
- Introduction to Digital T Levels – 10 February
- What About Other Options to T Levels? - 12 February
- How ETF Can Help Support Your T Level Journey – 16 February
- Introduction to the Science T Level – 17 February
- Level 2 Planning for a T Level Provision – 19 February
- How Gatsby Can Help Support Your T Level Journey – 23 February
- Introduction to the Health T Level – 24 February
- Generation 2 Wave 2 (Health and Science) Exams Officers Kick Start – 26 February
See the full event timetable with more details and book your place on our events and training page. |
Can’t make a session? Don’t worry; we’ll share recorded videos and resources via LinkedIn and our website, so keep an eye out for updates throughout February. |
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The Pearson Vocational Quality Assurance YouTube channel has moved with the rest of the family over on the @pearson channel. Subscribe to @pearson so you don’t miss a thing. You’ll still get the same trusted tips, resources, inspiring stories and support you rely on – now with even more content from across Pearson, all in one (bigger) home.
Standards verification is about to launch for the BTEC Firsts and BTEC Nationals, so please look out for the introductory emails from your standards verifiers. You can access all the information you need about the process in the Centre Guide to Standards Verification.
Remember, if you've got any questions about quality assurance, you can book a one-to-one Teams meeting with your VQAM for dedicated personal support.
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Complete your Annual Programme Monitoring Review
The Annual Programme Monitoring Review (APMR) for the 2024/25 academic year is now open to complete. All quality nominees at Higher National centres that recruited learners in 2024/25 will have received an email with instructions to complete your APMR.
What you need to do
Make sure your quality nominee details are up to date in Edexcel Online so you don’t miss any important updates. You’ll need to complete the APMR by 20 February 2026. |
Programme Allocation Check
Do you have any programmes with active students that aren't yet allocated to you?
Act now: if you spot any gaps, email HNQA@pearson.com immediately so we can assign the correct External Examiner and maintain quality assurance across all programmes. |
Annual student registration
Accuracy matters! Please confirm your student lists and withdraw any learners who are no longer on the programme.
Why? An annual student fee of £25 applies on the anniversary of each additional year of study. Prompt withdrawals help avoid unnecessary charges and keep records up to date. |
Be prepared for LLE
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is launching in academic year 2026/27. It will completely reshape student finance, giving learners flexible loans to fund up to four years of education after 18, including full courses or individual modules at levels 4 to 6.
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Extensions for Animal Care, Business, Sport and Sport and Exercise Science
The BTEC Higher Nationals in Animal Care and Business have been extended for another two years, with a final registration date of 31 August 2028.
The BTEC Higher Nationals in Sport and Sport and Exercise Science have also been extended, with a final registration date of 31 August 2027. |
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Level 1 and 2 Speaking, Listening and Communicating
If you are delivering Functional Skills Level 1 and 2 Speaking, Listening and Communication, you should be contacted by your standards verifier within the next ten working days to begin the sampling process. If you haven't been contacted by your standards verifier, please let us know.
The deadline to complete sampling activities is 30 June 2026.
Make sure your lead internal verifiers are registered on OSCA before Level 1 and 2 English Speaking, Listening and Communication assessments take place. Your students can’t receive certificates unless your internal verifiers are accredited on OSCA.
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Entry Level Functional Skills (ELFS)
You should have now been contacted by your standards verifier (SV). If you’ve not heard from them, please let us know.
The deadline to complete sampling activities is 31 July 2026. The deadline to claim certificates for 2025-26 is 31 August 2026.
A reminder to withdraw old, unclaimed registration numbers. If a learner has been registered and is not going to complete any assessments, they must be withdrawn.
Everything you need for delivery
Use our handbooks and exemplar videos to set your teams up for success.
Tell us about Functional Skills in context
We’re reviewing the contexts in which Functional Skills assessments are used to make sure they reflect real-life learning. Your insight matters; please take a few minutes to complete our research surveys and help shape the future of these assessments. |
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Goods, Warehousing and Logistics: We will soon be recruiting for a new Senior Standards Verifier for this sector.
Pharmacy: We will soon be recruiting for a new Senior Standards Verifier for this sector.
Quality assurance dates for your diary:
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The UK government has begun implementing significant reforms to apprenticeships in England, with changes already underway. These reforms aim to simplify processes, increase flexibility, and prioritise funding for younger learners, making apprenticeships more accessible and impactful.
Pearson is actively engaging with Ofqual throughout the consultation and engaging with Skills England over the first phase of the new assessment plans.
For a comprehensive overview of the planned changes and their implications for apprentices, providers, and employers, please visit our website. |
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