Vocational Quality Assurance
Manager Newsletter
19 March 2026
|
|
|
Dear colleague,
It looks as though spring has finally sprung and we are fast approaching the end of term 2 and the Easter break. This newsletter brings together all your key jobs for the month and important items to note.
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. |
- Check out our full schedule of live support events to help staff with all aspects of quality assurance and BTEC assessment rules.
- Contact your named VQAM for personalised quality assurance support – remember you can book a Teams meeting at Meet your VQAM.
- Results from the January series are released this week, followed quickly by the summer series entry deadline. Work with your colleagues to ensure these entries are made on time, including any resits.
- Remind your Lead IVs about external assessment entry deadlines
- Book onto a quality nominee network event this summer
- Wanting to deliver T levels in September? Make sure you apply for approval by 28 June 2026
|
|
|
The deadline to make summer series entries for BTEC Nationals, Firsts and L2 Technicals is Friday 20 March.
If you have students receiving results from the January series this week, you’ll have until 27 March to make any resit entries for them.
If you have students receiving results from the February series on 2 April, you’ll have until 10 April to make their resit entries. |
|
|
Our face-to-face networking events return this summer! These will be a great opportunity to connect with local colleagues, exchange best practice and delve into essential quality assurance themes for the coming year, and we're running events all over the country to try to reach as many of you as possible. |
|
|
You’ll get to meet your regional vocational quality assurance manager and curriculum development manager, with insights on:
- the latest updates on ongoing level 2 and level 3 reforms and our available support
- 2026/27/ quality assurance cycle updates for BTEC Entry/Level 1 to 3 qualifications, BTEC Level 3 Nationals (AAQs) and BTEC Tech Awards
Find your nearest event on our events page and we look forward to seeing you! |
|
|
Need to apply for T Level qualification approval? It’s now as simple as emailing your approval application directly to ukqualsapprovalswebform@pearson.com, rather than being routed through the support portal, so we can receive and process your application even quicker. We’re still updated the guidance on the website, so you heard it here first!
The window to apply is now open for all T Levels except for Health and closes on 28 June. As Health is a brand-new qualification with first delivery in 2026, we’re awaiting final approval from DfE and Ofqual before we can accept applications to deliver, so we’ll let you know as soon as this comes through.
All the information you need to apply for approval is on our T Level admin support page, along with a wide range of resources, training opportunities and guidance videos.
|
|
|
Standards verification and sampling are well under way for most programmes. Keep checking in with your lead internal verifiers and make sure everything is on track to be ready before the 15 May deadline. As reports come into Edexcel Online, make sure these are shared with programme teams and that they respond to any actions or recommendations identified.
We’re here for you if you have any issues or questions around standards verification, so reach out to us either via the Pearson support portal or Meet your VQAM if you need any help. |
|
|
The global BTEC Higher Nationals Student Survey 2026 is now open and will remain available until 16 April 2026.
Please share the link and encourage your students to take part in the survey, as their feedback is invaluable in helping us improve the quality of teaching and learning across all BTEC Higher National programmes.
Students who complete the survey will have the chance to win one of two £100 Amazon vouchers. |
Thank you for your support in promoting student engagement. |
|
|
Following our email on 12 February about changes to mark submission for moderated work, we’ve now published additional, subject-specific guidance for summer 2026. Missed the email? Read it here.
This includes Art and Design, PE, Sport, Drama, Performing Arts and English, so you can see exactly what the changes mean for your subject areas. |
|
|
Last week, the Department for Education published the outcome of its consultation on post-16 level 3 and below pathways in England, along with decisions on future qualification funding.
We emailed all centres in England with some key headlines of what this means for you, as well as more information and updated funding guides. |
|
|
Kind regards ,
Helen, Bill, Liz & Sally
Vocational Quality Assurance Managers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
