Skip to main content
European Commission logo

Eurydice

EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
Assessment in Vocational Upper Secondary Education

United Kingdom - Wales

Last update: 30 April 2021
On this page
This article describes assessment in the vocational qualifications available to young people aged 16 to 18/19.

Some of these qualifications form part of apprenticeships and traineeships; two of the main vocational pathways on offer to young people at this stage.

For further information on vocational pathways, see the article ‘Teaching and Learning in Vocational Upper Secondary Education’.

Pupil/students assessment 

For all vocational qualifications in Wales, including those that form part of apprenticeships or traineeships, the assessment scheme forms part of the qualification specification. All qualification specifications are included in the Qualifications in Wales (QiW) database.

Assessment schemes vary and may include internal and external assessment.

For apprenticeships, the WelshGovernment’s Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for Wales sets out minimum requirements. These include the types and characteristics of the qualifications to be included in apprenticeships.

Schools and further education colleges normally provide students with written progress reports once or twice during the academic year based on teachers’/lecturers’ assessment.

Progression of pupils/students 

Students normally progress to the end of their course without interruption. However, this is a matter decided by schools, colleges and training providers (working with employers for apprenticeships and traineeships).

Certification 

All vocational qualifications in Wales are classified using the European classification of Initial Vocational Education and Training (IVETs) and Continuing Vocational Education and Training (CVETs). Young people aged 16 to 18/19 can follow approved courses of IVET or of CVET, which lead to a wide range of vocational qualifications. These qualifications can be taken alongside, or instead of, general qualifications such as A Levels (or GCSEs) in schools and, more commonly, in further education colleges. 

Cambridge Nationals, City and Guilds, National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and BTECs are common examples of the vocational qualifications available to 16- to 18/19-year-olds in Wales. For illustration, further information on BTECs is provided below.

Under the Qualifications Wales Act 2015, all qualifications offered to learners under the age of 19 must be approved or designated by Qualifications Wales, the regulator of general and vocational qualifications. Vocational qualifications are provided by external awarding organisations, within a regulatory framework determined by Qualifications Wales.

Awarding organisations issues results and certificates for individual qualifications. Qualification certificates normally include information such as:

  • the date of the qualification
  • the name of the awarding organisation
  • the name of the examination centre
  • the qualification name and number
  • the grade awarded overall and/or for individual units.

For apprenticeships, in addition, Apprenticeships Certificates Wales manages the process of certifying completion of the overall apprenticeship.

BTECs 

BTECs, offered by the awarding organisation Pearson, are work-related qualifications, designed to accommodate the needs of employers and allow progression to further and higher education. They cover a wide range of sectors including children and young people; construction and the built environment; hair and beauty; hospitality, travel and tourism; and public and uniformed services. They are available at a number of levels accommodating a wide ability range.

  • BTEC Entry Level and Introductory qualifications are intended for learners who are not judged ready for GCSE or similar qualifications. They are Entry Level and Level 1 qualifications on the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW).
  • BTEC Firsts are equivalent to, and may be taken alongside, GCSEs by students in compulsory or post-compulsory education (16+). They are Level 2 qualifications on the CQFW.
  • BTEC Nationals are equivalent to A Levels and suitable for students aged 16+. They are recommended for those who have achieved at least four high grade GCSEs, or who have completed a BTEC First. They are Level 3 qualifications on the CQFW and, like A Levels, are accepted for entry to higher education.

BTECs are unit qualifications. Units may be assessed internally by the school or college, or by external assessment (depending on the specification for the particular qualification). Institutions usually report learner achievement in these units to the awarding organisation at the end of each year / stage of the programme. The awarding organisation then calculates the overall qualification grade from the unit grades the school or college has reported. For the BTEC First, for example, this will be a ‘distinction’, ‘merit’, ‘pass’ or ‘unqualified’ grade.

Certificates are provided by the awarding organisation to the school or college for transmission to the student. Where schools / colleges report learner achievement at the end of the academic year (July), they receive certificates in mid August.

 

Article last reviewed April 2021.