To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the contingency planning being undertaken in regards to vocational and essential skills assessments for 2021/22 to prevent any potential disruption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 6th September I announced that assessment should resume for vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs), with suitable adaptations put in place for 2021-22 academic year.

The Vocational and Technical Qualifications Contingency Regulatory Framework (VCRF) has been implemented to oversee Awarding Organisations’ (AO) assessment and awarding activities during 2021/22. The VCRF sets out an expectation that examinations with adaptations should go ahead as the most reliable form of assessment, and also has the contingency measure built in to revert to Teacher Assessed Grades should the need arise due to changes in PHA requirements during the year.

Essential Skills assessments for 2021/22 will be through summative external assessment as normal with the previous adaptations from 2020/21 retained in place e.g. on-demand end tests, for use as required.

Two of the three Essential Skills Awarding Organisations (AO) have now issued their guidance for 2021/22 to learning centres, with the third AO expected to issue guidance imminently. In addition to the arrangements outlined above, this guidance will require learning centres to retain formative and summative trusted sources of assessment evidence from the commencement of teaching and learning in September 2021. This will ensure evidence is easily available, if alternative arrangements are required later in the academic year.