Ofqual has confirmed a series of measures to ensure candidates taking vocational and technical qualifications – who need their 2024 results to progress to higher or further education – get their results on time.
The measures are part of Ofqual’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that candidates taking vocational and technical qualifications have parity of treatment with those taking A levels or GCSEs.
The measures include:
- A term-time checkpoint for Approved Centres to confirm which candidates need a result (certificating candidates) in August to progress to higher or further education.
- Awarding Organisations will issue results on or before A level results day. Results will be provided to Approved Centres in advance, in sufficient time for exams officers to check and prepare them for final release to candidates.
- Ofqual’s VTQ Information Hub will bring together key dates and deadlines from a wider range of awarding organisations, to support Approved Centre staff working in the administration or delivery of these qualifications.
Find out more about the Vocational and Technical Qualification Results Action Plan
What happens next?
We will undertake mandatory term-time checkpoints before the main GCSE and A Level exam series begins in May. The checkpoints are designed to ensure candidates are registered with ECITB on the correct qualification and receive their results when they need them.
To facilitate these, we will ask Approved Centres to confirm which candidates need a result (certificate) in August to progress to higher or further education. We will contact you in January to identify which candidates need a result.
We will provide you with a list of registered candidates for each ECITB qualification in scope. We will ask you to review the list and liaise with all candidates to establish whether they need their result in August to progress to higher or further education. We will then ask you to edit the list confirming which candidates need their result in August and the Centre Co-ordinator will be required to sign a declaration confirming that all information provided is a true and accurate record.
We will also require Centres to appoint a Senior Designated Contact (SDC) who must be available to deal with issues promptly during and outside the term-time. It is important the SDC details are kept up to date and they should have the authority to access information and progress decisions swiftly for the escalation of any issues.
Which ECITB qualifications are in scope?
The following ECITB qualifications used for progression are in scope:
603/3035/1 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Construction Lifting, Positioning and Installing Structures, Plant and Equipment (RQF)
603/3036/3 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Construction Maintenance (RQF)
603/3140/9 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Installing Engineering Construction Plant and Systems (RQF)
603/3409/5 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Design and Draughting (RQF)
603/3411/3 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Project Controls Practice and Techniques (RQF)
603/2550/1 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Nuclear Engineering & Science (RQF)
603/2551/3 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Integrated Nuclear Engineering & Science (RQF)
Key dates and deadlines for 2024 results
- 26 January 2024 – we will contact Centres to identify which candidates expect a result on results day
- 29 February 2024 – the deadline for Centres to confirm which candidates expect a result on results day and confirm Senior Designated person
- 1 April – 3 June 2024 – we will contact Centres to check on progress and accept late registrations
- 17 June 2024 – the final date for submission of portfolios for external quality assurance
- 18 June – 22 July 2024 – external quality assurance monitoring to take place by ECITB
- 23 July 2024 – the final date for certificate claims/results to be submitted on the MSP
- 12 August 2024 – results to be issued (certificated)
To support Centre staff working in the administration or delivery of these qualifications, Ofqual’s VTQ Information Hub will bring together key dates and deadlines from all awarding organisations with qualifications in scope.
Failure to respond to this information request
It is important we make you aware, failure to respond to this information request, or the missing of ECITB’s deadlines for the receipt of information will constitute malpractice or maladministration, ECITB will manage this through our Restrictions and Sanctions Policy.
ECITB are keen to work with you and support you through this mandatory process, our team will be on-hand to help you as you plan and prepare your response.
For more information, please email:
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