In recent years, changes to key general qualifications in England, particularly GCSEs and A-levels, have placed profound pressures on teachers and school leaders.

Reform to subject content, the structure of qualifications and the rapid timescale for reform added to schools’ burdens, which was compounded by the late release of specifications in many subjects.

Teachers and school leaders raised questions about the rationale for these reforms and the lack of evidence on which they were based.

The NASUWT engages with the DfE, Ofqual and awarding bodies on addressing the implications of qualifications reform and unnecessary additional workload burdens. The Union will continue to act robustly, including through the use of industrial action where necessary, to defend members from inappropriate qualifications policy and practice in schools.

The reform of general qualifications was due to be completed in the summer series 2020 with the first exams in a few ‘lesser taught’ language GCSEs.

The DfE and Ofqual then turned their sights on technical qualifications. In particular, a review of which qualifications would continue to be funded, which are appropriate for particular age groups (14-16, 16-19 or adult), and which would be surplus to requirements as the much-heralded T-levels are rolled out.

The introduction of T-levels also has its controversies. The lack of clarity that arises from calling the programme of study a T-level, implying that it is a direct equivalent of the A-level qualification, is a specific cause of concern.

Other concerns include:

• the timescale for introduction;
• the capacity and willingness of employers to meet the compulsory workplace experience element of the programme of study;
• the method of aggregating assessment into one grade as demanded by the DfE; and
• accessibility to courses at a local level.

Some of these issues have become even more problematic with the impact of Covid-19 measures on the education system and on potential workplace access.

There are wider issues about the broader picture of the qualification suite such as the apparent threat they pose to applied general qualifications. The DfE has proposed a predominantly binary system that allows continued study through either an academic A-level route or a technical route through T-levels, the only alternative to which is an apprenticeship.

The Union also continues to highlight the lack of policy attention given to the provision of appropriate qualifications and courses at level 1 and below.

Any member with concerns about the approach to implementation of qualifications reform in their school or college should seek advice by emailing the Member Support Advice Team.