Updated Cambridge Nationals specifications
09 September 2025
Following feedback from teachers and updates from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), we’ve updated the following Cambridge Nationals specifications:
For all our Cambridge Nationals specifications we have:
- aligned wording with the JCQ Instructions for conducting non-examination assessments (VTQs), effective from September 2025
- added guidance to support your delivery and assessment in line with the JCQ requirements
- added further clarity on the terminal rule requirements
- changed ‘command words’ to ‘descriptor words’ for the non-examined assessment (NEA) marking criteria
- re-emphasised the lifespan of each set assignment and where to find assignment dates
- enhanced guidance in Section 6, covering:
- use of set assignments
- assessing student work and providing feedback
- resubmitting moderated work
- added a new look and feel to incorporate our new ‘Cambridge OCR’ brand
We’ve made these updates to help improve the clarity of guidance, ensuring consistency and alignment across all our qualification materials.
Additional update for Cambridge National in Enterprise and Marketing J837
Following teacher feedback, we’ve also made an additional update for the Enterprise and Marketing specification:
- For Unit R067, Topic Area 4.3: Types of advertising medium used to attract and retain customers and the appropriateness of each, we’ve added ‘TV advert’ as a type of non-digital advertising medium.
You can view and download the updated specifications from the Cambridge Nationals qualification pages on our website and Teach Cambridge.
A summary of the changes, with a list of the updated sections, is shown at the front of each specification.
Please make sure you are using the latest versions of these specifications with your students from September 2025.
If you have any queries about this update, please call our Customer Support Centre on 01223 553998 or email support@ocr.org.uk.
Qualifications