Important updates on Cambridge Technicals in Art and Design

Our Cambridge Technicals in Art and Design are popular Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications for post-16 students wishing to study a range of art and design concepts and at Level 3 there are specialist pathways in photography, graphic design, 3D design, fashion, and fine art for candidates to choose from. 

We have taken the decision not to re-develop the 2012 Cambridge Technicals in Art and Design suite. However, we are extending the last entry and certification dates of the current 2012 Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications to enable centres to continue delivering the programme. Please see below for full details of the extension, and the reasons why the suite will not be redeveloped. 

The 2012 Cambridge Technicals in Art and Design:

• Receive funding and are included within Key Stage 5 study programmes
• Receive UCAS points – Level 3 is included on the old and the new UCAS tariff
• Remain a valid and regulated qualification suitable for 16-19 year olds. 

However, the qualifications will not receive Key Stage 5 Performance Table points from 2018 onwards.

Department for Education (DfE) Technical Guidance for Vocational Qualifications

To meet the DfE Technical Guidance, qualifications now require a large percentage of mandatory content and external assessment. Our research demonstrated that Art and Design doesn’t suit the requirements set by the DfE. 

We received comments from practitioners such as: 

“If government changes the way in which colleges are judged – e.g. not by success rate but by performance measure – I think we might still be keen to keep Art and Design out of the scope of external assessment.” 

“We provide a Foundation Art and Design and also offer HE courses including degrees – but we look for ability via portfolio – not exam.” 

Level 3

There are two categories in the DfE Technical Guidance:

Applied General: a minimum of 60% mandatory content and 40% external assessment is required. These qualifications are designed to progress students to university. If we were to re-develop the Level 3 Art and Design Cambridge Technicals they would need to meet the requirements for the Applied General category.

Tech Level: a minimum of 40% mandatory content and 30% external assessment is required. These qualifications are designed to progress students into a specific job role or apprenticeship. We would not be able to re-develop the Level 3 Art and Design Cambridge Technicals to meet the requirements for the Tech Level category as there is no specific job role that a student would be able to enter directly after their study.

Applied General Art and Design Cambridge Technicals: What could it look like?

The 2012 Cambridge Technicals in Art and Design has:

• 1 x mandatory unit
• 37 x optional units (including 7 non-specialist units)
• 5 x specialist pathways

We know from your feedback that you like the flexibility the 2012 qualification because you can co-teach across pathways, your students can study specific sector pathways if they choose, there’s no external assessment, and having only one mandatory unit provides your students with lots of choice. 

The draft structure below suggests what the new specification could look like:

• To reach the DfE’s requirement of 40% external assessment we’d require up to five externally assessed units, covering between 44% and 100% of the content. 
• To meet the DfE’s requirement of 60% mandatory content and to make sure each pathway has enough exclusive content we’d require between 64% and 100% mandatory content. 
• To meet the characteristics for the Applied General you’d lose all the things you've told us you like about the 2012 qualification. 

Level 3 and UCAS

The Level 3 Cambridge Technicals in Art and Design attract UCAS points that can enable progression onto university. The old UCAS tariff  and new UCAS tariff can be found on the UCAS website. These tariff points will be used for applications submitted for the 2017 admissions cycle onwards (i.e. for students making applications from September 2016 for full-time courses starting from September 2017.)

Level 2

Level 2 vocational qualifications for 16-19 years olds are now categorised as Technical Certificates. These are designed to cover occupations where employers recognise entry at level 2, and will equip students with specialist knowledge and skills enabling progression to an apprenticeship or job. 

We’ve currently taken the decision not to re-develop the Level 2 Cambridge Technicals in Art and Design as our research demonstrates there are no specific jobs with level 2 entry requirements. Additionally, tutors have reiterated that a high percentage of external assessment and mandatory content does not suit level 2 students for this subject. 

You’ve indicated that student success is more important than KS5 performance points; at Level 2 you’d be more inclined to select a qualification your students could succeed at rather than force them to take a qualification with external assessment.

The future of Cambridge Technicals in Art and Design

So you can continue to provide the Cambridge Technicals in Art and Design we’ll be extending the 2012 Level 2 and Level 3 specifications:

This means you’ll be able to enter:

• Level 2 students until 30 April 2020 – this will allow you to run a final cohort in September 2019 with them completing their qualification by August 2022.
• Level 3 students on a 2 year study programme in September 2020, with their last entry by 31 August 2021 and with them completing their qualification by 31 August 2024.
• Once entered for a particular level, the ability to move between sizes within that level (‘topping up’ and ‘moving down’) is available until the last certification date. 

You can continue to deliver the programme you love – 100% centre assessed including practical and wider project-based assessment opportunities, plus OCR visiting moderation providing centre feedback and support. This provides you with focused qualifications that either complement a Key Stage 5 study programme alongside other vocational qualifications, A Levels, or constitute the bulk of a two-year study programme. 

If you have any queries about this notice, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 01223 553998.

Qualifications

• Art and Design Level 2 Certificate/Extended Certificate/Diploma - 05360, 05362, 05365 (2012 suite)
• Art and Design Level 3 Certificate/Introductory Diploma/Subsidiary Diploma/Diploma/Extended Diploma - 05367, 05369, 05372, 05375, 05378 (2012 suite)