Qualification development

The development of qualifications such as GCSEs, A levels, vocational qualifications and the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales is an extensive process that involves many subject stakeholders. This is to ensure they provide learners with an opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills to succeed.桂

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Welsh Government, 91두두 Wales (QW) and WJEC, all have distinct roles and responsibilities within the development of qualifications in Wales.桂

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WJEC and qualification development

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Managing qualification development

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Many people are involved in the development of new qualifications within WJEC, including the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and the 91두두 Development Management Group (QDMG).

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Developing a qualification is not something that can be done in isolation. ELT and QDMG involvement ensures that we have a consistent approach across qualifications, where appropriate, and that any new qualification can be developed efficiently, and can be assessed reliably and accurately.

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When a qualification is being developed, the staff directly involved are:

an assistant director
a qualifications development officer
a subject officer
a team of subject specialists (usually current teachers) appointed to produce the specification sample assessment materials and resources for teachers and students.

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The development process桂桂

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The qualifications we develop must meet all relevant regulatory criteria (rules) published by QW. We must ensure we are clear on all aspects of the regulatory criteria which apply to these qualifications.

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Our draft materials, including the specification and sample assessment materials, are submitted for review by QW. We make amendments responding to feedback until QW is content to approve the qualification.

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We engage closely with QW while they develop the relevant criteria as these define, not only the nature of the assessment (e.g. whether it includes coursework or whether it is assessed by exams only), but also the key topics which have to be covered by the subject content.桂

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There are rigorous quality assurance checks throughout the qualification development process. We also engage with subject specialists including teachers of existing WJEC qualifications, to ensure our new qualifications meet the needs of students in Wales.

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Developing a new qualification: the five stages


Proposal developed WJEC submits a proposal to develop a qualification, which may be responding to an agreed reform programme or to market demand. It outlines the need to develop the qualification and our plans to develop sample assessment materials, teaching guidance, resources and professional learning events.	Rationale, draft specification and Sample Assessment Materials developed WJEC and subject specialists, including teachers, produce a draft specification and sample assessment materials addressing regulatory criteria from QW. WJEC produce a qualification rationale explaining decisions made and how the qualification will be structured and assessed.	Rationale and first drafts submitted and reviewed QW staff and their own subject specialists, receive and review our rationale along with the first draft materials.	Feedback and further drafts WJEC develop an updated set of draft materials to take account of feedback received from QW on the first draft. Further drafts may be developed, if necessary.	91두두 approved When QW approves the draft specification and sample assessment materials, we publish them on our website in Welsh and English.

How long does the process take?桂

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Timescale to develop a qualification桂桂

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It typically takes between 18 months to two years, though significant changes, as in the example below, can take longer. 桂

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Because most learning programmes in schools and colleges have a duration of two years, the total time between initial discussions with the regulator until the first awards is typically around four and a half years:

about 18 months for qualification development,
publication of the approved qualification one year in advance of first teaching and,
nearly two years from when students begin their studies to when they take their exams.桂

{"accordionHeading":"","accordionItems":[{"accordionTitle":"Example of how qualifications are developed","accordionTitleSecondary":null,"accordionImage":"","accordionContent":"Welsh Government is introducing a new curriculum in Wales from 2022 that will change the way students learn. As a consequence, we will need new qualifications for teaching from 2025 which will be assessed from 2027, for learners in Year 11.\nThe timeline for developing qualifications to support the new curriculum in Wales is going to be longer than usual because these qualifications are likely to be quite different to our existing qualifications. Although they will not be taught until 2025, work has already begun.\n<ul>\n<li><a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https://www.qualificationswales.org/english/publications/qualified-for-the-future---our-decisions-report-on-our-right-choice-for-wales-consultation/\" target=\"_blank\">QW has already consulted on some aspects of qualifications to support the new curriculum in Wales.</a> We anticipate further engagement with QW throughout the next year while the regulatory criteria are developed.</li>\n<li>After that, we will start our qualification development activities followed by the production of teaching guidance, resources and delivery of professional learning events.</li>\n<li>Although these qualifications will not be taught until September 2025, we want to ensure that they are approved and published well in advance of first teaching to help schools and colleges prepare.  </li>\n</ul>"},{"accordionTitle":"What is the lifespan of a qualification?","accordionTitleSecondary":null,"accordionImage":"","accordionContent":"There isn’t a set lifespan. For GCSE and GCE qualifications across the UK, the lifespan is determined by the timing of programmes of general qualifications reform agreed between the government and the relevant regulator. Our last major period of GCSE and GCE reform in Wales was to develop qualifications for first teaching from 2015, 2016 and 2017.\nSince then, there has been some development of additional qualifications (in health and social care and childcare; built environment and digital technology). As noted above, the next programme of reform for GCSEs is linked to the new curriculum in Wales and these qualifications will be taught from 2025."},{"accordionTitle":"Are the qualifications amended across their life cycle?","accordionTitleSecondary":null,"accordionImage":"","accordionContent":"Yes. We often make amendments to qualifications between major rounds of reform. The inside cover of our specifications list any changes, and we place version 2, version 3 etc. on the front cover to show they have been updated. The amendments might be required by:\n<ul>\n<li>changes to regulatory requirements or,</li>\n<li>as a result of feedback on the existing qualification or,</li>\n<li>as part of WJEC’s planned review cycle.</li>\n</ul>\n The changes might be in relation to:\n<ul>\n<li>marking criteria – e.g. if we’ve found that it would be helpful to clarify an aspect of the assessment criteria for an NEA task which is marked by teachers</li>\n<li>content – e.g. to help ensure the specification content remains relevant and up to date</li>\n<li>set works - e.g. changing texts to help ensure future exams do not become predictable.</li>\n</ul>\nWe always ensure that schools and colleges have sufficient time to prepare for these changes before they are reflected in the examinations."}]}