Alps Analysis of KS5 Vocational qualifications ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 2024

Alps Analysis of KS5 Vocational qualifications ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 2024

This article presents a breakdown of the Alps Provider benchmark analysis for VTQs. We have a timeline in place for the release of our benchmarks, and therefore content will be added incrementally. 

The timeline: 
  1. Release of BTEC and Cam Tec L3 qualifications - 9 September 2024 - Status: Live in Connect and Summit using toggle 
  2. Release of WJEC Criminology - 17 September 2024 - Status: Live in Connect and Summit using toggle 
  3. Release of T level feasibility outcomes - 30 September 2024 - Status: Live in Connect and Summit using toggle 
  4. Release of UAL outcomes - 7 October 2024 - Status: Live in Connect and Summit using toggle 
  5. L3 Core Maths and EPQ - 5 November 

Analysis of BTECs and Cam Tecs 

What we know about VTQs nationally: 

Single grade qualifications were awarded in line with 2019 at M & P but more generously at D & D*.

Double grade qualifications were awarded in line with 2019 below DD but more generously at DD+.

Triple grade qualifications were awarded in line with 2019 at DDD but were slightly more generous at grades D*DD+.











Alps Analysis of 2024 Providers 

The baseline average prior attainment of students was slightly lower than that of previous years, based on the provider data submitted to Alps: 



In terms of Minimum Expected Points, diagrams below compares the target points required at the 75th percentile across Alps bands. 

The Ext Certs 



The Dips 



The Ext Dips 



Summary




Implications on QI (Quality Indicator) grade

If we consider the impact of the difference in MEPs between 2019 and 2024 on the overall QI grade, we see the following pattern when we switch between the two benchmarks. 



On average, switching to the Alps provider benchmark has very little effect on the QI grade. In 2023 this inflation was 0.43 of a grade. 
In summary, 8some providers will see the QI grade increase on toggling, most will see no change and some will see a drop. 

•Compared to the National benchmark more providers gain grades 1 & 2 using the 2024 provider benchmark.
•However, using the 2024 provider benchmark, more providers slip into grades 8 & 9.

The Alps Provider Benchmark for 2024 is available in Connect and Summit now via the benchmark selector toggle.


What causes the variability in QI grades between benchmarks?

Unlike at A Level where the Prior Attainment (PA) of students taking A Levels soared in 2024 (compared to 2019) the PA of students taking vocational qualifications was slightly lower in 2024 than in 2023 or 2019.


Applied General outcomes were higher for example at DD+. The QI grade thresholds rose slightly in our 2024 provider benchmark.


Some vocational subjects had benchmarks in the national benchmark but not in our customer benchmark and vice versa.


Many schools use a very small number of vocational qualifications, and the variability of subject performance influences each provider’s QI score.


At A level, we recommend colleagues consider the use of the Alps Provider benchmark to analyse 2024 outcomes. This is because the 2024 A level context is again unique and the Alps benchmark gives a more representative value-added comparison. This argument is less strong for L3 vocational outcomes as detailed above.

In this article we have therefore attempted to set out the facts of our analysis to allow colleagues to make individual decisions at provider level on which benchmark to use for improvement purposes.  



Analysis of WJEC Criminology

We released new Provider benchmarks for the WJEC Cert and Dip in Criminology on 17 September 2024. 
It was not possible to benchmark additional WJECs from customer data. 

Findings for the WJEC Applied Diploma in Criminology mirrors the patterns seen at A level, with Minimum Expected Points (MEPs) lower in 2024 than in 2019. 
In terms of Alps Bands, the shift in Minimum Expected Points from 2019 (National DfE) to Alps Provider 2024 is as follows: 


The points shift is likely to affect your subject value-added grade. For the majority of Providers, it may mean that the subject Alps grade is higher when analysed against the Provider benchmark. 

Findings for the WJEC Applied Cert in Criminology are more inconclusive. There is more variation in terms of Minimum Expected Points (MEPs) difference when comparing 2024 to 2019. 
In terms of Alps Bands, the shift in Minimum Expected Points from 2019 (National DfE) to Alps Provider 2024 is as follows: 

The points shift may not affect your subject value-added grade. It will depend largely on the distribution of your cohort for the subject across the prior attainment range. 


Analysis of T levels 

At the end of September 20224, we ran a feasibility project on benchmarking T levels against customer data, ie the data which had been submitted to Alps following the Summer results. 
Unfortunately we had insufficient data from which to generate a customer benchmark for T levels. Following receipt of the national data from the DfE from 2024 outcomes, we will investigate opportunities around T levels and report our findings across the Spring Term 2025. 

Analysis of UALs

We released new Provider benchmarks for the UAL Dips and Ext Dips into Connect and Summit on 8 October 2024. 
The following subjects have been benchmarked, and therefore have thermometers in the platforms: 


The Minimum Expected Points table below shows the difference in points required at the 75th percentile between the 2019 DfE national and 2024 (Alps Provider). 


The pattern of MEP shift for the Diplomas is more clear cut than that of the Extended Diplomas. When using the Alps Provider benchmark, the subject value-added grades for the Dips are more likely to increase. The Ext Dips will depend on the prior attainment distribution of the cohort. 

Level 3 Core Maths and EPQ

The final set of Provider benchmarks to appear in Connect and Summit were the Level 3 Core Maths and the EPQ on 5 November 2024. 

L3 Core Maths actually saw an upshift in target points from 2019 values, based on 3.5k entries in the Alps Provider dataset. This means that students in most prior attainment bands required more points to hit the 75th percentile than they did in 2019. 
In terms of Alps Bands, the shift in Minimum Expected Points from 2019 (National DfE) to Alps Provider 2024 is as follows: 



The points shift is likely to affect your subject value-added grade, but the degree to which it does so will depend on the distribution of students across the Alps prior attainment bands. For the majority of Providers, it may mean that the subject Alps grade is lower when analysed against the Provider benchmark. 


The EPQ showed similar patters to the A level benchmarks. There was a general lowering of the Minimum Expected Points required to hit the 75th percentile across the prior attainment bands. 
In terms of Alps Bands, the shift in Minimum Expected Points from 2019 (National DfE) to Alps Provider 2024 is as follows: 



The points shift is likely to affect your subject value-added grade, but the degree to which it does so will depend on the distribution of students across the Alps prior attainment bands. For the majority of Providers, it may mean that the subject Alps grade is higher when analysed against the Provider benchmark. 

    • Related Articles

    • Alps Late September Newsletter

      Alps September Newsletter September has been a busy month and we have so much to share in this edition of the Alps newsletter. Learn all about even more exciting news and updates, read fantastic blogs from our experienced educational consultants and ...

    • Alps Early September Newsletter

      Alps September Newsletter Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful and restful Summer break. This edition of the Newsletter is packed with helpful resources and webinars to help you hit the ground running this year. Plus, we've got some exciting new ...

    • Alps Early September Newsletter

      Alps September Newsletter Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful and restful Summer break. This early September edition of the Newsletter is packed with everything you need to hit the ground running this academic year; including support articles, ...

    • Alps Analysis of GCSE ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 2024

      2024 GCSE Results in England Following the release of this years GCSE examination results we have analysed the data released by the Joint Council of Qualifications and Ofqual alongside the data uploaded to Alps by our schools to help provide you with ...

    • Alps analysis of 2023 client benchmarks - GCSE England SEPTEMBER 2023

      Information will appear here in the week following KS4 Results Day 2023 GCSE Results in England Following the release of this years GCSE examination results we have analysed the data released by the Joint Council of Qualifications and Ofqual ...