Pearson Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National in Health and Social Care (Extended Certificate) - Issue 4 - Specification updates

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by Callum

Pearson Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National in Health and Social Care (Extended Certificate) specification Issue 4 sets out the qualification framework and its purpose for learners at Level 3. It explains the student-centred, unit-based approach, combining assignments and examinations, and highlights transferable skills, sustainability education, and digital skills. The document outlines assessment consistency using internal and external assessments, provides support guidance, and summarizes key updates including updated grading information removing the Near Pass (N) requirement for external units.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages148

Reading Time6 h 13 min

AccessFree to download

Welcome

Purpose of BTEC Nationals

Why BTECs are successful

Assessment and skills framework

Summary of changes to Issue 4

Grading information updates

Pearson Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National in Health and Social Care (Extended Certificate) Specification First teaching from September 2025 First certification from 2026 Issue 4 Qualification Number: 610/3964/0 ‘ Pearson Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National in Health and Social Care (Extended Certificate) Specification First teaching September 2025 First certification from 2026 Issue 4 About Pearson We are the world’s leading learning company operating in countries all around the world. We provide content, assessment and digital services to learners, educational institutions, employers, governments and other partners globally. We are committed to helping equip learners with the skills they need to enhance their employability prospects and to succeed in the changing world of work. We believe that wherever learning flourishes so do people. This specification is Issue 4. Key changes are summarised on the next page. We will inform centres of any changes to this issue. The latest issue can be found on our website. References to third party materials made in this specification are made in good faith. Pearson does not endorse, approve or accept responsibility for the content of materials, which may be subject to change, or any opinions expressed therein. (Materials may include textbooks, journals, magazines and other publications and websites.) All information in this specification is correct at time of publication. VQ000320 All the material in this publication is copyright © Pearson Education Limited 2025 Welcome BTEC Nationals are widely recognised by higher education and industry as the vocational qualification of choice at Level 3. They provide students with meaningful and practical learning experiences across a range of career sectors to prepare them to progress to higher education as a route to graduate-level employment. Recent data has shown that one in five adults of working age in the UK has a BTEC qualification. What’s more, well over 90,000 BTEC students apply to UK universities every year and their BTEC Nationals are accepted by over 150 UK universities and other higher education institutions for relevant degree programmes either on their own or in combination with A Levels. Why are BTECs so successful? BTECs embody a fundamentally student-centred approach to the curriculum, with a flexible, unit-based structure and knowledge applied through a balanced combination of assignments and examinations. They enable the holistic development of the practical, interpersonal and thinking skills required to succeed in higher education and employment. When creating these BTEC Nationals we focused on the skills and personal attributes needed to navigate the future, and have worked with many higher education providers, professional bodies, colleges and schools to ensure that their needs are met. Employers are looking for future employees with a thorough grounding in the latest industry requirements and work-ready skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. Higher education needs students who have experience of research, extended writing and meeting deadlines. We have addressed these requirements by: • Facilitating and guiding the development of transferable skills through the design and delivery of the qualifications, using a holistic and practical framework which is based on recent research into the most critical skills needed to navigate the future. This Transferable Skills framework has been used to embed transferable skills in the qualifications where they naturally occur and also to signpost opportunities for delivery and development as a part of the wider BTEC learning experience. See page 6 for further information. • Supporting the delivery of Sustainability Education and Digital Skills development naturally through the content design of the qualifications. Mapping is provided for each qualification to identify where t

FAQs

When does this Issue 4 specification start teaching and certification?

The specification states first teaching from September 2025 and first certification from 2026.

What major change is listed in the Issue 4 summary?

The summary notes updated grading information, removing the requirement for students to achieve a Near Pass (N) or above in external units to achieve the qualification.

How do BTEC Nationals apply learning and assessment?

The document describes a flexible, unit-based structure using a balanced combination of assignments and examinations, with a consistent assessment approach that includes internal and external assessments.

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by Callum