IMI Awards News

Department for Education Key Stage 4 Performance Tables

6 February 2012

Last week the Department for Education (DfE) published the Key Stage 4 performance tables: Inclusion of 14-16 Qualifications from 2014. http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/qualifications/a00202523/reform-of-14-to-16-performance-tables

IMI Awards submitted 11 qualifications for inclusion. This week we received notification from the DfE that none of the qualifications submitted are to be included in the Key Stage 4 performance tables in 2014.   The qualifications submitted were as follows:

501/0547/4     IMIAL Level 1 Certificate in Vehicle Maintenance (QCF)
600/2583/9     IMIAL Level 1 Diploma in Automotive Body Repair (QCF)
600/2584/0     IMIAL Level 1 Diploma in Automotive Refinishing (QCF)
600/2585/2     IMIAL Level 1 Certificate in Automotive Refinishing (QCF)
600/2587/6     IMIAL Level 1 Certificate in Motorcycle Maintenance (QCF)
600/2588/8     IMIAL Level 1 Certificate in Automotive Body Repair (QCF)
600/2662/5     IMIAL Level 1 Diploma in Motorcycle Maintenance (QCF)
600/2769/1     IMIAL  Level 1 Certificate in Light Vehicle Maintenance (QCF)
600/2806/3     IMIAL  Level 1 Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance  (QCF)
501/0732/X     IMIAL Level 1 Diploma in Vehicle Maintenance (QCF)
501/1213/2     IMIAL Level 2 Diploma in Vehicle Inspection (QCF)

IMI Awards are of course disappointed in the decision that none of the above qualifications were included in published list, but there is an opportunity to appeal which we are in the process of doing and will our approved centre network informed of the decision.  The IMI, as the Sector Skills Council for the retail automotive sector, have also written to the DfE on behalf of all awarding bodies involved in the sector, to express their concern that no automotive qualifications are on the published tables.

However, all the submitted qualifications remain accredited by Ofqual and approved for pre-16 delivery, and will therefore continue to be available to centres for registration and certification in the normal way.  The decision by DfE will mainly have an impact on centres using the qualifications for their performance points criteria.  As quoted on the DfE website: Teachers can still use their professional judgement to offer other qualifications which reflect their pupils' interests and abilities. All other qualifications accredited by Ofqual for pre-16 teaching and with Section 96 approval can still be offered by schools, but will not count in Performance Tables.

All IMI Awards qualifications will continue to receive industry recognition for their quality and appropriateness within the automotive sector.  IMI Awards work with all major UK manufactures, many of which contribute to the development and structure of the qualifications offered.  As an automotive specialist awarding body we have certificated over 75,000 qualifications in the last 12 months, many of the recipients will have started on lower level qualifications and progressed onto Level 3 qualifications and above or working towards an apprenticeship.