New ATHE Level 3 qualifications in Business (60 credits) and Business & Management (120 credits)

As you will know from recent centre communications, we have been re-developing our Level 3 Business/Business & Management offer to both update and improve on our existing qualifications. These new qualifications will be finalised over the next couple of months, and we are writing to inform you about how we intend to make them available for you to start delivering them.

We will be following up this advanced notice with engagement with centres to identify any questions or issues arising from the introduction of these re-developed qualifications.

Our main Business offer at Level 3 currently consists of:

• ATHE Level 3 Diploma in Business (QAN: 601/6170/X) (60 credits)
• ATHE Level 3 Diploma in Business and Management (QAN: 601/8701/3) (120 credits)

We have developed new 60 and 120 credit qualifications in Business and Business & Management to replace these current qualifications. Draft titles for these new qualifications are as follows:

• ATHE Level 3 Diploma in Business (QAN: tbc) (60 credits)
• ATHE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business and Management (QAN: tbc) (120 credits)

Whilst these new qualifications are similar in purpose, content and overall style to the current qualifications, the new qualifications have some significant advantages:

• Unlike the current qualifications, the new qualifications are each based on a single suite of Level 3 Business units, which means learners have the flexibility to accumulate achievements as they progress. 
• A simpler assessment approach (identifying only essential learning outcomes/assessment criteria) means more straightforward unit delivery and more achievement opportunities for learners.
• As well as having revised and more relevant content, the new qualifications link to our new Study and Employability Skills standards and offer more structured skills development opportunities.
• The use of a single, relevant scenario for unit assignments means that assignment activity is more engaging and practical for learners.

We intend to make these new qualifications available to recognised centres during the 2022/23 academic year. The timetable below outlines the key dates.

Key dates for the implementation of the new Level 3 Business/Level 3 Business & Management qualifications

Action	Date
Draft qualification specification and assignments available to centres.	Late November 2022
Final qualification specification and assignments available to centres.	Late February 2023
Public funding for current Level 3 qualifications is removed for new registrations (UK centres).   (Funding for existing learners continues until they complete their qualification, or the qualification reaches its certification end date.)	Tuesday 2nd May 2023
New Level 3 qualifications available to recognised centres to start to register learners.   (Public funding for UK centres for the new Level 3 qualifications starts from this date.)	Wednesday 3rd May 2023
Registration end date for current Level 3 qualifications.   (This is the last date that you will be able to register learners for the current Level 3 qualifications.)	Thursday 31st August 2023
Certification end date for existing Level 3 qualifications.   (This is the date by which all learners must have completed their qualification and been certificated for it.)	31st December 2024 – Level 3 Business (60 credits)   31st December 2025 – Level 3 Business & Management (120 credits)

Notes:

1. We anticipate that for most of you your first full year of delivering the new qualifications will be from September 2023, and we are informing you of these key dates at this stage in the year so that you can begin to take the steps necessary to begin your preparations for the delivery of these qualifications. Equally, there may be some of you who want to accustom yourselves to the new qualifications from 3^rd May 2023 in advance of a broader roll out of the new qualifications from September 2023.

• You should also note that ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) will not fund qualifications once there is an alternative, replacement qualification in place, hence, the changeover of funding to the new qualifications upon their implementation. You should note, however, that even though public funding might have been removed from the current qualifications, you can still register your learners with ATHE on the current qualifications after 3^rd May until registrations close at the end of August 23. We hope that this additional time will enable you to make the transition to the new offer more smoothly for your learners.

I hope that these arrangements are clear and that they make sense. If you have any questions or issues in relation to these arrangements, then please let me know (simon.r@athe.co.uk)