Level 2 Certificate in Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy ( VRQ)
External assessment
Feedback to centres
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Overview of the external assessment
Grading
Candidate performance January 2015 series
Candidate preparation – mock examinations
Improving candidate examination performance
On the day of the exam
Things to avoid
Questions
Overview - External assessment
• Online assessment accessed through Linx2Achieve on the VTCT
website.
• Time allocation: 1hr 30 mins
• Total marks per paper: 60 marks
• Generally between 20-25 questions per paper
• Paper includes a mixture of short and long answer question, to
provide stretch and challenge
• Questions assess knowledge and understanding over all three
learning outcomes for UV21578 Understanding the hair and beauty
sector.
• All bulleted content in the unit specification will be covered over a
cycle of examination series
• All questions have the ‘command’ word highlighted in bold
• The mark allocation is clearly stated in brackets after each question
• Candidates can revisit an answer before they submit their paper
Grading
The external exam paper pass marks for the UV21578 are:
• Pass - 40 – 59 %
• Merit - 60 – 79 %
• Distinction - 80 % and above
(Please note: these are ‘rough’ boundaries that are subject
to change from series to series)
Candidate performance January 2015
Strengths
• The majority of candidates could identify a wide range of
hair and beauty businesses.
• Most candidates recognised the hair and beauty sector
had a positive impact on the UK economy.
• A large number of candidates were able to identify
industries and sectors that have links with the hair and
beauty sector.
• Many candidates demonstrated a good understanding of
the common hair and beauty services and treatments.
• The majority of candidates were able to show a very
good understanding of a range of beauty and make-up
products
Candidate performance January 2015
Areas for improvement
Some candidate's were able to identify key information
but did not demonstrate sufficient understanding when
describing or explaining answers. Below are the main
areas to focus on:
• Build knowledge and understanding of the main focus
and purpose of each type of hair and beauty business.
• Strengthen knowledge and understanding of range of
related businesses
• Reinforce the ways the hair and beauty sector
contributes to the UK economy
• Build understanding of how other industries and sectors
are linked to the hair and beauty sector.
• Work on the key features/advantage and disadvantages
of a range of types of business ownership.
Candidate performance January 2015
Areas for improvement - Continued
• Strengthen knowledge and understanding of a range of
depilatory products.
• Strengthen knowledge and understanding of a range of
hair products
• Reinforce knowledge and understanding of key health,
safety, hygiene and legislation, paying particular
attention to how each is applied in a hair and beauty
environment.
• Support knowledge and understanding of the
importance of a range of skills and attributes required by
industry professionals.
Candidate preparation - mock exams
It is good practise to allow candidate's to sit mock examinations
well before they attempt the online external assessment
Suggestions for mock exams
• Download exemplar paper available on VTCT website, allow
learners to sit the paper under exam conditions
• January archive paper will be available online shortly and can
be used in the same way
• Give learners the exemplar mark scheme and allow them to
peer mark so they become familiar with the criteria
• Preparation activities are available in the Teachers Resource
Pack
• Tutor could construct their own questions with a similar format
to exemplar papers
• Candidates could construct their own questions swap papers
with their peers and peer mark
Improving candidate examination performance
Tutors can coach and advise candidates to do the following during
their preparation for external assessment:
Good practise / general guidance
• Launch revision and recapping session well before the exam
date
• Encourage candidates to produce flash cards/mind maps/key
cards etc. with important facts and information, focus on
accurate professional terminology and language
• Complete regular short 30 min revision sessions at home and in
class covering all the specification content
• Provide candidate's with a checklist of the unit specification
content that will be assessed in the exam to help them focus
their revision
On the day of the exam
Encourage candidates to :
• Read the question carefully looking specifically at the
‘command’ word in bold and the mark allocation. Both
will offer guidance to the depth and breath of
knowledge required in the answer.
• Read through all of the questions then attempt the
questions you know first.
• If you get stuck on a particular question, stay calm move
on and revisit later
• When all questions have been completed, read all of the
answers and check for accuracy, quite simply does the
answer make sense?
Things to avoid
• Repeating the whole question within the answer, it
wastes time and does not gain any extra marks
• ‘Slang’ and ‘text’ language
• Repeating the same information within the answer , it will
not gain more marks
• Entering candidates before they have been sufficiently
prepared for the external assessment
Understanding external assessment questions
Coach learners to recognise the requirements of each question by
understanding the ‘command’ words in bold. The following are
command words commonly used:
• List – Provide a number of points with no elaboration (The number
required will also be in bold)
• State – Express in clear terms
• Identify – Name or otherwise characterise, may be a single word or
phrase
• Define – Specify the meaning of a word or term
• Outline – Provide an overview, restrict answer to essential detail
only
• Describe – Give a detailed account providing relevant characteristics
• Explain – Set out the purpose or reason with relevant detail and
content
Questions