19.We intend to introduce a regulatory approach that:

• allows for continued delivery of the Diploma without a requirement to use a government-operated results service where suitable proposals are put forward by awarding organisations
• retains robust regulation of all Diploma components
• allows for the development of any new qualifications based on existing Diploma components provided that the integrity and standard of the Diploma is maintained.

20.To do this we plan to change our approach to the regulation of the Diploma by withdrawing Regulatory arrangements for component and Diploma awarding bodies: Recognition requirements and operating rules (Version 3).

21.We intend to take this action particularly because these current regulations require awarding organisations to use the government operated results service, the DAS to deliver the Diploma. As this service is to be withdrawn, the current regulations will not be relevant or enforceable beyond 2013. By removing these regulations we will remove all requirements that relate to awarding organisations using the DAS and contribute to a centralised approach to awarding. There are some requirements within the Regulatory arrangements that do not relate specifically the use of DAS and other systems and instead are focused on other elements of the delivery and quality assurance of this qualification. However, these are now covered appropriately within the other Diploma regulations, such as Criteria for accreditation, and Ofqual’s new Conditions of recognition, both of which were not in place when the Regulatory arrangements were originally introduced.

22.In addition, the complexities that we identified as needing to be addressed in our current regulatory approach are primarily a consequence of the different roles and statuses that different awarding organisations have in Diploma delivery. These result from them being defined as either a DAB or CAB, or both. This has resulted in confusion about roles and responsibilities in the delivery of the qualification. By withdrawing these regulations we will remove this complexity.

23.In particular this will mean that:

• requirements relating to the use of DAS and obtaining unique learner numbers and learner accounts will be removed
• duplication of regulations relating to assessment and quality assurance will be reduced
• the need for a separate category of organisations recognised as CABs and DABs will cease – the specific responsibilities that these organisations have that differ from those of other regulated awarding organisations relate to their participation in a centralised system for aggregating results and awarding qualifications.

24.We do not intend to make any changes at this time to any other Diploma regulations. Therefore awarding organisations that wish to continue to offer the Diploma will be able to if they continue to meet all remaining Diploma regulations. They will, of course, need to put in place arrangements that do not depend on DAS to ensure that they can process all the necessary data to make Diploma awards. This means they will need to find a new mechanism to assure themselves that all components of the Diploma have been achieved. In making such arrangements, awarding organisations may determine that they are unable to accept the widest range of components that can contribute towards the Diploma. This is acceptable so long as candidates have the opportunity to achieve all Diploma components in some way.

25.We must secure the standard of the qualification. All regulations relating to the achievement requirements for the qualification will therefore remain unchanged. Any organisation that wishes to continue to offer the Diploma after the regulations have been changed will be required to demonstrate to us how it intends to continue to offer the qualification in a manner that ensures the standard of the qualification and its delivery are secured.

26.We will ask awarding organisations individually to confirm whether they intend to continue to offer the Diploma once the regulations have changed.

27.We are not proposing any change to the structure and content of the component qualifications. Awarding organisations will continue to be free to offer these qualifications alongside, or separately from, the overall Diploma qualification as they see fit. Although a number of the regulatory requirements that relate specifically to Diploma component qualifications are detailed in regulatory documents that set requirements for the Diploma as a whole, all component qualifications are regulated qualifications in their own right and may be offered independently. We will review the presentation and effectiveness of all these regulations as part of work that we have separately put in place to review all the regulatory requirements we set for all awarding organisations and qualifications. For example, as a part of this work, we will consider future arrangements for regulations relating to the content of principal learning qualifications.

28.In addition, it may be that some awarding organisations wish to offer new qualifications that involve the use of some existing Diploma component qualifications. Any such qualifications would need to have a different title and be marketed distinctly from the existing Diploma qualification so that there can be no about whether this was a new qualification or an existing Diploma. Awarding organisations wishing to offer such qualifications would simply need to develop them to meet our regulatory requirements in the normal manner.

29.From this, it should be clear that these proposals do not present alternatives that have to be considered separately. It is possible for the qualifications that are components of the Diploma to be taken separately and be considered as appropriate options in their own right while retaining the overall Diploma qualification for those that want it. The extent to which awarding organisations continue to offer the Diploma and that learners undertake it in schools and colleges will be determined by the demand for the qualification and its components in the marketplace.