19.The recognition criteria that we propose to use initially are set out below. In due course these criteria may be amended. Even if we choose to adopt and/or amend some of these criteria in the period after vesting, we will not move to a position where accreditation is no longer needed until we are ready to do so. We therefore propose that any consultation on new or revised criteria conducted prior to 1 April 2010 should be regarded as consultation under the 2009 Act to inform the preparation and publication of new or revised criteria from 1 April 2010.
20.The 2009 Act will remove the requirement in the 1997 Act that regulated qualifications should be awarded by an outside organisation that is one that has not been involved in delivering or teaching those qualifications. This means that from 1 April 2010 organisations that deliver and teach qualifications will also be able to apply to be recognised as awarding organisations. Consequently, the requirements for externality that are embedded in the current regulatory arrangements will need to change. From 1 April 2010 all awarding organisations will need to show how they are managing potential conflicts of interest. An awarding organisation that is awarding a qualification it has taught will need, in particular, to show how it is separating functions to avoid conflicts of interest in order to avoid undermining confidence in the qualifications it awards. Criterion 5(d) in
The statutory regulation of external qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 2004 (the 2004 regulatory arrangements) requires awarding organisations to make a clear distinction between their awarding function and other functions within or across organisations and to manage any potential for conflict of interest or restrictive practices. We will require an awarding organisation seeking recognition to demonstrate how it meets this criterion. In addition, in paragraph 28 we have proposed a general condition of recognition setting out how conflicts of interest must be managed. This approach has been informed by our experience of working with employers who wish to award qualifications to their staff for training that they have provided.
21.Recognition criteria to award qualifications in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF):
For awarding organisations wishing to award qualifications in the NQF we propose to use the criteria set out in the 2004 regulatory arrangements, including:
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications (for example functional skills or GCSE) and specific sector/subject areas (for example engineering or mathematics).
a. Recognition criteria to award other general qualifications, occupational qualifications, vocationally related qualifications (VRQs) and free-standing mathematics qualifications (FSMQs)
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in criteria 45 to 62 set out on pages 17 to 23 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications.
b. Recognition criteria to award Entry level qualifications:
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in criteria 68 to 70 set out on pages 24 to 25 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications.
c. Recognition criteria to award adult literacy and numeracy qualifications:
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in criteria 71 to 75 set out on page 25 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications.
d. Recognition criteria to award English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) qualifications:
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in criterion 76 set out on page 25 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications
.
e. Recognition criteria to award key skills qualifications:
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in criteria 77 to 80 set out on page 26 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications.
f. Recognition criteria to award GCSEs:
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in the GCSE qualification criteria published in June 2008, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications. You can find these criteria at
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/files/qca-07-3469_gcse_qualification_criteria.pdf.
g. Recognition criteria to award GCEs:
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in the GCE AS and A level qualification criteria published in February 2007, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications. You can find these criteria at
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/files/GCE_AS_and_A_level_qualification_criteria _Feb_07_final_version__2_.pdf.
h. Recognition criteria to award Advanced Extension Awards:
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in criteria 90 to 93 set out on pages 30 and 31 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications.
i. Recognition criteria to award National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs):
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in criteria 94 to 100 set out on pages 31 and 32 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications.
j. Recognition criteria to award qualifications at level 4 and above (higher levels):
For awarding organisations wishing to award these qualifications we propose to use the criteria for awarding organisations’ procedures, criteria 1 to 42 set out on pages 9 to 16 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award each of the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both specific descriptions of qualifications and specific sector/subject areas. We therefore propose to develop into transitional recognition criteria the procedural requirements embedded in criteria 101 to 103 set out on page 32 of the 2004 regulatory arrangements, so that we can ensure that organisations have the necessary resources and expertise to award these qualifications.
k. Recognition criteria to award principal learning, project and Diploma qualifications:
For awarding organisations wishing to award Diploma qualifications we propose to use the following criteria from the
Regulatory arrangements for component and Diploma awarding bodies: recognition criteria and operating rules, version 2, 2008.
- recognition criteria for component awarding organisations set out on pages 3 to 19
- recognition criteria for all Diploma awarding organisations set out on pages 20 to 22.
You can find the current version of this document at
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/files/Ofqual Operating Rules web.pdf. An updated version of this document is due to be published in May 2010, following consultation with relevant awarding organisations. As stated in paragraph 19 and elsewhere, any consultation started prior to 1 April 2010 will continue. We also propose that any consultation for these purposes conducted under the 1997 Act should be regarded as consultation under the 2009 Act.
l. Recognition criteria to award functional skills qualifications:
For awarding organisations wishing to award functional skills qualifications we propose to use the procedural requirements embedded in the functional skills qualifications criteria. You can find these criteria at
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/files/2009-11-functional-skills-qualifications-criteria.pdf.
22.Recognition criteria to award qualifications and credits in respect of different components of qualifications in the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF):
For awarding organisations wishing to award qualifications and credits in respect of different components of qualifications
in the QCF we propose to use the following requirements from the
Regulatory arrangements for the QCF, 2008 (the QCF regulatory arrangements):
- general requirements for all organisations recognised to operate in the QCF set out on pages 19 to 21
- requirements for awarding organisations set out on pages 26 to 33
- the design requirements for credit certificates and qualification certificates set out in annexes C and D of the regulatory arrangements on pages 44 and 45.
You can find this document at
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/files/Regulatory arrangements QCF August08.pdf.
We will require awarding organisations to demonstrate that they have the necessary resources and expertise to award the specific qualifications for which they are seeking recognition. This means that an awarding organisation will have to show that it has the resources and expertise to offer both QCF qualifications and specific sector/subject areas (for example engineering or music).
