QCF Regultory rrngements August 2008 Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework
The qulifitions regultors wish to mke their pulitions widely essile. Plese ontt us if you hve ny speifi essiility requirements. First pulished y The Offie of the Qulifitions nd Exmintions Regultor in 2008. Ofqul is prt of the Qulifitions nd Curriulum Authority (QCA). QCA is n exempt hrity under Shedule 2 of the Chrities At 1993. Crown opyright 2008 Counil for the Curriulum, Exmintions nd Assessment 2008 Qulifitions nd Curriulum Authority 2008 ISBN 978-1-84721-674-8 Reprodution, storge or trnsltion, in ny form or y ny mens, of this pulition is prohiited without prior written permission of the pulisher, unless within the terms of the Copyright Liensing Ageny. Exerpts my e reprodued for the purpose of reserh, privte study, ritiism or review, or y edutionl institutions solely for edution purposes, without permission, provided full knowledgement is given. Printed in Gret Britin. Offie of the Qulifitions nd Exmintions Regultor Spring Ple Coventry Business Prk Herld Avenue Coventry CV5 6UB Telephone 0300 303 3344 Textphone 0300 303 3345 Helpline 0300 303 3346 www.ofqul.gov.uk
Contents Foreword 3 Introdution 5 1. The design speifitions of the QCF 11 2. Generl requirements for ll orgnistions reognised to operte inthe QCF 19 3. Requirements for orgnistions developing nd sumitting units to form prt of redited qulifitions 22 4. Requirements for orgnistions developing rules of omintion for redited qulifitions 24 5. Requirements for wrding orgnistions 26 6. Qulifition requirements 34 Annex A: Sttutory provisions 36 Annex B: Glossry 38 Annex C: Design requirements for redit ertifites 44 Annex D: Design requirements for qulifition ertifites 45 Annex E: QCF level desriptors 46 1
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework 2
Foreword This doument is designed to support the implementtion of the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework (QCF) ross Englnd, Wles nd Northern Irelnd from August 2008. It is presented y the Offie of the Qulifitions nd Exmintions Regultor (Ofqul), the Deprtment for Children, Edution, Lifelong Lerning nd Skills of the Welsh Assemly Government (DCELLS) nd the Counil for the Curriulum, Exmintions nd Assessment (CCEA), the orgnistions with sttutory responsiility for regulting externl qulifitions in Englnd, Wles nd Northern Irelnd. It hs een jointly developed nd will e implemented y ll three orgnistions ross the three ountries. The role for the qulifitions regultors in the development of the QCF is to set pproprite requirements through these regultions nd to ensure tht they re implemented nd reviewed effetively. Other orgnistions, inluding the Qulifitions nd Curriulum Authority (QCA), re responsile for support nd development tivity for the QCF. This doument sets out the regultory rrngements tht will pply to the orgnistions tht operte within, nd the qulifitions tht re redited into, the QCF. The rrngements set the stndrd tht ll orgnistions nd qulifitions must meet in order to e reognised s prt of the QCF. The qulifitions regultors will therefore use these rrngements in proteting the interests of lerners nd promoting puli onfidene in the ntionl qulifitions system. The regultory rrngements re designed to reflet the qulifitions regultors poliy ommitment to strtegi, risk-sed pproh to sfegurding the interests of lerners. To this end, the rrngements re deliertely foused to muh greter extent thn previous regultions on the ility of the orgnistions tht operte in the QCF to develop nd ssess units nd qulifitions, nd to wrd redits nd qulifitions, to the pproprite stndrds. As result, they set out redution in the generl level of the srutiny of individul units nd qulifitions required to ensure tht qulity nd stndrds re mintined. Tht sid, the qulifitions regultors will still onsider ll spets of the development nd delivery of individul units nd qulifitions wherever they feel the need rises. The regultions mke no speifi referene to the reognition of employers, providers or ny other orgnistions to develop nd/or ssess nd wrd euse they will pply to nd must e met y ny orgnistion tht wishes to sumit units, develop rules of omintion nd/or wrd redits nd qulifitions in the QCF. 3
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework The regultions re sed on the outomes of extensive onsulttion nd development work on qulifitions nd redit frmeworks ross Englnd, Wles, Northern Irelnd nd Sotlnd. In prtiulr, they re sed on the outomes of the two-yer progrmme of tivity to test nd tril the QCF. The tests nd trils hve thoroughly exmined nd independently evluted the onept of developing ntionl frmework to reognise hievement through the wrd of redit nd qulifitions. The units nd qulifitions developed during the tests nd trils were sujet to regultion from the qulifitions regultors, whih provided the opportunity to evlute wht the pproprite regultions for the QCF should e. These regultions lso uild on the qulifitions regultors experiene of regulting orgnistions to operte in the Ntionl Qulifitions Frmework. While these regultions do mke new nd different requirements of the orgnistions reognised y the regultors nd their units nd qulifitions, they uild, wherever possile, on the good prtie of existing rrngements. The qulifitions regultors will evlute regultory issues tht rise in the development of the QCF. In doing so, they will onsider the suitility of these rrngements nd how well ssoited regultory tivity nd the opertion of the QCF re working. They will report pulily on their findings during the implementtion of the QCF. The qulifitions regultors hve pulished in seprte doument detils of the mehnism through whih orgnistions demonstrte tht they meet the requirements set out in these regultions nd the timelines for their implementtion. It is lso importnt to note tht the development of the QCF hs tken ple to dte within the ontext of the UK Votionl Qulifition Reform Progrmme nd, s suh, votionl qulifitions re the immedite fous for the orgnistions nd qulifitions tht will seek reognition in the QCF. The QCF is, however, designed to e ple of reognising ll hievements t ll levels. These regultory rrngements provide the mens to support the development of the QCF from set of test nd tril rrngements to full implementtion. They set out sis for doing this tht supports the ims of the QCF to provide lerners with greter rnge of hoie, opportunities nd inresed flexiility. They lso provide seure foundtion on whih stndrds nd omprility nd puli onfidene in the QCF will e mintined. 4
Introdution The Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework The QCF is designed to provide lerners, lerning providers nd employers with n inlusive nd flexile regulted qulifitions frmework ontining units nd qulifitions tht reognise the widest possile rnge of qulity ssured lerner hievements. The QCF will, for the first time, introdue stndrd urreny for lerner hievement ross the qulifitions system through the wrd of redit. The im of the QCF The im of the QCF is to support the estlishment, mintenne nd ontinuing development of qulifitions system tht is: inlusive le to reognise the hievements of ll lerners t ny level nd in ny re of lerning responsive enling individuls nd employers to estlish routes to hievement tht re pproprite to their needs, nd reognised orgnistions to develop units nd qulifitions in response to demnd essile uilding system sed on ler design fetures tht re esy for ll users to understnd non-ureurti sed on mutul trust nd onfidene, supported y roust nd proportionte pproh to regultion nd qulity ssurne. The design of the QCF The QCF provides struture within whih: unit-sed qulifitions n e loted hievements re reognised through the wrd of redits nd qulifitions the level nd size of hievements n e esily identified the mehnisms neessry to llow the umultion nd trnsfer of redits etween qulifitions nd wrding orgnistions operte lerners re given the mximum flexiility nd rnge of opportunities to progress nd reeive reognition for their hievements. All units nd qulifitions in the QCF hve redit vlue (one redit represents 10 hours, showing how muh time nd effort it tkes to omplete) nd level etween Entry level nd level 8(showing the level of hllenge or diffiulty of it). 5
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework There re three sizes of qulifition in the QCF: Awrd, etween 1 nd 12 redits Certifite, etween 13 nd 36 redits Diplom, 37 redits nd ove. The struture of the QCF nd the wy in whih qulifitions re represented in it is represented in the digrm elow. The opertion of the QCF The QCF is unit-sed frmework. Units re the uilding loks of ll qulifitions. Orgnistions tht hve een reognised to develop nd sumit units will ple units in the QCF unit dtnk. One they re ville in the dtnk, they my e used to uild rules of omintion y orgnistions reognised for this purpose. Awrding orgnistions susequently use greed rules of omintion to develop ssessment rrngements for qulifitions nd sumit qulifitions for redittion. When units re inluded in qulifitions nd the qulifitions hve een redited, they n e mde ville to lerners. Awrding orgnistions offer units nd qulifitions to entres nd lerners, nd re responsile for rrying out ssessments of units nd mking wrds of redits nd qulifitions. 6
Introdution Regultion of the QCF The regultory rrngements for the QCF re jointly developed, presented nd implemented y the qulifitions regultors for Englnd, Wles nd Northern Irelnd: Ofqul, DCELLS nd CCEA. The sttutory sis for the regultory tivity of the qulifitions regultors is set out in Annex A. Regultory ims for the QCF The overll purpose of regulting the QCF is to sfegurd the interests of lerners y seuring the roust opertion of the QCF nd mintining puli onfidene in its vlue nd enefits. In order to do this the regultion of the QCF is designed to: Meet the needs of lerners The system must meet the needs of individul lerners nd offer hoies of routes to hievement nd opportunities for progression. Mintin stndrds nd omprility Stndrds nd omprility must e estlished nd mintined ross the units nd qulifitions developed, nd the redits nd qulifitions wrded to lerners y ll the orgnistions reognised y the qulifitions regultors to operte within the QCF. Promote puli onfidene There must e puli onfidene nd trust in the orgnistions tht operte within the QCF, the units nd qulifitions they develop, nd the redits nd qulifitions wrded to lerners. There must lso e puli onfidene tht ll orgnistions reognised to operte in the QCF nd the qulifitions regultors will t effetively nd ppropritely if things go wrong tht ffet stndrds or the interests of lerners. Support equlity nd diversity The system must e fir nd equl to ensure tht wherever possile ll lerners with the relevnt skills, knowledge nd understnding n hve their hievements reognised. Ensure vlue for money Investment in the QCF nd the ost, impt nd enefits of regultory mesures nd interventions should provide overll vlue for money for ll stkeholders, inluding lerners, entres, regulted orgnistions nd government. Approh to regultion of the QCF The qulifitions regultors pproh to regultion in the QCF onsists of: estlishing, through this doument, regultory rrngements tht ensure tht requirements for orgnistions reognised to develop nd 7
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework sumit units, develop rules of omintion, nd ssess units nd wrd redits nd qulifitions re lerly speified nd set rigorous nd pproprite qulity stndrds reognising orgnistions nd rediting qulifitions tht meet the stndrds set out in these rrngements monitoring the performne of reognised orgnistions nd the units nd qulifitions they develop nd/or offer to ensure tht the requirements nd stndrds set out in the regultory rrngements re eing mintined keeping users informed out units nd qulifitions in the QCF, inluding pulishing the definitive reord of ll reognised units nd redited qulifitions, nd reporting pulily on the QCF nd the orgnistions tht operte within it. The qulifitions regultors intend to fous their tivity within the QCF on the qulifition system nd orgnistions tht operte in it, rther thn on individul units or qulifitions. This pproh is onsistent with the speifitions of the QCF nd demonstrtes the pplition of the regultors ommitment to dopting more strtegi pproh to regultion tht is sed on risk. This fous on orgnistionl pility mens tht the qulifitions regultors will not generlly srutinise individul units t the point when they re dmitted to the unit dtnk, nd will use stremlined proess to fous on only the key fetures of qulifitions t the point of redittion. However, where the regultors identify prtiulr risks or onerns, they my hoose to inrese the level of srutiny tht they ple on ny spet of the system. If the qulifitions regultors identify tht reognised orgnistion is not omplying with these regultions, they will tke tion to ensure its ompline with the relevnt regultions. They n pply ondition of redittion to n wrding orgnistion to instrut it to retify non-ompline. They my hoose to pply onditions t the reognition stge, t the point of rediting qulifition, s onsequene of their monitoring tivity, or if hnges to qulifition eome neessry in the interests of users. The qulifitions regultors n lso impose sntions where they re needed to enourge n wrding orgnistion s ompline with the regultions nd protet the interests of users. The level of sntion imposed will depend on the nture of n wrding orgnistion s non-ompline, the risks posed to the qulity of qulifitions nd the interests of users. This doument sets out the outomes tht re expeted from the orgnistions tht re reognised nd the qulifitions tht re redited within the QCF. Exept where this is onsidered essentil to the stility nd opertion of the QCF, it does not set out the proesses y whih those outomes re hieved. 8
Introdution This pproh provides flexiility for orgnistions to develop pprohes to meet the required outomes, without the mjority of proesses eing presried. These regultions lso do not speify the mehnisms tht the qulifitions regultors will use to hek ompline with the requirements. This is euse the purpose of this doument is to set the stndrds for orgnistions nd their units nd qulifitions. The proess y whih orgnistions re reognised nd qulifitions redited in the QCF is pulished seprtely. The funtions of the QCF for whih orgnistions my e reognised, together with desription of the responsiilities they re reognised to rry out, re outlined in more detil in the Roles nd responsiilities setion elow. Links with other regultory douments These rrngements over ll the requirements pplying to orgnistions operting within the QCF, the units nd rules of omintion tht they my develop nd the redits nd qulifitions they my wrd. The rrngements do not therefore rely on ny other regultory riteri or odes of prtie, lthough the qulifitions regultors my lso from time to time produe requirements, informtion nd guidne for frmework users intended to support the effetive regultion of the QCF nd the opertion of the qulifitions system. Currently the only suh douments re the Regultory priniples for e-ssessment, to whih wrding orgnistions should refer if they intend to use this type of ssessment, nd Operting rules for using the term NVQ in QCF qulifition title, whih orgnistions should use if they wish to title their qulifitions in this wy. Roles nd responsiilities This setion summrises the min roles nd responsiilities of orgnistions operting within the QCF. Orgnistions in the QCF n hoose to e reognised to: Develop nd sumit units to form prt of redited qulifitions Orgnistions tht re reognised to develop nd sumit units enter them to the QCF unit dtnk to e inluded in redited qulifitions. They must ensure tht these units re up to dte, responsive to hnge nd ple of omintion within qulifitions tht meet oth mrket demnd nd the strtegi intentions of key stkeholders. They must hve proedures in ple to ensure tht units re developed ording to QCF speifitions nd hve roust levels nd redit vlues. Develop rules of omintion for redited qulifitions Orgnistions tht re reognised to develop rules of omintion develop them for inlusion in redited qulifitions. They re 9
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework responsile for developing rules of omintion to QCF speifitions tht mke effetive use of the units ville in the unit dtnk nd hve ler purpose nd rtionle. Operte s wrding orgnistions Those reognised s wrding orgnistions re responsile for developing ssessment rrngements for units nd qulifitions, sumitting qulifitions sed on greed rules of omintion for redittion nd ssessing lerner hievement relily, vlidly nd onsistently. They re lso responsile for wrding redits to lerners for the hievement of units, mking qulifition wrds within overrhing rrngements for redit trnsfer nd exemption, supporting system of redit umultion nd trnsfer, nd urtely reording lerners hievements in their lerner reords. Orgnistions tht demonstrte tht they meet the required stndrds set out in this doument re reognised to rry out one or more of the funtions set out ove, exept tht orgnistions will not e reognised solely to develop rules of omintion. The regultory requirements tht orgnistions must meet to operte in the QCF re ontined in the following setions of this doument. The regultions hve een designed so tht ll orgnistions must meet those set out in Setion 2, whih looks t generl requirements for ll orgnistions reognised to operte in the QCF, nd, depending on the funtions for whih they wish to eome reognised, one or more of the following: Setion 3, requirements for orgnistions developing nd sumitting units to form prt of redited qulifitions Setion 4, requirements for orgnistions developing rules of omintion for redited qulifitions Setion 5, requirements for wrding orgnistions. 10
1. The design speifitions of the QCF Generl 1.1 The qulifitions regultors require ll orgnistions operting within the QCF to omply with ll those design speifitions relevnt to their responsiilities. Units 1.2 Units form the uilding loks of ll qulifitions in the QCF. All qulifitions sumitted for redittion in the QCF must e uilt solely from units tht re defined ording to the design speifitions set out in prgrphs 1.3 to 1.7. 1.3 All units must hve unit title tht: is ler, onise nd reflets the ontent (the informtion in the lerning outomes nd ssessment riteri) of the unit is meningful in its own right nd does not mke referene to ny informtion outside the unit, inluding other units, qulifitions or stndrds does not inlude referene to the levels of the QCF or to ny terms tht my e tken to refer to level of hievement. 1.4 All units must ontin lerning outomes tht: d set out wht lerner is expeted to know, understnd or e le to do s the result of proess of lerning re ler nd oherent, nd expressed in lnguge tht is understndle y the lerners for whom the unit is intended or y helper or dviser where the lerners themselves re not le to understnd the lerning outomes re expressed in mnner tht ddresses individul lerners in the third person nd will mke sense to lerner oth efore unit is offered nd fter the lerning outomes hve een hieved re ple of ssessment nd, in onjuntion with the ssessment riteri relted to tht outome, set ler ssessment stndrd for the unit. 1.5 All units must ontin ssessment riteri tht: speify the stndrd lerner is expeted to meet to demonstrte tht the lerning outomes of tht unit hve een hieved relte to n individul lerning outome in lnguge onsistent with it 11
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework d re suffiiently detiled to support relile, vlid nd onsistent judgements tht lerning outome hs een hieved, without reting n undue ssessment urden for lerners or ssessors do not inlude ny expliit referenes to the methods or instruments of ssessment to e used. 1.6 All units must identify single level for the unit tht: represents the omplexity, utonomy nd/or rnge of hievement expressed within the unit is determined y ompring the lerning outomes nd ssessment riteri ginst the QCF level desriptors (see Annex E) is onstnt property of the unit, irrespetive of the qulifition in whih it is loted. 1.7 All units must identify redit vlue for the unit whih speifies the numer of redits tht will e wrded to lerner who hs hieved the lerning outomes of the unit. This must e sed on: one redit for those lerning outomes hievle in 10 hours of lerning lerning time eing defined s the time tken y lerners t the level of the unit, on verge, to omplete the lerning outomes of the unit to the stndrd determined y the ssessment riteri the redit vlue of the unit remining onstnt regrdless of the method of ssessment used or the qulifition(s) to whih it ontriutes. 1.8No design fetures my e dded to this stndrd formt. The unit formt lso inludes dditionl informtion out the unit. The list of dditionl informtion tht orgnistions must sumit is: d e f g h i j the purpose nd im/s of the unit the expiry dte of the unit detils of the reltionship etween the unit nd relevnt ntionl ouptionl stndrds or other professionl stndrds or urriul (if pproprite) ny requirements out the wy in whih unit must e ssessed (if pproprite) guidne for developing ssessment rrngements for the unit (if needed) support for the unit from setor skills ounil (SSC) or other pproprite ody (where required) the lotion of the unit within the sujet/setor lssifition system the nme of the reognised orgnistion sumitting the unit the dte from whih the unit is ville for use y lerners the numer of guided lerning hours (GLH) for the unit (if needed). 12
1. The design speifitions of the QCF 1.9 All units must e developed to e ple of ssessment independently of ny other unit. 1.10 Eh unit must e ple of ontriuting towrds t lest one qulifition. Units will not e tive nd must not e mde ville to lerners until they re inluded in the Mndtory, Optionl or Credit from other units setion of rule of omintion in n redited qulifition. 1.11 To e reognised in redited qulifitions in the QCF, units must e pled in the QCF unit dtnk. Only orgnistions reognised y the qulifitions regultors to do so my ple units in the dtnk (see Setion 3). 1.12 The qulifitions regultors will mke ville to ll orgnistions reognised to develop units for the QCF stndrd pro form, sed on the unit design fetures nd dditionl informtion, within whih ll units must e developed. Orgnistions reognised to sumit units to the unit dtnk re required to use this pro form. 1.13 One unit is pled in the QCF unit dtnk only the expiry dte for tht unit my e mended. It my e withdrwn if it does not feture in ny redited qulifitions. 1.14 Reognised orgnistions must identify to whom their units re ville nd hve rtionle for this. When sumitting units to the QCF unit dtnk, they must speify their vilility to one of the following: to ll wrding orgnistions to wrd redit (shred units) restrited to speified wrding orgnistion/s to wrd redit (restrited units). Qulifitions 1.15 All qulifitions presented to the qulifitions regultors for redittion must e uilt up from units in the dtnk. These units must e ville for use y the orgnistion developing the rule of omintion nd the wrding orgnistion sumitting the qulifition for redittion. 1.16 A qulifition sumission must not request n redittion end dte lter thn ny of the expiry dtes for units tht form prt of the qulifition. 1.17 When presenting qulifition for redittion, n wrding orgnistion will e required to sumit qulifitions tht onform to the following speified design requirements, s set out in detil under the suhedings elow, for: 13
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework d the title of the qulifition the rules of omintion for the qulifition desription of ny grding rrngements ny requirements out the mnner in whih speifi units must e ssessed. Qulifition titles 1.18Eh qulifition title sumitted for redittion in the QCF must e presented in stndrd formt tht identifies the level, size nd preise nd onise desription of the ontent of the qulifition. 1.19 The level of qulifition must e determined y reviewing the rules of omintion (see setion elow) for the qulifition nd identifying the level t whih there is the gretest numer of redits required. More thn 50 per ent of redits must e t the sme level s the qulifition or ove. 1.20 The size of qulifition must e signlled through the use of the terms Awrd, Certifite nd Diplom. This must e determined y the redit vlue of the qulifition (whih is estlished y the rule of omintion for the qulifition s detiled in prgrph 1.24) s follows: Title Awrd Certifite Diplom Credit vlue 1 to 12 13 to 36 37 nd ove 1.21 In order to indite speilist fous within the options for qulifition, it is possile, using rules of omintion (see prgrph 1.26), to struture the redits tht re required from prtiulr units to identify speifi pthwys. Where this is the se, it results in n endorsement tht reflets the speilist fous of the pthwy nd supplements the desription of the ontent in the qulifition title. This endorsement is represented s rketed ddition to the title. 1.22 The ronym NVQ my e dded s rketed ddition to the qulifition title for ertin ouptionl qulifitions. Any qulifitions sumitted for redittion tht inlude this ronym must meet the requirements in Operting rules for using the term NVQ in QCF qulifition title developed y the qulifitions regultors nd pulished seprtely from this doument. Rules of omintion 1.23 Rules of omintion speify the redits tht need to e hieved, through the ompletion of prtiulr units, for qulifition to e wrded. All redited qulifitions within the QCF must hve set of rules of omintion. These rules must e presented using the stndrd formt, set out in the prgrph elow. 14
1. The design speifitions of the QCF 1.24 The stndrd formt for representing rules of omintion within the QCF requires rtionle for the rule of omintion to e defined nd rules to e estlished for the umultion of redits through prtiulr units under the following hedings: d e f g h i qulifition title: this must reord the qulifition title for the rule of omintion, speified ording to the requirements set out in prgrphs 1.18to 1.22 the redit vlue of the qulifition: this must set out the numer of redits required t ll levels to hieve the qulifition the redits to e hieved t the level of the qulifition or ove: this must set out the numer of redits tht must e hieved t the level of the qulifition or ove redits from mndtory units: this must set out ny units tht must e hieved for the qulifition to e wrded redits from optionl units: this must set out ny units tht lerner my hoose from to omplete in order to hieve required numer of units or redits towrds the wrd of the qulifition; optionl units my e lustered into groups nd prtiulr omintions of units required or rred in order to struture the hoie of units ville to lerners redits from other units: this must set out ny opportunity to hieve redits from units in the dtnk y noting the totl numer of redits tht my e hieved through these units nd pplying ny (or none) of the following onstrints: i. the level or levels t whih these redits must e hieved ii. the sujet/setor lssifition of the units through whih redits my e hieved iii. ny time onstrints on the wrd of redit tht my e ounted towrds hievement of the qulifition redits from equivlent units: this must set out ny opportunities to ount redits from unit/s from other qulifitions or from unit/s sumitted y other reognised orgnistions towrds the qulifition in ple of mndtory or optionl unit/s speified in the rule of omintion; in order to e epted s n equivlent, the unit/s must hve the sme redit vlue or greter thn the mndtory or optionl unit/s in question, nd e t the sme level or higher exemptions: this must set out ny exemption from the requirement to hieve redit for mndtory, optionl or other units tht lerners n lim, sed on ertifited hievement outside the QCF deemed to e of equivlent vlue to QCF unit or units time limits on the proess of redit umultion or exemptions: where required, this must set out, for eh QCF unit or exemption, ny limits on the length of time fter n wrd is gined y lerner tht it my still ount towrds the qulifition. 15
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework 1.25 In estlishing rules of omintion, qulifition developers will use one or more of the hedings set out in prgrph 1.24, ut there is no requirement to use ll these fetures. Rules of omintion my e sed on the hievement of redits from single unit (through the identifition of one mndtory unit). 1.26 Where there is need to define pthwy tht results in n endorsement to the qulifition title, requirements for eh pthwy must e set out seprtely under eh of the hedings for rules of omintion set out in prgrph 1.24. When sumitted together, they form the set of rules of omintion for the qulifition. All pthwys do not hve to e of n identil size, ut must require lerners to hieve numer of redits within the size rnges for Awrd, Certifite nd Diplom set out on pge 14. All pthwys must lso set requirements t the sme level s detiled in prgrph 1.19. 1.27 The qulifitions regultors will mke ville to ll users of the QCF stndrd formt for rules of omintion, sed on the formt set out in prgrph 1.24. Orgnistions reognised to develop rules of omintion re required to sumit them for use in developing qulifitions using this formt. Grding 1.28Qulifitions in the QCF my e grded. Any grding rrngements developed for qulifition or for the omponents of qulifition must: speify expliitly the riteri ginst whih individul performne within the qulifition or omponent is to e differentited identify the grding sle to e used to signify performne differentition within the qulifition nd/or omponents. 1.29 In speifying grding riteri nd identifying grding sle, the integrity of ll the other speifitions of the QCF must e mintined. In prtiulr: d ll grding sles must inlude pss grde sed exlusively on the ssessment riteri in the unit or units on whih the omponent or qulifition is sed nd for whih redit must e wrded ny dditionl grding riteri must uild expliitly on the ssessment riteri of unit or units within the rules of omintion for the qulifition ny dditionl grding riteri must e onsistent with the overll level of the qulifition or omponents to e grded nd must e lerly distinguished from hievements t the next level of the QCF grding sles my not use the term redit to desrie ny point on the grding sle. 16
1. The design speifitions of the QCF 1.30 All grding rrngements must e sumitted for redittion s prt of the informtion out the qulifition. Requirements out the mnner in whih speifi units in qulifitions must e ssessed 1.31 In some instnes it my e tht requirements out the wy in whih units of qulifition must e ssessed need to e mde. These requirements re detiled t unit level s prt of the dditionl informtion for units tht orgnistions must sumit. At the point t whih qulifition is sumitted for redittion, it must e mde ler whether these unit-sed ssessment requirements will pply to the wrd of the qulifition in question. The wrd, umultion nd trnsfer of redits 1.32 All wrding orgnistions reognised within the QCF wrd redits nd qulifitions (see Setion 5). 1.33 Credits must e wrded to lerners for the suessful hievement of the lerning outomes of unit. The numer of redits wrded must e the sme s the redit vlue of the unit. It is not possile for some redits to e hieved for prtil ompletion of unit or lerners to e wrded redit when ll the lerning outomes re not hieved y virtue of ny ompenstion for stronger performne in other res of lerning. 1.34 Credit umultion is the term used to desrie the proess of putting together omintion of redits to meet the hievement requirements of qulifition. The rules of omintion for qulifition determine the requirements for hievement of redits through prtiulr units. Awrding orgnistions must wrd qulifitions to lerners sed on this proess. 1.35 Credit trnsfer desries the proess of using redit or redits wrded in the ontext of different qulifition or wrded y different wrding orgnistion towrds the hievement requirements of nother qulifition. All wrding orgnistions must support redit trnsfer y greeing to mutully reognise the redits wrded y ll other wrding orgnistions reognised to operte within the frmework. Credits must e trnsferred etween qulifitions nd wrding orgnistions where pproprite, sujet to the rules of omintion for the reeiving qulifition. 1.36 A lerner my e wrded redit, ounting towrds qulifition they re le to lim, y more thn one orgnistion. When this hppens, the lerner my lim the qulifition from ny of the wrding orgnistions tht hs wrded them redit towrds tht qulifition, s long s tht orgnistion hs hd the qulifition redited. 17
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework 1.37 Awrding orgnistions re required to support the opertion of system of redit umultion nd trnsfer, nd reord redit nd qulifition hievement mde y lerners in their lerner reord (see prgrphs 5.12 nd 5.14). All wrding orgnistions must hve rrngements in ple to ensure tht ll redits tht fll within the rules of omintion for the qulifition tht lerner lims re reognised s ounting towrds the qulifition, irrespetive of the wrding orgnistion tht mde the wrd of redit to the lerner. Qulifition types in the QCF 1.38In the QCF, qulifition type is defined through speifi nd dditionl set of regultory requirements tht pply over nd ove the ommon requirements for ll reognised orgnistions nd redited qulifitions. This doument sets out only the ommon requirements for ll reognised orgnistions nd redited qulifitions. It does not inlude ny speifi, dditionl regultory requirements relting to prtiulr types of qulifition. Where suh types re estlished, these dditionl requirements will e pulished seprtely y the qulifitions regultors. 18
2. Generl requirements for ll orgnistions reognised to operte in the QCF Mngement nd governne 2.1 The orgnistion must notify nd keep the qulifitions regultors informed of ny hnges in: its ownership nd rrngements for governne of ny regulted funtions the nmes of individuls responsile for mintining the qulity of the relevnt regulted funtions, inluding single nmed point of ountility for them the mngement strutures used to ontrol the delivery of relevnt regulted funtions. 2.2 These rrngements must ensure the orgnistion hs proedures in ple to ppropritely mnge ny onflits of interest etween funtions tht ffet the opertion of the regulted funtions it performs nd prevent ny restritive prties. 2.3 If more thn one orgnistion ontriutes to regulted funtion, the ooperting orgnistions must: identify the led orgnistion responsile for qulity ssurne, whih must e reognised orgnistion hold written sttements of the responsiilities of eh orgnistion, inluding speifi referene to their responsiilities for qulity ssurne e le to provide evidene tht ll of them will omply with the relevnt regultory rrngements. Resoures 2.4 For the life of the units nd qulifitions it develops nd/or offers, the orgnistion s finnil strtegy nd rrngements must provide for suffiient funds to support urrent nd future demnds for its servies. 2.5 For the life of the units nd qulifitions it develops nd/or offers, n orgnistion s humn resoures strtegy nd rrngements must provide for suffiient stff nd/or ssoites to support urrent nd future demnds for its servies. 2.6 For the life of the units nd qulifitions it develops nd/or offers, n orgnistion s tehnil strtegy nd equipment must provide for: 19
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework suffiient resoures to meet the requirements for operting in the QCF nd support urrent nd future demnds for its servies rrngements tht will enle it to mintin usiness ontinuity in the event of unforeseen irumstnes ffeting its regulted funtions. Self-evlution nd ontinuous improvement 2.7 The orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to monitor its ompline with regultions. 2.8The orgnistion s review nd evlution rrngements must provide opportunities for users to ontriute, nd should e used to support ontinuous improvement. 2.9 The orgnistion must provide detils of the outomes of its review nd evlution tivities to the qulifitions regultors s required. 2.10 The orgnistion must llow the qulifitions regultors ess to premises, meetings, douments nd dt relting to the regulted funtions it performs. Diversity nd equlity 2.11 In the performne of the regulted funtions it undertkes, the reognised orgnistion must omply with the requirements of equlities legisltion in fore from time to time, nd in prtiulr hve systems in ple to ensure tht it does not disriminte on the grounds of re, disility nd gender. 2.12 In the performne of the regulted funtions it undertkes, the reognised orgnistion must hve systems in ple to give onsidertion to how it n ensure equlity for ll lerners. Where it is resonle nd prtil to do so, it should tke steps to ddress identified inequlities or rriers tht my rise: etween people of different religions nd eliefs, ril groups, ges, mritl / ivil prtnership sttus nd sexul orienttions; etween men nd women generlly; etween disled nd non-disled people; etween persons of different politil opinion; etween those with dependnts nd those without; or on ny other ground or sttus. 2.13 For the regulted funtions it performs, the orgnistion must hve proesses in ple to onsult with relevnt lerners nd/or their representtives to ensure tht there re no rriers to entry to units nd qulifitions it develops nd/or offers for disled people, for women or men, or people from different ril groups, other thn those diretly relted to the integrity of units or qulifitions. The nture of ny rriers must e stted nd the inlusion of the requirements tht rete the rrier justified only nd expliitly in terms of the integrity of unit or the qulifition. Any detils of how the effet of ny rriers will e 20
2. Generl requirements for ll orgnistions reognised to operte in the QCF mitigted, inluding for wrding orgnistions y using ess rrngements, inluding resonle djustments, must lso e reorded. 2.14 The reognised orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to ollet suffiient dt to llow it to monitor nd evlute its ompline with the requirements set out in prgrphs 2.11 to 2.13. It must shre informtion from this tivity with the qulifitions regultors on request. 21
3. Requirements for orgnistions developing nd sumitting units to form prt of redited qulifitions Expertise 3.1 The orgnistion must hve proedures in ple tht ensure: d tht, for the units it deides to produe, it hs ess to individuls who hve expertise in the relevnt sujet or setor re(s) nd in the design nd development of units it hs ess to expertise in ssessment nd wrding to inform unit design its stff nd ssoites hve ess to trining nd guidne on the design nd development of units this expertise is used ppropritely in the development of units. Development 3.2 When developing units, the orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to: d e f g interrogte the unit dtnk to ensure tht n existing unit, ville to the unit developer, does not meet identified needs use provision plnning tools wherever these exist, or use mrket reserh, lour mrket intelligene or evidene of lerner demnd, individul or soil enefit where pproprite involve wrding orgnistions, where it is not itself n wrding orgnistion ensure ury nd onsisteny in the determintion of levels nd redit vlues ensure tht ll units developed meet the requirements set out in the design fetures in Setion 1 review nd sign off the qulity of units prior to sumission to the unit dtnk sumit signed off units to the dtnk in the formt required y the qulifitions regultors. Ongoing review 3.3 The orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to: review the ontinued need for unit ensure ontinued ury nd onsisteny in levels nd redit vlues of its units, in prtiulr onsidering units in omprison with other units in the unit dtnk 22
3. Requirements for orgnistions developing nd sumitting units to form prt of redited qulifitions d ensure the ontinued ompline of the unit with the requirements set out in the design fetures in Setion 1 use evidene from the delivery, ssessment nd wrding of the unit, t pproprite times, s prt of the review proess. 3.4 The orgnistion must supply informtion out its units, nd the proesses used in their development nd review, to the qulifitions regultors in order to support their tivities to ensure onsisteny ross units. 3.5 The qulifitions regultors will monitor the qulity of units pled in the dtnk nd my, fter notifying relevnt reognised orgnistions, require units to e reviewed or withdrwn from redited qulifitions nd the dtnk if they fil to meet the regultory requirements of the QCF. 23
4. Requirements for orgnistions developing rules of omintion for redited qulifitions Expertise 4.1 The orgnistion must hve proedures in ple tht ensure: tht, for the rules of omintion it deides to produe, it hs ess to individuls who hve expertise in the relevnt sujet or setor re(s) nd the design nd development of rules of omintion its stff nd ssoites hve ess to trining nd guidne on the design nd development of rules of omintion tht this expertise is used ppropritely in the development of rules of omintion. Development 4.2 The orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to determine the need for set of rules of omintion for qulifition, using provision plnning tools wherever these exist, or using mrket reserh, lour mrket intelligene or evidene of lerner demnd, individul or soil enefit where pproprite. This is the rtionle for rule of omintion for qulifition nd must e speified. The orgnistion must lso explin how the omintion of units defined supports this rtionle nd how this rule of omintion will support lerner progression. 4.3 When developing rules of omintion, the orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to: d e f g interrogte the unit dtnk effetively to estlish the units required for rule of omintion nd ensure new units re developed if required ensure tht ll rules of omintion developed meet the requirements set out in the design fetures in Setion 1 use meningful nd oherent omintions of units tht reflet the rtionle for qulifition generte mximum opportunities for redit umultion nd trnsfer nd exemption onsistent with the rtionle for qulifition involve wrding orgnistions, where it is not itself n wrding orgnistion review nd sign off the qulity of the rtionle for, nd the rule of omintion for, qulifition set out the rtionle for, nd requirements of, rules of omintion in the formt required y the qulifitions regultors nd mke them ville to those tht need to use them. 24
4. Requirements for orgnistions developing rules of omintion for redited qulifitions Ongoing review 4.4 The orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to: d review the ontinued need for rule of omintion ensure the ontinued ompline of the rule of omintion with the requirements set out in the design fetures in Setion 1 ensure the speified omintions of units nd opportunities for redit umultion nd trnsfer nd exemption ontinue to e onsistent with the rtionle for the qulifition use evidene from the delivery of rules of omintion s prt of qulifitions, t the pproprite times, s prt of the review proess. 25
5. Requirements for wrding orgnistions Mngement nd governne 5.1 The wrding orgnistion s orporte governne rrngements must ensure ler distintion etween the wrding orgnistion funtion nd ny other funtions it performs. Expertise 5.2 The orgnistion must hve proedures in ple tht ensure: tht, for the units nd qulifitions tht it deides to offer, it hs ess to individuls with expertise in ssessment nd wrding its stff nd ssoites hve ess to relevnt trining nd guidne in ssessment tht this expertise is used ppropritely in the ssessment nd wrding of its units nd qulifitions. Design nd development of ssessment 5.3 The wrding orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to develop ssessment methods for individul units, or groups of units, tht: d e f g re onsistent with the requirements for units set out in the design fetures in Setion 1 enle units to e ssessed individully ssess vlidly the skills, knowledge nd/or understnding of ll the lerning outomes ginst the stted ssessment riteri require the prodution of suffiient evidene from lerners to enle relile nd onsistent judgements to e mde out the hievement of ll the lerning outomes ginst the stted ssessment riteri re mngele nd ost-effetive, nd/or permit mngele nd osteffetive ssessment rrngements to e developed y entres where pproprite, re onsistent with ny dditionl requirements for ssessment set out in the unit formt minimise ny susequent need to mke ess rrngements, inluding resonle djustments. Grding 5.4 Where the wrding orgnistion hooses to offer grdes within qulifition, it must hve proedures in ple to ensure tht: the grding rrngements for tht qulifition onform to the grding requirements set out in the design fetures in Setion 1 26
5. Requirements for wrding orgnistions judgements out the grding of qulifitions nd their omponents re mde using the proedures outlined elow for delivery of ssessment. Delivery of ssessment 5.5 The wrding orgnistion must hve defined roles nd responsiilities for stff involved in the delivery of ssessment tht ensure tht the ssessment proess is mnged nd onduted effetively. Where responsiilities re delegted to orgnistions other thn the wrding orgnistion, there must e ler ountility to the wrding orgnistion for ssessment deisions. 5.6 The wrding orgnistion must hve in ple the neessry systems nd proedures nd resoures to ensure: d e f g h i ssessment instruments nd tsks re produed to the required qulity stndrds ssessment evidene produed y lerners is uthenti ury nd onsisteny of stndrds in the ssessment of units, ross units nd over time people involved in the ssessment proess hve the pproprite expertise nd re dequtely informed nd supported to fulfil their responsiilities suitle trining is offered to people involved in the ssessment proess performne mngement systems re in ple to monitor nd evlute the effetiveness of people involved in ssessment for eh qulifition, it (or its entres) retins suffiient evidene of lerners work or ssessment deisions to monitor them over time hievement is reognised though the reognition of prior lerning (RPL) where this is pproprite ny lims for exemption identified y lerners re onsidered nd reord of ny vlid lims is kept. 5.7 In ordne with the requirements set out in prgrph 2.13, wrding orgnistions must lso hve in ple the neessry systems nd proedures to llow the provision of ess rrngements, inluding resonle djustments. These should reflet the needs of individul lerners nd must lso ensure tht ssessment ontinues to enle vlid, relile nd onsistent judgements to e mde out the hievement of ll lerning outomes ginst the stted ssessment riteri. 5.8The wrding orgnistion must lso rrnge for speil onsidertion to e given to lerners tht experiene temporry illness, injury or indisposition t the time of n ssessment. This should llow them to demonstrte the hievement they re ple of for the units tht re sujet to speil onsidertion. 27
Regultory rrngements for the Qulifitions nd Credit Frmework 5.9 The wrding orgnistion must ensure tht people involved in the ssessment proess re not responsile for the ondut of ssessment or the qulity ssurne of ssessment deisions t entre in whih they hve personl interest, or, where this hppens, they must ensure tht the ssessment proess is sujet to srutiny y those without personl interest. 5.10 The wrding orgnistion must ensure tht it hs rrngements in ple for stndrdistion nd qulity ssurne of ssessment outomes ross entres nd wrds. Centre reognition 5.11 The wrding orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to reognise, nd monitor on n ongoing sis, entres 1 to offer ssessment leding to wrds within the QCF. These proedures must ensure tht eh entre: d e f g h i hs rrngements in ple to identify single nmed point of ountility for the qulity ssurne nd mngement for the ssessment of units nd qulifitions n hold nd trnsmit seurely detils of ssessment outomes to the wrding orgnistion hs the stff, resoures nd systems neessry to support the ssessment of units nd the wrd, umultion nd trnsfer of redits nd, where neessry, the reording of exemptions unless lerner hooses not to hve one, hs rrngements in ple to otin on ehlf of its lerners unique lerner numer (ULN) nd lerner reord where lerner onsent is given, uses ess to the reord of the lerner s previous hievements in their lerner reord to ensure tht opportunities for redit trnsfer nd exemption re mximised hs dministrtive systems in ple to trk the progress of lerners towrds their trget wrds where pproprite, hs in ple rrngements tht llow for reognition of prior lerning (RPL) douments the respetive roles nd responsiilities of eh prtner where entre is prtnership rrngement etween orgnistions grees to provide the wrding orgnistion nd the qulifitions regultors with ess to premises, people nd reords, nd to ooperte with the wrding orgnistion s monitoring tivities. 1 An wrding orgnistion my hoose to fulfil these funtions itself. 28
5. Requirements for wrding orgnistions Awrd of redits 5.12 The wrding orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to ensure tht: d informtion from lerners ssessments is used urtely to wrd redit to lerners the redits hieved y lerners re wrded seurely, urtely nd quikly deisions re reviewed nd results djusted in ses where errors re identified where lerner hs or will otin ULN, redit wrds re urtely reorded, mended nd, if neessry, withdrwn in timely mnner in their lerner reord, nd reords of ll lerner hievement re mde ville to support redit umultion nd trnsfer. 5.13 Credit ertifites must e issued wherever these re demnded y lerners. When these re issued, the wrding orgnistion must hve proedures in ple to ensure tht: d the design of ertifites meets the requirements outlined in Annex C ertifites re issued without unneessry dely there re sfegurds ginst frudulent or mistken lims for ertifites replement ertifites re lelled s suh, nd re only issued fter steps hve een tken to uthentite the lims. Awrd of qulifitions 5.14 The wrding orgnistion must hve proedures in ple for the wrd of qulifitions to ensure tht: d e it n urtely nd quikly identify the point t whih lerner hs ompleted the rules of omintion for qulifition sed on redits it hs wrded, redits wrded y other wrding orgnistions nd ny pproprite exemptions tht hve een limed nd reorded if the qulifition is grded, informtion from lerners ssessments is used urtely to determine grdes for lerners deisions re reviewed nd results djusted in ses where errors re identified ll qulifitions hieved y lerners re wrded seurely, urtely nd quikly where lerner hs or will otin ULN, qulifition wrds re urtely reorded, mended nd, if neessry, withdrwn in timely mnner in their lerner reord, nd reords of ll lerner hievement re mde ville to support redit umultion nd trnsfer. 5.15 The wrding orgnistion must hve proedures in ple for issuing qulifition ertifites tht ensure: 29