What are the Regulatory Arrangements for the Qualifications and Credit Framework?
The Regulatory Arrangements for the Qualifications and Credit Framework code of practice sets out the responsibilities for QCF NVQ awarding bodies and their recognised centres for the administration, assessment and verification of QCF NVQs and competence-based units. You can find more information on the Ofqual website.
Your responsibilities in brief
As an Edexcel centre, it is your responsibility to ensure that you continue to comply with the centre recognition criteria in the Regulatory Arrangements for the Qualifications and Credit Framework and the Edexcel requirements for assessment. You will need to meet all assessment and internal verification requirements, making recommendations on candidates’ achievement for the programme for which they are registered. You are also responsible for reporting success to Edexcel for interim or final certification.
Standards verification
You will need to give the standards verifier access to candidate portfolios so that they can check that assessment is being carried out to national occupational standards.
If the programme has been awarded direct claim status (DCS), you may claim for certificates in between the SV’s visits. (This is normally indicated by a ‘Yes’ to certification on the Qualification Report Form (QRF) at the last SV visit).
If you want to amend a report of success that has already been made, you should use form SA16(BTEC), which you can find on the NVQ amendments page. Your request must be accompanied by a declaration of authenticity, signed by an individual who has been designated by your centre to report achievement (usually the internal verifier). Send your completed form to Service Operations (Edexcel, 190 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BH), together with the certificate that requires amendment. Please ensure that all claims for certification are authentic and valid and can be supported by auditable records.
Change of centre details and centre closure
If your address or details have changed, you will need to notify the centre recognition and approvals team (centrerecords@edexcel.com). If you are planning to close for business, you must notify BTEC Quality Standards at qualitystandards@edexcel.com.
Confirmation of achievement for candidates
You must accept the responsibility to provide candidates with evidence of achievement so that they have early, official evidence of their success.
Interim reporting
You must report success for every candidate registered who has achieved unit success, or withdrawn from the programme. In all cases of interim reporting, a Certificate of Unit Credit will be produced automatically.
Dates for reporting results
Please ensure you are aware of the required dates for success reporting so you receive certificates as soon as possible.
Where possible, you should normally report success for all candidates following academic year programmes by 5 July, and no later than 31 July for certification during August.
If we receive your results after 31 July, due to extended terms or administrative difficulty, or if you submit results for programmes finishing during the academic year, we will process them as soon as possible after receipt. We will usually issue awards within two to five weeks, depending on the time of year.
Assessment and verification records must be kept for three years
You are expected to make every effort to ensure the safety and security of candidate work that you are holding for assessment purposes. You must ensure that you have detailed and up-to-date assessment and verification records for all candidates, kept separately from actual candidate work.
This is because assessment and verification records left in candidate portfolios are likely to become unavailable when candidates leave programmes or complete certification. You need to retain assessment and internal verification records for three years, in accordance with the Regulatory Arrangements for the Qualifications and Credit Framework and Edexcel requirements for assessment.
Lost or destroyed learner work
If candidate work is lost or destroyed, you will need to provide assessment records that will verify what has been achieved so that certification can proceed.
When candidate work is lost or destroyed, you must notify BTEC Quality Standards immediately with the following information:
- circumstances in which the work was lost or destroyed
- programme title and number
- details of the candidate(s) affected
- details of which unit(s) are affected
- centre, programme and assessment records
- any evidence of internal verification
- any supplementary information, such as witness testimonies.
Each case will be considered individually and certificates may be granted if:
- sufficient centre records and supplementary evidence are available
- all other assessment on the programme has been subject to ongoing external quality assurance which confirms that national standards have been met.