PD:Approval will be on hand to support you to maintain the quality of your delivery throughout each annual accreditation period.
After your Submission Approval has been confirmed, your allocated External Quality Assurer (EQA) will get in touch to introduce themselves and organise some remote quality assurance when your first assessment is taking place. This will focus on the practical skills of the team as well as the assessments/assessment portfolio and internal quality assurance; you will receive full guidance beforehand.
Once you have achieved Full Approval, your EQA will be available to contact during the remainder of your accreditation year and may also conduct a remote desk-based review of your training during that time. Your first annual Grading Review will also be arranged.
Grade Characteristics: Outcomes for Learners
During your review after Submission Approval and future annual Grading Reviews, your EQA will review and evaluate the overall effectiveness of the qualification, including the quality and effectiveness of teaching, learning and assessment and align their judgement and grading to the UK’s Ofsted grading characteristics*
EQAs will evaluate the evidence seen using the following grading scale:
1. Outstanding
The quality and consistency of the teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding. The content is highly relevant and there is evidence of a commitment to continuous improvement. All learners are achieving and are actively encouraged, through leadership, teaching and management to achieve their full potential.
2. Good
The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good or better. There is evidence of a positive and conducive learning environment. Most learners are achieving and learning outcomes are being met and there are measures in place to support learner achievement.
3. Requires improvement
The quality of teaching, learning and assessment, although it may good in places, is inconsistent in its overall quality. Some learners may be meeting the outcomes, and some learning and outcomes may require improvement.
4. Unsatisfactory
In general, the effectiveness of the programme is inadequate. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment and the outcomes for learners are inadequate. There are weaknesses in leadership and management and learners’ ability to succeed is impaired.
Full details of our Sanctions Policy can be found here.
Please note that if your quality status is Unsatisfactory or Requires Improvement, an additional fee of £380 will be payable for the additional support. If a visit is required, expenses will also be incurred. Additionally, there may be the cost of any training that your EQA has specified.
Areas that we quality assure:
- Delivery of training – an observed visit against robust criteria
- Assessment – an observation of learners undertaking the practical assessment
- Systems and processes – desk based and observational
- Certification - your process for providing the official certificates to your learners.
If you have any questions about quality assurance before being approved please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. However, if you have already been approved please contact your EQA.
*Ofsted, Handbook for the inspection of further education and skills, January 2015.
