SQA Accreditation: Accreditation and Regulation of ...

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SQA Accreditation: Accreditation and Regulation of Vocational Qualifications in Scotland FAB Conference 2019 Andy Crone & Laura Walkerdine

Transcript of SQA Accreditation: Accreditation and Regulation of ...

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SQA Accreditation:

Accreditation and Regulation of Vocational

Qualifications in Scotland

FAB Conference 2019

Andy Crone & Laura Walkerdine

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SQA Accreditation

• Maintain Quality & Standards of Qualifications offered

in Scotland

• Delivered in 2 ways, complimentary but separate

functions - Awarding

- Accreditation

• Education (Scotland) Act 1996

– Statutory requirement for Accreditation Committee

• Separate Governance mechanisms

– Directly through Accreditation Committee to Government

– Reports directly to Chief Executive

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Regulation

Laura Walkerdine

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SQA CORPORATE

SQA ACCREDITATIONSQA AWARDING BODY

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Regulation Team

Our Regulatory Landscape

Scotland population 5.42 million

SQA Accreditation 38 approved awarding bodies

1026 qualifications

SQA Accreditation size = 20

Regulation Team = 7

3 Regulation Managers (to conduct all audit activity) 1:13

3 Regulation Officers (provider visits)

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How to become approved?

General Approval Requirements:

• The organisation is able to provide evidence of financial

stability

• The organisation has a demonstrable track record

effectively delivering qualifications

• The organisation is currently based and operates from

within the European Union (EU) and/or the European

Free trade Association (EFTA)

• There are no grounds for believing that the

organisation’s owners, Directors or Senior Managers

are unfit to be in charge of the organisation

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Approval LifecycleEnquiry

•Enquiry form submitted

•General approval requirements are met

•Risk assessment completed

Application for Approval (AC1) and Qualification Accreditation (AC2)

•Can the organisation meet our Regulatory Principles and Directives

•Risk assessment completed

ACG Decision on Awarding Body approval and qualification accreditation

The Accreditation Licence

•Signed by both parties enforces the regulatory relationship

Ongoing Approval

•Qualification accreditation submissions

•Ongoing risk assessment

•Audit and provider monitoring

•Annual self-assessment

•Data returns

Withdrawal

•Request submitted

•Terms of Accreditation Licence reviewed

•Qualification and candidate status addressed

•ACG to ratify

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How do we regulate?

• Holistic as we are principles based (15 principles)

• Report by exception

• Enabling with actions set by the awarding body

• Risk based approach based upon highest risk first

• 3 year audit cycle

– High visited every year (until not high)

– Medium within next 2 years

– Low within 3 years

• New awarding bodies will be visited within first 12

months of approval

• Overall risk rating is the sum of open/outstanding risks

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How do we regulate? Audit

Risk assessment

and prioritisation

Decision on regulatory resource to

meet requirements

Audit and PMV

engagement

Identify risks and issues

Awarding Body activity to address and close out issues

Plan

DoCheck

Act

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How do we regulate? Risk

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How do we regulate? Audit

Risk assessment

and prioritisation

Decision on regulatory resource to

meet requirements

Audit and PMV

engagement

Identify risks and issues

Awarding Body activity to address and close out issues

Plan

DoCheck

Act

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Accreditation

Andy Crone

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Accreditation Team

• Team of 7

• 6 Accreditation Managers (sectoral responsibilities)

• Seek to maintain and improve quality of qualifications

awarded in Scotland

• Approve Awarding Bodies (ABs)

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Accreditation Team

• Approve National Occupational Standards (NOS)

• Approve Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs)

structures, Assessment Strategies and Core Skills

Signposting

• Approve other qualification structures where required

e.g. Emergency First Aid at Work / First Aid at Work

• Accredit qualifications (approve) for Awarding Bodies

• Credit Rate qualifications for the Scottish Credit and

Qualifications Framework (SCQF)

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Qualifications

• Can accredit any qualification other than a degree

• Mandatory Accreditation

– Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) (549)

– Alternative Competency Based Qualifications that

form the mandatory component of Modern

Apprenticeships (100)

– Security sector e.g. Door Supervision (16)

– Licensing sector e.g. Scottish Certificate for

Personal Licence Holders (12)

– Workplace Core Skills (145)

• Voluntary Accreditation (204)

• Total = 1026 qualifications

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Qualifications

2018/19

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Standards and Frameworks

Programme

• Three Country funded programme (Scotland, Wales

and Northern Ireland)

• Funds the development of National Occupational

Standards (NOS), SVQ structures and

Apprenticeship Frameworks

• Accreditation section quality assure the NOS and

SVQ Structures

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SQA Accreditation

Accreditation

Officer

Head of Accreditation

Accreditation

Administrators

(2)

Information &

Research Manager

Information

Assistant

Senior Accreditation

Manager

Accreditation

Managers (6)

Senior Regulation

Manager

Regulation

Managers (3)

Regulation

Officers (3)

SQA Accreditation has a staff of 20, managed in four

sections by the Head of Accreditation.

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• Welsh Government & Qualification Wales (Wales)

• CCEA Accreditation & Department for the Economy

(Northern Ireland)

• Ofqual, Department for Education & Skills Funding

Agency (England)

• Scottish Government

• Skills Development Scotland (SDS)

• Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)

Partnership

• Modern Apprenticeship Group (MAG)

Engagement with Other

Stakeholders

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• Awarding Bodies approved by SQA Accreditation

• Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB)

• Standards Setting Organisations (SSOs) / Sector

Skills Councils (SSCs)

Engagement with Other

Stakeholders

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In closing…

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Benefits of Approval

• 5.42 million – a whole other market out there

• It’s free

• Your qualifications become accredited and regulated;

quality assured and audited

• Your qualifications are credit rated for the Scottish

Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)

• No credit rating charge

• Dedicated support from our team of experts

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Stakeholder Feedback

• Open

• Transparent

• Supportive

• Consistent

• Expert knowledge of qualifications and sectors

• Great service

• Responsive

• Proactive

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Thank you so much for

your time.

Any questions?