Accreditation

Each qualification is accredited for a finite period; this is usually between three and five years.

Accreditation

The process through which the regulatory authorities confirm that a qualification and associated specification conforms to the relevant accreditation criteria

Accreditation Criteria

Requirements published by the regulatory authorities against which qualifications are designed and evaluated.  The criteria specify the characteristics necessary for the accreditation of a qualification and include codes of practice, criteria common to all qualification category or type, subject or occupation.

Appeal

A process through which an awarding body may be challenged on the outcome of an enquiry about results or, where appropriate, other procedural decision affecting a centre or individual candidates.

Area of Competence

There are 11 occupational areas of competence. These ranges from Tending Animals, Plants and Land to Engineering to Developing and Extending Knowledge and Skill. All qualifications are organised by the area of competence to which they belong.

Candidate

The individual who has been entered by his/her centre for a national vocational qualification (NVQ or SVQ).

Centre

An organisation that has been approved by an awarding body to offer national vocational qualification. A centre could be an employer, a training provider, a college, or a partnership.

Centre

An organisation (such as a school, college, employer or training provider) accountable to an awarding body for the assessment arrangements leading to an award.  Assessment may take place in one or more than one location within a centre.

Certification Process

The process by which a centre requests a certificate for a candidate who has completed the full qualification or a recognised pat e.g. units.

Code of Practice

Criteria specified by the regulatory authorities against which the practices and procedures or awarding bodies are designed and evaluated.  The criteria include a common code of practice and category-specific codes of practice.

Common core

Competence

The ability to produce a given outcome or set of outcomes to a required or acceptable standard.

Core

The set of mandatory units or other components in a qualification.

DfES

Department for Education and Skills

Direct entry to Assessment

Expiry Date

The date after which mo further candidates can be certificated. This date is calculated using the accreditation ‘to’ date plus the lapsing period (see ‘Lapsing period’). Thus, if a level 2 qualifications is accredited to 31 July 2004, then its expiry date is 31 July 2006.

Extension

An extension may be granted to a national vocational qualification at the end of its accreditation period if the revised qualification is not yet available for accreditation.

External Assessment

A form of independent assessment in which tasks are set or defined  by an awarding body, taken under specified conditions (including details of supervision and duration) assessed by the awarding body.

Guided Learning Hours

A notional measure of the substance of a qualification.  It includes an estimate of the time that might be allocated to direct teaching or instruction together with other structured learning time such as directed assignments, assessments on the job or supported individual study and practice.  It excludes learner – initiated private study.

Independent Assessment

Assessment carried out in a manner that is demonstrably independent of any individual who might have a vested interest in its outcome.

Key Skills

General skills that apply across occupational and academic fields and assist in improving learning and performance.  The qualifications regulatory authorities have developed for six key skills.

Lapsing Date

The date and national vocational qualification reaches the end of its accreditation period.

Lapsing Period (or Run-on-period)

When an SVQ reaches the end of its accreditation period and has been overtaken by another SVQ or has been withdrawn, it is said to be in its ‘Lapsing Period’. The lapsing period is also known as the ‘run-on-period’. The length of the lapsing period is dependant upon the level of the qualification. For example, a qualification at level 2 qualifications has a two-year lapsing period; a level 3 has three years. Thus if a 31 July 2006. During the lapsing period no new centres should be approved for the qualification nor should any new candidate be entered. However, candidates who have been entered for the qualification prior to the lapsing period can complete and be certificated during this period.

Learning outcomes

What individual learners have actually learnt and are able to demonstrate at any particular point.

Level

A broad measure of the overall demand of a qualification (for example, a candidate may gain an NVQ or SVQ at level 4)

Mandatory Unit

A unit that must be taken as part of a programme, or must be achieved in order to achieve a specified qualification.

Optional Unit

A unit that can be selected as part of a qualification or programme.  Qualification specifications may include rules about the number and combinations of optional units or components that are required or allowed.

Portfolio

A collection of evidence and supporting statements put forward by a candidate for a qualification, unit or range of units.

Quality monitoring

Re-Accreditation

This refers to the situation where a national vocational qualification has been update (due to revision work on the national occupational standards) and the new qualification replaces the previous qualification. A re-accredited a national vocational qualification may replace more then one current qualification.

Standardisation

SQA

Scottish Qualifications Authority – The Regulatory Body for Scotland/SVQs

SSB

Standards Setting Bodies

Term

Definition

Unit

The smallest part of a qualification that can be separately certificated.

Validity

The extent to which assessment methods, interpretations and criteria are directly relevant to the required (learning) outcomes of the qualification or unit being assessed.

Verification

The process of ensuring consistency, quality and fairness of assessment between assessors and across centres.