Decision

Recognition conditions for the Fire Industry Association

Updated 14 October 2015

This decision was withdrawn on

Ofqual has completed a review and these conditions are no longer in force.

Applies to England and Northern Ireland

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-industry-association-special-conditions-june-2014/recognition-conditions-for-the-fire-industry-association

1. 14 October 2015

Ofqual has completed a review and the conditions below are no longer in force.

2. Reasons for recognition conditions

On 12 June 2014, Ofqual accepted the Fire Industry Association’s (FIA) application to be recognised for QCF and vocationally-related qualifications.

At the same time, we decided to impose special conditions on FIA. This is because:

  • FIA is a new regulated awarding organisation and its processes and practices for the development, delivery and award of qualifications have not yet been implemented and tested
  • During the application process, the FIA identified a number of new ways of working and practices that it intends to implement following recognition
  • we want to make sure that the FIA’s processes and procedures, including the new ones introduced following recognition, are working as intended.

We have the power to review Recognition Conditions within a reasonable timescale, and will remove them when they are no longer necessary. We explain when we will review each of the FIA’s Recognition Conditions below.

3. Recognition conditions

FIA’s recognition for the development, delivery and award of QCF and vocationally-related qualifications is subject to the following conditions.

3.1 Condition B2.1

B2.1 The FIA must provide Ofqual with its first Statement of Compliance within three months from the date of recognition

Requiring the FIA to provide their first Statement of Compliance within three months of recognition will give us assurance that the FIA has:

  • reviewed its compliance against each of the General Conditions of Recognition
  • implemented its new processes and practices in a way that complies with the General Conditions of Recognition.

This Recognition Condition should remain in force for six months to allow us to review the Statement of Compliance alongside these Recognition Conditions.

3.2 Condition C2.6

C2.6 At the same time as its submission of each qualification for accreditation the FIA must provide a copy of its written instructions, guidance and / or written advice to be provided to centres in respect of the criteria against which requests for Special Consideration, Recognised Prior Learning (RPL), Exemptions and Equivalences will be agreed and implemented within its centres.

Condition C2 requires awarding organisations to have written, enforceable agreements with centres who are delivering its qualifications. Recognition Condition C2.6 means that centres should have clear specific guidance in respect of arrangements for Special Consideration, Recognised Prior Learning, Exemptions and Equivalences requests, and that this guidance is:

  • taken into account at the time qualifications are developed
  • in place before qualifications are intended to be delivered.

We will review this Recognition Condition (C2.6) on or before 12 December 2014 to determine whether it should remain in place

3.3 Condition E3.4

E3.4 At the same time as its submission of each qualification for accreditation, the FIA must include a full specification for that qualification in accordance with Conditions E3.2 and E3.3 together with samples of its proposed assessment materials for that qualification.

Condition E3.2 requires an awarding organisation to publish information in relation to a qualification before it makes that qualification available to learners E3.3 makes additional requirements in respect of the specification. This Recognition Condition requires submission of evidence that appropriate specifications and materials have been developed at the time of submitting qualifications for accreditation to give us assurance that the FIA’s internal policies and procedures are being applied appropriately and support the standard required for the qualifications. Requiring documentation to be submitted at the time of submitting qualifications for accreditation will ensure that the FIA fully appreciate how its qualifications are intended to be implemented before they are submitted for approval.

We expect this Recognition Condition to remain in force until the FIA has successfully accredited qualifications.

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