Regulatory Notice and removal of Special Conditions – ISM Education Ltd
Ofqual has removed the Special Conditions imposed on ISM Education Ltd in 2021 and 2024 and has issued a Regulatory Notice to the awarding organisation.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
On 2 July 2025 Ofqual removed the Special Conditions imposed on ISM Education Ltd in 2021 and 2024. The Special Conditions required ISM Education Ltd to:
- retain information for the purposes of an investigation
- not issue any results or certificates, however, there are exceptions outlined in the special condition
- provide to Ofqual details of all registered learners
- identify suitable alternative courses, provided by a different awarding organisation, for each registered learner
- submit to Ofqual a contingency plan explaining how it would transfer each registered learner to a suitable alternative course, should Ofqual require it to do so
- review its regulated qualifications to ensure those qualifications are fit for purpose and delivered and awarded in accordance with ISM Education Ltd’s Conditions or Recognition
Ofqual removed the Special Conditions after reviewing the changes ISM Education Ltd had made to its governance and qualifications. As a result of those changes, on 21 July 2025 Ofqual issued a Regulatory Notice to ISM Education Ltd requiring it to:
- include Moderation (as set out in General Conditions H2.3, H2.4 and H2.5) in relation to all Learners within the first cohort of Learners at each ISM Education Ltd approved Centre
- ensure Moderation is completed on 100% of assessment marked by Centres in respect of the first cohort
- ensure the Moderation includes an in-person visit to each Centre by ISM Education Ltd personnel
- refrain from issuing results until submitting a statement of assurance to Ofqual confirming that that first cohort had met the required standard of the qualification
Ofqual considers it necessary and proportionate to gain assurance that ISM Education Ltd’s new systems of control are effective, prior to the first award of qualifications following removal of the Special Conditions.
Full details about the Special Conditions (removed) and the Regulatory Notice can be found in the published documents.