Centre approval application form

This form is to be completed by all centres wishing to gain centre approval and offer FDQ qualifications. All fields of this form must be completed in full unless otherwise stated.

SECTION 1 Centre details

1.1 Contact information

Centre details
Centre name:
Registered company
name (if different from above):
Centre address:
Contact details
Name of main contact:
Email address:
Telephone number:
Name of Chief Executive/Principal:
Invoice details
Invoice contact name:
Invoice address:
Telephone number:
Email address:
Type of organisation
Learning provider, employer, college etc.

1.2 Satellite sites

Please provide details of locations where training and assessment will be taking place. This could be other premises owned by the centre, or location where centre provides its services.

Company/organisation Location (town and a postcode as a minimum)
name

1.3 Sub-contractor and partnership arrangements

Please provide details of sub-contractor or partnership arrangements which the centre has in place.

Partner name / Address / Web address

1.4 Foreign languages

If you are conducting assessments in any language other than English, please complete the following section.

Qualification number and title / Details of foreign language assessments

SECTION2 Other centre approvals

2.1 Previous FDQ qualification approvals

Please provide details of any previous FDQ qualification approvals, below.

Qualification number and title / Dates to and from

2.2 Centre approvals with other awarding organisations

Please provide details of all other centre approvals. Please submit copies of the last two external quality assurance reports carried out at the centre, by each awarding organisation listed below.

Awarding organisation name Details of approval
Current Inactive Withheld Withdrawn
Dates from and to:
Current Inactive Withheld Withdrawn
Dates from and to:
Current Inactive Withheld Withdrawn
Dates from and to:
Please indicate if centre has ever had approval withheld or withdrawn. FDQ may be required to provide this information to the regulatory bodies and/or Government.
Types of qualifications
Competency qualifications; proficiency, NVQs
Vocationally related qualifications (VRQs)
Key Skills
FDQ Accredited programmes
Apprenticeship programmes
Customised programmes

SECTION 3 Policies and procedures

3.1Centre policy and procedure documentation

Copies of centre policy documents are required, and will be subject to quality review by FDQ during the centre approval process. Centres are responsible for keeping these documents up to date, and this will be externally quality monitored after centre approval is granted.

Policy and procedure Document title, reference number
1. Health and safety
2. Equality and diversity
3. Unique learner numbers/Scottish candidate numbers
4. Learner induction, plans and records
5. Assessment/ examinations
6. Internal quality assurance
7. Complaints and appeals
8. Exemptions, proxies, reasonable adjustments and special considerations
9. Tracking learner progress
10. Documentation security
11. Learner support and feedback
12. Personnel development and records

SECTION 4 Resources

4.1 Centre systems and resources

Please provide documents relating to each of the following areas of centre processes. Indicate below if the centre meets the criteria by answering yes, no or partially and referencing the evidence within policy/procedures or other evidence sources.

Systems and resources
You confirm that you have the relevant systems and resources to ensure that:
1. Learners are safe and have equality of opportunity
2. Access to assessment/examination is fair and assessment evidence is reliable and authentic
3. Assessment/ examination practice is monitored and internally quality assured
4. You can securely hold and transmit details of assessment outcomes and results to FDQ
5. The eligibility and needs of learners are addressed in recognising prior learning, exemptions, proxies, reasonable adjustments and special considerations
6. Learner plans and records are developed, accessed and maintained to support learner progress and effective management of qualification provision
7. Examinations/tests are administered, invigilated and marked, and that claims for learner achievement can be claimed in accordance with FDQ requirements
8. Your assessors, internal quality assurance personnel and others involved with the provision of qualifications are suitably experienced/qualified, supported and updated
9. You can update FDQ with any changes to personnel, physical resources, satellites, partnerships and centre information in a timely manner
10. You identify, use and maintain the facilities, tools and equipment necessary to provide for qualifications
11. Satellite sites are adequately managed, and quality assured
12. Sub-contractor or partnership arrangements are adequately managed, quality assured and the respective roles and responsibilities of each partner are documented

SECTION 5 Learner support and guidance

Learner support and guidance
You confirm that you have the relevant systems and resources to ensure that:
1. You obtain for learners a Unique Learner Number (ULN) or Scottish Candidate Number (SCN) or relevant learner plans and records
2. Learners have an adequate induction to their qualification provision and where appropriate are initially assessed to identify development needs
3. You access learners previous achievements/learning records (with learner consent) and allow for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) where these are appropriate
4. Learners understand and have access to complaints and appeals arrangements
5. Learners understand and have access to tracking and recording of their progress
6. Learners understand assessment/examination arrangements and can accumulate units, qualifications and transfer credits where appropriate

SECTION 6 Quality improvement

Centre performance and improvement
You confirm that you have the relevant systems and resources to ensure that:
1. You measure and evaluate the performance of centre qualification provision,
including all internal quality assurance arrangements, assessment/ examination
and moderation/standardisation to ensure they meet regulatory requirements
2. Your quality assurance policies, procedures and practice are fit-for-purpose, current and understood by personnel
3. You obtain feedback and assess the learner experience in your centre qualification provision to determine how well it meets learners’ needs
4. There is effective monitoring of personnel performance and appraisal of personnel
5. There are effective arrangements in place for identifying personnel training needs and to ensure that they are suitably experienced/qualified to perform in their role in qualification provision
6. Continuing Professional Development of personnel is actively supported, managed and recorded

SECTION7 Declaration

By signing below, the centre is confirming that the information supplied is correct, current and that the person signing has the necessary authorisation to enter into this contract. Any changes to the documents referenced must be notified to FDQ and are subject to review and approval. This application forms the contract between you as the centre and FDQ.

The centre agrees to provide FDQ and the qualifications regulators with access to premises, people and records, and to cooperate with requests for information or documents made by FDQ or the qualifications regulators. The centre also agrees to cooperate with FDQ in carrying out quality assurance monitoring activities and to assist qualifications regulators in any investigations made for the purposes performing its functions.

All documents are subject to review or addition, and continued approval is subject to the centre conforming to these, and any further amendments to, FDQ’s Centre Quality Assurance.

Declaration
Full name (please print):
Official job title:
Signature:
Date:

Please submit this application form via email, with relevant documents attached, to:

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