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Coverage
These principles, which have been set by the Secretary of State, apply to the approval in England of external qualifications under the provisions of Sections 97, 98, 100 and 101 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000. They cover both full-time and part-time education and training for persons aged 19 and over.
Principle 1 - Prior Accreditation by a Regulatory Body
External qualifications will only be approved if they meet high quality standards, are relevant, fit for purpose and enable progression. Accreditation by a regulatory body will normally be expected to provide this reassurance. The external qualification may either have been accredited to the national framework by ACCAC, CCEA or QCA or by the SQA as a Scottish qualification. Accreditation by a regulatory body means that an external qualification is eligible for consideration for approval and is not a guarantee that it will be approved. The Secretary of State will seek the advice of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as to which external qualifications might be approved and for how long.
Principle 2 - Units of Qualifications Permissible
Independent and free-standing units accredited by a regulatory body and units of external qualifications accredited by a regulatory body may be approved, provided unit certification is offered and available through the awarding body. The Secretary of State will seek the advice of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as to which units might be approved and for how long.
Principle 3 - Guarantee of Availability
An external qualification will only be approved if the awarding body can guarantee its availability for a specified period. The period will vary depending on the nature of the external qualification. Normally, the period of availability will be related to the period of accreditation as specified in accreditation conditions. The Secretary of State will seek the advice of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in individual cases.
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