Introduction to Glossary

Crossfields Institute uses a number of terms to describe particular elements of the accreditation process.

Access Arrangements

Arrangements that are approved in advance of an examination or assessment to allow achievement to be demonstrated by candidates with a disability, special learning needs (including where the candidate’s first language is not English, Welsh or Irish) or to avoid unlawful discrimination.

Accreditation

The process through which the qualifications regulators confirm that a qualification conforms to the requirements of the QCF regulatory arrangements.

Appeal

The process through which an awarding organisation or body may be challenged on the outcome of an enquiry about results or, where appropriate, other procedural decisions affecting a centre or an individual learner.

Assessment

The process of making judgements about the extent to which a learner’s work meets the assessment criteria of a unit, or any additional assessment requirements of a qualification.

Assessment Criteria

Descriptions of the requirements a learner is expected to meet to demonstrate that a learning outcome has been achieved.

Assessor

A person who assesses a learner’s work.

Award of Credits or Qualifications

A certificate (electronic or paper-based) issued to an individual that recognises their achievement.

Award

A qualification with a credit value between 1 and 12.

Awarding Organisation

A body recognised by the qualifications regulators against the requirements set out in the regulatory arrangements to award credits and qualifications.

Centre

An organisation accountable to an awarding organisation or body for assessment arrangements leading to the award of credit or qualifications.

Centre Recognition

A process through which a centre wishing to offer an award or awards is confirmed as being able to maintain the required quality and consistency of assessment, and comply with other requirements of the awarding organization.

Credit

An award made to a learner in recognition of the achievement of the designated learning outcomes of a unit.

Credit Accumulation

The process of putting together a combination of credits to meet the achievement requirements of a qualification.

Credit Transfer

The process of using a credit or credits awarded in the context of one qualification towards the achievement requirements of another qualification.

Credit Value

The number of credits that may be awarded to a learner for the successful achievement of the learning outcomes of a unit.

Diploma

A qualification with a credit value of 37 or above.

Exemption

The facility for a learner to claim exemption from some of the achievement requirements of a qualification, using evidence of certificated, non-assessed achievement deemed to be of equivalent value.

Guided Learning Hours

The number of hours of teacher/tutor-supervised or directed study time required to teach a qualification or unit of a qualification.

Learner Record

An authoritative record of all credit and qualification achievements made by an individual learner.

Learning Outcome

A statement of what a learner can be expected to know, understand or do as a result of a process of learning.

Learning Time

The amount of time a learner at the level of the unit is expected to take, on average, to complete the learning outcomes of the unit to the standard determined by the assessment criteria.

Level

An indication of the relative demand, complexity and/or depth of achievement, and/or the autonomy of the learner in demonstrating that achievement.

Mandatory Units

Units in a set of rules of combination that must be achieved for the qualification to be awarded.

National Occupational Standards (NOS)

National Occupational Standards (NOS) are statements of the standards of performance individuals must achieve when carrying out functions in the workplace, together with specifications of the underpinning knowledge and understanding. National Occupational Standards (NOS) describe what an individual needs to do, know and understand in order to carry out a particular job role or function.

Optional Unit

A unit named in a set of rules of combination that a learner may choose to complete to achieve the required number of units/credits for award of the qualification.

Pathway

A route to the achievement of a qualification that requires a combination of credits to be achieved from particular units and is identified by an endorsement to a qualification title.

Qualification

An award made to a learner for the achievement of the specified combination of credits, or credits and exemptions, required for that award.

Qualification Level

An indication of the relative demand, complexity and/or depth of achievement, and/or the autonomy of the learner, represented by a qualification.

Qualifications Regulators

Government-designated statutory organisations required to establish national standards for credits and qualifications and secure consistent compliance with them.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

A method of assessment that considers whether a learner can demonstrate that they can meet the assessment requirements for a unit through knowledge, understanding or skills they already possess and do not need to develop through a course of learning.

Sector Skills Council

A body responsible for formulating and reviewing occupational standards for a specific sector across the UK, and for supporting the development of units and qualifications based on these standards. Each SSC is an employer-led, independent organisation and is licensed by government.

Standardisation Of Assessment

A process to ensure that assessment leading to the award of credits and qualifications is applied consistently by individuals, centres and awarding organisations.

Unique Learner Number (ULN)

The unique number that is used to identify an individual learner.

Unit

A coherent and explicit set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria, with a title, credit value and level.