The application race is on – obtaining Ofqual recognition as an EPAO

Replay back to 2010 and the Ofqual recognition application I did for my employer then went straight through to approval. The Officer responsible at the time said, ‘let me just check that as this is a first’. As it happened everything was fine.

Since then the requirements have been revisited by Ofqual and the process looks very different. Not less demanding, just different demanding.

Hopefully many of you will already be on the road. Here’s my thoughts and tips about the journey.  

Beef

One of main beefs to date with Ofqual has been the less than clear Criteria document and having to second guess some of their guidance as to what needs to go where, and to what depth. Thankfully Ofqual have been busy lately updating their guidance and delivering a range of webinars to help us navigate the requirements.

Meeting the recognition criteria still feels like a bit of a lottery though. Why? My sense is that the different individuals/teams looking at the applications look for or focus on slightly different things. For example, some seem to want more detail on this, or that area.

Whatever, it is what it is. And as I said, thankfully Ofqual are helping us more of late to understand what they are looking for.

Challenge

Listening to a range of consultants’ views and others over time on the subject, we all agree it’s not a walk in the park to get across the line. Also, meeting the 31st of July deadline for Ofqual recognition as an EPAO is demanding - to get your application into Ofqual by April, if not already.    

Here are a few things to share, from my experience in making applications.

It’s all in the documentation

This sounds glib. It’s true. The level of detail required for Ofqual applications is high. Documents have to be clear, connected, in alignment and written in Ofqual language.

Getting to grips with the language Ofqual uses is crucial. It is a different language to that used amongst training providers and EPAOs generally. Use the technical terms and language from the Conditions of Recognition in policy documents. Also, make use of the guidance section of the Ofqual Handbook.

Also, think about ‘what quality looks like’? and apply that in writing your policy and procedures.

In putting your application together get the self-assessment against the Conditions going from the start. Remember Conditions B3, E1, E7, E8, E9, I3, I4 are disapplied for EPAs.

Conflicts of interest  

Really work through any conflicts of interest in the organisation. Have you found the best possible mitigation? If you are a training provider and an EPAO, this is a conflict that probably requires a separation of duties in the organisation. However, it doesn’t have to mean the training and EPAO arms cannot share certain resources such as IT, HR, finance function, etc.  

The thing about qualifications

So, Ofqual regard EPAs to be the same as a regulated qualification. Understanding how the qualification lifecycle applies to EPAs is crucial.

Tell a cohesive story

Write your application narrative as a short story, to explain how and what you do, referencing your documents that support the narrative.

Don’t worry about using the same documents (evidence) against more than one criterion because it’s likely that different reviewers will look at different criterion, so they won’t know that policies and procedures etc exists unless you tell them about them in the section they are reading. 

Finally..

Don’t rush it, just because the deadline is not far off. Take your time to put a quality application in.

If you would like my list of documents that I would expect to see for each of the Ofqual application criteria A to D email me on heather@awardingfirst.co.uk – no obligation.

Or if you would like to talk about an MOT of your application, or parts of it get in touch.

Stay safe, Heather