2015/16 Accreditation scheme
For centres offering Applied A-level qualifications
We operate a scheme of accreditation for coursework units in Applied A-level Business and
Science.
Once accredited for a subject, centres have their coursework marks for that subject automatically
accepted for up to three years, subject to the scheme’s conditions, the level of accreditation (AS or
Advanced) and depending on the future availability of the specification.
To gain accreditation a subject teacher must be nominated by the Head of Centre as the
‘programme leader’ for the specification in question, responsible for internal standardisation within
the centre (and across any consortium). The programme leader may be required to attend a
standardisation meeting and take part in further training we offer to ensure competence in marking
to the required standard.
If the programme leader leaves the centre or ceases to be responsible for internal standardisation
in that subject, accreditation will be withdrawn and the centre will continue through the normal
moderation process. It is the centre’s responsibility to inform us when there is a change of
programme leader.
Accreditation for our Applied A-level specifications is available at two levels, AS and Advanced. To
be eligible for Advanced level accreditation, centres must already hold or be eligible for
accreditation at AS level. Accreditation can be obtained via the method detailed below.
Normal summer moderation
Centres whose coursework marks are accepted, for all the AS units they have submitted (to obtain
AS level accreditation) or for all AS and A2 units they have submitted (to obtain Advanced level
accreditation), will be offered accreditation automatically provided that:
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at least two AS units (for AS accreditation), two AS and one A2 units or one AS and two A2
units (for Advanced accreditation) with a minimum of five candidates’ marks per unit (in at
least the minimum number of units required for accreditation) are submitted;
the programme leader is staying in post;
the programme leader takes part in any appropriate training.
Programme leaders who are accredited through this method will normally retain their accreditation
for the following two consecutive summer moderation periods1, depending on the future availability
of the specification.
Any programme leaders not achieving accreditation will normally be eligible to gain accreditation
through the normal summer moderation the following academic year.
1
Subject to random sampling - see page 2 for further details.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
Submission of marks
The deadline for the submission of final centre marks for all Applied A-level units in the June 2016
exam series is 15 May 2016.
Random sampling
To ensure that marking standards are being maintained, each year 15% of all accredited centres
will be selected at random and will be subject to full moderation.
If the centre‘s marking was accepted and standard accreditation requirements are met (in terms of
number of candidates and units), the period of accreditation will be extended as though
accreditation had just been granted in that series.
For example, if an accredited centre was selected as part of the random sample in summer 2015,
its marking was accepted and it had sufficient candidate & unit entries, the period of accreditation
will be extended to, and include, the summer 2017 examination series, provided that the
programme leader remains in post.
Where a centre’s marks are adjusted, accreditation will be withdrawn and the centre will continue
with moderation as normal and will be eligible for accreditation through the normal summer
moderation process the following academic year.
Non-accredited centres
Centres that do not wish to take up the offer of accreditation or that have not achieved
accreditation for a specification must submit work and marks for full moderation in May 2016.
Centres accredited at AS level only (ie not for the Advanced units) must submit work and marks for
full moderation for any Advanced units entered.
Withdrawal of Applied A-level specifications
June 2017 will be the final opportunity for the submission of coursework for Applied Business
Studies and Applied Science.
Centre Consortia
The nominated Programme Leader must be the same person for each individual centre within the
proposed consortia.
The JCQ centre consortium application form can be obtained from our website
www.aqa.org.uk/coursework .For the June 2016 series the completed forms must be sent to us by
31 January 2016.
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Next Steps
Centres qualifying for accreditation will receive a letter in January 2016. It will advise them of the
level of accreditation they are entitled to and the period that it is covers.
If a centre is entitled to accreditation, the person responsible for internal standardisation must
become the programme leader and will need to take part in any further training we offer
(attendance at meetings is likely to involve at most one day).
Centres will be asked to confirm the programme leader’s details or indicate if they do not wish to
take up the offer of accreditation.
Centres that are not accredited will continue with normal moderation in June 2016.
All centres who enter Applied A-level units in a summer series will receive documentation to
confirm programme leader details and any other information required at that time.
Contacts
For subject specific queries, please contact the appropriate subject team:
Specification
Subject office
Tel
A-level Applied Business
Guildford
01483 477 863
A-level Applied Science
Manchester
01483 477 756
For administrative queries please contact CourseworkAdmin@aqa.org.uk
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