Notice

Undertaking given by CIOL Qualifications to the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (‘OFQUAL’), in accordance with B8 of the General Conditions

Published 11 February 2022

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2022

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ciolq-undertaking-april-2020/undertaking-given-by-ciol-qualifications-to-the-office-of-qualifications-and-examinations-regulation-ofqual-in-accordance-with-b8-of-the-general

Failure to comply with Conditions

In February 2020, Ofqual concluded an audit of CIOL Qualifications[footnote 1] which reviewed its systems for submitting a timely and accurate statement of compliance to Ofqual. The audit found fundamental and significant weaknesses in CIOL Qualifications’ systems of control.

In response to those findings, CIOL Qualifications admits that it has breached the following Conditions[footnote 2]:

  • B2.1, B2.2, B2.3 and B2.4 in relation to the annual statement to Ofqual
  • B6.1 in relation to cooperation with Ofqual
  • B1.3 in relation to the role of the responsible officer
  • A5.2(e) in relation to systems of planning and internal control
  • A6.1 in relation to identification and management of risks
  • G6.2 in relation to arrangements for reasonable adjustments
  • G7.2 in relation to arrangements for special consideration
  • D3.1 in relation to reviewing its approach

Undertaking

CIOL Qualifications hereby undertakes to:

  • perform the actions set out in Annex 1 (“the Action Plan”) within the timescales set out therein
  • provide written updates to the IoL Educational Trust Board and to Ofqual every four weeks from the date of this Undertaking, reporting on its progress against the actions set out in the Action Plan and identifying any risk that the timescales therein may not be met; and
  • provide to Ofqual a Statement of Assurance, authorised and signed by the IoL Educational Trust Board, setting out that it is fully compliant with its Conditions of Recognition at the date of the statement, or that it is non-compliant in which case the statement shall describe each instance of non-compliance and the date by which CIOL Qualifications expects to rectify the failure(s). This Statement of Assurance shall be provided to Ofqual in writing on or before 31 December 2020

Declaration

In giving this Undertaking, I acknowledge on behalf of CIOL Qualifications that:

  • Ofqual will publish this Undertaking (on a date to be confirmed following consultation with CIOL Qualifications); and
  • Ofqual may take regulatory action in respect of any failure to comply with the terms of this Undertaking which may include the issue of a Direction, the imposition of a Monetary Penalty, Withdrawal of Recognition, Costs Recovery, and/or any other such action as it deems appropriate, acting in accordance with Ofqual’s ‘Taking Regulatory Action’ policy (2012)[footnote 3].

Signed:
Name: Mrs Samantha Taylor Interim Responsible Officer CIOL Qualifications
Date: 16th April 2020

  1. CIOL Qualifications is the trading name of IoL Edudcational Trust. ↩

  2. The version of Conditions in force at the time relevant to these events is dated October 2017. ↩

  3. And as amended from time to time. ↩

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