Regulation

Monetary penalties and costs imposed on AQA

Details of Notices to Impose Monetary Penalties on AQA and to recover legal costs.

Applies to England

Documents

AQA - Notice of Monetary Penalty - Reviews of marking and moderation January 2020

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AQA - Notice of Costs Recovery - Reviews of marking and moderation January 2020

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AQA - Notice of Monetary Penalty - GCE French January 2020

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AQA - Notice of Costs Recovery - GCE French January 2020

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@ofqual.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

In respect of AQA’s reviews of marking and moderation in 2016, 2017 and 2018

On 15 October 2019, Ofqual issued AQA with a Notice of Intention to impose a Monetary Penalty relating to its arrangements for reviews of marking and moderation in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The Notice stated that the amount of the proposed Monetary Penalty was £350,000. The Notice also stated that Ofqual intended to accept a Settlement Proposal from AQA in terms that AQA:

a) admits all of the breaches set out in the Notice of Intention;

b) compensates affected Centres (in the form of credit notes) in the sum of £735,570;

c) agrees to pay the Monetary Penalty of £350,000;

d) agrees to pay Ofqual’s reasonable costs in respect of this matter.

Interested parties were given the opportunity to make representations about Ofqual’s proposals. Two interested parties made representations. These representations did not impact on the final decision.

On 29 October 2019, AQA informed Ofqual that it had compensated affected Centres (in the form of credit notes) in the sum of £735,570.

On 8 November 2019, AQA informed Ofqual of two further cases in which it had failed to comply with the arrangements for reviews of marking in 2019. As soon as the issue was identified, AQA arranged for the reviews to be conducted again by independent reviewers. This did not result in any grade changes and there is no evidence that the breaches had an Adverse Effect on Learners. These were exceptional cases and the breaches occurred as a result of human error rather than systemic process failures.

On 29 January 2020, Ofqual formally issued AQA with a Notice of Monetary Penalty requiring it to pay a fine of £350,000.

Reviews of marking and moderation - Notice of Costs Recovery

On 29 January 2020, Ofqual formally issued AQA with a Notice of Costs Recovery requiring it to pay costs of £19,083. This was in connection with the Monetary Penalty imposed on AQA in respect of its arrangements for reviews of marking and moderation in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

GCE French - Notice of Monetary Penalty

On 15 October 2019, Ofqual issued AQA with a Notice of Intention to impose a Monetary Penalty relating to the delivery of its GCE French qualification in 2018.

The Notice stated that the amount of the proposed Monetary Penalty was £50,000.

Interested parties were given the opportunity to make representations in respect of Ofqual’s proposal. No representations were received.

On 29 January 2020, Ofqual formally issued AQA with a Notice of Monetary Penalty requiring it to pay a fine of £50,000.

GCE French - Notice of Costs Recovery

On 29 January 2020, Ofqual formally issued AQA with a Notice of Costs Recovery requiring it to pay costs of £5,942. This was in connection with the Monetary Penalty imposed on AQA in respect of the delivery of its GCE French qualification in 2018.

Updates to this page

Published 29 January 2020

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