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Updates: Ofqual Handbook: General Conditions of Recognition

2023

21 September 2023 published amendments

Section C - Third parties

Added C2.6 and associated guidance following September 2023 resilience consultation decisions

26 June 2023 published amendments

Section F - Providing qualifications to purchasers

Removed version of Condition F1 that was in force prior to January 2021

Section J - Interpretation and definitions

Integrated additional definitions relating to qualification fees which came into force in January 2021

2022

12 May 2022 published amendments

Section D - General requirements for regulated qualifications

Guidance for designing and developing accessible assessments has been added to condition D.

Section G - Setting and delivering the assessment

Previous guidance for Condition G3 has been removed as detailed guidance for designing and developing accessible assessments has been added to condition D.

2021

16 December 2021 published amendments

Section A - Governance

Removed out-of-date guidance on Condition A8 that was included in error.

26 November 2021 published amendments

Section A - Governance

Published new guidance on malpractice and maladministration

2020

11 November 2020 published amendments

Section F - Providing qualifications to purchasers

Added guidance to support the new version of Condition F1 that comes into force on 18 January 2021.

1 October 2020 published amendments

Section A - Governance

Moved definitions of Change of Control and Conflict of Interest from (respectively) Conditions A3 and A4 to Condition J1. Minor changes to wording of Conditions A1, A3 and, A5.

Section B - The awarding organisation and Ofqual

Condition B1: New definition of 'Responsible Officer' and new requirement to ensure the Responsible Officer is effective in the role.

Condition B2: Revised to refer to 'statement of compliance' and simplify some wording.

Simplified wording of Conditions B4 and B8.

Section C - Third parties

Minor changes to wording of Condition C1.

Section D - General requirements for regulated qualifications

Condition D6 withdrawn, and subsequent Conditions renumbered.
Minor changes to wording of Conditions D1 and D5.

Section E - Design and development of qualifications

Revised Condition E10 to require all awarding organisations to have a published policy which explains whether or not they will recognise prior learning. Consequential amendments to supporting guidance.

Moved definition of 'Recognition of Prior Learning' to Condition J1.

Minor changes to wording of Condition E1, E3.2(d) and E6.2(c).

Section F - Providing qualifications to purchasers

Added new version of Condition F1 which comes into force on 18 January 2021

Revised Condition F3 to clarify level of detail purchasers may seek to obtain when requesting a breakdown of fees.

Section G - Setting and delivering the assessment

Definitions of 'Reasonable Adjustment' and 'Special Consideration' moved from Conditions G6 and G7 (respectively) to Condition J1.

Section I - Appeals and certificates

Condition I1 revised to clarify role of independent decision makers in appeals.

Section J - Interpretation and definitions

New interpretation provision (Condition J1.2(j)) explaining how to interpret references to 'this condition'.

Revised Condition J1.7 to require publication of specified documents or information on awarding organisations' websites.

Definitions of 'Change of Control', 'Conflict of Interest', 'Reasonable Adjustment', 'Recognition of Prior Learning' and 'Special Consideration' moved from Conditions A3, A4, G6, E10 and G7 (respectively).

Revised definitions of 'Data Protection Law' and 'Special Consideration'. Minor change to definition of 'Adverse Effect'. Replaced defined term 'RITS' with 'Portal'.

Removed definition of 'Rule of Combination'.

New definitions of 'Procure' and 'Responsible Officer'.

Also added new definitions of 'Associated Learner Fees', 'Mandatory Centre Fees', 'Package Fee' and 'Standard Qualification Fee', which come into force alongside the new Condition F1 on 18 January 2021.

19 May 2020 published amendments

Section A - Governance

Change to Condition A2 - Establishment in the EU or the EFTA.

Section H - From marking to issuing results

Added condition H6.2 relating to compliance with notices from Ofqual requiring an awarding organisation to refrain from issuing results.

20 February 2020 published amendments

Section A - Governance

Published new guidance on conflicts of interest. This comes into effect at 00.01am on 21 February 2020.

18 February 2020 published amendments

Section H - From marking to issuing results

Added qualifications to which the Performance Table Qualifications Qualification Level Conditions apply to the list of qualifications which must be subject to Moderation

12 February 2020 published amendments

Section A - Governance

Revised Condition A4.6 to reflect introduction of new rules for Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny. This change comes into effect at 00.01am on 13 February 2020.

Section C - Third parties

Revised Condition C2.3(j) to reflect introduction of new rules for Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny. This change comes into effect at 00.01am on 13 February 2020.

Section H - From marking to issuing results

Introduction of Conditions, requirements and guidance for Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny; related changes to Conditions H6.1(d) and H6. This change comes into effect at 00.01am on 13 February 2020.

Section I - Appeals and certificates

Revised Condition I4.2(c) to reflect introduction of new rules for Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny. This change comes into effect at 00.01am on 13 February 2020.

Section J - Interpretation and definitions

Introduced new definition of Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny, and revised definition of Moderation. This change comes into effect at 00.01am on 13 February 2020.

2019

10 June 2019 published amendments

Section B - The awarding organisation and Ofqual

Revised logo requirements to reflect transitional arrangements for changing Ofqual's Logo

25 March 2019 published amendments

Section B - The awarding organisation and Ofqual

Updated to include new version of Ofqual logo for use on certificates

Section I - Appeals and certificates

Added information about joint CCEA Regulation, Ofqual and Qualifications Wales guidance on using regulators' logos on certificates

2018

1 November 2018 published amendments

Using the Ofqual Handbook

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section A - Governance

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section B - The awarding organisation and Ofqual

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section C - Third parties

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section D - General requirements for regulated qualifications

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section E - Design and development of qualifications

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section F - Providing qualifications to purchasers

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section G - Setting and delivering the assessment

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section H - From marking to issuing results

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section I - Appeals and certificates

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

Section J - Interpretation and definitions

Published release version of Ofqual Handbook

6 August 2018 published amendments

Using the Ofqual Handbook

Updated to reflect formal introduction of Ofqual Handbook

Section A - Governance

Updated to include revisions to Condition A4, and the guidance to Conditions A4 and A8, following our consultation on [regulating teacher involvement in exam development](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/rules-and-regulations-on-teacher-involvement-in-exam-development)

Section E - Design and development of qualifications

Updated to reflect formal introduction of Ofqual Handbook, and commencement of requirements for Total Qualification Time

Section G - Setting and delivering the assessment

Updated to include revisions to Condition G4 (and the associated guidance), as well as new guidance on safeguarding confidentiality when Teachers develop assessments, following our consultation on [regulating teacher involvement in exam development](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/rules-and-regulations-on-teacher-involvement-in-exam-development)

Section I - Appeals and certificates

Updated to reflect formal introduction of Ofqual Handbook

Section J - Interpretation and definitions

Updated following formal adoption of Handbook format

Proposed changes

'Proposed changes' section removed following pilot of Handbook