Approval

Initial approval as an SQA centre

At the initial approval stage your Customer Support Manager (CSM) makes sure that your centre has the management structure and quality assurance systems to support the delivery, assessment and internal verification of SQA qualifications.

Your CSM will:

• scrutinise your application for initial approval as an SQA centre
• visit your centre to check that it has the potential to meet SQA's criteria for initial approval and internal verification
• make recommendations to SQA on your approval as a centre
• consider evidence for lifting any conditions imposed on your approval
• support external verifiers on visits to your centre, where required

Contact details:

For centre approval or approval to offer a specific qualification, please contact SQA's Approval Team on 0845 213 5351.

Systems development

Following centre approval, new centres are offered a post-approval development visit, free of charge. During these visits your CSM will be happy to offer advice on any aspect of your centre's systems and procedures.

Centres, offering qualifications in a new moderation group for the first time, will automatically be offered a post-approval development visit by an External Verifier approximately six months after gaining approval (but only if you have entered candidates for our qualifications).  These visits are also free of charge.  For further information contact SQA's Verification Team on 0845 213 5345.

At all times help and support is only a phone call away. If you need it, you can get advice or guidance from either your CSM or External Verifier outwith the normal quality assurance schedule (advice is free, but if you want us to arrange a development visit to your centre, we will charge you for this service). For further information about systems development vists contact your CSM or telephone SQA's Audit Team on 0845 213 5342. Queries regarding external verification visits should be addressed to SQA's Verification Team on 0845 213 5345.

Systems verification

Systems verification is the process of ensuring that centres maintain adequate internal quality assurance systems, which are sufficiently well documented, and that centres are operating these systems effectively.

Quality Assurance through centre visits

CSMs routinely monitor all approved centres to ensure your compliance with SQA quality assurance criteria. During the visit CSMs will sample evidence to ensure that your centre's systems and procedures continue to comply with our criteria for approval as an SQA centre and for internal verification. Your CSM may also make a number of recommendations which could enhance the quality of the provision you offer as well as support the development of internal quality assurance within your centre. These visits are free of charge.