The Validated Document

After the validation event has been held you may have to amend the Validation Proposal Document to meet any conditions set by the Validation Panel. Once these conditions have been met and signed off, the document then has to be edited to change the language used from ‘proposals made by the Qualification Design Team’ to ‘the decisions made by the Validation Panel’. For example, the Validation Proposal Document would normally state, ‘It is recommended that the title of the HNC/HND is changed to Communication with Media to reflect the balance between Communication Studies and Media Studies’ whereas the validated document should state: ‘The title of the HNC/D has been changed to Communication with Media to reflect the balance between Communication Studies and Media Studies’.

The format and content of the validated document should be the same as the Validation Proposal Document, including all the appendices. However, the date on the front cover would change from the date on which the validation meeting was held to the date on which the qualification was validated. The validated document should be sent to SQA for entering onto the APS system.

The contents of the validated document should include the following:

• a front cover, stating the full validated title of the qualification and the originating centre
• a title page, stating the type and name of the validated qualification and the date when the Group Award was validated
• a contents page, stating page numbers referring to relevant sections in the document
• the rationale for the development/revision of the qualification including (as appendices) information about those involved in the development/revision, and the processes of consultation and/or market research carried out
• the aims of the qualification broken down into general and specific aims and shown separately for each Group Award
• the recommended conditions for access to the qualification, ie recommended prior entry requirements, including the recommended Core Skills profile
• the structure of the qualification including:
  - a list of Units and Graded Units, stating all the current codes for each of these included in the validated framework and detailing title, credit value and SCQF level. If the numbers are not known at this point, these should be indicated as ‘XXXX’
  - details of the mandatory or mandatory/optional structure
  - details of how all the general and specific aims of the Group Award are met by a combination of the Units and Graded Units
  - details of how the Graded Unit specification(s) integrate the key aims of the Group Award
  - conditions of the Group Award, including the achievement of any Core Skills and how this will be achieved
  - Core Skills signposting
  - matching to National Occupational Standards
• Guidance notes for centres on approaches to delivery and assessment including guidance on:
  - content and context
  - delivery and assessment
  - any credit transfer arrangements (agreed by moderators)
  - transition arrangements from old award to new award
  - open learning
  - special needs
  - possible routes for progression
• Guidance for candidates including:
  - summary of the content, format and assessment
  - guidance on options
• copies of the Graded Unit specifications
• appendices including:
  - members of the Qualification Design Team
  - members of the validation panel
  - market research
  - evidence of support

Note the validated document does not need to include:

• all the Unit specifications
• the Validation Report form or evidence of any subsequent conditions being lifted - this will have been sent under separate cover

Arrangements document

An Arrangements document is constructed from the Validation document. Full details of the market research carried out should be removed as well as details of the Qualifications Design Team and the Validation Panel. Appendices should also be removed unless they contain specific articulation information.

An Arrangements document should be ready prior to implementation. This document will be used by Qualification Support Teams and Qualification Managers to ensure that the award is kept up-to-date and dynamic. Information may be added to the Arrangements document over time.

 

 

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