Short answer
An awarding organisation will want to see qualified staff (a teaching qualification such as the L3AET, plus assessor and IQA cover), written policies, suitable resources and premises and, often, insurance. Get your own qualifications in place first. They are usually the first thing checked.
What centre approval is
Centre approval means an awarding organisation has agreed that you can deliver and assess its qualifications. Once approved, your learners receive certificates from that awarding organisation.
Qualified staff
This is usually the first thing checked. The usual minimum looks like this.
- To teach: the L3AET or L4CET.
- To assess: the L3AACWE, L3AAVRA or L3CAVA.
- To quality-assure: an IQA qualification such as the L4AIQAAPP.
- Evidence that you are competent in the subject you teach.
Policies and paperwork
These five are the basics almost every awarding organisation asks for. Most will want more, depending on their own requirements, so ask your awarding organisation for its full list.
- Equality and diversity
- Appeals and complaints
- Malpractice and maladministration
- Safeguarding
- Health and safety
Tip
Many awarding organisations share policy templates with applicants. Ask before writing your own from scratch.
Insurance
Insurers for trainers often ask to see a recognised teaching qualification before they will cover you.
A learner who did this
Rebecca, a lash, brow and waxing trainer, needed her L3AET for both centre approval and her insurer. She completed it in 9 days. Read Rebecca’s success story.
Get your own qualifications first. Everything else in the application builds on them.
Questions people ask
Do I need a teaching qualification to get centre approval?
Awarding organisations usually expect the people teaching to hold one, such as the L3AET.
Can one person be the teacher, assessor and IQA?
In most cases the trainer and the assessor can be the same person. The IQA cannot quality-assure their own assessments, though, so you will need a second person for internal quality assurance.
How long does centre approval take?
It depends on how ready you are when you apply and how quickly you meet the awarding organisation’s expectations. On average it takes 2 to 4 weeks.