External Quality Assurance (EQA) Policy

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This policy in 60 seconds

• Who it is for: TTT staff involved in assessment and IQA, and the Centre Manager.
• Awarding organisations send External Quality Assurers (EQAs) to check TTT's assessment and IQA.
• TTT prepares records in advance, cooperates fully and circulates the EQA report within two working days.
• An action plan is drafted within 7 calendar days, and every action is given an owner and a deadline.
• TTT can appeal an EQA decision to the awarding organisation, typically within 7 to 14 calendar days.

The full policy below is the official version.

1. Purpose

This policy sets out how TTT engages with the External Quality Assurance (EQA) activity carried out by its Awarding Organisations. It defines TTT's responsibilities before, during and after EQA visits or remote sampling, the roles of those involved and how EQA findings are acted upon. The policy supports TTT's compliance with Ofqual's General Conditions of Recognition as they apply to recognised centres and with the EQA requirements of each Awarding Organisation with which TTT is registered.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All qualifications delivered by TTT
• All EQA activity conducted by Awarding Organisations, including scheduled visits, remote sampling, monitoring reports, standardisation events and ad hoc reviews
• All TTT staff and associates involved in the assessment and IQA cycle
• All learner evidence, assessor decisions and IQA records relevant to the qualifications under review

3. Definitions

The following terms carry the meanings given throughout this policy.

4. Policy Statement

TTT is committed to the following principles and commitments.

1. 1TTT cooperates fully, openly and promptly with every Awarding Organisation with which it is registered.
2. 2TTT treats the EQA relationship as a partnership aimed at continuous improvement and protection of the qualification's integrity.
3. 3TTT provides the EQA with access to all requested evidence, including learner portfolios, assessor decisions, IQA sampling records, standardisation minutes, policies and procedures, etc.
4. 4TTT provides the EQA with access to Course Assessors, IQAs, the Course Coordinator, the Centre Manager and, with the learner's consent, to learners, where requested.
5. 5TTT responds to EQA required actions within the timescales set by the Awarding Organisation and ahead of the next certification claim where required.
6. 6TTT treats EQA recommendations as serious developmental feedback and adopts them wherever practicable.
7. 7TTT notifies every Awarding Organisation of any significant changes to centre staff, assessor team, delivery model or learner volume as required by that organisation's centre handbook.
8. 8TTT retains all EQA correspondence, reports and associated action plans for a minimum of three years or longer where the Awarding Organisation requires it.
9. 9Where TTT disagrees with an EQA finding, TTT follows that Awarding Organisation's published appeal route and does not take unilateral action to disregard the finding.

5. Roles and Responsibilities

6. EQA Engagement Cycle

6.1 Before the activity

• The Lead IQA confirms the scope, date and format of the activity with the Awarding Organisation and notifies the Centre Manager
• The Course Coordinator prepares the learner sample list requested and obtains any required learner consent for direct engagement
• The Lead IQA assembles an evidence pack covering sampled portfolios, assessor decisions, IQA Sampling Reports, standardisation records, training logs, policies and the current self-evaluation summary
• The Centre Manager reviews any open actions from the previous EQA activity and confirms they are closed before the new activity begins

6.2 During the activity

• The Lead IQA hosts the EQA, arranges introductions and manages timings
• Named TTT staff make themselves available for interview at agreed times
• Requests for additional evidence are met within the activity or, where not possible, within three working days with a clear explanation to the EQA
• Notes are taken throughout by a TTT representative to support accurate action planning afterwards

6.3 After the activity

• The EQA Report is logged and circulated to the Centre Manager, Lead IQA and any named staff within two working days of receipt
• An EQA Action Plan is drafted by the Lead IQA within 7 calendar days of receipt of the report, assigning each required action and recommendation to a named owner with a target date
• Required actions are completed before the next certification claim or within the timescale set by the Awarding Organisation, whichever is sooner
• Evidence of action completion is retained in the learner file, IQA records or centre records as appropriate and is available at the next EQA activity

7. Managing EQA Findings

Findings are categorised and managed as follows.

8. Reporting Significant Changes to Awarding Organisations

TTT proactively notifies each Awarding Organisation of changes that may affect its registration, including:

• Change of Centre Manager, Lead IQA or other named roles on the centre contact record
• Addition or removal of Course Assessors or IQAs contributing to the qualification
• Significant changes to TTT's delivery model, learning platform, geographical reach or learner volume
• Changes to TTT's legal structure, ownership or operating address
• Any confirmed or suspected malpractice or maladministration affecting the qualification
• Any safeguarding incident that materially affects learners registered for the qualification

The Centre Manager holds the master log of notifications made to each Awarding Organisation and reviews outstanding items quarterly.

9. Appeals Against EQA Decisions

Where TTT disagrees with a required action, a sanction or any other EQA decision, it follows the published appeals route of the relevant Awarding Organisation. Internal steps are as follows.

1. 1The Lead IQA and Centre Manager meet to review the decision and document the basis for disagreement, including the evidence not reflected in the EQA's reasoning.
2. 2The Centre Manager submits a written appeal to the Awarding Organisation within its published timescale, typically 7 to 14 calendar days from receipt of the decision.
3. 3TTT cooperates with any subsequent investigation, including further sampling or interviews.
4. 4Pending the outcome of the appeal, TTT implements any non-contested parts of the decision and does not take unilateral action to disregard the contested parts.
5. 5The final Awarding Organisation decision is accepted and acted upon or escalated under that organisation's onward route (for example, to Ofqual) only where TTT has substantive grounds to do so.

10. Learning from EQA

EQA activity is a core input to TTT's self-evaluation. The Centre Manager:

• Reviews EQA outcomes across all Awarding Organisations at least annually
• Identifies patterns across findings to inform policy revision, training priorities and resource allocation
• Shares themes, commendations and required actions with the Course Assessor and IQA teams at the next standardisation event
• Feeds EQA outcomes into the annual IQA Sampling Strategy review

11. EQA Records and Retention

TTT retains the following EQA records for a minimum of three years after the activity or longer where the Awarding Organisation requires it:

• Correspondence with the Awarding Organisation before, during and after the activity
• Evidence packs provided to the EQA
• EQA Reports
• EQA Action Plans and evidence of closure
• Records of any appeals, sanctions or status changes

Records are held securely in line with the Data Protection and GDPR Policy and the Data Retention and Disposal Policy.

12. Training

13. Monitoring and Review

This policy is reviewed annually by the Centre Manager as part of TTT's self-evaluation process. Interim reviews are triggered by Ofqual or Awarding Organisation changes, a significant EQA finding or sanction or feedback from the Lead IQA. Outcomes are recorded in the Version History at Section 15.

14. Related Policies

This policy should be read alongside:

15. Version History

16. Approval

This policy has been reviewed and approved by the Centre Manager of TTT.