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Direct Claim Status
To encourage best practice, we offer a reward system called Direct Claim Status (DCS). When you achieve DCS you‘ll be able to claim learner certificates without authorisation from your External Quality Assurer (EQA).
DCS is awarded for an individual qualification and is based on quality criteria that are measured and reported on through the external quality assurance reviews.
When you meet the quality criteria we'll automatically award you DCS for the qualification and email the Programme Contact at your centre to inform them that you've achieved DCS.
You should continue to deliver the qualification to your learners, assess their work and make sure it's internally quality assured. Then instead of having to wait for an EQA review to sign off learner achievement, you can submit your certificate claims and we'll process them within 24 hours.
If you'd like more information about DCS or if you've any queries, please contact our Customer Support team at [email protected].
Achieving DCS
To achieve DCS after one EQA review your report must:
- Be graded 1 exclusively for all criteria.
- Have no outstanding actions from previous EQA report
- Include a minimum of 3 learners sampled, with at least 2 marked as ‘final’; other learners sampled can have ‘new’ or ‘mid’ status
- All learners must be graded as A for reliability of assessment.
Achieving DCS after 2 EQA reviews
To achieve DCS after 2 EQA reviews your centre must have 2 consecutive reviews over a maximum of 18 months and your EQA report must:
- Be graded 1, 2 or 3 for all criteria.
- Include a gap of at least 30 days between the 2 reviews.
- Have no outstanding actions from previous EQA report.
- Include a minimum of 3 learners sampled on each review, with at least 3 marked as ‘final’ over the 2 visits; other learners sampled can have ‘new’ or ‘mid’ status.
- Be graded as A or B for reliability of assessment.
DCS definitions
Not Achieved
You’ve not met the DCS criteria. The reason/s will be identified in the report and action plan.
First Report of DCS Standard
You’ve met the DCS criteria on the 2-visit pathway. DCS is not yet awarded but will be achieved if your next review meets the criteria and takes place with 18 months of the previous review.
DCS Pending
You’ve met most of the criteria, but an insufficient number of learners were sampled. DCS is therefore pending until correct number of learners have been sampled.
DCS Achieved
You’ve met all the DCS criteria so have achieved DCS.
DCS Maintained
You currently have DCS and have maintained this status following your recent External Quality Assurance review.
DCS Lapsed
Your DCS has lapsed as an External Quality Assurance review did not take place within 12 months of the date DCS was achieved or maintained.
DCS Lost
You’ve lost DCS during your most recent External Quality Assurance review as you have not met the DCS criteria.
Maintaining DCS
Once you've achieved DCS you need to continue to operate to the high standard you already have in place.
You must have one review within 12 months of DCS being achieved/maintained and your EQA report must:
- be graded 1, 2 or 3 for all criteria
- have no outstanding actions from previous EQA report
- include a minimum of one completed learner sampled and marked as ‘final’; other learners sampled can have ‘new’ or ‘mid’ status
- be graded as A or B for reliability of assessment.
You must retain a sample of completed learner work to present to your EQA. Your EQA will send their sampling plan prior to your next EQA review to include at least one completed learner per qualification.
If you don't have a review with 12 months of achieving DCS, your DCS will automatically lapse on the anniversary it was awarded. We’ll notify you 3 months and one month before the lapse date. If your DCS does lapse, you’ll be required to meet the DCS criteria again to regain it.
Your DCS can be removed at any time for the following reasons:
- You don’t meet the DCS criteria during your external quality assurance review (as detailed above).
- Information from a range of external sources raises concerns e.g. complaints, suspensions or investigations which may lead us to review of your DCS approval. If this happens, we will contact you to discuss the issues and concerns.
DCS non-eligible qualifications
|
Qualification number |
Programme name |
|
603/3293/1 |
NCFE CACHE Level 2 Technical Award in Child Development and Care |
|
603/3294/3 |
NCFE CACHE Level 2 Technical Award in Health and Social Care |
|
603/2987/7 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Applied General Award for Early Years, Childcare and Education |
|
603/2913/0 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Applied General Award in Health and Social Care |
|
603/2988/9 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Applied General Certificate for Early Years, Childcare and Education |
|
603/2914/2 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Health and Social Care |
|
601/4852/4 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) |
|
601/4000/8 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator) |
|
601/2147/6 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) |
|
601/4573/0 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy - Birth to Seven (Early Years Educator) |
|
603/5447/1 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians |
|
601/2251/1 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice of Dental Nursing |
|
603/6671/0 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice of Dental Nursing (Integrated Apprenticeship) |
|
603/5355/7 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) (Northern Ireland) |
|
601/4481/6 |
NCFE CACHE Level 4 Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy - Birth to Seven (Early Years Educator) |
|
601/4845/7 |
NCFE CACHE Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) |
|
601/8436/X |
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Certificate in Childcare and Education |
|
601/8434/6 |
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Certificate in Health and Social Care |
|
601/8437/1 |
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator) |
|
601/8438/3 |
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) |
|
601/8435/8 |
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care |
|
603/2513/6 |
NCFE IOSH Level 3 Certificate in Safety and Health for Business |
|
601/0315/2 |
NCFE Level 1 Certificate in Business and Enterprise |
|
603/3909/3 |
NCFE Level 1 Certificate in Food and Cookery Skills |
|
603/0844/8 |
NCFE Level 1 Technical Award in Graphic Design |
|
603/0851/5 |
NCFE Level 1 Technical Award in Interactive Media |
|
601/6777/4 |
NCFE Level 1 Technical Award in Music Technology |
|
603/6703/9 |
NCFE Level 2 Award in Understanding Stewarding at Spectator Events |
|
603/3911/1 |
NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Food and Cookery Skills |
|
603/6704/0 |
NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Spectator Safety |
|
603/5036/2 |
NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Policing |
|
603/6756/8 |
NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Spectator Safety Supervision |
|
603/5038/6 |
NCFE Level 3 Diploma in Policing (540) |
|
603/5040/4 |
NCFE Level 3 Diploma in Policing (720) |
|
603/5041/6 |
NCFE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Policing |
|
603/5032/5 |
NCFE Level 3 Introductory Certificate in Policing |
|
603/5829/4 |
T Level Technical Qualification in Education and Childcare (Level 3) (delivered by NCFE) |
|
603/6901/2 |
T Level Technical Qualification in Digital Support Services (Level 3) (delivered by NCFE) |
|
603/6902/4 |
T Level Technical Qualification in Digital Business Services (Level 3) (delivered by NCFE) |
|
603/6989/9 |
T Level Technical Qualification in Science (Level 3) (delivered by NCFE) |
|
603/7066/X |
T Level Technical Qualification in Health (Level 3) (delivered by NCFE) |
|
603/7083/X |
T Level Technical Qualification in Healthcare Science (Level 3) (delivered by NCFE) |
|
603/7477/9 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma for Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland) |