BAC Short Course Provider_01884E_1

7/28/2019 BAC Short Course Provider_01884E_1

1/12

BRITISH ACCRED ITATION COU NCIL FOR INDEPENDENT FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION

SHORT COURSEPROVIDERSCHEME DOCUMENT


2/12

1Brish Accreditaon Council

1. INTRODUC TION ................................................................1

2. ELIGIBILITY FOR ACCREDITATION ....................................2

3. ACCREDITATION PROCESS ...............................................2

4. ACCREDITATION CYCLE ....................................................2

5. INSPECTION PROCESS ......................................................2

6. APPROVED CANDIDATES FOR ACCREDITATION ..............2

7. PROGRAMMES AND AWARDS .........................................3

8. TOPUP INSPECTIONS ......................................................3

9. ACCREDITATION FEES .......................................................3

10. ACCREDITATION STATEMENTS AND MARKS ...................3

11. CONTACTING BAC.............................................................3

APPENDIX A:

MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR SHORT COURSE

PROVIDER ACCREDITATION ........................................................4

This document must be read in conjuncon with the Accreditaon Handbook September 2012.

BAC accreditaon is a voluntary quality assurance

scheme for independent providers of further and

higher educaon and vocaonal training courses.

The accreditaon scheme for short course providers

is designed to recognise the parcular qualies

and disncve character of providers which oer

short, focused training courses to professionals for

connuing professional development, to trainees for

broadening experience of their chosen profession

or to parcipants for subject reinforcement and

revision. On account of the short and oen seasonal

calendar of courses operated by these providers,

they will typically rent a variety of training venues

at external premises according to the specicrequirements of each course.

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION


3/12

2 Short Course Provider Accreditaon

Instuons are required to complete and submit a self-

evaluaon document assessing their quality assurance

mechanisms against specic criteria prior to the inspeconbeing conducted.

5.1 Inspecon areas

A full inspecon covers the following inspecon areas:

Management, Stang and Administraon

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Parcipant Welfare

Premises and Facilies

Management of quality and the providers quality assurance

procedures are assessed throughout each area of inspecon.

5.2 Minimum standards

The minimum standards for short course provider

accreditaon are set out in Appendix A. Details are provided

of the documents which will need to be supplied and reviewed

and of the sta members who the inspectors will interview

during the inspecon.

Legal and regulatory compliance

All new applicants and those applying for reaccreditaon

are required to sign a declaraon stang that the instuon

complies with all relevant statutory requirements in force in

the country of operaon, in connecon with such maers as

health and safety, safeguarding, employment law, copyright,

disability provision, equal opportunies, planning consent,

data protecon and public liability. It is the instuons

responsibility and the personal responsibility of the head of

the instuon to ensure that all requirements are met. BAC

inspectors will not inspect the above areas but will note any

observed breach of regulaons. Although the compliance

with statutory requirements is not a BAC minimum standard,

evidence of non-compliance will provide the Accreditaon

Commiee with grounds for refusal of accreditaon.

6. Approved candidates or accreditation

The approved candidate for accreditaon process is available

to any newly-established short course provider operang in

the United Kingdom which has not yet recruited parcipants

to its programmes.

The status of approved candidate for BAC accreditaon as

a short course provider can be awarded following a

successful candidacy inspecon.

The provider will be approved as a candidate for BAC

accreditaon if the Accreditaon Commiee is sased

2. Eligibility or accreditation

Any independent educaon or training provider in the

UK is eligible for accreditaon as a short course provider

if it meets the following requirements in addion to the

general requirements listed in the Accreditaon Handbook

September 2012:

The provider does not oer any programmes which extend

beyond 26 weeks.

The provider uses training venues either within its own

premises or in external premises which have been selected

specically for the parcular metable and requirements

of individual programmes.

3. Accreditation process

For comprehensive informaon on the whole of the

accreditaon process please see the Accreditaon Handbook

September 2012.

4. Accreditation cycle

Short Course Provider accreditaon is valid for four years.

Accredited providers are noed six months before the

end of the accreditaon period so that a full inspecon can

be arranged and the instuonal report presented to the

Accreditaon Commiee for consideraon of re-accreditaon

before the accreditaon period ends.

5. Inspection process

A full inspecon is arranged following successful compleon of

the rst stage of the applicaon process. An inspecon team

with appropriate experience for the provider being inspected

is formed and consists of a reporng inspector and usually

one specialist inspector for larger providers. It is usual pracce

for the inspecon to take two days but the days allocated will

reect the breadth and size of the providers services. With

newly-accredited providers, an interim inspecon is organised

in the rst year of accreditaon. For accredited instuons, an

interim inspecon is organised in the middle of the four-year

accreditaon cycle.

SHORT COURSE PROVIDER ACCREDITATION SCHEME DOCUMENT


4/12


that the provider meets or exceeds BACs minimum

standards for premises, management, stang,

administraon and documentaon relevant to parcipantwelfare. The inspectors also need to be sased that

robust quality assurance policies and systems are in place.

Approved candidate status is awarded for a period of six

months, during which me BAC will arrange an

accreditaon inspecon.

If the provider fails to agree a date for the accreditaon

inspecon within this period, its approved candidate

status will lapse, unless, exceponally, the Accreditaon

Commiee agrees to allow an extension.

Approved candidate status is accepted by UKBA as evidence of

accreditaon which entles the provider to enrol internaonalparcipants on UK student visitor visas for courses of up to

six months.

7. Programmes and awards

Due to the nature of short course providers and their focus

on the specic training needs of parcipants BAC accepts that

programmes may feature a signicant element of bespoke

training and may not follow published course descriponsor schemes of work, and that the successful compleon of a

programme may not lead in itself to any specic qualicaon

or tradional academic award. Under these circumstances,

BACs inspectors will consider the accuracy of any claims made

by providers as to the level and status of any internal awards.

This will include a requirement for evidence of the extent to

which the providers internal awards are accepted for the

purposes of employment or further study. BAC encourages

providers to involve external moderators in the assessment.

8. Top-up inspections

BAC formally recognises the quality assurance processes of

a number of other inspecon and review bodies and where

appropriate will consider top-up inspecons of those

providers which have undergone such a process. It is BACs

intenon to minimize the burden placed on colleges which hold

approved accreditaon or Educaonal Oversight and to tailor

inspecon requirements to meet individual circumstances.

Further details can be found in the Accreditaon HandbookSeptember 2012. Applicants who consider that they are eligible

for a top-up inspecon should contact BAC head oce to

discuss their situaon.

9. Accreditation ees

All providers awarded accreditaon under this scheme will

qualify for the short course provider accreditaon fee, which

is calculated on the number of course days per annum. All

other fees (including applicaon and inspecon fees) are the

same for each type of accreditaon. Accurate gures of course

days must be supplied to BAC once per year on request. If

such gures are not supplied by the deadline given, the full

maximum accreditaon fees will be charged. Failure to pay

the annual accreditaon fees by the given deadline on the

invoice will result in suspension and the possible withdrawalof accreditaon.

10. Accreditation statements and marks

Providers which have been awarded accreditaon may usethe statement of accreditaon in their promoonal materials,subject to certain condions.

Acceptable forms of the statement are:

accredited by the Brish Accreditaon Council forIndependent Further and Higher Educaon as a ShortCourse Provider

accredited by the Brish Accreditaon Council as a ShortCourse Provider

accredited by BAC as a Short Course Provider

BAC accredited as a Short Course Provider

Once accredited, providers may use the BAC accreditaonmark of the short course provider accreditaon scheme intheir promoonal materials, subject to certain condions.The standard accreditaon mark features the BAC logo,

colour-coded to the specic accreditaon scheme, and theword accredited.

Providers awarded approved candidate for accreditaonstatus must use the accreditaon mark which incorporates the

words accredited approved candidate.

11. Contacting BAC

Further guidance and details of the generic requirements andresponsibilies for BAC-accredited instuons can be found in

the Accreditaon Handbook September 2012. Please contact

[email protected] for further informaon.

SHORT COURSE PROVIDER ACCREDITATION SCHEME DOCUMENT


5/12


4. Publicity material gives a comprehensive,up-to-date and accurate descripon of the

provider and its curriculum

4.1 Text and images provide an accurate depicon of the

providers locaon, premises, facilies and the range

and nature of resources and services oered.

4.2 Informaon on the courses available is

comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date.

5. The provider takes reasonable care to recruitand enrol suitable parcipants for its courses

5.1 Entry requirements for each course, including those

relang to language ability, are set at an appropriate

level and clearly stated in the course descripons seen

by prospecve parcipants.

5.2 A formal applicaon process ensures that parcipants

meet the entry requirements and any claimed

qualicaons are veried.

5.3 The provider replies to all applicaon enquiries

promptly and appropriately and briefs all stakeholders

properly on the nature and requirements of

its programmes.

5.4 Any overseas recruitment agents are properly selected,

briefed, monitored and evaluated.

6. There is an appropriate policy on parcipantaendance and eecve procedures andsystems to enforce it

6.1 There is a clear and published policy on parcipant

aendance and punctuality.

6.2 Accurate and secure records of aendance and

punctuality at each session are kept for all parcipants,

collated centrally and reviewed.

6.3Parcipant absences are followed up promptly andappropriate acon taken.

Inspection area - management, stafngand administration

Minimum standards 1-8

1. The provider is eecvely managed

1.1 The management structure is clearly dened,

documented and understood, including the role and

extent of authority of any owners, trustees or

governing body.

1.2 The head of the provider and other senior managersare suitably qualied and experienced, understand

their specic responsibilies and are eecve in

carrying them out.

1.3 There are clear channels of communicaon between

the management and sta and those working at the

delivery venue/s.

2. The administraon of the provider is eecve

2.1 Administrators are suitably qualied or experienced

and understand their specic responsibilies

and dues.

2.2 The size of the administrave team is sucient to

ensure the eecve day-to-day running of

the provider.

2.3 The administrave support available to the

management is clearly dened, documented

and understood.

2.4 Policies, procedures and systems are well documented

and eecvely disseminated across the provision.

2.5 Data collecon and collaon systems are eecve.

3. The provider employs appropriatemanagerial and administrave sta

3.1 There are appropriate policies and eecve procedures

for the recruitment and connuing employment of

suitably qualied and experienced sta.

3.2 Experience and qualicaons claimed are veried

before employment.

3.3 There is an eecve system for regularly reviewing the

performance of sta.

APPENDIX A: MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR SHORT COURSE PROVIDER ACCREDITATION


6/12


7. The provider regularly obtains and recordsfeedback from parcipants and other

stakeholders and takes appropriate aconwhere necessary

7.1 The provider has eecve mechanisms for obtaining

feedback from parcipants and other stakeholders

(such as sta, partner providers and employers)

on all aspects of the providers provision, including

formal parcipant representaon where appropriate.

7.2 Feedback is obtained, recorded and analysed on a

regular basis.

7.3 The feedback is reviewed by management and acon is

taken where necessary.

7.4 There is a mechanism for reporng on the providers

response to the feedback to the parcipant body.

8. The provider has eecve systems toreview its own standards and assess itsown performance with a view toconnuing improvement

8.1 There are eecve systems for monitoring

and periodically reviewing all aspects of the

providers performance.

8.2 Reports are compiled at least annually which presentthe results of the providers reviews and incorporate

acon plans. Reports include analysis of year-on-year

results on parcipant sasfacon, retenon,

achievement, examinaon results and compleon rates.

8.3 Acon plans are implemented and regularly reviewed,

with outcomes reported to the management.

Documents required

Up-to-date organogram

Minutes of relevant commiee or board meengs

Minutes of sta meengs

Detailed CVs for all managerial and

administrave sta

Sta appraisal procedures and

completed documentaon

Sta Handbook

Course descripons

Correspondence with students

Up-to-date, signed contracts of employment for

senior, academic and non-academic sta

Brieng materials for agents if used

Up-to-date prospectus and markeng material

Completed student applicaon forms and any

student contracts

Evidence of aendance monitoring, including class

registers for each course/programme

Stakeholder feedback forms

Completed feedback forms

Acon plans for dealing with stakeholder feedback Annual performance reviews at instuon and

department levels

Interviews required

As part of their assessment, inspectors will hold

interviews with the following:

Principal/director

Senior administrator

Examinaons ocer

Markeng manager



7/12


11.4 Trainers are supported in their connuing professional

development and enabled to develop further pedagogic

techniques to enhance the learning of parcipants.

11.5 Trainers respond to dierent learning needs of

parcipants where appropriate, taking various learning

styles into account in their planning and delivery

of lessons.

11.6 Trainers employ eecve strategies to involve

all parcipants in acve parcipaon and to check their

understanding of concepts and course content.

12. The provider provides parcipants and

trainers with access to appropriate resources

and materials for study

13. Parcipants receive appropriate assessment

and feedback on their performance and

progress, which are eecvely monitored

13.1 Courses are planned to include a schedule of

assessments, the procedures and criteria for which are

available in wring and in advance to parcipants

and trainers.

13.2 Assessment outcomes are monitored to enable the

idencaon of parcipants who are not

making sasfactory progress and prompt intervenon

where appropriate.

13.3 Parcipants are made aware of how their progress

relates to their targeted level of achievement.

13.4 Addional support or advice on alternave courses

is provided to parcipants who are judged not to be

making sucient progress to succeed.

13.5 Oral and wrien feedback is given to individual

parcipants on a regular basis, tailored to meet their

specic needs and construcve in its nature

and delivery.

13.6 Parcipants have appropriate access to trainers outside

class me.

14. The provider oers courses leading to

accredited awards granted by recognised

awarding bodies (if applicable)

Inspection Area - teaching, learningand assessment


9. Programme management is eecve

9.1 There is a suitably qualied and experienced

programme manager or management team with

responsibility for teaching, learning and assessment

and the management of the body of trainers.

9.2 Classes are metabled and rooms allocated

appropriately for the courses oered.

9.3 The allocaon of trainers to classes provides for a

consistent learning experience and delivery is

monitored to ensure consistency.

9.4 There is an appropriate policy and eecve procedures

for the acquision of teaching and learning resources.

10. The courses are planned and delivered in

ways that enable parcipants to succeed

10.1 Courses are designed and delivered in ways that allowparcipants to develop the knowledge and skills

which will be required for nal examinaons,

assessments or which meet stakeholders requirements.

10.2 Lessons and assessments maintain an appropriate

focus on any assessment objecves or statement of

learning outcomes established by the awarding body.

10.3 Formave assessments appropriately reect the nature

and standards of summave examinaons.

10.4 Parcipants are encouraged and enabled to develop

independent learning skills.

10.5 The academic backgrounds and parcular needs of

parcipants are taken into account in the delivery of

the course.

11. Trainers are suitable for the courses to which

they are allocated and eecve in

delivering them

11.1 Trainers are appropriately qualied and experienced.

11.2 Trainers have a level of subject knowledge, pedagogic

and communicave skill which allows them to deliver

the content of courses eecvely.

11.3 The appraisal procedures for trainers incorporate

regular classroom observaon.


8/12


15. There is a clear raonale for courses leading

to unaccredited or internal awards

15.1 There is a clear statement of the level claimed relave

to the NQF/QCF and evidence that parcipants who

receive the award meet the stated requirements for

that level.

15.2 There is evidence of the extent to which the awards are

accepted for the purposes of employment or

further study.

15.3 External moderators are involved in the assessment

process where appropriate.

16. There are sasfactory procedures for theadministraon of examinaons and other

means of assessment

16.1 The provider complies with the requirements of the

relevant awarding bodies in terms of examinaon

security and administraon, where appropriate.

16.2 For internal awards, there are eecve systems in place

for examinaon security and administraon, and clear

procedures for parcipants to appeal against their marks.

Documents required

Whole course/academic year plans (schemes

of work)

Completed lesson plans

Timetables for all courses oered by the instuon

Detailed CVs for all academic sta, including

evidence of academic qualicaons

Samples of marked student work

Internal quality assurance documentaon

Copies of any policies developed by the instuon

as a means of quality management External quality assurance documentaon

as required

Student les with details of registraon, enrolment,

aendance and qualicaons

Sample placement tests

Records of student progress

Summaries of results/grades awarded for previous

three years for each academic programme (or from

start date, if the course has not been available for

that me)

In the case of degree programmes, agreements withdegree-awarding bodies

Documents relang to external moderaon

Copies of external examiners reports for the

previous three years for each academic programme

(or from start date, if the course has not been

available for that me)

Copies of annual reports to the awarding bodies for

the previous three years

Copies of any academic reviews carried out by or on

behalf of the awarding body

Completed classroom observaon forms

Sta appraisal procedures and

completed documentaon

Interviews required



Principal/director

Programme managers


Examinaons ocer

Trainers



9/12


20. Where residenal accommodaon isoered, it is t for purpose, well maintained

and appropriately supervised (if applicable)

20.1 Any residenal accommodaon is clean, safe and of a

standard which is adequate to the needs

of parcipants.

20.2 Any residenal accommodaon is open to inspecon

by the appropriate authories, including Ofsted where

parcipants under 18 are accommodated.

20.3 A level of supervision is provided appropriate to the

needs of parcipants.

20.4 Separate accommodaon blocks are provided for

parcipants under 18.

21. Where home-stay accommodaon isorganised, the welfare of parcipants isensured and the providers relaonship withhosts is properly managed (if applicable)

21.1 Due care is taken in selecng home-stay

accommodaon which both provides a safe and

comfortable living environment for parcipants and is

appropriately located for travel to the provider and back.

21.2 Any home-stay accommodaon is inspected before

parcipants are placed and is subject to regular re-inspecon by a responsible representave or agent

of the provider.

21.3 The provider has appropriate contracts in place with

any hosts, clearly seng out the rules, terms and

condions of the provision.

21.4 Appropriate advice and support is given to both hosts

and parcipants before and during the placement.

21.5 Clear monitoring procedures are in place with

opportunies for parcipant feedback and prompt

acon taken in the event of problems.

Inspection area - participant welare


17. Parcipants receive pastoral supportappropriate to their age, backgroundand circumstances

17.1 There is at least one named sta member responsible

for parcipant welfare who is suitably trained,

accessible to all parcipants and available to

provide advice.

17.2 Parcipants receive appropriate informaon advice

before the start of the programme.

17.3 Parcipants receive an appropriate inducon and

relevant informaon at the start of the programme.

17.4 Parcipants are issued with a contact number for out-

of-hours and emergency support.

17.5 The provider has policies in place to avoid

discriminaon and a published procedure for dealing

with any abusive behaviour.

18. Internaonal parcipants are provided withspecic advice and assistance (if applicable)

18.1 Internaonal parcipants receive appropriate advice

before their arrival on travelling to and living in the UK.

18.2 Internaonal parcipants receive an appropriate

inducon upon arrival covering issues specic to the

local area.

18.3 Informaon and advice specic to internaonal

parcipants connues to be available throughout the

course of study.

18.4Provision of support takes into account cultural andreligious consideraons. Where possible, parcipants

have access to speakers of their own rst language.

19. The fair treatment of parcipants is ensured

19.1 Parcipants apply for and are enrolled on courses

under fair and transparent contractual terms

and condions.

19.2 Parcipants have access to a fair complaints procedure

of which they are informed in wring at the start of

the course.

19.3 Parcipants are advised of BACs owncomplaints procedure.


10/12


22. The provider provides an appropriate socialprogramme for parcipants and informaon

on leisure acvies in the area (if applicable)

22.1 Parcipants are provided with appropriate informaon

on opportunies for parcipaon at events and other

leisure acvies which may be of interest.

22.2 The social programme is responsive to the needs and

wishes of parcipants.

22.3 Any acvies within the social programme have

been chosen with consideraon for their aordability

by the majority of parcipants.

22.4 Any acvies organised by the provider are supervised

by a responsible representave with suitable

qualicaons and experience.

Documents required(where appropriate)

Parcipant inducon packs

Social programmes

Parcipant handbook or guidance documents

Home stay documentaon

Interviews required(where appropriate)



Principal/director


Welfare ocer

Parcipants

Inspection Area - premises and acilities


23. The provider has secure possession of andaccess to its premises

23.1 The provider has secure tenure on its premises.

23.2 Where required, the provider has access to suitable

external premises for training purposes of a temporary

or occasional nature.

24. The premises provide a safe, secure andclean environment for parcipants and sta

24.1 Access to the premises is appropriately restricted

and secured.

24.2 The premises are maintained in an adequate state of

repair, decoraon and cleanliness.

24.3 There are specic safety rules in areas of parcular

hazard (e.g. science laboratories), made readily

available to parcipants, sta and visitors.

24.4 General guidance on health and safety is made

available to parcipants, sta and visitors.

24.5 There is adequate signage inside and outside of

the premises and noce boards for the display of

general informaon.

24.6 There is adequate circulaon space for the number of

parcipants and sta accommodated, and a suitable

area in which to receive visitors.

24.7 There are toilet facilies of an appropriate number and

level of cleanliness.

24.8 There is adequate heang and venlaon in all rooms.

25. Training rooms and other learning areas areappropriate for the courses oered

25.1 Training rooms and other learning areas provide

adequate accommodaon in size and number for the

classes allocated to them.

25.2 Training rooms and any specialised learning areas (e.g.

laboratories, workshops, studios) are equipped to a

level which allows for the eecve delivery of

each course.

25.3 There are facilies suitable for conducng the

assessments required on each course.



11/12


26. There are appropriate addional facilies forparcipants and sta

26.1 Parcipants have access to sucient space and suitable

facilies for private study, including library and

IT resources.

26.2 Trainers have access to sucient personal space for

preparing lessons, marking work and relaxaon.

26.3 Parcipants and sta have access to space and facilies

suitable for relaxaon and the consumpon of food and

drink where appropriate.

26.4 Parcipants and sta have access to storage for

personal possessions where appropriate.

26.5 There are individual oces or rooms in which trainers

and senior management can hold private meengs and

a room of sucient size to hold sta meengs.

26.6 Administrave oces are adequate in size and

resources for the eecve administraon of

the provider.

Documents required(where appropriate)

Current lease agreement(s)

Floor plan of each site being inspected

Booking documentaon for delivery venues

or training rooms

Interviews required(where appropriate)



Principal/director

Maintenance/facilies manager


12/12

Brish Accreditaon Council

Telephone: 0300 330 1400 Fax: 0300 330 1401 Email: [email protected] Website: www.the-bac.org

The Brish Accreditaon Council for Independent Further and Higher Educaon is registered as a charity (Charies Registraon No. 326652) and is a private company limited by guarantee

(registered in England No. 1828990).

This work is the copyright 2012 of the Brish Accreditaon Council for Independent Further and Higher Educaon. Permission granted to reproduce the enrety of this work or extracts

from it for personal and educaonal use only. All extracts from this work must be acknowledged. All other rights reserved. This work is registered with the UK Copyright Service.

BAC Short Course Provider_01884E_1

Documents

Transcript of BAC Short Course Provider_01884E_1