BTEC and OFSTED

As the ACO offeres entry into Btec’s, is it inspected by Ofsted for content, standards, rigour and compliance as any other organisation offering educational qualifications?

CVQO is inspected for most Cadet BTECs by Ofsted, I always thought they were responsible for the aviation BTEC?

:rotating_light: ACO alert! :rotating_light: :grin:

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I think instead of Ofsted, it may be Ofqual.

Ofqual is the ‘regulatory body’, CVQO are the ‘Awarding Organisation’ and the ACO is the ‘Approved Centre’.

As an approved centre, the ACO should comply with CVQO’s requirements and whilst Ofqual would inspect CVQO, they would not inspect the ACO. CVQO would\should conduct annual or 5 yearly reviews for centre approval purposes and\or unannounced visits to the centre to ensure compliance with their requirements.

At least that’s how the four awarding organisations my company are approved by, works.

Ofsted are not responsible for inspecting the quality of syllabus delivery, just the quality of education as a whole on schools colleges etc. It is the awarding bodies themselves that are charged with the checking of standards for the way that their qualification is delivered, marked and feedback on.

I was an internal verifier at college for the computing Btecs and every year I had to gather a sample for an external verifier to view and confirm that the grades awarded were correct or not.

So does it actually happen?

I will leave this here. Ofsted do inspect CVQO.

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/1248225

Ofqual would deal with and regulate Pearson, who are the awarding organisation for BTECs, not CVQO.

Then I substitute CVQO for Pearson.

OFSTED do inspect CVQO (not the Cadet Forces). Inspectors have been to SCC units in the North West, with the Regional CVQO Manager, to see how BTEC is delivered at unit level and questions are then asked of the level of support CVQO gives registered students and volunteers. In preparation of the inspections (at the time these were “pre” inspections, not “full blown” inspections) the unit followed their scheduled training programmes and were asked to ensure attendance/training record of cadets were up to date. I wasn’t present during an inspection and don’t recall any further aspects the units were subject to.