Centre registration - Vocational Qualifications

IMPORTANT - Please read this before continuing with your centre approval application

If you are a company, sole trader or partnership, we must make you aware that OCR have a credit checking process in place to help us verify your credit worthiness. You need to have been established, and trading on credit terms, for a minimum of 6 months and able to supply us with 2 credit references - Banks, Solicitors and Accountants are not considered as trade creditors and cannot be used as referees.

If you can't satisfy these requirements, then we will be unable to process your application any further - however, we are willing to review the situation after a period of 6 months trading has elapsed. If you can't satisfy these requirements but still think there are extenuating circumstances which may help your application, then please email full details to: vocational.qualifications@ocr.org.uk

Applying for approval

Step 1

Contact our Customer Contact Centre

Call: 02476 851 509 Email: vocational.qualifications@ocr.org.uk

or download the appropriate approval form and guidance notes on its completion.

Step 2

Return your completed form, with attachments, to our Operations Division.

Step 3

We will review the information you have sent. We may visit your centre.

Step 4

Following a successful review, we will send you an approval acceptance letter and qualification entry forms.

Which form do I use?

New centres just starting to offer N/VQs: VQ1

As a new centre, we will need a full picture of your organisation and we will visit you to evaluate your centre's ability to deliver N/VQs. As a summary, centres will need to provide a full overview and evidence of their policies and systems, for N/VQ:

  • Management
  • Candidate support
  • Resources
  • Assessment
  • Internal verification
  • Review

Centres already N/VQ-approved with OCR: VQ1a 'Additional approval for N/VQs'

If you already offer OCR N/VQs, we know your history and we can process additional approval(s) based on your track record.

To take advantage of this service, centres will need to provide evidence of:

  • Occupational competence of the new assessment and internal verification team(s)
  • Any additional resources

Centres already NVQ-approved with another awarding body: VQ1b -'Universal approval for NVQs'

OCR has adopted a universal fast-track approval process for NVQs where you already have approval with another awarding body. We recognise that high quality approvals from other awarding bodies can be universally accepted.

To take advantage of this fast-track service, centres will need to provide evidence of:

  • Current approval with an existing NVQ awarding body
  • Two current satisfactory and relevant verifier reports

What supporting information do I use?

Guidance notes on completing application forms

Each application form has guidance notes to help you complete them:

Publications

We have two publications that will also help you deliver OCR NVQs which we recommend you read before completing the application form:

Administrative guide to verified qualifications - item code L526 (PDF, 1.7 Mb)

This booklet gives detailed guidance on the centre approval process and on the people, procedures and documentation required to deliver verified qualifications.

Guidance checklist - item code L939 (PDF, 267 Kb)

This booklet provides invaluable information on the evidence that verifiers will review at their visits, and also serves as a centre self-assessment tool.

Syllabus material

If you need syllabus material for Vocational Qualifications, you can find it within the qualifications section, or it may be purchased through our publications service.

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