Centre approval

The first step to offering OCR qualifications is becoming an approved centre. All centres must abide by the OCR terms of business.

To offer CPC qualifications, you’ll need to complete the vocational centre approval form. If you use multiple venues you’ll need to list them all.  A fee is payable for each venue you use, and we’ll need to make an inspection visit to each one.

If you want to run the multiple-choice assessment as an on-screen test (rather than paper-based), you’ll also need to sign up to get access to Surpass, the on-screen test system.

You need to follow the JCQ General Regulations and the following JCQ publications for the conducting of examinations and assessments:

You need to meet the JCQ conditions for storing confidential examination materials. The only difference for CPC is that we do not require the secure room to be solely assigned to examinations. All other security measures detailed in the JCQ Instructions for conducting examinations (ICE) booklet must be observed.

Please read the following guidance before applying for centre approval:

To apply, complete the following form and email it to ocrvocationalapprovals@ocr.org.uk

For CPC approval we will arrange for a representative to visit your centre. Depending on your circumstances we may also contact awarding bodies for references or carry out a credit check.

Visiting your centre

For CPC we need to make an inspection visit to each of your venues.

See the fees list for details of fees charged for visits.

Credit checking

If you are a company, sole trader or partnership, we 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 six months and be able to supply us with two credit references (banks, solicitors and accountants are not considered as trade creditors and cannot be used as referees).

If you cannot satisfy these requirements, we will be unable to process your application.

We can, however, review your application after six months of trading.

If you cannot meet these criteria but think there are extenuating circumstances, please email the details to our customer support centre.

Once your application is approved you will receive a letter of confirmation. You can then enter candidates for the qualifications that you are approved to offer.

Approval is subject to continued centre activity; if there are no entries or certification claims for a qualification for three consecutive years, centre approval will automatically lapse for that qualification.

In addition, your full vocational centre approval will lapse if you have not made any entries or certification claims for any vocational qualification for three years.

Get in touch with our customer support centre.