Awarding organisations (AOs) have the controls in place to ensure centres have the capability and capacity to deliver their qualifications, according to a recent Ofqual audit.

Overall, Ofqual’s findings were positive and recognised the efforts made by AOs to prevent ineffective or inappropriate organisations becoming qualification centres, to monitor centres once approved and to take action to address any issues.

The audit reported that stronger performing AOs were able to demonstrate that:

• Approval requirements, such as physical resources and staff/student ratios, were clearly set out to prospective centres and verified where necessary
• Regular monitoring of centres took place after approval
• Where corrective action was required from centres, stronger performing AOs closely monitored corrective action.

Areas of weakness identified in the audit have been fed back to the relevant AOs, and Ofqual’s programme to audit AOs continues.