Monitoring Qualifications

Each awarding organisation recognised by CCEA Regulation is responsible for its own qualifications. It is responsible for complying with each Condition of Recognition that applies to it.

There are a number of actions that CCEA Regulation can take to provide assurance, or not, that an awarding organisation is compliant with its Conditions of Recognition. These are monitoring activities/interventions and may take the form of monitoring qualifications and/or monitoring awarding organisations.

Monitoring activities may be carried out in accordance with our fellow regulators, in England (Ofqual) and Wales (Qualification Wales) or may be carried out by CCEA Regulation solely.  All evidence obtained from monitoring activities is shared among the three qualifications regulators where appropriate.

Essential Skills Comparability Study

CCEA Regulation as the regulator for Essential Skills qualifications in Northern Ireland (NI), seeks to ensure that the standards of assessments conducted by awarding organisations in NI are appropriate.

Comparability Study October 2012

A comparability study took place in October 2012 which examined a sample of Action-Based Activity templates and assessed portfolios from the three awarding organisations – City & Guilds, CCEA (Awarding Organisation), and NOCN – that offer Essential Skills qualifications.

The aim of this study was to compare the opportunity for achievement and actual achievement of candidates taking Essential Skills Communication and Application of Number qualifications at Levels 1 and 2, within and across all three awarding organisations. The findings of the study can be accessed below: