COVID-19 FAQs for Access to HE students and providers

Arrangements for the Award and Assessment of the Access to HE Diploma in 2022-23

WHY ARE THE ARRANGEMENTS DESIGNED AS THEY ARE?

The Access to HE Diploma is not only intended to demonstrate that a student has achieved the necessary academic qualification to progress into higher education, but it is also designed to prepare students fully for their HE experience.

Many Access to HE students have not studied for several years, and the teaching and learning model used to deliver the Diploma is designed to provide them with the best possible foundation for the discipline of higher education study.

The experiences of the pandemic have demonstrated the continuing importance of ensuring that:

every student studying an Access to HE Diploma has every opportunity to learn and be assessed and to achieve the award of the Diploma to facilitate progression into higher education
all Access to HE Diploma students are dealt with consistently through a national approach that ensures parity of experience.

Giving students every opportunity to be assessed will help them build confidence that they have the necessary tools to succeed. It will also provide assurance to higher education providers that a student is prepared for higher education.

Arrangements for the award and assessment of the Diploma for 2022-23 have been designed with the following key principles in mind:

to support students, providers and Access Validating Agencies (AVAs) in meeting the opportunities and challenges to learning and delivery presented post-pandemic
work in collaboration with AVAs, the Department for Education (DfE), Welsh Government and other regulatory bodies to build on the strategy for Access to HE post-pandemic, focusing on sustainability and protection of the Access to HE Diploma.

We believe that the approach being taken is fair and ensures students have the best preparation possible to help them transition into higher education, whilst also providing additional support measures for students in recognition of the ongoing challenges post-pandemic.

WHAT ARE THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE AWARD AND ASSESSMENT OF THE ACCESS TO HE DIPLOMA IN 2022-23?

The arrangements for the award and assessment of the Diploma in 2022-23 will be as follows:

A. Students starting their course from 1 August 2022:

An Extraordinary Regulatory Framework will not apply. It will no longer be permissible:

for AVAs to approve adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks in response to the pandemic
to apply the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework arrangements relating to the principles of quality assurance.

Access to HE Diplomas must follow the validated rules of combination and be delivered and assessed in accordance with the method and schedule for which a provider has been approved. Your course provider will work with their Access Validating Agency (AVA) to ensure that activities undertaken for the development, quality assurance and award of Access to HE Diplomas continue in accordance with the requirements of the QAA Recognition Scheme for Access to Higher Education (the Recognition Scheme).

B. Continuing students

A continuing student is defined as a student who was registered on their course before 1 August 2022 and will continue with their studies into the following academic year (1 August 2022 - 31 July 2023). This will also include any students who took a break in learning and are returning to their course from 1 August 2022.

It will no longer permissible for AVAs to approve adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks in response to the pandemic on or after 1 August 2022.

However, arrangements relating to the principles of quality assurance under the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework will apply where:

adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks on the Diploma in response to the pandemic have been approved and commenced prior to 1 August 2022, and/or
students (and/or providers) have experienced extenuating circumstances due to the pandemic, prior to 1 August 2022.

C. Award through Extenuation

An Award through Extenuation was introduced into the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework from 2020-21 academic year, in response to the pandemic. These arrangements have now been in place for two academic years and have ensured that in those exceptional cases where a student could not be assessed due to the pandemic, the student may still have been awarded unit(s) that made up the Diploma, through an Award through Extenuation.

QAA recognises that outside the pandemic, there may be particular circumstances where students, or a provider, are significantly affected in the delivery or award of the Diploma through no fault of their own. Therefore, from 1 August 2022, an ‘Award through Extenuation’ procedure can continue to be applied. The arrangements for the Award through Extenuation will be an addendum to the Grading Scheme Handbook (Section E).

In those exceptional cases where a student cannot be assessed, due to no fault of their own, the student may still be awarded unit(s) that make up the Diploma, through an Award through Extenuation.

In addition to the Award through Extenuation, other support arrangements will be available to students from their course provider if they are finding it difficult to learn or be assessed during their course of study. The support arrangements will provide flexibility so that providers can work with their Access Validating Agency (AVA) to ensure a suitable awarding arrangement is put in place to fit local needs and meet the individual needs of students.

Please speak to your course tutor if you are finding it difficult to learn or be assessed during your course of study.

Why is the Extraordinary regulatory framework not available to students registered on an Access to HE Diploma from 1 August 2022?

Given that public health restrictions are no longer in place, the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework will not apply to students registered on an Access to HE Diploma on or after 1 August 2022.

It will no longer be permissible:

for AVAs to approve adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks in response to the pandemic
to apply the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework arrangements relating to the principles of quality assurance.

Your course provider will be able to give you information about the content, delivery and assessment of your Diploma.

HOW ARE YOU ENSURING PARITY BETWEEN ACCESS TO HE STUDENTS AND STUDENTS STUDYING A LEVEL AND OTHER LEVEL 3 QUALIFICATIONS?

The arrangements for the award of the Access to HE Diploma provide as much parity with A levels and other Level 3 qualifications as we are able to give within the different cohorts of students studying courses which are intrinsically very different for all students.

There are necessary differences in the arrangements between Access to HE Diplomas and other Level 3 qualifications that facilitate progression to HE and these differences recognise the variations in the qualifications themselves and the students that study them.

The Access to HE Diploma is:

a credit-based qualification designed for adults wishing to enter higher education. Therefore, in order to achieve the award of the Diploma the student must complete the units that make up the programme of study
usually completed by the majority of students over the course of one academic year
assessed through continuous assessment. This means students complete assessments throughout their course of study
not subject to an overall grade. Access to HE students receive a grade transcript which provides a breakdown of the grades achieved over their course of study.

i am A continuing student and i am working on an assessment with a submission date after 31 july 2022 where an adaptation was approved and commenced prior to 1 August 2022, what arrangements apply?

In these cases, your provider will work with their AVA within the quality assurance arrangements in place to support continuing students. To ensure grades for any work completed are fair, equitable and robust, the arrangements relating to the principles of quality assurance under the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework will apply where there have been:

adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks on the Diploma in response to the pandemic have been approved and commenced prior to 1 August 2022.

Based on evidence presented, a moderator may adjust grades either upwards or downwards to ensure no student is advantaged or disadvantaged in relation to their peers.

Please speak to your course tutor if you have any questions about the processes that will be followed.

I AM a continuing student WHO STARTED MY COURSE BEFORE 1 AUGUST 2022 and i found IT DIFFICULT TO STUDY WHERE LESSONS, MATERIALS AND/OR ASSESSMENTS were ADAPTED AND i AM WORRIED IT WILL AFFECT MY GRADES AND COMPLETING THE DIPLOMA, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

As a continuing student you should contact your course provider if you are concerned about the impact of any adaptations made to your course before 1 August 2022.

Your provider will work with their AVA within the quality assurance arrangements in place to support you. To ensure grades for any work completed are fair, equitable and robust, the arrangements relating to the principles of quality assurance under the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework will apply where:

adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks on the Diploma in response to the pandemic have been approved and commenced prior to 1 August 2022.

Based on evidence presented, a moderator may adjust grades either upwards or downwards to ensure no student is advantaged or disadvantaged in relation to their peers.

In those exceptional cases where a student cannot be assessed, the student may still be awarded unit(s) that make up the Diploma, via an Award through Extenuation. The tutor/provider will draw upon either established sources of evidence, or alternative lines of evidence to determine whether the unit can be awarded. Course providers should speak to their AVAs regarding the circumstances under which an Award through Extenuation can take place.

I am a continuing student WHO STARTED MY COURSE BEFORE 1 AUGUST 2022 and i NEEDed ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO HELP WITH MY SPECIFIC LEARNING NEEDS AND I AM WORRIED how ADAPTATIONS TO MY COURSE WILL AFFECT MY GRADES AND COMPLETING THE DIPLOMA, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

As a continuing student you should contact your course provider if you are concerned about the impact of any adaptations made to your course before 1 August 2022.

Your provider will work with their AVA within the quality assurance arrangements in place to support continuing students. To ensure grades for any work completed are fair, equitable and robust, the arrangements relating to the principles of quality assurance under the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework will apply where:

adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks on the Diploma in response to the pandemic have been approved and commenced prior to 1 August 2022.

Based on evidence presented, a moderator may adjust grades either upwards or downwards to ensure no student is advantaged or disadvantaged in relation to their peers.

I AM A CONTINUING STUDENT WHO STARTED MY COURSE BEFORE 1 AUGUST 2022. WHAT DO I DO IF I FEEL THE WORK I PRODUCED DURING A LOCKDOWN (LOCAL OR NATIONAL) DOES NOT REFLECT MY CURRENT OR PREVIOUS PERFORMANCE?

If you feel that the work produced during a national lockdown does not reflect your current or previous performance, please speak to your provider.

adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks on the Diploma in response to the pandemic have been approved and commenced prior to 1 August 2022, and/or
the student has experienced extenuating circumstances due to the pandemic, prior to 1 August 2022.

Based on evidence presented, a moderator may adjust grades either upwards or downwards to ensure no student is advantaged or disadvantaged in relation to their peers.

I AM A CONTINUING STUDENT WHO STARTED MY COURSE BEFORE 1 AUGUST 2022 AND I WAS UNABLE TO STUDY AND SUBMIT ASSESSMENTS DURING A LOCKDOWN (LOCAL OR NATIONAL). WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If you were unable to study and complete your assessments during a national lockdown, you should contact your course provider to agree the appropriate steps to be taken.

extenuating circumstances have been experienced due to the pandemic, prior to 1 August 2022.

Based on evidence presented, a moderator may adjust grades either upwards or downwards to ensure no student is advantaged or disadvantaged in relation to their peers.

I AM A CONTINUING STUDENT WHO STARTED MY COURSE BEFORE 1 AUGUST 2022 AND MY PROVIDER RESCHEDULED MY ASSESSMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED AT A LATER DATE BECAUSE OF NATIONAL LOCKDOWN(S). WHAT DO I DO IF I FEEL MY PERFORMANCE IS AFFECTED BY THESE CHANGES?

If the work was rescheduled and the volume of work was unmanageable, your provider will be able to advise you about the options available to you, for example, making an application for extenuating circumstances.

adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks on the Diploma in response to the pandemic have been approved and commenced prior to 1 August 2022.

Based on evidence presented, a moderator may adjust grades either upwards or downwards to ensure no student is advantaged or disadvantaged in relation to their peers.

WHAT ARE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES?

Extenuating circumstances are external to study on your course. These are circumstances that you believe have affected your performance in assessment (or ability to study or engagement with your programme of study) and are usually either unforeseen or unpreventable and outside of your immediate control.

AVAs and providers will have in place appropriate procedures for dealing with cases of extenuating circumstances from 1 August 2022. These procedures will follow the regulatory requirements as set out in the Recognition Scheme documentation. Your course provider will be able to let you have information about the procedures they apply.

In most cases, extenuating circumstances that affect achievement on individual units (for example, in relation to requests for extended deadlines) are handled at course level, and appropriate action and decisions taken according to the provider's approved procedures.

AVAs will have processes in place to also consider cases where extenuating circumstances have affected performance in more than one area, or in any other way that falls outside the provider's normal processes. This will also include exceptional cases where extenuating circumstances have affected the completion or submission of work for assessment. In those exceptional cases where you cannot be assessed, you may still be awarded unit(s) that make up the Diploma, through extenuation. The tutor/provider will draw upon either adaptations to assessments or alternate lines of evidence to determine whether the unit can be awarded. You should speak to your course provider regarding the circumstances under which an Award through Extenuation can take place.

For continuing students

If extenuating circumstances impacted your performance before 1 August 2022, such circumstances will be taken into account when quality assuring grades, through the process of moderation and standardisation. Your provider will work with their AVA within the quality assurance arrangements in place to support continuing students. To ensure grades for any work completed are fair, equitable and robust, the arrangements relating to the principles of quality assurance under the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework will apply where:

extenuating circumstances have been experienced due to the pandemic, prior to 1 August 2022.

Based on evidence presented, a moderator may adjust grades either upwards or downwards to ensure no student is advantaged or disadvantaged in relation to their peers.

CAN I APPLY FOR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES?

Yes. Access to HE providers and Access Validating Agencies (AVAs) already have in place procedures to allow you to identify extenuating circumstances that may affect your academic performance, should your individual situation make studying difficult.

To discuss your specific circumstances, please speak directly to your course tutor.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES?

Please contact your course tutor who will explain how to apply.

CAN I APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION TO AN ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION DEADLINE?

Yes. Access to HE providers and AVAs already have procedures in place to allow you to apply for an extension.

To discuss your specific circumstances, please speak directly to your course tutor.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION TO AN ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION DEADLINE?

Please contact your course tutor who will explain how to apply.

CAN I APPLY FOR A BREAK IN LEARNING?

Yes. Access to HE providers and AVAs already have procedures in place to allow you to take a break in learning should your individual situation make studying difficult. You and your course provider can agree to suspend learning while you take a break. This allows you to continue later with the same eligibility that applied when you first started their learning.

Publicly funded courses in England and Wales already have provision for 'breaks/suspension in learning' or for a range of circumstances. Guidance from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (for providers in England) and Welsh Government (for providers in Wales) has information about the options available.

To discuss your specific circumstances, please speak directly to your course tutor.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A BREAK IN LEARNING?

Please contact your course provider who will explain how to apply.

I AM UNABLE TO ACCESS ONLINE LESSONS AND MATERIALS, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If you are unable to access online lessons and materials, you should contact your course provider.

I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO ME, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If you have concerns about the delivery of your course or support available to you on course, you should follow your course provider’s complaints process in the first instance. Details of this will be on their website and should be included in your student handbook. You can contact the Access Validating Agency (AVA) that will issue your Diploma if you are still not satisfied with the outcomes of the complaint investigation.

I FEEL MY WELL-BEING AND MENTAL HEALTH ARE BEING AFFECTED, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

We recognise the impact of the continued pandemic on the mental health of students, providers and AVA staff. While it is not possible for this to be addressed directly through our arrangements, the health and well-being of students, teachers and AVA staff has been considered in the development of the arrangements.

The challenges faced by adult students are varied and different to those faced by students studying other Level 3 qualifications, and we want to assure you that all comments, views and feedback received on course experiences are considered as part of our continual assessment of the arrangements.

Your course provider will have in place mechanisms and services to support you and you should contact them to find out more about the student support services available to you.

I AM WORRIED ABOUT MY PROGRESSION TO UNIVERSITY, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If you have any concerns about your progression to university, please speak to your course provider and the universities you have applied to.

WHEN DO I GET MY RESULTS?

Confirmed results will be released to students after the Final Awards Board. The results will be released to you no later than the deadline for results to be uploaded to UCAS. Please speak to your course provider regarding the specific date you will receive your results.

HOW WILL YOU ENSURE MY GRADES WILL BE FAIR?

To make sure grades are fair, equitable and robust for all students, AVAs and providers have processes in place that align to the QAA Grading Scheme, to ensure grades go through internal moderation, external moderation and standardisation.

For continuing students only, arrangements relating to the principles of quality assurance under the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework will also apply where:

adaptations to the method of delivery, units delivered or assessment tasks on their Diploma in response to the pandemic, have been approved and commenced prior to 1 August 2022, and/or
the student has experienced extenuating circumstances due to the pandemic, prior to 1 August 2022.

Based on evidence presented, a moderator may adjust grades either upwards or downwards to ensure you are not advantaged or disadvantaged in relation to your peers.

CAN I APPEAL MY GRADES?

AVAs and providers have processes in place to support students who feel their grades during their course of study do not reflect their performance.

Please speak to your course tutor if you have concerns about assessment decisions relating to the achievement of credits or grade. You should discuss these with the relevant member of the course team when the assessed work is first returned to you. You may subsequently make a representation through the provider’s formal procedures. You may appeal the grading decision that results as a consequence of a representation, but only on the grounds of evidence of administrative or procedural error.

WHAT DO THE ARRANGEMENTS LOOK LIKE FOR UNITS WHERE I CANNOT SUBMIT ALL OF THE EVIDENCE REQUIRED FOR THE AWARD OF SUCH UNITS?

In some exceptional circumstances, you may not be able to submit all of the evidence required for the award of some units. In such circumstances, the Award through Extenuation is an arrangement that can support the award of unit(s) that make up the Diploma.

The arrangements for the Award through Extenuation align to the arrangements for the Award through Extenuation under the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

There will be a range of triggers that impact a student’s ability to complete their studies through no fault of their own that can be assessed through the Award through Extenuation arrangements. Potential triggers may include student or provider challenges.

The Award through Extenuation will be managed and processed by AVAs through the Final Awards Board (FAB). The FAB will consider the claim and any associated evidence presented by the student when determining what measures should be applied. The possible awarding measures to be applied will include:

award through extenuation
partial achievement
an aegrotat award
extension to the course of study.

Sufficient evidence will need to be available for your tutor/provider to make a judgement on the award of a unit though extenuation. This means your tutor/provider may need to ensure established sources of evidence (that is, additional student assessment), or alternative lines of evidence (existing evidence that reflects your performance) are available. The available evidence must relate to the learning outcomes of each unit to be awarded.

If it is not possible to generate sufficient evidence to meet the learning outcomes of a unit, that unit cannot be awarded through extenuation.
For graded units, the available evidence must relate to the learning outcomes of each unit to be awarded and the grade descriptors assigned to the unit.
If there is not sufficient evidence to grade a unit but there is sufficient evidence to meet the learning outcomes of that unit, the student will be awarded a Pass.

To ensure you have confidence in the results awarded, the evidence submitted to support the award of a unit will be subject to quality assurance arrangements.

On completion of the Diploma, you will receive a unit transcript. It will not be possible to identify from the transcript any units awarded through extenuation.

Please speak to your course tutor/provider if you have questions about the arrangements for an award of units though extenuation and the circumstances under which an Award through Extenuation can take place.

I AM NOT DUE TO COMPLETE MY STUDIES UNTIL AFTER 31 JULY 2023. WHAT ARE THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE AWARD AND ASSESSMENT OF THE ACCESS TO HE DIPLOMA FOR ME?

The current guidance also applies to all students due to complete after 31 July 2023.

what will happen if there is a LOCKDOWN (LOCAL OR NATIONAL) in future?

In the event of a national lockdown, QAA will review the current arrangements and advise AVAs, providers and students if any amendments need to be applied.

In the event of a local lockdown, you should speak to their course tutor.

FURTHER ADVICE AND INFORMATION

If you need further information, please take a look at our frequently asked questions and/or contact your provider.

FAQs for Access to HE providers

Frequently asked questions for Access to HE providers are published on the QAA website.