We would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the amendments to the Level 2 Health and Social Care and Level 2 Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development: Core qualifications as we start the new academic year.
From 1st January 2024, the requirement for achieving the Core qualification is that learners will only be assessed via an MCQ. This is a change to the current case study & MCQ is based on feedback within the sector.
Supporting you to manage learners who are completing different assessment strategies.
Depending on the model of delivery, on average it takes most learners 3-6 months or longer to be ready for assessment for the HSC Core qualification. Therefore, we recommend that learners registered after 08 September 2023 should complete the new assessment strategy (MCQ only), as this is the best way to ensure they are sufficiently prepared for their new extended MCQ assessment.
Learners registered before this date can continue to be assessed using the case study/MCQ model however, centres taking this approach must be certain that these learners are expected to successfully achieve their case study (single or multiple) and MCQ assessments before 30th November 2023. This date ensures adequate time for centres that do not have Direct Claim Status (DCS) to arrange EQA activity before the end of December 2023.
If your centre has already been awarded DCS for the HSC Core qualification, please ensure that any learners registered prior to 08 September 2023 are processed for certification via Walled Garden before the end of December 2023.
EQA activities
DCS awarded in July 2023
If your centre was awarded DCS following an EQA activity in July 2023, your next sample activity will be scheduled for December 2023 as face-to-face activity. All HSC Core learners registered by your centre before 08 September 2023, who have successfully completed their assessments, should be processed for certification via Walled Garden before your EQA activity takes place. During your scheduled EQA activity we will request confirmation relating to any learners who qualify for certification but have not been claimed. You will not be able to process these learners via Walled Garden instead, you will be required to apply for certification by exception* only using an adapted ‘Candidate Matrix’ which will be sent to your centre via email.
DCS awarded in August 2023
If your centre was awarded DCS following EQA activity in August, your next sample activity will be scheduled for January 2024, as face-to-face activity. All HSC Core learners registered by your centre before 08 September 2023, who have successfully completed their assessments, must be processed for certification via Walled Garden by the end of December 2023. During your scheduled EQA activity we will request confirmation relating to any outstanding learners who qualify for certification but have not been claimed. You will not be able to process these learners via Walled Garden instead, you will be required to apply for certification by exception* using an adapted ‘Candidate Matrix’ which will be sent to your centre via email.
DCS awarded in September 2023
If your centre was awarded DCS following an EQA activity in September, your next sample activity will be scheduled for February 2024, as face-to-face activity. All HSC Core learners registered by your centre before 08 September 2023, who have successfully completed their assessments, must be processed for certification via Walled Garden by the end of December 2023. By the time of your EQA activity, we would expect that all qualifying learners will have already been claimed.
Centres not awarded DCS
If your centre has not received DCS for the HSC Core qualification, then your next EQA activity will be within the next certification window (if you have learners ready to be sampled following the assessment). Following a successful EQA activity, all HSC Core learners registered by your centre before 08 September 2023, who have successfully completed their assessments, must be processed for certification via Walled Garden before the end of December 2023. Agreement to proceed to certification, post your EQA activity, will be provided by the HCLW quality team.
*by exception: City & Guilds EQA not available
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any questions, please email: hclw.quality@cityandguilds.com