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Consultation on the QCF Regulatory Arrangements

A consultation on regulatory arrangements for the QCF was jointly launched by QCA, DCELLS and CCEA on 29 November 2007. It closed on 29 February 2008. Since the establishment in April of Ofqual as the qualifications regulator for England the development of a final set of arrangements is now the responsibility of Ofqual, DCELLS and CCEA.

Two documents were presented by the regulators for consultation:

  • Regulatory arrangements for the QCF - which sets out the arrangements that are intended to apply to organisations and qualifications within the QCF and reflects the qualifications regulators' commitment to a strategic approach to safeguarding the needs of learners
  • Implementing the QCF - which outlines timelines and accompanying processes that are proposed to support QCF implementation.

The consultation draft versions of these documents and the questions -QCF Regulatory arrangements: consultation questions - which supported the consultation remain available on these pages for reference. However, it is no longer possible to make a formal response. The consultation is also available, for reference, in Welsh on the DCELLS website.

The qualifications regulators are now in the process of considering the responses to the consultation and will produce revised versions of both the regulatory arrangements and the implementation proposals.

The regulatory arrangements are designed to support the implementation of the QCF from August 2008 across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, subject to confirmation of the QCF by Ministers in the three countries. The regulators have decided that the final version of the regulations will published following this decision. It is therefore envisaged that the new regulations will be published on 1 August. 

Although this marks a change to the timelines proposed in the original implementation proposals, this will still support the development of the QCF. The regulatory approach used to support the tests and trials and the fast track process will continue until a Ministerial decision on the QCF is confirmed, go to the page. Following this, the regulatory arrangements and processes for the QCF will be available and implemented.