| Document control field | Details |
| Document reference | CEN-02 |
| Version | v0.1 Draft |
| Owner | Responsible Officer |
| Approved by | Governing Body |
| Effective from | [Insert date] |
| Next review date | [Insert date] |
| Applies to | All approved and applicant centres delivering, assessing or supporting Albion Awards qualifications |
| Linked documents | Centre Approval Policy; Centre Handbook; Quality Assurance Framework; IQA Procedure; EQA Procedure; Assessment Policy; Certification Procedure; Malpractice and Maladministration Policy; Appeals Policy; Complaints Policy; Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations Policy; Data Protection and Records Retention Policies |
Important note: This document is intended as an operational centre agreement template for Ofqual recognition evidence and centre onboarding. It should be reviewed by legal counsel before being issued as a binding contract.
Contents
1. Agreement parties and status
2. Purpose of the agreement
3. Definitions
4. Scope of centre approval
5. Centre approval conditions
6. Centre responsibilities
7. Albion Awards responsibilities
8. Qualification delivery and learner support
9. Assessment, marking and grading
10. Internal quality assurance
11. External quality assurance and monitoring
12. Standardisation and staff competence
13. Learner registration
14. Certification and AlmaBridge digital credentials
15. Reasonable adjustments and special considerations
16. Complaints, appeals and learner protection
17. Malpractice and maladministration
18. Conflicts of interest
19. Data protection, confidentiality and records
20. Use of Albion Awards name and materials
21. Fees, charges and payment
22. Centre sanctions, suspension and withdrawal
23. Change notification requirements
24. Business continuity and teach-out
25. Audit, access and regulatory cooperation
26. Term, review and termination
27. Liability and insurance
28. General provisions
29. Signatures
Schedule 1 – Approved qualifications
Schedule 2 – Centre evidence requirements
Schedule 3 – Service and communication standards
Schedule 4 – Data processing and records schedule
Schedule 5 – Centre declaration
Centre Agreement
This Centre Agreement is made between:
| Party | Details |
| Awarding organisation | Albion Awards, [legal entity details, company number and registered address to be inserted] |
| Centre | [Centre legal name, company/charity number where applicable, registered address and trading name to be inserted] |
| Agreement start date | [Insert date] |
| Centre reference | [Insert centre reference] |
| Centre status | Approved / Approved with conditions / Suspended / Withdrawn |
| Senior Responsible Person at centre | [Insert name, role and email] |
| Albion Awards centre contact | [Insert name, role and email] |
1. Agreement parties and status
This Agreement sets out the terms on which the Centre may deliver, administer, assess and support Albion Awards qualifications. It applies alongside all Albion Awards policies, procedures, qualification specifications, assessment materials, centre guidance, quality assurance requirements and written instructions issued from time to time.
Approval as an Albion Awards centre does not give the Centre automatic approval to deliver every Albion Awards qualification. Qualification-specific approval must be granted and recorded before the Centre may advertise, recruit, register, deliver, assess or claim certification for a particular qualification.
Where there is a conflict between this Agreement and a qualification specification, the requirement that provides the higher level of protection for learners, assessment standards, regulatory compliance or data security will apply unless Albion Awards confirms otherwise in writing.
2. Purpose of the agreement
The purpose of this Agreement is to ensure that all centres delivering Albion Awards qualifications operate in a way that protects learners, maintains assessment standards, supports regulatory compliance and enables Albion Awards to meet its responsibilities as an awarding organisation.
This Agreement supports the Ofqual recognition evidence base by defining centre responsibilities for delivery, assessment, internal quality assurance, learner records, data protection, complaints, appeals, malpractice controls, reasonable adjustments, certification claims, external quality assurance and cooperation with regulatory oversight.
3. Definitions
In this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set out below unless the context requires otherwise.
| Term | Meaning |
| Albion Awards | The awarding organisation responsible for qualification design, approval, assessment control, quality assurance, certification and regulatory compliance. |
| Centre | The organisation approved by Albion Awards to deliver, assess or support specified Albion Awards qualifications. |
| Approved qualification | A qualification for which the Centre has received written qualification-specific approval. |
| Learner | A person registered or intending to register for an Albion Awards qualification through the Centre. |
| Assessment | Any activity, task, project, portfolio, professional discussion, presentation, case study or other method used to judge learner achievement against learning outcomes and assessment criteria. |
| IQA | Internal quality assurance undertaken by the Centre before results or certification claims are submitted to Albion Awards. |
| EQA | External quality assurance undertaken by or on behalf of Albion Awards. |
| Certification claim | A request submitted by the Centre for Albion Awards to issue a certificate or digital credential following learner achievement. |
| AlmaBridge | The digital credential and verification platform used by Albion Awards to issue verifiable digital credentials representing approved Albion Awards qualification outcomes. |
| Adverse effect | Any act, omission, event, incident or circumstance that could prejudice learners, assessment standards, public confidence, compliance or the ability of Albion Awards to award qualifications safely. |
4. Scope of centre approval
The Centre may only undertake activities expressly approved by Albion Awards. Approved activities may include learner recruitment, teaching, learner support, assessment administration, assessment, IQA, evidence submission and certification claims.
The Centre must not sub-contract delivery, assessment, IQA, learner support, administration or marketing activity relating to Albion Awards qualifications without prior written approval from Albion Awards.
The Centre must not represent itself as approved for qualifications, levels, sites, delivery modes or assessment arrangements that have not been approved in writing.
5. Centre approval conditions
Approval is conditional on the Centre maintaining the governance, staffing, resources, systems, policies and facilities reviewed during centre approval. Albion Awards may impose additional conditions at approval, during monitoring or following EQA review.
The Centre must promptly address all conditions, recommendations, action plans and sanctions issued by Albion Awards. Failure to do so may result in restrictions, suspension or withdrawal of approval.
- Maintain an accurate centre profile, staff register and contact details.
- Maintain appropriate facilities, systems, learner support, data security and assessment controls.
- Ensure approved staff remain competent, trained and free from unmanaged conflicts of interest.
- Cooperate with EQA, audit, investigation and regulatory information requests.
- Notify Albion Awards of significant changes or risks without delay.
6. Centre responsibilities
The Centre is responsible for ensuring that delivery and assessment of Albion Awards qualifications are conducted fairly, consistently, securely and in accordance with Albion Awards requirements.
The Centre must ensure that all staff, contractors and associates involved in Albion Awards qualifications understand and comply with this Agreement, the Centre Handbook, qualification specifications, assessment requirements and relevant policies.
- Only advertise and deliver qualifications for which the Centre holds written approval.
- Provide accurate information to learners before enrolment, including qualification purpose, level, size, assessment requirements, fees, support arrangements, complaints and appeals routes.
- Register learners accurately and within required timescales.
- Deliver qualifications in accordance with the approved specification and assessment model.
- Use only approved assessment materials unless centre-devised materials have been authorised by Albion Awards.
- Maintain secure learner, assessment, IQA and certification records.
- Conduct and record IQA before submitting results or certification claims.
- Report suspected malpractice, maladministration, conflicts of interest, data breaches, assessment compromise and adverse effects promptly.
- Protect confidential assessment materials and learner data.
- Comply with data protection, equality, reasonable adjustment, special consideration, complaints, appeals and safeguarding-related responsibilities where applicable.
7. Albion Awards responsibilities
Albion Awards is responsible for maintaining awarding organisation controls, including qualification approval, assessment governance, centre approval, external quality assurance, certification control, regulatory evidence and oversight of standards.
Albion Awards will provide centres with access to the information and controlled documents needed to deliver approved qualifications safely.
- Provide qualification specifications, assessment guidance, centre guidance and relevant policies.
- Confirm centre and qualification approval decisions in writing.
- Operate external quality assurance and centre monitoring arrangements.
- Provide standardisation opportunities and updates on assessment requirements.
- Maintain the authoritative certificate register and certification controls.
- Use AlmaBridge to issue digital credentials only after Albion Awards has approved certification.
- Investigate complaints, appeals, malpractice, maladministration and adverse effect risks in line with policy.
- Communicate significant changes to centres in a timely manner.
8. Qualification delivery and learner support
The Centre must ensure that delivery is appropriate to the qualification purpose, level, credit value, guided learning hours, total qualification time, assessment model and target learner group.
The Centre must provide learners with suitable induction, access to the relevant qualification information, assessment guidance, support arrangements and information about reasonable adjustments, special considerations, complaints and appeals.
- Delivery may be classroom-based, blended or online only where the Centre can maintain learner support, identity checks, assessment integrity and secure records.
- Learners must not be enrolled onto qualifications that are unsuitable for their needs, prior experience or progression goals.
- Centres must not guarantee achievement, certification or particular grades.
- Centres must ensure that learning support does not compromise assessment independence or authenticity.
9. Assessment, marking and grading
The Centre must conduct assessment in accordance with the approved qualification specification, assessment brief, marking and grading guidance, assessor instructions and Albion Awards Assessment Policy.
Assessment decisions must be based solely on valid, authentic, sufficient, current and reliable evidence mapped to the relevant learning outcomes and assessment criteria.
- Assessors must be approved, competent and free from unmanaged conflicts of interest.
- Assessment evidence must be retained for the period specified by Albion Awards.
- Learner authenticity must be checked and recorded.
- Feedback must be clear, criterion-referenced and appropriate.
- Resubmission opportunities must follow Albion Awards rules and must not give unfair advantage.
- AI use, plagiarism, collusion and unauthorised assistance must be managed in line with Albion Awards requirements.
- Assessment decisions may be subject to IQA, EQA, standardisation, moderation, investigation or certification hold.
10. Internal quality assurance
The Centre must operate internal quality assurance arrangements that are proportionate to learner numbers, assessor experience, delivery mode, qualification risk and prior performance.
IQA must take place before results are submitted to Albion Awards or before certification claims are made, unless Albion Awards has agreed a different process in writing.
- IQA plans must identify sampling strategy, assessors, learners, assessment methods and high-risk areas.
- IQA sampling must include new assessors, borderline decisions, referrals, resubmissions, high grades, unusual patterns and any reasonable adjustment or special consideration cases where relevant.
- IQA records must show what was sampled, findings, feedback to assessors, actions required and closure evidence.
- The same person must not normally act as assessor and IQA for the same learner without independent scrutiny agreed by Albion Awards.
11. External quality assurance and monitoring
The Centre must cooperate fully with Albion Awards external quality assurance activity. EQA may be remote, on-site, scheduled, risk-based, thematic or investigative.
Albion Awards may review learner evidence, assessment decisions, IQA records, assessor feedback, standardisation records, centre policies, staff competence, learner communications, complaints, appeals, reasonable adjustment records, special consideration records, malpractice records and certification claims.
- Provide records and evidence requested by Albion Awards within required timescales.
- Ensure relevant staff are available for EQA meetings or interviews where required.
- Implement EQA action plans by the agreed deadline.
- Accept that Albion Awards may place certification claims or learner registrations on hold where standards or learner interests may be at risk.
- Notify Albion Awards promptly if EQA findings reveal risks to learners, standards or compliance.
12. Standardisation and staff competence
The Centre must ensure that all tutors, assessors, IQAs, administrators and managers involved in Albion Awards qualifications are appropriately competent, inducted and monitored.
Centre staff must attend mandatory Albion Awards standardisation, briefing or update events where required. Records of attendance and internal cascade training must be retained.
- Maintain a staff register showing role, qualifications, experience, training, approval status and conflicts of interest declarations.
- Ensure assessors and IQAs understand the qualification specification, assessment criteria, grading guidance and IQA requirements.
- Act on standardisation outcomes, EQA feedback and assessment interpretation updates.
- Remove or restrict staff from Albion Awards activity where competence, conduct or conflict concerns arise.
13. Learner registration
The Centre must register learners in accordance with Albion Awards procedures and timescales. Learners must not be entered for assessment or certification unless they have been correctly registered.
The Centre is responsible for ensuring that learner information submitted to Albion Awards is accurate, complete and supported by appropriate identity and eligibility checks.
- Confirm learner identity and spelling of legal name before registration.
- Inform learners how their personal data will be used for registration, assessment, certification and digital credentialing.
- Notify Albion Awards promptly of withdrawals, transfers, changes of details or errors.
- Keep registration records secure and available for audit.
14. Certification and AlmaBridge digital credentials
The Centre may submit certification claims only where it has confirmed that the learner has completed all qualification requirements and that assessment and IQA records are complete.
Albion Awards retains full control over certification decisions. Certification will not be released unless Albion Awards is satisfied that the learner is registered, the centre is approved, the qualification is live, all assessment requirements have been met, IQA has been completed, any required EQA checks have been cleared and no hold applies.
Albion Awards will use AlmaBridge to issue verifiable digital credentials representing approved Albion Awards qualification outcomes. AlmaBridge does not replace Albion Awards certification controls. Digital credentials will be issued only after Albion Awards has approved the certification claim and updated the certificate register.
- The Centre must not issue its own certificates or digital credentials that could be confused with Albion Awards certificates or credentials.
- The Centre must not represent a learner as certificated until Albion Awards has confirmed the award.
- Where a certificate or digital credential is amended, suspended, withdrawn or revoked, the Centre must cooperate with Albion Awards and must stop using any incorrect record.
- Certification claims may be held or rejected where records are incomplete, IQA is insufficient, EQA concerns exist, malpractice is suspected, fees are outstanding or learner data is inaccurate.
15. Reasonable adjustments and special considerations
The Centre must ensure that learners are informed of the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments and special considerations. Requests must be managed in accordance with Albion Awards Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations Policy.
Reasonable adjustments must be agreed before assessment wherever possible and must not change the standard being assessed. Special considerations may be considered after assessment where temporary illness, injury, bereavement or exceptional circumstances affected performance.
- Record requests, evidence, decisions and outcomes securely.
- Seek Albion Awards approval where the requested adjustment is outside centre-delegated authority.
- Inform learners of the reason where a request is declined and the route to appeal or complain.
- Ensure adjustments are applied consistently and without unfair advantage.
16. Complaints, appeals and learner protection
The Centre must maintain fair and accessible complaints and appeals arrangements and must make learners aware of these before assessment.
Centre-level complaints and appeals must be handled promptly, objectively and with appropriate records. Where a learner remains dissatisfied, or where the matter relates to Albion Awards assessment, quality assurance or certification, the matter may be escalated to Albion Awards in accordance with policy.
- Keep records of complaints, appeals, decisions, evidence and actions.
- Ensure appeal reviewers are independent from the original decision wherever possible.
- Cooperate with Albion Awards investigations and provide requested evidence.
- Protect learners from detriment for making a complaint or appeal in good faith.
17. Malpractice and maladministration
The Centre must prevent, identify, investigate and report suspected malpractice and maladministration relating to Albion Awards qualifications.
Malpractice or maladministration may include, but is not limited to, plagiarism, collusion, false evidence, unauthorised assistance, assessment compromise, inaccurate records, improper certification claims, failure to conduct IQA, conflicts of interest, data falsification, misleading marketing or failure to follow Albion Awards requirements.
- Report suspected or confirmed malpractice or maladministration to Albion Awards without delay.
- Preserve evidence and prevent further risk while an investigation is underway.
- Cooperate with Albion Awards investigations, including interviews and evidence requests.
- Implement required corrective actions or sanctions.
- Accept that Albion Awards may notify Ofqual or another relevant body where required.
18. Conflicts of interest
The Centre must identify, record, monitor and manage conflicts of interest affecting Albion Awards qualifications. This includes actual, potential, perceived and foreseeable conflicts.
Conflicts may involve family relationships, financial interests, employment relationships, assessor involvement in teaching, IQA reviewing their own decisions, EQA independence, commercial relationships, access to confidential assessment materials or any other matter that could affect impartiality.
- Maintain a centre conflict of interest register.
- Require relevant staff to declare conflicts at appointment, annually and when circumstances change.
- Declare conflicts to Albion Awards where they may affect delivery, assessment, IQA, learner outcomes, certification or centre approval.
- Apply independent scrutiny where a conflict cannot be avoided.
- Failure to declare a relevant conflict may be treated as maladministration or malpractice depending on the circumstances.
19. Data protection, confidentiality and records
The parties will comply with applicable data protection law, including UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Each party must process personal data fairly, lawfully, securely and only for authorised awarding body purposes.
The Centre must keep confidential all assessment materials, learner records, EQA reports, certification data, Albion Awards documents and other non-public information.
- Use secure systems for learner, assessment, IQA and certification records.
- Prevent unauthorised access, disclosure, loss, alteration or destruction of personal data and confidential materials.
- Report data breaches or suspected data breaches to Albion Awards without delay.
- Retain records for the period required by Albion Awards and make them available for audit.
- Delete or return records when required, subject to legal and regulatory retention requirements.
- Ensure learners are informed that their data may be used for registration, assessment, quality assurance, certification, digital credentials, verification, regulatory reporting and audit.
20. Use of Albion Awards name and materials
The Centre may use the Albion Awards name, logo, qualification titles and approved materials only in accordance with written guidance and only while centre and qualification approval remains active.
The Centre must not alter qualification specifications, assessment materials, certificates, digital credential descriptions, logos or controlled documents unless Albion Awards has approved the change in writing.
- Marketing information must be accurate, not misleading and consistent with approved qualification information.
- The Centre must remove or correct marketing materials promptly if requested by Albion Awards.
- Approval may not be described as endorsement of the Centre beyond the scope of approved Albion Awards qualifications.
21. Fees, charges and payment
The Centre will pay fees in accordance with the Albion Awards published or agreed fee schedule. Fees may include centre approval, annual centre recognition, learner registration, assessment, external quality assurance, certification, replacement certificates, late claims, resubmissions, investigations or other agreed charges.
Albion Awards may withhold services, learner registrations, certification claims or digital credentials where fees are overdue, except where doing so would unfairly prejudice learners. Learner protection considerations will be taken into account before any service restriction is applied.
- The Centre remains responsible for fees regardless of whether learners complete, withdraw or transfer unless Albion Awards confirms otherwise.
- The Centre must make learner fee and refund arrangements clear to learners before enrolment.
- Fee disputes must be raised promptly and do not remove the Centre’s obligation to protect learner records and assessment evidence.
22. Centre sanctions, suspension and withdrawal
Albion Awards may impose sanctions where the Centre fails to comply with this Agreement, policies, qualification requirements, quality assurance requirements or regulatory expectations, or where learner interests or standards are at risk.
Sanctions will normally be proportionate to risk, but Albion Awards may take immediate action where there is a serious risk to learners, assessment integrity, certification, data protection or public confidence.
| Sanction level | Possible action |
| Level 1 – Support and guidance | Written advice, training requirement, minor action plan, increased monitoring. |
| Level 2 – Corrective action | Formal action plan, deadline for evidence, increased IQA/EQA sampling, restrictions on assessment or certification. |
| Level 3 – Restriction | Temporary hold on learner registrations, certification claims, delivery of specific qualifications or approval of new staff. |
| Level 4 – Suspension | Suspension of qualification approval or centre approval pending corrective action or investigation. |
| Level 5 – Withdrawal | Withdrawal of qualification approval or centre recognition, teach-out arrangements, learner transfer or other learner protection actions. |
23. Change notification requirements
The Centre must notify Albion Awards promptly of any change that may affect approval, delivery, assessment, learner support, data security, financial stability or regulatory compliance.
- Change of legal entity, ownership, governance, senior responsible person or key contacts.
- Change of delivery site, delivery mode, systems or sub-contracting arrangements.
- Loss of key staff, assessors or IQAs.
- Significant increase or decrease in learner numbers.
- Financial difficulty, insolvency risk or closure risk.
- Data breach, cyber incident or loss of records.
- Malpractice, maladministration, complaints, appeals or safeguarding concern that may affect learners or standards.
- Any matter that may create an adverse effect.
24. Business continuity and teach-out
The Centre must maintain arrangements to protect learners if it is unable to continue delivery, assessment or support. This includes arrangements for preserving learner records, assessment evidence, IQA records and communication with learners.
Where a Centre withdraws from delivery, is suspended, closes, loses key resources or becomes unable to support learners, Albion Awards may require a teach-out plan, learner transfer plan, additional EQA review or certification hold.
- The Centre must cooperate with learner protection and teach-out arrangements.
- The Centre must not dispose of learner or assessment records without Albion Awards approval.
- Albion Awards may contact learners directly where necessary to protect their interests.
25. Audit, access and regulatory cooperation
The Centre must provide Albion Awards, its authorised representatives and, where required, Ofqual or another relevant regulator with access to records, staff, learners, systems, premises and evidence relating to Albion Awards qualifications.
The Centre must not obstruct, delay or provide misleading information during EQA, audit, investigation, appeal, complaint, malpractice review or regulatory information request.
- Provide accurate information and evidence by requested deadlines.
- Preserve records where an investigation, appeal, complaint, certification issue or regulatory request is underway.
- Cooperate with Albion Awards where regulatory notification, adverse effect review or corrective action is required.
26. Term, review and termination
This Agreement will begin on the Agreement start date and will continue until terminated, withdrawn or replaced. Centre approval may be reviewed annually or at another interval determined by Albion Awards based on risk.
Either party may terminate this Agreement by giving written notice of [insert period, for example 90 days], subject to learner protection, record retention, outstanding quality assurance, certification and investigation requirements.
Albion Awards may terminate immediately where there is serious breach, fraud, malpractice, insolvency risk, assessment compromise, data protection failure, refusal to cooperate with EQA or regulatory risk.
- Termination does not remove the Centre’s obligations relating to confidentiality, records, data protection, learner protection, outstanding fees, investigations or cooperation with Albion Awards.
- Learner protection and teach-out arrangements must be agreed before active learners are left without a completion route wherever reasonably possible.
27. Liability and insurance
The Centre must maintain appropriate insurance for its activities, including public liability, employer liability where applicable, professional indemnity or other cover reasonably required by Albion Awards.
The Centre is responsible for its own acts, omissions, staff, contractors, learners, premises, systems and communications. Albion Awards is not responsible for the Centre’s financial, employment, learner fee, premises or commercial obligations.
28. General provisions
This Agreement does not create a partnership, employment relationship, joint venture, agency relationship or franchise between Albion Awards and the Centre.
The Centre may not assign, transfer or sub-contract this Agreement without prior written approval from Albion Awards.
Albion Awards may update policies, procedures, qualification requirements, quality assurance requirements and operational guidance where needed to protect standards, learners, regulatory compliance or operational effectiveness.
Any notice under this Agreement must be sent to the named contacts or registered addresses set out in the Centre record, unless updated in writing.
This Agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales, subject to final legal review.
29. Signatures
By signing this Agreement, the Centre confirms that it has read, understood and agrees to comply with this Agreement and all linked Albion Awards policies, procedures and qualification requirements.
| For Albion Awards | For the Centre |
| Name: ________________________________ | Name: ________________________________ |
| Role: _________________________________ | Role: _________________________________ |
| Signature: ____________________________ | Signature: ____________________________ |
| Date: _________________________________ | Date: _________________________________ |
Schedule 1 – Approved Qualifications
This schedule records the qualifications that the Centre is approved to deliver, assess or support. The Centre may not advertise, register learners or claim certification for qualifications not listed here.
| Qualification code | Qualification title | Level | Delivery mode | Assessment role | Approval status | Conditions |
| [Insert] | [Insert] | [Insert] | Classroom / blended / online | Delivery / assessment / IQA / support | Approved / conditional / suspended | [Insert] |
| [Insert] | [Insert] | [Insert] | Classroom / blended / online | Delivery / assessment / IQA / support | Approved / conditional / suspended | [Insert] |
Schedule 2 – Centre Evidence Requirements
| Evidence area | Required evidence | Status |
| Legal identity | Legal name, trading name, registration number, address and senior responsible person. | Required before approval |
| Governance and management | Organisation chart, centre manager details, escalation route and decision responsibilities. | Required before approval |
| Staff competence | CVs, role descriptions, assessor/IQA experience, training records and declarations. | Required before approval and updated annually |
| Policies and procedures | Complaints, appeals, malpractice, data protection, equality, reasonable adjustments, assessment administration and records procedures. | Required before approval |
| Facilities and systems | Delivery facilities, online systems, secure storage, learner support and accessibility arrangements. | Required before approval |
| Data protection | Privacy information, data security controls, breach reporting route and retention arrangements. | Required before approval |
| Conflict of interest | Conflict register and staff declaration process. | Required before approval and updated annually |
| Quality assurance | IQA plan, sampling strategy, standardisation records and assessment review process. | Required before delivery |
| Financial and business continuity | Evidence of operational stability, insurance and continuity arrangements. | Required before approval |
| Learner communication | Learner handbook, pre-enrolment information, complaints and appeals information. | Required before recruitment |
Schedule 3 – Service and Communication Standards
| Activity | Expected standard |
| Centre application response | Albion Awards will acknowledge receipt and advise on next steps. |
| Centre evidence requests | The Centre should respond by the deadline stated by Albion Awards. |
| Learner registration | Registrations must be submitted within Albion Awards published timescales. |
| EQA evidence upload | Evidence must be supplied by the date requested for scheduled or risk-based EQA. |
| Certification claim response | Albion Awards will process complete claims in line with published certification timescales, subject to QA holds. |
| Urgent risks or adverse effects | The Centre must notify Albion Awards immediately and preserve evidence. |
| Data breach notification | The Centre must notify Albion Awards without undue delay and provide available details. |
| Complaints and appeals | The Centre must follow published timescales and keep records. |
| Malpractice concerns | The Centre must report suspected malpractice or maladministration without delay. |
Schedule 4 – Data Processing and Records Schedule
This schedule provides an operational summary. A separate data processing agreement may be required depending on final legal and data protection review.
| Record type | Purpose | Minimum retention expectation |
| Learner registration records | Registration, assessment, certification and regulatory evidence. | As specified in Records Retention Policy |
| Assessment evidence | Assessment, IQA, EQA, appeals, malpractice and certification checks. | As specified in qualification or records policy |
| IQA records | Verification of assessment decisions and centre quality control. | As specified in Records Retention Policy |
| EQA records | External quality assurance and centre monitoring. | Held by Albion Awards as regulatory evidence |
| Reasonable adjustment and special consideration records | Fair access, decision evidence and audit trail. | As specified in policy and data protection requirements |
| Complaints and appeals records | Case management, learner protection and improvement. | As specified in Records Retention Policy |
| Malpractice records | Investigation, sanctions, regulatory reporting and protection of standards. | As specified in Records Retention Policy |
| Certification records | Certificate register, verification, reissue, suspension and revocation. | Long-term awarding body record |
| AlmaBridge credential records | Digital credential issue, status, verification, suspension and revocation. | Linked to Albion Awards certification record |
Schedule 5 – Centre Declaration
The Centre confirms that:
- it has authority to enter into this Agreement;
- information provided to Albion Awards during centre approval is accurate and complete;
- it will comply with Albion Awards policies, procedures and written instructions;
- it will protect learners and assessment standards;
- it will not deliver or assess qualifications outside the scope of approval;
- it will maintain accurate learner, assessment, IQA and certification records;
- it will report conflicts of interest, malpractice, maladministration, data breaches and adverse effect risks promptly;
- it will cooperate with EQA, audit, investigation and regulatory requests;
- it understands that failure to comply may lead to sanctions, suspension or withdrawal of centre approval.
| Centre declaration sign-off | Details |
| Centre legal name | |
| Senior Responsible Person | |
| Role | |
| Signature | |
| Date |
Controlled Document Links
| Linked document | Purpose |
| Centre Approval Policy | Defines how centres are approved, risk rated, monitored, sanctioned and withdrawn. |
| Centre Handbook | Provides operational guidance for approved centres. |
| Quality Assurance Framework | Defines IQA, EQA, standardisation and quality monitoring. |
| Assessment Policy | Defines assessment principles, security and evidence requirements. |
| Marking and Grading Guidance | Defines assessment judgement standards and grading expectations. |
| Certification Procedure | Defines certification claims, holds, certificate issue, reissue, suspension and revocation. |
| AlmaBridge Digital Credential Issue Procedure | Defines how digital credentials are issued after Albion Awards certification approval. |
| Complaints Policy | Defines complaint handling and escalation routes. |
| Appeals Policy | Defines appeal rights and independent review arrangements. |
| Malpractice and Maladministration Policy | Defines investigation and sanction arrangements. |
| Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations Policy | Defines fair access and exceptional circumstances controls. |
| Data Protection Policy and Records Retention Policy | Defines lawful processing, secure records and retention periods. |