This guidance is supplementary to the QAA Guidance and is issued by OCN London Region in its Access Validating Agency role, following feedback from our centres on recent HEI offers to students. Please note that a fuller version of this guidance is available in pdf format.

1. Does a graded offer really need to be made?

OCN London Region asks that HE recruitment and admissions consider carefully if a graded offer needs to be made, especially in this first year of implementation. If an Access Pass was acceptable for entry to specific degree courses in the past, then a Pass could remain the standard for Access applicants.

2. Access Diploma: a summary of the qualification specifications

   • There is no overall grade for an Access Diploma nor is there a meaningful ‘average’ grade profile.
   • Grading is attached to individual units of assessment, each with a credit value.
   • 60 credits overall need to be achieved.
   • At least 45 credits must be at Level 3 with the remaining 15 credits at Level 2 or Level 3.
   • Only Level 3 units within the Diploma will be graded.
   • Each level 3 unit may be graded pass, merit or distinction
   • Any additional achievement beyond the 60 credits will be separately certificated and does not form part of the Access Diploma qualification.
   • Any additional Level 3 units achieved beyond the 60 credits will be ungraded.



The full specifications can be downloaded from:
http://www.accesstohe.ac.uk/home/publications/creditspecificationsdraft06/creditspecificationdraft06.pdf

3. Making a meaningful offer using grades

There is no overall grade for an Access Diploma; when making a graded offer it is necessary to request either a proportion or volume of Level 3 credits at specific grades. Most Access learners will not be receiving a ‘higher’ grade on their first assessments submitted in October, five or six weeks after starting the one year course. It would seem fair and reasonable therefore that offers are set which relate to a proportion of the 45 level 3 credits achieved at pass merit or distinction.

Offers can be made:

• based on a specific volume of grades for units within the applicant’s Access Diploma; this can be either named unit titles or an overall volume of credits.



 

or

• based on a proportion (%) of overall Level 3 credits achieved at specific grades.

 

4. Inappropriate offers

   • Offers requiring more than 60 credits.
   • Offers specifying more than 45 credits at Level 3.
   • Offers requesting an overall grade (including a grade average or profile) or other pass mark (such as a %).