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Ofqual intends to fine awarding organisation NCFE £300,000 for failure to develop valid question papers for its Technical Qualifications in T Levels in healthcare, healthcare science, and science in summer 2022. 

Ofqual had to take unprecedented action to intervene and instruct NCFE to withdraw, recalculate and reissue around 1,200 students’ results that year, resulting in just over 700 students receiving amended grades. 

An Ofqual investigation into NCFE’s performance in 2022 identified a number of breaches of the Conditions of Recognition - rules awarding organisations are legally required to follow.

The breaches included failure to make sure the processes and procedures NCFE had in place to develop assessments were followed, and failures in the way it identified and managed risks that could affect assessment delivery. 

A further investigation found further breaches during the 2023 summer exam series, when NCFE experienced additional issues with assessment delivery and the management of some of the assessment evidence it received from colleges for T Levels. 

NCFE has admitted the breaches of the Conditions and accepted the significant fine. It has committed to a multi-million-pound programme of transformation to improve its systems and processes to reduce the risk of similar issues happening again.

Ofqual Executive Director of Vocational and Technical Qualifications Catherine Large said:

Where regulatory requirements are not met by an awarding organisation, we can and will step in and take the necessary action, including issuing significant fines such as this one.

Students must have confidence in their results, whatever qualification they take. To achieve this, we set legally binding standards for all awarding organisations to adhere to. 

NCFE has co-operated throughout the enforcement process and accepts the outcome of our investigation and the fine.

This is a serious case in which we identified major failings in 2022, and NCFE have been closely monitored by Ofqual since. I am pleased that they are committed to making significant improvements.

Ofqual has published a Notice of Intention setting out its proposal to fine NCFE, which describes further details of the case and sets out how interested parties might make representations before a final decision is made.