Standards and regulation

Standards

Trinity qualifications are assessed to the same standards worldwide. Our examiners are subject specialists who are regularly trained and standardised, and who work internationally to ensure the consistent application of assessment criteria and procedures.

Our academic and operational staff oversee the running of exam sessions and have responsibility for the quality assurance of assessment processes, specifications and syllabuses.

Regulation

Our work is scrutinised, monitored and reviewed by a number of UK regulatory authorities in order to maintain standards and confidence in qualifications.

Trinity’s regulated qualifications are regulated by Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) in England, CCEA Regulation (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment) in Northern Ireland and by Qualifications Wales.

Trinity is continually required to demonstrate compliance with the regulatory authorities’ Conditions of Recognition through a range of activities, including self-assessment, self-evaluation, submission of an Annual Statement of Compliance and audit.

The Regulated Qualifications Framework

All of Trinity’s regulated qualifications meet the requirements of the Regulated Qualifications Framework.

Ofqual, CCEA Regulation and Qualifications Wales introduced the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) to replace the previous Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

You can read more about the framework on this page and on the GOV.UK website.

Please email any queries on standards and regulation at Trinity to: qualityandstandards@trinitycollege.com

 

Background to the RQF and TQT

Following Ofqual's introduction of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) to replace the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), references to credits are no longer included on Trinity certificates. These changes do not affect the delivery or value of a qualification. All qualifications regulated by Ofqual under the RQF system are assessed and quality assured in the same way as under the QCF.

Transition from QCF to RQF — summary of changes

The Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) replaced the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) in December 2017. All qualifications are now regulated through the RQF, which is more descriptive and less prescriptive than its predecessor. In summary:

  • The QCF rules have been completely withdrawn
  • The term 'QCF' was replaced by the ‘RQF’ in all existing qualification titles
  • The RQF is a simple, descriptive framework
  • Qualifications are described by size and difficulty
  • Guided Learning Hours (GLH) has been replaced with Total Qualification Time (TQT), which includes GLH, assessment and self-directed study time — with the size of the qualification indicated by the total amount of time a learner is anticipated to complete
  • The terms Award, Certificate and Diploma remain
  • Credits are no longer a requirement, but if used, are calculated as TQT divided by 10

Visit GOV.UK for further information together with an illustrative explanatory diagram from Ofqual.

GLH and TQT for Trinity qualifications

In order to determine the GLH and TQT assigned to each of its regulated qualifications, Trinity College London has undertaken internal reviews and external consultations with learning centres and other awarding organisations.

It should be noted that rates of learner progression vary depending on personal and educational circumstances. GLH and TQT hours are therefore intended as indicators of the relative size of a qualification rather than a prescriptive requirement. See Ofqual TQT criteria for details of how GLH and TQT are estimated.

 

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