Maintaining accreditation

You can self evaluate your organisation against the inspection criteria. Use this template to see if your centre meets the requirements

Self evaluation template 2018-19 (Word 327KB)

Where you have 'Points to be addressed' on an inspection report, you need to submit an appropriate Action plan (Word 58KB), in preparation for the next inspection or earlier as required by the Accreditation Scheme Advisory Committee (ASAC). Your plan will include a timeframe and will form part of the next inspection. This is intended to help providers to plan and record action taken to meet Points to be addressed (PTBA) against the inspection criteria. 

It is a requirement of M7 that an Action plan showing progress on PTBA is submitted with the Annual declaration in the year following inspection, and that the Action plan is kept up to date (but not submitted unless requested).

 

You need to download, complete and submit the:

1. relevant application form - private sector (Word 171KB), state sector (Word 155KB), home tuition providers (Word 55KB) with home tuition teacher list (31KB) or supplementary inspection (Word 70KB).

2. Declaration of legal and regulatory compliance (Word 35KB)

3. People to be seen form  (Word 68KB)

Please post completed applications to Andrea Maxwell, Accreditation Unit, British Council, Bridgewater House, 58 Whitworth Street, Manchester, M1 6BB.

Please keep a copy of your application as a reference and backup.

Stage 1 Initial background documentation (please see the full list of documents above)

These documents in stage 1 inform the initial setting up of the inspection, allowing the Unit and inspectors to understand the size and location of the organisation.  

You must send documents 1 and 2 to the Accreditation Unit by the application deadline specified. 

The Accreditation Unit will send documents 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 to the inspectors when the inspection is confirmed. 

The reporting inspector will request documents 6, 7, 8, and 9 from you as soon as s/he receives confirmation of the date of the inspection (send to the inspectors, not the Unit). At the same time, the reporting inspector will agree with you arrangements for the preparation and dispatch of Stage 2 documentation. 

Here are links to templates that will hep you to prepare documents 6 and 7.

Document 6 - People to be seen form (Word 68KB)
Document 7 - Action plan template (Word 58KB)

Once your inspection date has been agreed, as part of Stage 2, you must send both inspectors inspection preparation documentation (PDF 149KB)

Most inspection documentation is provided electronically. Please follow the instructions on sending documentation (PDF 151KB)

Template forms are provided for some of these items:

• Academic staff profile spreadsheet (Excel 102KB)

• List of staff template (Excel 40KB)

• Organisation profile (Word 30KB) 

• Organisation profile for multi centres (Word 156KB) 

• Self evaluation template (Word 327KB)

• Organisation plan template (Word 21KB)

Accredited centres must submit rationales for members of the academic staff whose qualifications do not meet Scheme requirements for their roles. These requirements are set out in criteria T1, T2 and T4 and further information is provided in the Criteria, requirements and guidance document.

Rationale forms are provided for:

1. A teacher who does not have a general level of education normally represented by a Level 6 qualification on the Ofqual register of Regulated Qualifications (Word 37KB).

2. A teacher who does not have the ELT/TESOL qualifications appropriate to the courses they are teaching (Word 38KB).

3. A sole academic manager (i.e. where there is only one person in charge of academic management) who is not TEFLQ and/or does not have a minimum of three years full-time relevant teaching experience (Word 44KB).

4. An academic management team leader (where there is a formally constituted team involved in academic management) who is not TEFLQ and/or does not have a minimum of three years full-time relevant teaching experience (Word 52KB).

5. A member of an academic management team who is not TEFLQ and/or does not have a minimum of three years full-time relevant teaching experience (Word 46KB).

NB Criterion T4 states that “at least one person (in an academic management team) will have....a TEFLQ qualification”. Rationales for TEFLI members of the academic management team with a Level 6 qualification and the required experience (see T4 above) will normally be accepted if they are supported by a TEFLQ member of the team and are carrying out duties appropriate to their level of qualification. The rationale is needed to clarify their qualifications, experience, and deployment.

 

There are no specific forms for Stage 3. Inspectors will sample files and records to obtain evidence that criteria are met.

If you would like further information on the application stages, you can download our Pre inspection advice sheet (PDF 114KB).