Approval under Sections 96 and 97
Last updated on: 12/03/2008
Following accreditation, the regulator recommends qualifications for approval under Section 96 or 97 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000, according to specified criteria.
Section 96 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 deals with the approval of external qualifications for learners below the age of 19 by the secretary of state for children, schools and families.
Under Section 96, schools, institutions and employers in England may only offer a course leading to an external qualification to those under the age of 19 - which is funded either by a local education authority or the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) - if the qualification is approved.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Section 96 website lists those external qualifications that the secretary of state has approved for learners under the age of 19 in England from August 2002.
Section 97 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 applies to courses provided to persons aged 19 and above, which lead to an external qualification. Only if such a qualification is approved by the secretary of state will LSC financial resources be used to make payments in respect of the qualification.
The regulator's Approvals team advises DCSF twice a month. The advice includes information about the following: recently accredited qualifications; extensions to periods of accreditation; qualification withdrawals; and amendments to title, sector subject areas and age approval categories.
Once the regulator's advice has been accepted by DCSF, approved qualifications are listed on the DCSF Section 96 and Section 97 websites, and on the LSC’s learning aims database, as well as on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications (opens in new window) (NDAQ).
The learning aims database provides additional information about the eligibility of approved qualifications for funding as well as information on other types of non-Ofqual-approved qualifications.
Please note that accreditation data on NDAQ, and the DCSF and LSC websites, are not updated at the same time, owing to the time lag involved in providing advice to the DCSF and the subsequent transfer of approved data to the Learning and Skills Council. As a general rule, qualifications will appear on the DCSF and LSC websites four weeks after they have been accredited by the regulator.
For further information regarding either Sections 96 and 97 approval listings, or the process and criteria for approval please contact the regulator's Sections 96 and 97 Approvals team at ApprovalTeam@ofqual.gov.uk.