SignConnects values a collaborative working relationship with our partner centres, striving to support and empower the deaf community in alignment with the goals of partnership and inclusion. When standards are not met, the repercussions can be long-lasting and detrimental to the life chances of a minority group, which is contrary to the principles of the Equality Act 2010.
Compliance is essential to uphold the quality and standards of our courses. When a centre falls short of these expectations, sanctions may be applied to guide the centre back to the required professional standards. Compliance with SignConnects and the Regulated Qualification Framework requirements may be monitored through both planned and unplanned reviews. In cases where there is cause for concern, sanctions will be imposed at SignConnects’ discretion. These are not prescriptive and will vary depending on the situation.
The sanctions follow a traffic light system:
- Green = 1st Warning: The centre will be given a specified period to implement the necessary actions outlined in the warning letter.
- Yellow = 2nd Warning: If the centre fails to adhere to the compliance requirements, a further deadline will be set, and the centre must report back within the specified timeframe.
- Red = 3rd Warning: The centre may face contract termination with SignConnects. In this event, the centre must provide candidates with an alternative provision, or SignConnects will expect managers to comply fully with the specified requirements within the given timeframe.
| Broad reason for Sanction | 1st Warning | 2nd Warning | 3rd Warning |
| The centre has failed to meet the approval requirements or other obligations; however, this does not pose a direct threat to the integrity of the assessment decisions. | Written warning | ||
| Broad reason for Sanction | 1st Warning | 2nd Warning | 3rd Warning |
| The centre has not complied with approval requirements or other obligations, and if left unaddressed, this non-compliance could jeopardise the integrity of assessment decisions, potentially leading to invalid certification claims. | Review and report with possible action plan | ||
| A failure by the centre to follow assessment policy has resulted in the poor management of candidate assessments. | Additional monitoring and inspection | ||
| Loss of confidence in the head of centre or senior management may occur due to unprofessional conduct or malpractice as outlined in our Malpractice policy. | Additional monitoring and inspection | ||
| Repeated breaches of regulations related to a specific qualification or a breakdown in the management and quality assurance processes for that qualification. | Withdrawal of centre approval for the specific qualification or withdrawal of all qualifications offered by SignConnects | ||
| False advertising that damages the reputation of SignConnects as an awarding body and violates Ofqual regulations. | Immediate red warning with recommendations | ||
| A threat to the well-being or integrity of candidates registered in the qualification, as outlined in our Whistleblowing & Malpractices policy. | Investigation could lead to a temporary suspension of delivery until rectified or candidate to be transferred to another centre. | ||
| Loss of integrity of assessment decisions: danger of invalid claims for certification. | Suspension of certification or withdrawal of centre approval. | ||
| Failure to co-operate with awarding body requests to investigate thoroughly suspected malpractices. A failure to implement some or all the actions. | Withdrawal of centre approval for all qualifications offered by SignConnects. | ||
To access a downloadable copy, please use the link below.