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Accrediting a School Directed Course provides external validation of its quality, structure and outcomes. It signals to students, parents and future education providers or employers that the course meets recognised standards and has undergone a rigorous quality assurance process.
Accreditation ensures consistency in delivery and assessment, encourages reflective curriculum design, and can help with student motivation and credibility – especially where traditional GCSEs are not used. Accreditation helps schools formalise innovative learning experiences and demonstrate their equivalence to national qualifications.
Pros and cons of SDC accreditation
Pros and cons of SDC accreditation
The key advantage of accreditation is credibility: it reassures stakeholders that the course has been externally reviewed and aligns with national or international benchmarks. It can open up progression routes for students and support teachers in delivering structured, high-quality content. Accredited courses also often come with support in assessment and moderation.
However, there are drawbacks. The process can be time-consuming, with administrative requirements, centre approvals, and sometimes significant costs. Accreditation may also reduce flexibility in course design, as content and assessment may need to align with set frameworks. Schools must weigh the value of external recognition against the desire to innovate freely and tailor courses to local priorities.
Options and models for accreditation
Options and models for accreditation
Schools can accredit their own courses, for example a school-designed Baccalaureate, which is endorsed by EduQual, following a process of validation. Using the EduQual Customised Qualification Service, schools can offer EduQual-endorsed programmes. Click to see a selection of EquQual case studies.
OCR provides opportunities for schools to offer vocational qualifications through its centre approval process. Schools must obtain approval for each qualification they wish to offer, adhering to OCR's criteria and JCQ regulations. The process includes submitting a vocational approval form and potentially undergoing a centre visit. Once approved, schools can deliver OCR's verified qualifications, which involve internal assessment and external quality assurance visits.
Pearson offers the "Assured by Pearson" service, allowing organisations to benchmark and verify the quality of their training programmes. This service is suitable for schools aiming to enhance the credibility of their bespoke courses. The process involves evaluating the organisation's policies and processes to ensure training meets global benchmarks, with successful programmes receiving Pearson's assurance.
AQA offers a pathway for schools to become approved centres, enabling them to deliver AQA qualifications. While AQA does not provide a specific framework for accrediting entirely bespoke courses, schools can explore existing qualifications that align closely with their course objectives. To initiate the process, schools should contact AQA to express interest and undergo the centre approval procedure, ensuring compliance with JCQ regulations. AQA offers the Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) at Level 2, and the Extended Project Qualification at Level 3 and the content and topic is driven by student’s choice.
City & Guilds supports organisations in offering their qualifications by becoming approved centres. The approval process involves submitting a customer application form, undergoing a quality assurance visit, and meeting specific criteria. Once approved, centres can deliver a range of vocational qualifications, with ongoing support from City & Guilds' quality teams.
The US-based organisation offers accreditation pathways through its Commission on International Education (CIE) for schools worldwide, including those that have developed their own curricula. Schools need to demonstrate the international nature of the school through a mission which includes creating international citizens, through demographics of the student body and staff, and through the co-curricular experiences and programs offered and must go through the accreditation process.
This UK-based organisation provides a Qualification Benchmarking service that allows schools and education providers to have their school-designed courses evaluated against the UK and international qualification frameworks. Ecctis provides an independent report that outlines the level, content, learning outcomes and comparability of a course, typically aligning it to Regulated Qualifications Framework levels (e.g. Level 2 for GCSE-equivalent content).
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