This area will give you all the information you need about Apprenticeship certification:
Learners Name
If a learner has changed their name for whatever reason, but their certificates are in their previous name, then you must provide official evidence that proves they are the same person e.g. Deed Poll change of name approval. Please also check general errors on certificates, as this causes delays in processing applications.
Valid Certificates
Please make sure all certificates:
- Have a signature on to validate them
- Are clearly copied so that the backing and logo’s etc are clear and legible
- Are in date at the completion date of the Apprenticeship.
Completion Date
Please make sure that the certificate request form is not completed until all certificated evidence, which is required for the framework, has been received.
Time Limit for Submitting Certification Applications
From 1 April 2008 we no longer accept certificate applications that are sent more than 8 months after the learner has completed their Apprenticeship.
Transferring from One Framework to Another
We will not allow learners to transfer to later frameworks.
Re-prints of Certificates
We are happy to supply replacement certificates free of charge when the mistake is ours. But if the mistake is due to incorrect information supplied on the certification request form/s, loss or damage, there will be a £30 charge.
Apprenticeship certificate reprint form
Payment
Please make cheques payable to ‘Lantra’ for £40 per certification request.
If you are paying by BACS please read and complete the form below, print out a copy and include it with all certificate applications.
BACS payment notification form
Returning Incorrect Certification Forms
From 1st April 2008, if we receive any incomplete certification applications, e.g. evidence missing, name errors etc, we will give you one week from the contact date to provide the correct/supporting evidence. If this is not achievable, we will send back any incorrect application(s).
A credit refund will be sent directly to your company bank account or via cheque during our monthly payment run; however, we would prefer to refund by BACS. If you are not already set up for BACS payments and you would like this method, please contact us on 02476 696996. By using BACS payment, it will prevent delays in you receiving certificates and will help us meet our 6 week turnaround time.
N.B. Please note that when re-sending returned applications you will need to raise payment again.
Proxies
Proxy qualifications are those qualifications that have been agreed to assess the same knowledge and skills as aspects of the Key Skills qualifications. Because of this overlap, learners can claim exemption from all or part of particular Key Skills qualifications. The use of proxies is different from the relaxation ruling (see below).
There is a strict three year time limit from the date of award of the relevant proxy qualification, within which the learner must provide proof of achievement of the proxy (e.g. GCSE certificate) and either submit a portfolio of evidence, claim the Key Skills qualification (as appropriate) with a Key Skill awarding organisation or complete the Apprenticeship if not claiming the proxy with an awarding organisation.
Qualifications that appear on the proxy list have been mapped for the type of overlap required and guarantee that the learner has been assessed in the appropriate knowledge and skills. Only qualifications that have been accredited by the regulators for England (OFQUAL), Wales (DCELLS), Northern Ireland (CCEA) and Scotland (SQA) can be included on the list of proxy qualifications.
The list is reviewed regularly to ensure that it is appropriate. It is available on the QCDA website:
Qualifications from other countries or qualifications that do not appear on this list are not agreed proxies and cannot be used as such.
Core Skills
A decision has been made to continue to accept Core Skills results from Scotland as a proxy for Key Skills using the table below. This replaces all existing communications from us with regards to equivalents between Core Skills and Key Skills and applies for all new starts from 1st August 2008.
Core Skill Level Key Skill Level
Higher 3
Intermediate 2 2
Intermediate 1 1
Relaxation Ruling
The relaxation ruling allows apprentices who started on or after 1 September 2001, and who have achieved a grade A*-C GCSE in English and/or Mathematics, to complete their frameworks without being required to take the level 1 and 2 Communication and/or Application of Number Key Skills qualifications. This relaxation is designed to all apprentices to concentrate on developing other Key Skills or improving their Communication or Application of Number by progressing to a level 3.
This also applies to those learners who have achieved a GCE A/AS level at grade A-E in English Language, English Literature, or English Language and Literature. It also applies to those who have achieved a GCE A/AS level at grade A-E in Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, or Further Mathematics (for the Communication and Application of Number Key Skills qualifications respectively).
From 1st August 2004, learners with GCSE’s or A Levels registering on an Apprenticeship must do so within five years from the date of certification of the relevant GCSE/A Level (this replaces the previous three year limit).
For framework completion purposes, those achieving an A*-C GCSE or A/AS level in English or Mathematics in the summer are deemed to have been certified on the 31 August, while the date for those achieving during the winter months is deemed to be 31 March. The relaxation is distinct from the use of proxy qualifications.
Functional Skills
Functional Skills comes into effect from 1st September 2010.
There are no proxies available for Functional Skills. However, the current relaxations that relate to Key Skills will be extended to be applied to Functional Skills providing the learner starts an Apprenticeship before September 2016 if they have achieved the qualifications in the previous five years and before September 2012.
Relaxations for Functional Skills are as follows:
- Key Skills communication at the equivalent level or GCSE English (grades A*-C) or A/AS level English language, English literature or English literature and language (Grade A-E)
- Key Skills application of number at the equivalent level or GCSE Mathematics (grades A*-C) or A/AS level Mathematics, Pure Mathematics or further Mathematics (Grade A-E)
- Key skills ICT at the equivalent level or GCSE ICT (grades A*-C) or A/AS level ICT