Proxy and relaxation terms for key skills, including core skills
There seems to be misinterpretation/confusion in the use of proxies and relaxations within our frameworks.
Proxies
Proxy qualifications are qualifications that are QCA recognised as having full or part equivalence to key skills. Proxy qualifications are only valid for up to three years from the date of award, to the time of claim for certification with Lantra. The full list of proxy qualifications can be downloaded from the QCA website http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_6562.aspx . If qualifications do not appear on this list, they cannot be used as proxies.
Relaxation ruling
The relaxation ruling allows apprentices who started after 1st September 2001, who have achieved a grade A* - C GCSE English and/or Mathematics only, to complete their frameworks without being required to take the level 2 Communication and/or Application of Number keys skills qualifications only. This relaxation is designed to enable apprentices to concentrate on developing other key skills or improving their Communication or Application of Number by progressing to level 3. Relaxations are valid for 5 years from the time of award to the date of registration onto the apprenticeship framework. Details of the relaxation ruling can be found in the QCA publication “Key skills policy and practice: your questions answered” which can be downloaded from the QCA website. Please refer to above website link.
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 Lantra with regards to equivalents between core skills and key skills and will apply for all new starts from 1st August 08.
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Core Skill Level
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Key Skill Level
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Higher
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3
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Intermediate 2
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2
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Intermediate 1
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1
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Additional employer requirements
Should you have a new learner who intends to complete an additional employer requirement which is not listed within the framework, found on our website www.lantra.co.uk , please contact Jackie Doughty - Lantra Apprenticeship Certificate Administrator for confirmation that it will be accepted as a substitute. Please do not wait until the learner has completed the apprenticeship, this is too late to correct if Lantra disagree, and therefore will disadvantage the learner.
Certification details
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. a copy of the Deed Poll change of name approval. Please also check general errors on certificates, i.e. misspelt names, as this causes unnecessary delays in processing applications.
Valid Certificates: Please ensure all certificates (particularly in-house and college certificates) have a signature on to validate them, are clearly copied so that the backing and logo’s etc are clear and legible, and are in date at the completion date of the apprenticeship. Please note we will not accept internally assessed result sheets as proof of certification.
Completion Date: We are receiving many certificate application forms where the completion date on the form is earlier than the dates of the certification evidence. Therefore, please ensure that the certificate request form is not completed until all certificated evidence which is required for the framework has been received, so that the learner’s completion date on the certificate request form is a true reflection of the learner completing their apprenticeship.
Time limit for submitting certification applications
We receive a number of certification applications, sometimes as long as 2 years from the learner completing their apprenticeship. We are still unsure as to why this happens, so would like to set a new time constraint for this process. We feel that 6-8 months is sufficient time to gain all certification and complete the relevant submission paperwork. Apart from extenuating circumstances, to which you will have to include a reason why, this rule will apply from the 1 April 2008.
Transferring from one framework to another
Lantra will not allow learners to transfer to later frameworks, unless written permission is requested and it is within 1 month from their start date to an apprenticeship framework review date.
Re-prints of certificates
We are happy to supply replacement certificates free of charge when the mistake is ours – however if the mistake is due to incorrect information supplied on the certification request form, there is a £5 charge.
Payment
When sending through certification requests can you please ensure cheques are made payable to Lantra, for £40 per certification request.
If paying by BACS please ensure it goes into the Lantra account and not Lantra awards. Please include the names of who it is for (i.e. the certificate applicants), as it is difficult to match a payment up with numerous different daily applications that come into the department.
Notification of procedure for returning incorrect application of certification forms
As from 1st April 2008, when Lantra receive any incomplete certification applications i.e. evidence missing, name errors etc; we will give you one week from contact date to provide the correct/supporting evidence. If this is not achievable, we will process the correctly completed applications and these certificates will be sent to you with any returned incorrect application(s). A credit refund will be processed on our monthly payment run directly to your company bank account or via cheque. We would prefer to refund by BACS. If you are not already set up for BACS payments and you would prefer this method please contact us to arrange this. This will prevent delays in you receiving certificates and will comply with our 6 week turnaround time.
Please note that when re-sending returned applications you will need to raise payment again.
