How many Programme Leaders can be registered for OSCA?
Only one Programme Leader may register for each Applied GCE subject or DiDA unit. This is because the accreditation process is a recognition of good practice among a programme team, whose assessment decisions are standardised and submitted by one individual (ie the Programme Leader or Department Head).

DiDA - One Programme Leader may be registered for an individual DiDA unit. You may appoint different Programme Leaders for different DiDA units. However, if you wish to use the Exemplar Material Exercise to achieve cross-level accreditation for a unit (e.g. for D101 and D201), the same individual must be appointed Programme Leader at both levels.

GCEs in Applied Subjects - One Programme Leader may be registered for each subject. Similarly, if you wish to apply for accreditation across AS and A2 within a subject area, the same individual must be registered as Programme Leader at both levels.

What are Accreditation Activities?
There are currently 2 available routes to accreditation.
Route 1: Exemplar Material Exercise (EME)

The Exemplar Material Exercise presents a set of portfolios per unit for Programme Teams to assess and mark online. The portfolios are available according to a set timetable. After each window, commentaries completed by a senior moderator will be made available to view and compare with your own assessment. Additional reference material will also be provided for training purposes.
Accreditation is granted to any Programme Leader whose team have accurately assessed the required number of ‘exemplar’ portfolios.

Route 2: Formal Moderation
Units assessed accurately during ‘formal’ moderation windows also count as evidence in support of accreditation, provided that the Programme Leader has registered for OSCA.
If the same Programme Leader is responsible for the assessment of both the winter and previous summer exam series, accreditation can be sought before the winter exam series, using the assessment of the summer’s units as evidence in support of accreditation.

How do I register for EME?
The option to register is available either during initial registration (select the tick box to confirm) or afterwards. Select EME then log on to your OSCA registration homepage and select ‘details’ next to the appropriate subject/unit.
Please refer to the registration deadlines for each qualification below.

EME for DiDA
EME is available for all units during three windows as follows:

• Window One: 29 October until 9 December
• Window Two: 21 January until 2  March
• Window Three: 10 March until 13 April

View Key Dates

Accreditation is granted per unit at level 1 or level 2, where five exemplar items for the relevant level have been assessed accurately. Accreditation is granted per unit at both level 1 and level 2 where three exemplar items per level have been assessed correctly.
Registration deadlines: 17 September 2007 to 4 April 2008

GCEs in Applied Subjects
Available for Business, ICT, Health & Social Care, Leisure Studies and Travel & Tourism
The Exemplar Material Exercise presents a set of portfolios (per unit) and is available during two windows as follows:

• Window One: 30 October – 15 December 2007
• Window Two: 15 January – 9 March 2008

View Key Dates

Accreditation is granted for:

• AS level where all exemplar items for two units have been assessed accurately. 
• A2 level where all exemplar for AS level and one A2 unit have been assessed accurately.

Please note that you are only required to assess portfolios in Window 2 for units which were not successfully assessed in Window 1.
Registration deadlines: 17 September 2007 to 29 February 2008

How do I register for Formal Moderation?
By registering on OSCA as a Programme Leader you are automatically eligible for accreditation through this route.
Accreditation cannot be granted where less than five candidates' work was assessed, even if the centre’s unit entries during the formal moderation window were fewer than five.

DiDA
Accreditation is granted at unit level and therefore requires Programme Leaders to register separately for each unit/level for which accreditation is being sought.
All units submitted for the specification during the moderation window must represent the whole ability range of the centre.

GCE in Applied Subjects
AS Level: Accreditation through this route will be awarded at AS level where the external moderation process has confirmed the accuracy of a programme team’s assessment decisions across all (and a minimum of two) AS units.

 If your Applied GCE team has already fulfilled this requirement during the summer 2007 series, you can apply for immediate accreditation from 17 September to 31 March 2008 by registering on the OSCA system.

A2 Level: Accreditation through this route will be awarded at A2 level where the external moderation process has confirmed the accuracy of a programme team’s assessment decisions across one or more A2 units, provided that (i) the same Programme Leader has already been accredited for the subject at AS level, and (ii) no adjustments are made to marks submitted for any A2 unit during the same session.

How long will my accreditation be valid for?
Accreditation is awarded within each academic year and will last for the remainder of that academic year and the following two academic years. Once this period has expired, you will need to become re-accredited for the specification via one of the available routes.

How will I be notified of my activity outcomes?
All notices will be sent by email. Please refer to the key dates for further information.