The information within this section is to support Centres when completing NCFE and CACHE assessments.

Regulations for Conducting Assessments

All NCFE and CACHE external assessments must be conducted according to NCFE's Regulations for the Conduct of External Assessment in order to ensure the integrity and security of assessments is maintained at all times. Centres must read, refer to, and abide by these regulations at all times.

Our Qualification Specific Instructions for Delivery (QSID) document provides qualification specific instructions relating to the administration of external assessments and is to be used in conjunction with our Regulations for the Conduct of External Assessments.

We also have specific regulations for the administration of internal controlled assessments, which must be adhered to. These can also be found on our Assessment Regulations page.

Assessment Paperwork

Depending on the qualification, the assessment, and whether it has been completed online or paper-based, there may be additional assessment paperwork to complete alongside the learner evidence.

For our paper-based V Cert and Level 2 CACHE external assessments Centres must generate an invigilators register from within The Portal, and complete and return alongside the learner evidence. Guidance on how to download the invigilators register can be found within the Portal User Guide.

CACHE extended assessments at Level 3 require the return of an External Assessment Cover Sheet. These can be found on the additional materials tab of the relevant qualification page.

For assessments completed online, a copy of the supervision report, available within the online system, must be retained and provided to NCFE upon request.

For assessment paperwork relating to internal controlled assessments, please consult the relevant regulations and available support documents to identify the requirements for the assessment.

Malpractice and Maladministration

Anyone can come across an issue that they think could constitute potential maladministration or malpractice, including, but not restricted to Centre staff, contractors and external agencies.

NCFE may identify cases of maladministration and/or malpractice through our routine awarding processes, and we may also identify instances when we apply our processes and policies, e.g. when considering an enquiry about a result or when hearing an appeal.

If malpractice or maladministration is discovered or suspected during an NCFE assessment, you must notify us immediately. This should be done using the Notification of Maladministration and Malpractice form available on our Mandatory Policies and Fees page, where you will also find other key maladministration and malpractice guidance and documents. 

Special Consideration

Special Considerations must be submitted as soon as possible after the external assessment and no later than 5 working days after the date of the external assessment or the assessment window has closed.

Special Consideration is a post-assessment adjustment that can be requested if a learner has been disadvantaged by temporary illness, injury or adverse circumstances at the time of assessment. For relevant qualifications, this may be a small post-assessment adjustment to a learner's mark or, for qualifications where assessment criteria, standards or competence must be fully met for a certificate to be awarded, this may be in the form of an additional resit opportunity.

Request for Special Considerations must be must be submitted through our website, and before submitting please ensure you’ve reviewed and understood our Special Considerations policy.