FAE monitors and evaluates all its systems, policies and procedures for the delivery of regulated qualifications to ensure they are in line with regulatory General Conditions of Recognition.

Continuous improvement is assured through ongoing monitoring, thus promoting public confidence in the quality of all FAE’s qualifications, products and supporting resources.

Prompt action is taken to address any weakness identified, and this monitoring forms part of FAE’s annual self-assessment activities.

Monitoring and evaluation activity must align to published regulatory criteria, against which all awarding organisations are recognised. For example the regulatory authorities will consider the extent to which:

• there are systematic arrangements for monitoring and reporting on all aspects of FAE work in respect of regulated qualifications


•  rigorous self-assessment leads to identified priorities and challenging targets for improvement


•  prompt and decisive action is taken to maintain quality and standards


•  appropriate, prompt action is taken where monitoring of centers reveals critical weaknesses in processes or procedures

FAE will also monitor and evaluate the following to better inform our processes:

• malpractice / maladministration events


• reasonable assessment adjustment and special consideration requests


• compliance with our customer service charter commitments


• the nature and number of enquiries and appeals


• internal and external verification practice

Ensuring the standards of our qualifications and units

FAE has a responsibility to all learners undertaking our qualifications, and to the regulatory authorities in England, Malta and Finland to ensure that approved centers deliver our qualifications in accordance with relevant national standards.

In order to meet this responsibility, the performance of each FAE centre is monitored and verified by our team of experienced and qualified External Verifiers (EVs), who additionally have considerable experience of working within Health and fitness industry sectors.

We allocate EVs to centres depending on their area of expertise and geographical location and, in doing so, also ensure that EVs will not be allocated to a centre at which they have or previously had a personal interest.

In addition to helping the centre successfully administer, deliver and assess our qualifications by providing their staff with appropriate information, advice and guidance in relation to developments at FAE and the wider education and funding systems, the EVs are also responsible for ensuring that each centre has appropriate internal quality assurance systems in place.

The EVs will normally assure the quality of delivery by working in partnership to monitor the performance of the centre, the purposes of which are to:

•  address any queries the centre may have


• provide the centre with up-to-date information and advice in line with FAE qualifications, and regulatoryدauthority guidance


•  review various arrangements at the centre in accordance with a tailored visit plan for the centre. For example:


• ensuring, through appropriate sampling and verification, that assessment arrangements are fit for purpose, and the criteria against which learners’ performance is differentiated are being applied
  consistently by assessors within and across centres, and in accordance with the requirements specified for each qualification


•  ensuring the centre is taking all reasonable steps to prevent the occurrence of malpractice and maladministration


•  confirming that previously identified action points have been met


• confirming that assessments are conducted by appropriately qualified and occupationally expert assessors, in line with FAE’s Staff Approval requirements


• confirming all learners undertake an initial assessment in order to identify barriers to assessment, exemptions and/or recognition of prior learning (RPL)


•  sampling assessment decisions to confirm that the learner evidence is authentic, reliable and valid, and that national standards are being consistently maintained and regulatory requirements adhered to


• checking that assessment decisions are regularly sampled, through internal verification, for accuracy against those standards


• checking that claims for certification are authentic, valid and supported by auditable records, and that learners have met the specified level of attainment


• ensuring the centre is retaining appropriate records of assessment and internal verification decisions for the required time period


• ensuring the centre is meeting FAE requirements for learner data retention as set out in our guidance materials to centres


• providing advice and support on the interpretation of national standards, learning outcomes and assessment criteria