Accreditation

In Ireland there is no National Standards Body at this time.  However, the publically funded interpreting service based in Dublin engage a panel of personnel with a range of experience in linguistics, interpreting, the deaf community and its culture, to conduct an assessment of skills every couple of years, as part of their quality assurance.  In practice, the results of this assessment serve as the benchmark by which the Deaf community and other interpreting service providers may categorise the skill pool.  At CSL we recognise the scope and limitations of this assessment and we only utilise the services of R1 interpreters in medical and legal settings.  R2 interpreters work in a wide range of other community settings.

Currently sign language interpreter training is based at the Centre for Deaf Studies, Trinity College Dublin.
At CSL, we are working toward being able to provide interpreter training in the West of Ireland.  We currently provide accredited training in sign language up to Pre-interpreter level, that is National Vocational Qualification Level 6 in Irish Sign Language (ISL).

This course has been accredited by OFQUAL, the British National Body responsible for Standards of Awards and Qualifications.  This year NVQ awards have been restructured in order to make them more easily compared with university standards.  The Level 6 language award, and the Level 6 Interpreting award are mapped in the Qualifications and Credits Framework at Degree Level.  The QCF is a European Framework facilitating international recognition of qualifications.

OFQUAL accredits the standard.  Signature is the awarding body offering the qualification.  We are an approved Signature centre.

We regulate at all levels, from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) of the National Curriculum up to higher-level vocational qualifications equivalent to a PhD. These assessments and qualifications are collected into separate systems (or frameworks): the National Curriculum and the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)/National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Higher education qualifications, such as degrees, are the responsibility of the Quality Assurance Agency.

http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/qualification-and-assessment-framework#

http://www.nfq.ie/nfq/en/documents/recognitionleaflet.pdf

How qualifications fit into the framework

A qualification is intended to show employers, teachers and learners what someone has learnt and can do as a result of that achievement. Find out more about the key characteristics of recognised qualifications by clicking on the diagram below:

(Click the diagram above to find out more about the key characteristics of recognised qualifications).

National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage assessments

The National Curriculum sets out the learning objectives for everyone educated at a state school, up to age 16. The EYFS provides learning and development objectives for children from birth to five years old.

We have specific duties to keep under review all aspects of National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage Assessments in England. We refer to these assessments as National Assessment arrangements.

Read more about National Assessment arrangements.

Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)

The QCF is a structure that clearly shows how the different types of qualifications interrelate and allows credit from assessments to be transferred flexibly between qualifications.

We work with the government, the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) and awarding organisations to agree this framework. We’re responsible for regulating QCF qualifications and assessments to maintain standards.

We’re also responsible for maintaining and publishing a list of all Ofqual-accredited qualifications and the bodies that award them.

Find out more information about the 'Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)'.

National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

In England qualifications have traditionally been defined by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), which included all general and vocational qualifications accredited from 1997. The NQF consists of Entry level to level 8, describing the difficulty of qualifications at each level. Many qualifications are being transferred to the Qualifications & Credit Framework (QCF), which uses a credit based system to recognise qualification size and gives a more flexible approach to learners' needs.

Find out more about the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

European Qualifications Framework (EQF)

The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is an overarching qualifications framework that links the qualifications of different countries together. It acts as a translation device to make qualifications easier to understand across different countries and systems in Europe.

Ofqual in partnership with CCEA is the National Coordination Point for the EQF. The NCP provides guidance and understanding on how national qualifications frameworks relate to the EQF.

Read more about the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

Vocational Qualifications (VQs)

We regulate vocational qualifications (VQs) in England and Northern Ireland. Vocational qualifications which are designed to allow learners to learn in a way that suits them, and give learners the skills that employers are looking for.

Read more about vocational qualifications.

Comparing equivalent qualifications

We regulate at all levels, from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) of the National Curriculum up to higher-level vocational qualifications equivalent to a PhD. These assessments and qualifications are collected into separate systems (or frameworks): the National Curriculum and the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)/National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Higher education qualifications, such as degrees, are the responsibility of the Quality Assurance Agency.

How qualifications fit into the framework

A qualification is intended to show employers, teachers and learners what someone has learnt and can do as a result of that achievement. Find out more about the key characteristics of recognised qualifications by clicking on the diagram below:

(Click the diagram above to find out more about the key characteristics of recognised qualifications).

National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage assessments

The National Curriculum sets out the learning objectives for everyone educated at a state school, up to age 16. The EYFS provides learning and development objectives for children from birth to five years old.

We have specific duties to keep under review all aspects of National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage Assessments in England. We refer to these assessments as National Assessment arrangements.

Read more about National Assessment arrangements.

Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)

The QCF is a structure that clearly shows how the different types of qualifications interrelate and allows credit from assessments to be transferred flexibly between qualifications.

We work with the government, the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) and awarding organisations to agree this framework. We’re responsible for regulating QCF qualifications and assessments to maintain standards.

We’re also responsible for maintaining and publishing a list of all Ofqual-accredited qualifications and the bodies that award them.

Find out more information about the 'Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)'.

National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

In England qualifications have traditionally been defined by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), which included all general and vocational qualifications accredited from 1997. The NQF consists of Entry level to level 8, describing the difficulty of qualifications at each level. Many qualifications are being transferred to the Qualifications & Credit Framework (QCF), which uses a credit based system to recognise qualification size and gives a more flexible approach to learners' needs.

Find out more about the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

European Qualifications Framework (EQF)

The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is an overarching qualifications framework that links the qualifications of different countries together. It acts as a translation device to make qualifications easier to understand across different countries and systems in Europe.

Ofqual in partnership with CCEA is the National Coordination Point for the EQF. The NCP provides guidance and understanding on how national qualifications frameworks relate to the EQF.

Read more about the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

Vocational Qualifications (VQs)

We regulate vocational qualifications (VQs) in England and Northern Ireland. Vocational qualifications which are designed to allow learners to learn in a way that suits them, and give learners the skills that employers are looking for.

Read more about vocational qualifications.

Comparing equivalent qualifications

Comparing equivalent qualifications

We monitor and regulate the relationships between qualifications and ensure there is a consistent system allowing learners and others to compare different types of qualification as well as qualifications over time.

Comparing different qualifications

The QCF makes it clear which qualifications and award titles are equivalent, both in terms of difficulty level and the effort required.

Comparing qualifications over time

We maintain standards for accredited qualifications to help ensure their difficulty and value will remain consistent over time. We also carry out research to determine our success on this front.

International

Although we are only responsible for regulating national qualifications, we are aware of the European Qualification Framework (EQF). Ofqual in partnership with CCEA is the National Coordination Point for the EQF. The NCP provides guidance and understanding on how national qualifications frameworks relate to the EQF.

For qualifications from countries outside Europe: UK NARIC gives information and advice on vocational and academic qualifications from over 180 countries. They provide a chargeable service comparing specific international and UK qualifications.

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Comparing equivalent qualifications

We monitor and regulate the relationships between qualifications and ensure there is a consistent system allowing learners and others to compare different types of qualification as well as qualifications over time.

Comparing different qualifications

The QCF makes it clear which qualifications and award titles are equivalent, both in terms of difficulty level and the effort required.

Comparing qualifications over time

We maintain standards for accredited qualifications to help ensure their difficulty and value will remain consistent over time. We also carry out research to determine our success on this front.

International

Although we are only responsible for regulating national qualifications, we are aware of the European Qualification Framework (EQF). Ofqual in partnership with CCEA is the National Coordination Point for the EQF. The NCP provides guidance and understanding on how national qualifications frameworks relate to the EQF.

For qualifications from countries outside Europe: UK NARIC gives information and advice on vocational and academic qualifications from over 180 countries. They provide a chargeable service comparing specific international and UK qualifications.

Back to Top