LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 1

Laser Quartz Web User Manual Access to HE Providers 2013-2014

ERACs

Laser

January 2014

Version: 2.2

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 2

Contents Page

1. Downloading the ERAC from the Web Portal 3 EResults Submissions Form 3

2. ERAC Overview 5 Overview of the ERAC Spread Sheet 5 The Summary Sheet 6 Learner Summary Sheet 7 Individual Learner Pages 8

3. GCSE Equivalence Scheme 10

4. Additional Achievement - Further guidance 10 QAA Regulations 10 Deciding on what counts as “Additional Achievement” 11

5. Submitting the ERAC to the Web Portal 11

6. Logging Out 12

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 3

A Guide to Completing the Access RAC

Downloading the ERAC from the Web Portal You will need to login to the WebPortal to download the EResults Submission Form (RAC) for each of your Course Runs. http://www.ocnser.org.uk

You can access your course runs from the Review Course Runs tab. You then need to select the course run ID (this can be found on your registrations list if you’re not sure) and select the EResults Submission Forms tab and then select the PPL Submissions form.

Review Course Runs: On the left hand panel select “Review Course Runs”.

Select the Course Run ID for the ERAC you wish to download.

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 4

The course run will open. You will see all the information and all learners present on the course run.

Select the EResults Submission Forms tab to download the ERAC. You will need to save the form in an EXCEL format.

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 5

EResults Submissions form

ERAC Overview The RACs must be completed in advance of the Final Award Board for each Access Diploma. A copy of the completed RAC must be available at the Final Award Board either as a paper copy or on a computer. Copies of the relevant Awards Board minutes, recording the conduct of the Board and details of any exceptional decisions for individual students re exemptions, condonements etc. must be returned to LASER preferably by email or by post if electronic means is not available. You can download the full guidelines, agenda and checklist template for Awards Boards by clicking HERE

*PLEASE NOTE* The Matrix Submissions form will be preselected and you will need to deselect the tick box before you can select the PPL Submission form. Select PPL Submissions form to download your RAC for the course run. Please note that the RAC cannot be altered in any way, as the database will not accept an RAC that has been edited in a way other than entering learner

achievements.

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 6

a) Overview of the RAC Spread sheet

The Access RAC (Recommendation for the Award of Credit) form comes in the format of an Excel spread sheet which can be obtained via the secure Quartz Web Portal for LASER approved Access to HE centres. The RAC spread sheet has multiple worksheets within it:

Summary worksheet: this is the quality assurance sheet which provides the evidence that the completed RAC has been properly authorised.

Student worksheets: each student on the course run will have an individual worksheet where all of the units on the course are listed. This is where the individual achievement for each student is entered.

Learner Summary worksheet: this is where the details of all the students on the Access course run are listed and where the confirmation of the award of an Access Diploma (or not) for each student on the course run is made

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 7

b) The Summary Sheet

This can be either, printed out and signed at the Final Award Board and then posted with the minutes of the Final Award Board, or electronic signatures can be pasted into the signature boxes as part of the upload of the completed RAC via the LASER Quartz web portal. Address for the summary sheet This should be signed by the external moderator, internal moderator and appropriate Access course leader or Manager and returned as a paper copy to the LASER Access Office in Canterbury (LASER, Rooms Eg1-2, Keynes College, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NP).

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 8

c) Learner Summary Sheet The student IDs, names and the running total of credits awarded will all be pre-populated on this page and data can only be entered in the yellow boxes. Column J: QAA Dip Y/N This MUST be completed as confirmation that the student has (or has not) been awarded a full QAA Access to HE Diploma. LASER will be unable to issue Access Diploma certificates for students unless there is a ‘Y’ in this box. Please make sure this is in CAPITALS not lower case. Destination: click on this box to see a drop down list of codes which correspond to the Data Service ILR destination codes (see at foot of this page).

Destination Codes

d) Individual Learner pages

A summary of the credits achieved will appear under the relevant columns

If a Learner has achieved the full QAA Diploma enter “Y” here

to award. (As confirmed at the Final Awards Boards)

1 – Continuing existing programme 2 – New programme of study at College 3 – Further Education 4 – Higher Education 5 – Entering new or changing employment 6 – Continuing current employment 7 – Non achiever 9 – Not present 98 – Other 99 – Unknown

Names of students and their LASER learner numbers will appear here

Enter a destination code here. Enter their destination codes if they are being awarded an Access to HE Diploma here

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 9

Completing the Grade/Mark for Level 3 Units

Pass: the overall grade awarded for the unit was at a Pass level

Merit: the overall grade awarded for the unit was at a Merit level

Distinction: the overall grade awarded for the unit was at a Distinction level

Additional: the credits achieved for this unit are in excess of the 60 credits required for the achievement of the Access Diploma (further detailed explanation on this is provided below)

RPL Pass: the unit was achieved via the Recognition of Prior Learning and is to count towards the achievement of the Access Diploma.

RPL Additional: the unit was achieved via the Recognition of Prior Learning but will NOT count towards the achievement of the Access Diploma.

Exemption: the unit was awarded via an exemption due to mitigating/special circumstances and will count towards the achievement of the Access Diploma (units awarded via exemption cannot be awarded as additional units)

Completing the Grade/Mark for Level 2 Units

Achieved: the unit is achieved at Level 2 (L2 units are not graded)

Additional: the credits achieved for this unit are in excess of the 60 credits required for the achievement of the Access Diploma (further detailed explanation on this is provided below)

RPL Pass: the unit was achieved via the Recognition of Prior Learning and is to count towards the achievement of the Access Diploma.

RPL Additional: the unit was achieved via the Recognition of Prior Learning but will NOT count towards the achievement of the Access Diploma.

Exemption: the unit was awarded via an exemption due to mitigating/special circumstances and will count towards the achievement of the Access Diploma (units awarded via exemption cannot be awarded as additional units)

Enter the grade/ mark by clicking on this box for each unit

A date will appear here if the unit has previously been achieved by the learner

The ‘Total’ box should Highlight GREEN when completed to show the learner has been awarded the Diploma. The total should not

exceed 60 credits. If the total exceeds 60 credits the box will highlight RED. Any credits exceeding the 60 credit total will need to be awarded as additional. The boxes along here will

automatically calculate the credit totals

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 10

GCSE Equivalence Scheme Previously our GCSE Equivalence’s were awarded through a TICK BOX on the learner tab of the RAC. For ease of use the tick box has been removed and GCSE Equivalence units implemented onto programmes offering the Equivalence scheme. These will appear with all the units on each leaner tab. This allows for ease of use when awarding GCSE Equivalence as learners who achieve the units will automatically be awarded the certificate without separate or further notification needed.

Additional Achievement – further guidance QAA Regulations The QAA regulations for the certification of Access Diplomas make it clear that only 60 credits can count towards the achievement of a Diploma. Any achievement beyond the 60 credits required for the named Access to HE Diploma (as specified in its rules of combination) does not form part of the Diploma and is separately certificated. Grades are not awarded for such achievement. (QAA Grading Implementation Handbook: Part J, Section 5 July 2009). Many Access Diplomas used by LASER centres enable a student to gain more than 60 credits from the range of unit options available on the course. However we are only allowed to certificate unit totalling 60 credits on the student credit transcript1. Any additional units achieved by a student whilst studying on an Access course are therefore separately certificated on an additional credit transcript. Deciding on what counts as ‘additional achievement’

1 The credit transcript is the separate list of units achieved with details of credit values, levels and grades which

accompanies the main Access Diploma certificate

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 11

Centres must decide, at the point of completing the RAC, which units will be used to count towards the achievement of the Access Diploma, and which units will be used as additional achievement. LASER recognises that where there are options amongst the unit in some Access Diplomas, the combination of units and their credit values, may result in individual students achieving 61 or 62 credits as a part of their Access Diploma. This is acceptable as an unavoidable consequence of the combination of units available on the Diploma. However as soon as the 60 credits limit has been reached/overtaken, all further units achieved must be classified on the RAC as ‘Additional’ (i.e. an A is entered into the final column). Where additional units at Level 3 are achieved, centres will have to decide which units will be used to contribute to the Access Diploma. This will have an impact on the student final grade profile as set out in the credit transcript. Submitting the RAC to the Web Portal To submit your RAC to the web Portal you will need to select EResults Submission from the left hand navigation panel. This will take you to the below screen. Use the browse button to find the RAC saved to your computer. Use the Submit button to submit the RAC. You will receive a notification email to confirm the RAC has been submitted. If you do not receive confirmation please contact the Access Office on: 01227 827823

LASER Access to HE: Administrative Guides

Version 2.2 2013-14 12

Logging Out

Use the link on the right side of the top menu to log out. Please contact the Laser Access office if you have any queries regarding the contents of this guide. Laser Access Office: 01227 827823 Email: m.jones@laser-awards.org.uk