OCN South East Region

Frequently Asked Questions

All of your learners can be registered using our secure electronic learning registration (ELR) process. Please use your user name and password to access the secure centre area where you will find detailed instructions.

Please check that you are typing uppercase or lowercase appropriately for the password as the web site is case sensitive. If you are still experiencing problems please contact your LASER customer support administrator who will be happy to assist you.

The Learning Aims Database is available online at https://gateway.imservices.org.uk/sites/lara/Pages/AimsSearch.aspx 

You can search for information and download extracts to a local PC.

As the LARA is accessed online using a web browser there is no installation required. To access the LARA, your PC must support an Internet browser and Internet connection.

Learners undertaking units from the Qualifications Credit Framework and wanting to build their achievements into a full qualification will need to have a ULN. Guidance on obtaining and using individual ULN is provided in the Centre Handbook.

Units of learning have levels and credit values showing the value of achievements.

• The level represents how difficult the unit is from Entry level to level 8
• The credit value represents the amount of time it takes to complete the unit

There are three sizes of qualifications in the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF)

• Awards (1 to 12 credits)
• Certificates (13 to 36 credits)
• Diplomas (37 credits or more)

The qualification type – Award, Certificate, Diploma – represents the size of a qualification not how difficult it is.

A Recommendation for Award of Credit (RAC) form will be issued. Please check that all learners are registered and the correct units are attached. You need retain the RAC for the Quality Reviewer to sign off at their next visit.

Contact your customer support officer and they will help you sort out the problem.

Complete a course amendment form and return it to your customer support officer.

Please see our tariff which enables you to pay according to the credit band, or you can pay the fee for the relevant qualification.

Deadlines for sending registrations are applied as follows:

• Within 25 working days from the start date for courses of 12 weeks or less
• Within 60 working days from the start date for courses of more than 12 weeks

If we receive your learner registrations after the deadline a late fee will be applied.

Please make clear alterations to the spelling error on the RAC. However, full name changes are not permitted and the learner must be certificated in the name they were originally registered. This will also need to match the learner’s details logged for their unique learner number (ULN). Spelling errors are the only alterations you are allowed to make on the RAC.

Please contact your customer support administrator for help. They will need to know the course run ID number, correct unit title and code number. We will issue a new RAC and the incorrect one will be destroyed.

You need to submit your request for a replacement certificate using the request form. Please see our tariff for the charge for this service.

Individual qualification guides contain full guidance on age restrictions. General background information is provided on the LASER qualification webpage

Courses using LASER qualifications are offered at many colleges, schools and other organisations. LASER recognised centres can provide information and advice about their courses.

It is a set of learning outcomes with matching assessment criteria. A learner will be assessed against the criteria. If you achieve all of the criteria you will achieve the unit. A unit is assigned a number of credits which describes the amount of learning and a credit level which describes the level of the learning.

All qualifications in the national Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) are made up of units. A unit is a set of learning outcomes and criteria that you are assessed against. If you achieve a set of units that make up a qualification and have fulfilled any other requirements of the qualification you will achieve a full qualification.

A credit is a way of measuring, recognising and valuing your learning. One credit represents ten hours of the average total learning time, including time with a tutor and private study or homework.

The level given on the certificate for each unit you have achieved shows the stage you have reached in your learning. For example,

• Entry level – qualifications and units at Entry level provides a basis for progression to other qualifications
• Level 1 – this is comparable to working at NVQ level 1, GCSEs D-G and Foundation Diploma
• Level 2 – this is comparable to working at NVQ level 2, GCSE’s A-C and Higher Diploma
• Level 3 – this is comparable to working at NVQ level 3, A and AS levels, Advanced Diploma.

There are three sizes of qualifications in the Qualifications Credit Framework (QCF).

• Awards (1 to 12 credits)
• Certificates (13 to 36 credits)
• Diplomas (37 credits or more

The qualification type – Award, Certificate, Diploma – represents the size of a qualification not how difficult it is.

Your tutor will tell you move about how your learning is to be assessed. On most courses the tutor or training assesses your work as you go along and this does not involve exams. For example, the course work you produce, such as computer printouts, paintings or projects, will show you and your tutor what you have learnt.

If your course is assessed through course work then your tutor will provide you with feedback on your progress and results. If there is any delay in getting your results contact the centre to enquire about them.

The centre where you are learning is responsible for registering you with Laser Learning Awards. The centre notifies LASER of your achievements and will then issue your certificate which is despatched to the centre for forwarding to you.

You will need to contact the centre where you studied, and ask them to submit a replacement certificate request form to LASER. Your centre has to obtain the form from LASER.

In the first instance you need to discuss the assessment with your tutor. If you are still not happy you need to contact the centre and follow their procedure for making a formal appeal. If you are still not happy you can appeal to LASER but you will need to have evidence that you have followed and exhausted the centre’s appeal process.

The units that make up qualifications are nationally recognised as part of the new Qualifications Credit Framework. This means that if you move to another part of the country your credits can move with you and you can achieve more credits at your new location with a new centre.

The national qualifications framework (NQF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland is the framework that sets out the levels at which qualifications are recognised. The NQF is being progressively phased out and replaced by the Qualifications Credit Framework (QCF).

The Qualifications Credit Framework is the new structure for recognising and accrediting qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The QCF is designed to make the whole qualification system simpler to understand and use, as well as being more inclusive, flexible and accessible for a wider range of learners. It is also intended to be more relevant to the needs of employers.

Yes, we can accredit your in-house training courses and award certificates. Contact us for further information.

We have good experience of working with employers to develop the skills of their workforce. For more information please contact us.

Email K.mansfield@laser-awards.org.uk with details of the date you would like to attend.
Call us on 01932 569894 for information about courses and places.

Payment can be made by the following methods:

• By cheque, made payable to LASER and addressed to the Addlestone office
• By BACs transfer and details will be supplied with course booking confirmation
• By providing a purchase order number and the LASER will issue an invoice

Please note we do not accept payment by credit or debit cards.

Contact us as soon as you can and we can discuss alternative arrangements with you. However, if you cancel a place within five working days of a training booking a cancellation fee will be charged, see our booking form for our terms and conditions.

The start and end times are published in the training programme. If these are amended you will be notified with the confirmation of booking.

Complete a training booking form and email to k.mansfield@laser-awards.org.uk 
Call us on 01932 569894 for information about courses and places.