How we regulate

SQA Accreditation regulates approved awarding bodies and their accredited qualifications to safeguard the interests of learners, employers, parents, funding bodies and Scottish Government.

SQA Accreditation is an enabling regulator. Our Regulatory Framework document set outs how we regulate the awarding bodies that we have approved to deliver our accredited qualifications. It sets out our regulatory cycle as well as various key points in the lifecycle of achieving and maintaining awarding body status.

We will provide awarding bodies support, advice and guidance to follow this framework and to comply with our regulatory requirements.

Our focus will be to ensure awarding body compliance with the:

• accreditation licence
• Regulatory Principles and Directives

We will measure your compliance using:

• awarding body audits
• provider monitoring visits
• self-assessment

We take a risk-based approach to regulation allowing us to focus our efforts in those areas where we consider there is the greatest potential impact. We use our Quality Enhancement Rating (QER) to assess and evaluate the level of risk and ensure a fair, consistent and proportionate approach to regulation.