Service messages

Updated on [11/02/2026]

Welcome to our service messages area. This area is regularly updated with the latest information about our products, qualifications, processes and more.

We’ll also send you a monthly newsletter where we’ll highlight any key updates, and you can click through to this webpage to read the full details. We recommend bookmarking this page so that you can check back regularly for any updates!

February 2026

Portal is now live

We’re pleased to let you know that you can now use all functionality within the Portal; from registering learners to booking assessments, from claiming certificates to accessing secure materials. You should not see any change in the way that you use the Portal, but please note that it’s now only available between the hours of 6am and 10pm GMT to support active monitoring of the platform. We’d like to reassure you that the Portal has been rigorously tested, and we’ve put in place additional security measures so that you can use it with confidence.

If you’re experiencing challenges when logging in, this will likely be due to the introduction of multi-factor authentication which was put in place in November 2025 to increase the security of your account.

Multi-factor authentication is required every time you log in, and you’ll need to set this up in order to access the Portal. Read our troubleshooting guidance.

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Skills for Care and Development: updated Shared Assessment Principles

Skills for Care and Development: updated shared assessment principles

In December 2025, Skills for Care and Development (SfC&D) updated and published the shared assessment principles to support high-quality, consistent assessment and quality assurance of qualifications for the social care, social work, early years and childcare workforces throughout the UK.

If you deliver any qualifications which specifically reference these principles (including our Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate, Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care, Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care or Level 5 Diploma in Leading and Managing an Adult Care Service - the redeveloped version of the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care), please read on.

The updated principles provide clarification and cover:

robust initial assessment, recognition of prior learning and reasonable adjustments

fully evidencing and justifying assessment decisions

direct observation as the primary method for skills-based assessment

demonstrating occupational competence and sector knowledge

assessment of knowledge-based learning outcomes

recording and documentation requirements

use of technology in the assessment process, including guidance on AI

internal quality assurance processes.

These principles aim to ensure qualification delivery uphold sector values, promote inclusive practice, and maintain the voices of individuals who use services at the heart of learning.

Access the full shared assessment principles document here.

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Qualifications updates and withdrawals

View this month’s Horizons update for the latest qualification changes and withdrawals.

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Updates for exams officers

Read the latest news and updates for exams officers here.

Returning assessment papers: Yellow Label update

Following last month’s communication, here’s further information on the Secure Dispatch of Scripts (Yellow Label) process following the merger of Royal Mail and Parcelforce.

What’s changing?

In March 2026, the Yellow Label service offered by NCFE will move from Parcelforce to Royal Mail.

Once this transition takes place, you’ll notice the logo on your return Yellow Label will change from Parcelforce to Royal Mail.

Changes to the actual process will be minimal:

You’ll still be able to book a telephone collection using the same telephone number.

Arranging ad hoc online collections will be subject to slight alterations, however, further guidance on this method will be shared on our Yellow Label webpage.

Scheduled collections will still take place as normal during the summer period. If you have timetabled Yellow Label-eligible assessments on three or more days during any week in the summer assessment series (May to June), you’ll automatically have daily scheduled collections, as before.

If you have any queries, please contact [email protected].

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Supporting your delivery

Our teams are running lots of events this term to support you and your colleagues. Click the links below to discover what’s coming up and register your place:

Functional Skills events:

Cracking the code: problem-solving strategies for Functional Skills Maths, Tuesday 24 February, 3-5pm

AI in Functional Skills English, Wednesday 25 February, 3-5pm

Assessor and IQA training

Assessor training

Our assessor training events will provide you with an opportunity to:

explore the general principles of the assessment process
understand what we expect from assessors
get to know our paperwork and processes
highlight and share good practice
meet and network with other practitioners.

This training is suitable for anyone assessing our qualifications whether new to assessment, assessing our qualifications for the first time, or even experienced assessors who require CPD. If you attend this event, you’ll be eligible to receive a digital credential that you can add to your professional development portfolio.

IQA training

Our internal quality assurance (IQA) events will provide you with an opportunity to:

explore the general principles of the internal quality assurance process
understand what we expect from you
get to know our paperwork and processes
review current practices and develop ideas for improvement
understand how to achieve and maintain Direct Claim Status (DCS)
meet and network with other IQA practitioners.

This training is suitable for anyone involved in the IQA process of our qualifications, whether you’re new to IQA, applying it to our qualifications for the first time, or even if you’re an experienced internal quality assurer and require CPD. If you attend this event, you’ll be eligible to receive a digital credential that you can add to your professional development portfolio.

Discover all our events and training

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Qualification-specific updates