Direct Claim Status

To achieve DCS after one EQA review your report must:

• Be graded 1 exclusively for all criteria.
• Have no outstanding actions from previous EQA report
• Include a minimum of 3 learners sampled, with at least 2 marked as ‘final’; other learners sampled can have ‘new’ or ‘mid’ status
• All learners must be graded as A for reliability of assessment.

Achieving DCS after 2 EQA reviews

To achieve DCS after 2 EQA reviews your centre must have 2 consecutive reviews over a maximum of 18 months and your EQA report must:

• Be graded 1, 2 or 3 for all criteria.
• Include a gap of at least 30 days between the 2 reviews.
• Have no outstanding actions from previous EQA report.
• Include a minimum of 3 learners sampled on each review, with at least 3 marked as ‘final’ over the 2 visits; other learners sampled can have ‘new’ or ‘mid’ status.
• Be graded as A or B for reliability of assessment.

Not Achieved

You’ve not met the DCS criteria. The reason/s will be identified in the report and action plan.

First Report of DCS Standard

You’ve met the DCS criteria on the 2-visit pathway.  DCS is not yet awarded but will be achieved if your next review meets the criteria and takes place with 18 months of the previous review.

DCS Pending

You’ve met most of the criteria, but an insufficient number of learners were sampled.  DCS is therefore pending until correct number of learners have been sampled.

DCS Achieved

You’ve met all the DCS criteria so have achieved DCS.

DCS Maintained

You currently have DCS and have maintained this status following your recent External Quality Assurance review.

DCS Lapsed

Your DCS has lapsed as an External Quality Assurance review did not take place within 12 months of the date DCS was achieved or maintained.

DCS Lost

You’ve lost DCS during your most recent External Quality Assurance review as you have not met the DCS criteria.

Once you've achieved DCS you need to continue to operate to the high standard you already have in place.

You must have one review within 12 months of DCS being achieved/maintained and your EQA report must:

• be graded 1, 2 or 3 for all criteria
• have no outstanding actions from previous EQA report
• include a minimum of one completed learner sampled and marked as ‘final’; other learners sampled can have ‘new’ or ‘mid’ status
• be graded as A or B for reliability of assessment.

You must retain a sample of completed learner work to present to your EQA. Your EQA will send their sampling plan prior to your next EQA review to include at least one completed learner per qualification.

If you don't have a review with 12 months of achieving DCS, your DCS will automatically lapse on the anniversary it was awarded.  We’ll notify you 3 months and one month before the lapse date.  If your DCS does lapse, you’ll be required to meet the DCS criteria again to regain it.

Your DCS can be removed at any time for the following reasons:

• You don’t meet the DCS criteria during your external quality assurance review (as detailed above).
• Information from a range of external sources raises concerns e.g. complaints, suspensions or investigations which may lead us to review of your DCS approval. If this happens, we will contact you to discuss the issues and concerns.