November 2025 Centre Update

Welcome to our final Centre Update of 2025. I trust that as the year draws to a close you and your colleagues have successfully navigated our ever-changing education landscape both in the UK and internationally – presenting challenges and opportunities for our centres, the learners we support and the stakeholders we collaborate with.

There is certainly much to update on. Our Head of Strategic Partnerships & Projects, Denise Weir, showcases the continuing success of our Guaranteed Progression Partnerships with leading universities – and how these are offering seamless, assured pathways from ATHE qualifications to on-campus and online degree programmes.

Collaboration also features in Denise’s update in respect of the qualification co-developments underway with university partners, in key topics of interest informed by our recent Future Development Survey. On the strategic projects side, Denise signposts our new website coming very soon and ATHE Academy in the pipeline.

In his update, our Head of Business Engagement, Jay Phillips, expands on the recent Future Development Survey feedback and forthcoming Centre Engagement Survey, both providing valuable insights from our centres on what ATHE does and how we do it. As well as centre engagement, Jay updates on our initiative to welcome learners as they are registered to study our qualifications and congratulate them on their achievements on completion. Alongside the new website being launched, Jay provides access to the suite of new ATHE branded materials, including our new logo and corporate brochure for centres’ use. A timely signpost to our updated fees for 2026 concludes this section.

Moving on, our Head of Qualifications, Simon Richards, provides a comprehensive round-up of what’s new and updated across our qualifications portfolio – both in our core suite, such as the new Levels 4 and 5 in Law, and Levels 4 and 5 in Artificial Intelligence; and in the exciting new developments planned for 2026 in areas such as Engineering, Environmental Sustainability and E-Games. The usual timely reminder of outgoing qualifications and their last registration and certification dates is in included. Simon highlights our ongoing review and development of ATHE’s assessment approach, in consultation with our centres, to ensure we keep pace in a changing AI context.

Our Head of Quality & Assessment, Christine Arnold, expands on the topical issue of Total Qualification Time (TQT), and the strengthened measures introduced to assure appropriate study times for learners in completing their ATHE qualifications – an area under increased regulatory scrutiny both in the UK and internationally. Also on the regulatory side, Christine provides a timely update on Ofqual’s requirement for UK centres to provide details of their Level 3 learners requiring their results for progression to Further or Higher Education in 2026. An equally timely reminder of the bespoke training and verification available for new and existing centres concludes this section.

At the front-end and underpinning our engagement with centres and learners are our digital and operational platforms. Our Head of Operations, Ben Jones, updates on our latest developments in our Centre Portal and related services, starting with a new smart document management system with easier access to essential materials for ATHE qualifications. Ben goes on to explain the smart registration system introduced, ensuring that all the required data is validated at the point of entry, mitigating any follow-ups or issues down the line. Ben further signposts a significant upgrade to our certification system with the launch of ‘Digital Achievements for Learners’, transforming how learners receive, manage, and share their qualifications and endorsements, providing them with secure, verifiable, and portable digital credentials.

Concluding our latest Centre Update, we provide news of our latest arrivals and farewells across our team in our People update.

I trust you’ll find our update informative and helpful in supporting your current engagement and future planning with ATHE. May I wish you a successful conclusion to 2025 and the very best for new year ahead.

With kind regards
Alex Birks
Chief Executive

Building Global Pathways for ATHE Learners

ATHE continues to expand its global network of Guaranteed Progression Partnerships (GPPs), providing clear, assured routes for learners to advance from ATHE qualifications to degree programmes at respected higher education institutions worldwide.

These partnerships reflect ATHE’s commitment to creating accessible, high-quality, and internationally recognised progression opportunities that support learners’ academic ambitions and career goals.

We are delighted to announce two new Guaranteed Progression Partners joining our expanding portfolio: Malta Business School and the University of Staffordshire.

ATHE’s GPP initiative connects our qualifications with degree programmes at leading universities. Through these agreements, ATHE learners benefit from:

• Assured Acceptance: Learners meeting the admission criteria are guaranteed entry to their chosen degree.
• Streamlined Admissions: Simplified application processes between ATHE and partner universities.
• Flexible Study Options: On-campus or online study routes available.
• Career-Relevant Degrees: Access to programmes that align with current global industry needs.
• Enhanced Employability: Progression to degrees that support professional development and international mobility.

Current GPP partner universities include:

• Bangor University
• Malta Business School
• Bloomsbury Institute
• De Montfort University
• University of Staffordshire.

Malta Business School

Visit Malta Business School

ATHE’s long-standing relationship with Malta Business School (MBS) has evolved into a formal Guaranteed Progression Partnership, expanding direct entry opportunities for ATHE learners seeking internationally accredited business degrees.

Available Progression Routes:

• Bachelor’s in Business and Management – Year 1 Entry
  For learners (18+) holding an ATHE Level 4 qualification with 120 credits.
• Bachelor’s in Business and Management (Top-up) – Year 3 Entry
  For learners (18+) holding an ATHE Level 5 or Level 6 qualification with 120 credits.

These programmes are offered both in Malta and via distance learning, enabling flexibility for global learners.

MBS is one of Malta’s leading private higher education providers, known for its focus on practical business education, leadership development, and international collaboration. MBS is accredited by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) and delivers globally recognised qualifications designed to equip learners with entrepreneurial and managerial skills.

Students progressing from ATHE programmes to MBS degrees will benefit from:

• A global learning community of professionals from across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
• A flexible learning model suitable for working adults and international learners.
• Direct academic support and mentoring to ensure successful integration into university-level study.

University of Staffordshire

Visit University of Staffordshire

ATHE and the University of Staffordshire have established a Guaranteed Progression Partnership that enables ATHE learners to access a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree pathways across several disciplines, including:

• Business and Management
• Computing
• Law
• Accounting
• Health and Social Care

The University of Staffordshire is a top-ranking UK institution known for its commitment to digital innovation, employability, and industry engagement. This partnership creates multiple opportunities for ATHE graduates to pursue university degrees with confidence and ease.

Further details of the specific pathways, entry criteria, and top-up opportunities will soon be available on the ATHE website.

For enquiries, centres can contact the ATHE Partnerships Team directly via support@athe.co.uk for tailored guidance on how learners can benefit from these progression routes.

Guaranteed Progression – Upcoming Webinar Events

Malta Business School Webinar
Thursday, 6th November 2025
10:00 AM (UK Time)
Register Here

What to Expect:

• Learn about the Guaranteed Progression Partnership framework.
• Explore the ATHE–MBS collaboration and how it supports learner mobility.
• Gain insights into MBS’s degree and top-up programmes.
• Understand how ATHE qualifications can lead directly to university study.
• Hear about student life and support services at Malta Business School.

Bangor University Webinar
Wednesday, 26th November 2025 – 10:00 AM (UK Time)
Stay tuned for registration details via ATHE’s social media channels and website.

ATHE Branding and Website Updates

In line with ATHE’s continued development, we have recently updated our corporate branding to reflect our modern, global, and learner-focused identity.

As the Business Engagement update details in the next section, centres will shortly be able to access the latest branding assets and usage guidelines via the Centre Portal.

We are also pleased to announce the upcoming launch of our new ATHE website in the coming weeks.

The redesigned platform will provide:

• Enhanced accessibility for centres and learners.
• Clearer information on progression routes and qualification frameworks.
• Dedicated sections for centres, students, and university partners.

Please follow our social media channels for the official launch announcement.

Future Development Survey – University Co-Developments

Following valuable centre feedback from the 2025 ATHE Development Survey, we are partnering with several UK universities to co-develop new qualifications that provide seamless progression to degree programmes. These qualifications are designed to strengthen learners’ academic foundations and facilitate smooth transitions into higher education.

The first wave of these co-developed qualifications will launch in 2026.

Engineering – in partnership with University of Staffordshire
ATHE is working with Staffordshire University to develop a Level 3 Foundation Engineering qualification that introduces key topics in mechanical, electrical, and aeronautical engineering. Successful completion will offer guaranteed progression to Staffordshire’s BEng Engineering programmes, including:

• Aeronautical Engineering
• Automotive Engineering
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

This partnership aims to create a strong technical foundation for learners seeking STEM-based higher education and careers.

E-Games – in partnership with University of Staffordshire
ATHE is collaborating with the University of Staffordshire, a leader in digital and gaming studies, to create new qualifications at Levels 3, 4, and 5 linked to:

• BSc Games Design
• BSc Games Development
• BSc Games Programming

This pathway will support learners aspiring to enter the rapidly growing global E-games industry through an academic route that blends creativity, technology, and design.

Psychology – in partnership with Bangor University
ATHE and Bangor University are exploring several progression models to align ATHE qualifications with Bangor’s world-renowned Psychology degree programmes.

Options under consideration:

• Option A: ATHE Level 3 Foundation qualification → guaranteed entry to Bangor’s BSc Psychology (BPS-accredited).
• Option B: ATHE Level 3 & 4 qualifications → direct entry to Year 2 of the BSc Psychology.
• Option C: ATHE Level 4 & 5 qualifications → direct entry to Year 3 of the BA Psychology (non-BPS-accredited, suitable for international learners).

These pathways will ensure global access to one of the UK’s leading psychology schools while maintaining professional alignment with the British Psychological Society (BPS) where applicable.

Climate Change and Sustainability – in partnership with University of Hertfordshire
ATHE is developing new qualifications supporting progression to the BSc Environmental Management and Ecology at the University of Hertfordshire.

Proposed routes include:

• Option A: ATHE Level 4 qualification + 2 years at Hertfordshire University.
• Option B: ATHE Level 4 & 5 qualifications + 1 year at Hertfordshire University.

This partnership reflects ATHE’s growing commitment to sustainability education, empowering learners to engage in global environmental management and climate action.

ATHE Academy – Looking Ahead to 2026

ATHE remains committed to expanding its global network of partners, ensuring that learners have clear, supported, and high-quality progression routes to both higher education and meaningful career development opportunities.

Building on this commitment, ATHE will further enhance its offer through the creation of the ATHE Academy – a dynamic initiative designed to provide centres and learners with a supportive ecosystem of products, resources and services that add tangible value to the delivery of ATHE qualifications.

The ATHE Academy, launching in 2026, will be founded on the core principle of collaboration – working closely with universities, colleges, employers and industry experts to ensure that ATHE qualifications continue to meet global academic and workforce demands. Through this initiative, ATHE aims to further bridge the gap between education and employment, fostering lifelong learning and international progression opportunities.

What the ATHE Academy Will Offer

Within the Academy, centres and students will gain access to a wide range of innovative tools, services and progression resources, including:

• Curated Progression Routes
  Jointly designed programmes with leading universities to guarantee seamless academic progression and ensure global recognition of ATHE awards.
• Enhanced CPD programmes
  Supporting our regulated qualifications to give added value to the delivery and teaching of our qualifications.
• Digital Learning Resources
  Access to high-quality digital support materials, endorsed by ATHE to enhance the delivery and engagement of ATHE qualifications.
• Endorsed Materials
  Supporting teaching and delivery materials underpinning the delivery and assessment of our regulated qualifications.

ATHE Future Development Survey – Key Findings and Next Steps

A sincere thank you to all centres that participated in ATHE’s Future Developments Survey in September. As detailed in our Strategic Partnerships and Projects update above, your feedback continues to play a vital role in shaping our qualification strategy, university partnerships and the services we offer to our network.

The survey invited centres to share views across five key areas: University Progression, Subscription Plans, the ATHE Academy, AI and Assessment, and New Qualification Areas. The response rate was strong, with centres from across the UK and overseas contributing valuable insights.

Key findings:

• University Progression: 89% of respondents were aware of ATHE’s Guaranteed Progression Routes, with several centres suggesting new destinations and subject areas for future exploration.
• Subscription Plans: 74% of respondents are now on an ATHE Subscription Plan, and most centres rated their satisfaction highly. Centres not yet subscribed identified reduced administrative costs and access to premium services as key incentives to join.
• ATHE Academy: There was clear enthusiasm for the upcoming ATHE Academy (planned for 2026). The most valued proposed services were an E-Library of academic resources (88%), ATHE-endorsed teaching materials (79%), and conditional offer letters from partner universities (79%).
• AI and Assessment: Every respondent agreed that introducing more applied and authentic assessment methods would benefit learners. The most supported ideas included scenario-based case studies (81%), tasks based on learner experience (71%), and presentations (62%). Two-thirds also welcomed a shift toward holistic assessment models to support Merit and Distinction achievement.
• New Qualification Areas: There was strong interest across emerging development routes, with the highest levels of engagement for:
  • Strategic Management (81%)
  • E-Games (76%)
  • Engineering (67%)
  • Psychology (71%) (combined options)
  • Climate Change and Sustainability (59%)

Next steps:

As noted in our Strategic Partnerships and Projects update, findings from this survey have directly informed ATHE’s development priorities and our ongoing discussions with partner universities. We’ll continue to update centres as the new qualification projects progress through 2026.

We’re grateful for the time and thought that centres put into this survey – your insights are crucial in ensuring ATHE’s future developments align with both learner needs and market demand.

If you missed out on the Future Developments Survey 2025 and would like to get involved, please contact us at support@athe.co.uk

Centre Engagement Survey – Launching November 2025

Following the Future Developments Survey in September, ATHE will launch the Centre Engagement Survey in November.

This survey is designed to gather feedback on quality, accessibility, outcomes, and progression, giving centres the opportunity to reflect on their overall experience of working with ATHE. Your insights will help us identify where we are performing well and where additional support or improvement is needed.

The survey should take around 10–15 minutes to complete, and we strongly encourage all centres to take part. Your input will directly inform our service planning, communications, and support priorities for 2026.

Together, the Future Developments and Centre Engagement surveys ensure that your voice continues to shape ATHE’s direction – both in the design of new qualifications and in the quality of the experience we deliver.

Learner Engagement – Welcome and Congratulations from ATHE

ATHE is introducing new Learner Welcome and Congratulations Emails, designed to strengthen the connection between learners, their centres, and ATHE as their Awarding Organisation.

From early 2026, learners registered on ATHE qualifications will receive a Welcome Email that introduces ATHE, thanks them for studying our qualifications, outlines key learner support resources, and reinforces the value of their chosen qualification.

On completion, learners will receive a Congratulations Email celebrating their achievement and signposting further study and progression opportunities.

This initiative aims to offer reassurance to learners, visible support to centres, and a stronger sense of belonging to the ATHE community. It also represents an important step towards the launch of the ATHE Academy in 2026, which will further expand learner engagement, resources, and progression tools.

We hope you support this initiative, and we would welcome any thoughts or comments you’d like to share. Please email us at support@athe.co.uk.

Marketing Update – New Branding and Brochure

New Branding Guidelines and Logos

ATHE’s refreshed Branding Guidelines and logos will be launched in November and made available to centres via the Centre Portal. These resources provide updated usage guidance, templates, and logo assets to help ensure a consistent and professional presentation of the ATHE brand across all materials. Centres will be notified once the resources are live, along with supporting notes for use in marketing, learner communications, and promotional content.

New ATHE Brochure 2025-26 – Now Available

We’re pleased to share the launch of ATHE’s new corporate brochure, now available to download from the Centre Portal and the new ATHE website.

The brochure highlights ATHE’s mission, global reach, and progression pathways, featuring an overview of ATHE’s diverse qualification portfolio across Levels 2–7, covering Business and Management, Accounting, Law, Healthcare, Computing and AI, alongside bespoke qualification development services and endorsed programmes.

The brochure also spotlights ATHE’s Guaranteed University Progression routes and collaborations with institutions such as Bangor University, Bloomsbury Institute, De Montfort University, Malta Business School and the University of Staffordshire. Included is a case study of a learner who completed their ATHE Level 4 and 5 qualification with an ATHE recognised centre in South Africa, followed by a top-up Bachelors degree at an ATHE Guaranteed Progression Partner University.

Designed to support centres in recruitment, the brochure provides a clear summary of ATHE’s:

• Quality assurance framework and regulatory credentials
• Expertly designed qualifications aligned with industry and academic progression standards
• Collaborative partnerships that help centres and learners achieve success globally.

Centres are encouraged to share the new brochure with prospective learners, partners, and stakeholders to help communicate ATHE’s global value and progression opportunities.

2026 Fees List – Coming Soon

As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and forward planning, ATHE will publish its 2026 Fees List on the ATHE website and Centre Portal from 1 December 2025. This update is being released in line with our policy of providing at least one month’s notice before any changes take effect.

The new Fees List includes an up-to-date summary of all qualifications and services, along with a number of enhancements and refinements designed to provide greater clarity and simplicity for centres. These updates reflect feedback received throughout the year and form part of our continued drive to make key information more accessible and easy to navigate.

A notification will appear on the ATHE website and Centre Portal in early December once the 2026 Fees List is live.

New qualification launches

Across the Summer months, ATHE has launched several new Core qualifications, which are now available for registrations.

Our fully modernised Level 4 and 5 qualifications in Law were launched in early May with our brand new Level 4 and 5 in Artificial Intelligence following this in July. Finally, our fully revised Level 7 in Computing was recently launch in October, completing a significant year of mainstream ATHE qualification developments.

If you’re not already delivering these qualifications, you can read more about each on the ATHE website. Please contact us (support@athe.co.uk) if you’re not already delivering these qualifications but would like to start delivering them to your learners.

Qualification development areas for 2026

ATHE is continuing to explore new qualification areas in 2025 for further developments in 2026. Some of you may have noticed in our recent Future Developments Survey that we have several potential co-development relationships in place with UK universities to develop qualifications in key areas of interest for ATHE centres, ie Environmental Sustainability, Psychology, Engineering and E-Games Development. We are currently taking further soundings from centres (through focus groups) as to the level and nature of interest with a view to developing Core qualifications in these areas from next year with our university partners.

If you have an interest in any of these areas and would like to get involved as a consultee for this work, then please get in touch with me at simon.r@athe.co.uk

Revised Level 3 Jewish Studies Launch

We continue to take steps towards the launch of the revised Level 3 Jewish Studies qualifications on the 6th May 2026. All Jewish Studies centres have now received full communications from us (in May 25), plus revised qualification materials, about the rollout of the revised qualifications and the withdrawal of the current qualifications.

If you are a member of staff at an active Level 3 Jewish Studies centre and haven’t yet seen our centre communication, then please let Heidi Love know (heidi.l@athe.co.uk) and we will forward you a copy.

ATHE Assessment Strategy Update

ATHE continues to review its assessment approach in light of the growth of artificial intelligence and the need to take steps to ensure the authenticity of learner work. Whilst we currently have strong measures in place around the quality assurance of learner work, we are currently investigating how we can best influence and shape learner behaviour in relation to how learners attempt ATHE assignments.

Following industry consensus, we have designed a ‘Reinforcing Authenticity’ strategy to ensure that going forwards our qualification assessments are built in line with certain design requirements that put a focus on optimising authentic responses from learners. So, for example, we are considering strategies for maximising learner application in assignment tasks, ie requiring learners to demonstrate more frequently not what they know but what they can do with what they know. Also, we are considering requiring learners to more frequently provide more personal responses to tasks which draw on their own experiences. We are also considering the roles of presenting, teamwork and professional discussion as ways in which tutors can be better assured of the learner voice in assessment.

We believe that incorporating more of these elements in assignment tasks will help ensure greater authenticity of learner work and help prevent learners reaching for easy generative AI solutions. Of course, the pace of development of AI will always mean that an illegitimate use of AI is open to learners, but we are hoping that our measures will not only complicate the potential inappropriate uses of AI but will make learners think about how they best undertake assignments.

We sought feedback on our revised approach at our Centre Event during the Summer and we have subsequently sought further feedback on our ideas from centres more directly in our Future Developments Survey. We are aware that such a move, given the shift in emphasis in assignment tasks, may present some issues for learners and centres. The clear indications to date, from centres, are that they are supportive of this move, but that more work needs to be done to agree some of the detail of our proposals and address centre support needs.

Given the significant nature of this project, we would be keen to hear from more of you. If you would like to understand more about our plans in this area, then please get in touch with me at simon.r@athe.co.uk

Qualification specification updates

As a part of our ongoing qualification review work, we have recently reviewed several of our live specifications and corrected a small number of typos and inaccuracies in each of them. It should be stressed that none of these typos/inaccuracies affect the content of the qualifications, so the qualifications have not been amended from the point of view of what you deliver. We have removed the current version of the specification from the ATHE Centre Portal and added the revised version. The list of the revised specifications added to the Centre Portal is included below.

If you deliver one or more of these qualifications, then you should download the revised specification and discard the current version of the specification document that you’re using.

• ATHE Level 3 Business Specification v2.0 190825
• ATHE Level 4 Business & Management Specification v2.0 190825
• ATHE Level 4 Computing Specification v2.0 190825
• ATHE Level 4 Health & Social Care Specification v2.0 190825
• ATHE Level 5 Business & Management v2.0 190825
• ATHE Level 5 Combined Business and Management Specification v2.0 190825
• ATHE Level 6 Management Specification v2.0 190825
• ATHE Level 7 Strategic Management Specification v2.0 190825

Qualification Withdrawals

In this section of the Update, we present a regular round-up of ATHE Core qualification withdrawals. This is an exhaustive list and identifies when a qualification under withdrawal still has either/both an outstanding Last Registration date and/or Last Certification date.

Please note:

• Where a date has passed and, hence, is no longer applicable, we have indicated this in bold italics.
• Where a qualification’s last registration date and its last certification date have now passed, then we will show this in the Update on the occasion that it first occurs. For subsequent updates, we will remove this qualification from the table as it is now fully withdrawn.

Just to be clear:

The Last Registration Date is a date after which ATHE will not permit the registration of learners on ATHE qualifications. Centres should take care to have registered learners on their qualifications by this date; centres with learners on a learning programme who have not been registered for their ATHE qualification by this date will not be permitted to register learners after this date.

The Last Certification Date is an end date for ATHE to certificate learners. It is not an end date for centres to submit learner work to ATHE for moderation. Centres must submit learner work to ATHE at least 8 weeks prior to this certification end date in order for learners to be certificated in good time by ATHE.

The current list of ATHE Core qualifications being withdrawn is as follows:

Withdrawn Qualification	Last Registration Date	Last Certification Date
ATHE Level 5 Certificate in Research Management (UK Research Organisations) (601/4366/6)	15th June 2022	1st May 2025
ATHE Level 3 Diploma in Business and Management (601/8701/3)	31st August 2023	31st December 2025
ATHE Level 4 Diploma in Business and Management (603/3345/5)	29th December 2023	30th April 2025
ATHE Level 4 Extended Diploma in Business and Management (603/3339/X)	29th December 2023	30th April 2026
ATHE Level 4 Extended Diploma in Business and Management (Gen. Ed.) (603/3339/X)	29th December 2023	30th April 2026
ATHE Level 5 Diploma in Business and Management (603/3349/2)	29th December 2023	30th April 2025
ATHE Level 5 Extended Diploma in Business and Management (603/3340/6)	29th December 2023	30th April 2026
ATHE Level 5 Extended Diploma in Business and Management (Gen. Ed.) (603/3340/6)	29th December 2023	30th April 2026
ATHE Level 6 Diploma in Management (603/0627/0)	29th December 2023	30th April 2025
ATHE Level 6 Extended Diploma in Management (603/0628/2)	29th December 2023	30th April 2026
ATHE Level 6 Extended Diploma in Management (Gen. Ed.) (603/0628/2)	29th December 2023	30th April 2026
ATHE Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management (603/0629/4)	29th December 2023	30th April 2025
ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Strategic Management (603/0630/0)	29th December 2023	30th April 2026
ATHE Level 4 Diploma in Computing (601/4740/4)	31st August 2024	31st December 2025
ATHE Level 4 Certificate in Management for Health and Social Care (600/4431/7)	31st August 2024	31st August 2025
ATHE Level 4 Diploma in Management for Health and Social Care (600/4436/6)	31st August 2024	31st December 2025
ATHE Level 4 Extended Diploma in Management for Health and Social Care (600/4435/4)	31st August 2024	31st December 2026
ATHE Level 5 Diploma in Computing (601/4880/9)	31st March 2025	31st July 2026
ATHE Level 5 Certificate in Management for Health and Social Care (600/4432/9)	31st March 2025	31st March 2026
ATHE Level 5 Diploma in Management for Health and Social Care (600/4433/0)	31st March 2025	31st July 2026
ATHE Level 5 Extended Diploma in Management for Health and Social Care (600/4434/2)	31st March 2025	31st July 2027
ATHE Level 4 Diploma in Accounting (603/4850/1)	31st March 2025	31st July 2026
ATHE Level 4 Extended Diploma in Accounting (603/4851/3)	31st March 2025	31st July 2027
ATHE Level 5 Diploma in Accounting (603/4840/9)	31st March 2025	31st July 2026
ATHE Level 5 Extended Diploma in Accounting (603/4848/3)	31st March 2025	31st July 2027
ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Accounting and Finance (603/5422/7)	31st March 2025	31st July 2027
ATHE Level 4 Extended Diploma in Law (603/4890/2)	31st August 2026	31st December 2028
ATHE Level 5 Extended Diploma in Law (603/4891/4)	31st August 2026	31st December 2028
ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing Technologies (General Route) (603/7702/1)	30th November 2026	31st March 2029
ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing Technologies (Software Engineering) (603/7704/5)	30th November 2026	31st March 2029
ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing Technologies (Application Development) (603/7705/7)	30th November 2026	31st March 2029
ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing Technologies (Data Analytics) (603/7706/9)	30th November 2026	31st March 2029
ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing Technologies (Networking) (603/7707/0)	30th November 2026	31st March 2029
ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing Technologies (Artificial Intelligence) (603/7709/4)	30th November 2026	31st March 2029

Assessment Feedback

As part of an ongoing effort to ensure that our assessments are current, accessible to all learners and issue-free, we would urge centres that have experienced any issues with ATHE assessments to get in touch with any queries that they might have (simon.r@athe.co.uk).

Bespoke Qualifications and Programme Endorsements

Since our last Centre Update, we’ve approved endorsed programmes in a diverse range of areas such as Domestic Violence in Law, the Fundamentals of Recognising and Responding to Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control, Warehouse Inventory and Management and Gem Identification. We also have a wide range of bespoke qualification projects underway with clients and have recently completed new bespoke qualifications in Embodied AI Technologies and Islamic Studies.

Our internal expertise and links to a network of Development Associates across a range of subject and sector areas means that we are well-placed to assist you with your specific delivery and assessment needs.

Please contact support@athe.co.uk if you have a qualification idea or an in-house programme that you think we could help you develop or endorse.

Total Qualification Time (TQT) – strengthened controls

Total Qualification Time (TQT) is the total amount of time, in hours, expected to be spent by a learner to achieve a qualification. This was introduced by Ofqual to ensure that awarding organisations take a consistent approach to describing the size of regulated qualifications.

It is a Centre’s responsibility to ensure that a learner is granted sufficient TQT to enable them to complete their qualification at the standards required. ATHE has a regulatory responsibility to monitor this, and you may have noticed that strengthened controls have been put into place regarding this. Upon registering learners onto ATHE qualifications via the portal there is now an additional control in place to ensure that the dates submitted for the start and end dates of study allow the learners sufficient TQT to complete their qualification, to ensure that they are not disadvantaged. If sufficient TQT is not evident from the dates being submitted, then the learner registration is not possible until these are amended accordingly.

Additionally, once centres submit learner results for moderation, if sufficient TQT has not been provided to the learner then the results will not move forward to be allocated to an EQA for moderation, until we have been assured by the centre that sufficient TQT has been provided and how this may be the case. It is acknowledged that TQT is designed to be flexible and may differ for various reasons such as learners having prior knowledge etc, but we do also have a responsibility to safeguard the integrity of our qualifications by not allowing centres to put their learners through qualifications in an unreasonably short time.

As a reminder, TQT is comprised of:

• Guided Learning Hours (GLH) – this is the amount of time the average student is expected to spend in lectures and other tutor-supervised learning and activities, including induction, face to face training, e-learning with the co-presence of learner and tutor. GLH are intended to provide guidance for centres on the amount of time required to deliver the programme and support learners.
• Additional non-supervised learning – this is an estimate of the number of hours a learner will reasonably be likely to spend in preparation, study or any other form of participation in education or training, including assessment, which takes place as directed by – but, unlike Guided Learning, not under the Immediate Guidance or Supervision of – a lecturer, supervisor, tutor or other appropriate provider of education or training. These activities may include webinars, podcasts, research, work-based learning, private and online study, compilation of a portfolio of evidence and non-invigilated assessment.

Total Qualification Time, Guided Learning Hours and Credit values, are calculated by considering the different activities that a learner would typically complete in order to achieve the learning outcomes of a qualification at the standards provided. The needs of individual learners and the differing teaching styles used mean there will be variation in the actual time taken to complete a qualification and it is accepted that these are estimates.

Ofqual Directive: Timely Results Issuing and Data Collection

As previously notified, our regulator Ofqual announced that they would be continuing with their arrangements in the academic year (2024/25) to ensure the timely delivery of Level 3 VTQ results used for progression to Further or Higher Education in Autumn 2025. For ATHE this meant that all our Level 3 qualifications were in scope and involved us continuing with the procedure we had put in place in the previous academic year to ensure we could comply with these requirements. We are pleased to update that we issued results to all learners requiring them for progression by the stated deadlines of the regulator. Our thanks to all the Centres who supported the successful completion of this process.

As Ofqual will be continuing with these arrangements in future years, we will be continuing with this process. We will be contacting all centres delivering ATHE Level 3 Diplomas in December to ask them to review and confirm the details of their Senior Designated Contact (SDC), who has the authority to access information and progress decisions swiftly, with whom we will communicate and liaise with regarding the processes required to be completed by Ofqual. Early in 2026 we will then send details to centre’s SDCs of all learners registered with ATHE on a Level 3 qualification which is in scope. This data should then be reviewed to indicate which learners could expect to receive a result on results day (31st July) to enable their progression to Further or Higher Education in September/October 2026.

Please note that ATHE are required to submit this data to Ofqual. Failure to respond to ATHE’s information requests or missing our deadlines for submitting information constitutes maladministration, so it is imperative that the above processes are adhered to in order to ensure the timely and safe certification of learners.

As is the current process, where results that learners are relying upon for progression to Further or Higher Education are required, centres should submit these results to ATHE for external moderation no later than the 31st May. This will ensure sufficient time to complete the external moderation ahead of application deadlines.

International centres

Although the Ofqual Timely Results directive only applies to UK based centres, some of our internationally based centres have introduced approaches based on these principles. This supports the process of progression for their learners. ATHE do have an established process of requiring centres to submit their learners’ results for moderation eight weeks before their results are required. Embedding this into a centre’s processes, working backwards from this timescale to set learner work submission dates, assessment and IQA timescales helps form a framework for centres to work within. This ensures learners receive their results in a timely manner, which is especially important if they are progressing into further study.

Training and Verification for Centres – a reminder of our offer

As announced this year, in order to support our centres, especially those who are new, we introduced a one-off customised training session regarding the delivery, assessment and IQA of our qualifications. This is in addition to the training videos available on the portal, and a one-off verification free of charge for new centres, with initial feedback evidencing that these have been well-received and very helpful.

Whilst the training follows a set format for consistency, it can also be flexible to cover the individual centre’s needs, areas of support required and at a timing to suit the centre. This complimentary training session is recommended but not compulsory and is seen as an alternative to the training videos available on the portal. The training is usually delivered by one of our Standards Managers online and is typically between 1 – 2 hours duration, depending upon the level of support required by the centre. This training is also available for existing centres as a refresher training session or for any new staff, for a fee of £150.

The one-off complimentary verification we are offering to new centres is designed to provide a formative support and guidance on assessment mid-study, ahead of the summative feedback at external moderation. Here again, this service is available for existing centres if they feel this would be helpful, for a fee of £150. For further details of either our training and/or verifications services please contact us at support@ahe.co.uk.

Qualification Support Materials

As part of our continuous portal development, we are pleased to inform you that we have developed a new smart document management system, making it much easier for you to access all the essential materials for your qualifications. The new library provides a central, easy-to-navigate hub for all key documents. We’ve introduced a powerful and intuitive filtering system, allowing you to instantly find exactly what you need by searching by qualification, unit, or document type. This means less time searching and more time supporting your learners.

You will also find that documentation is now more consistent across the board: when a unit is shared between multiple qualifications, the relevant documents will now be available for all of them. Furthermore, to help you access your most-used files even faster, we have added a new ‘Favourites’ feature. You can now mark any document – such as a key policy, form, or specification – as a favourite. This will add it to your personal, easy-to-access list for immediate one-click access in the future.

Smart Registrations

We have also made an overhaul of the learner registration facility, which includes smart validation of your learner’s registration information before it’s submitted. Each field entered has several checks conducted to ensure that you only have to submit your registrations once, mitigating any potential follow-ups. Invalid fields such as missing emails, dates of birth mixed up with the start dates are clearly highlighted allowing you to make any corrections necessary there and then. You still have the option to submit individual learners or bulk upload using the CSV template but now it’s all from the same place.

Digital Certification

We are excited to announce a significant upgrade to our certification system with the launch of the Digital Achievements for Learners. This new platform modernises how learners receive, manage, and share their qualifications and endorsements, providing them with secure, verifiable, and portable digital credentials.

How the System Works

The new portal is designed to be user-friendly and learner-centric.

• Flexible Registration: Learners can create their account on the ATHE Portal at any time – before, during, or after you have registered them on a qualification or endorsement.
• Centralised Dashboard: Once registered, a learner’s dashboard will display all their ATHE registrations. If they have no current registrations, the portal will guide them to the ‘Find a Centre’ facility.
• Claiming Digital Achievements: For each successfully completed qualification or endorsement, learners can claim a digital certificate and a digital badge.
  • Endorsements can be claimed as soon as the learner’s registration fee is paid.
  • Qualification certificates can be claimed as soon as they have been officially published by our office.
• Effortless Sharing: Learners receive a unique, shareable link for each achievement. They can provide this link to employers, universities, or other third parties for instant verification. When posted on social media platforms like LinkedIn, the link will generate a visually appealing badge showcasing their achievement.

Uncompromising Security and Verification

The core of this new system is a robust security framework that makes ATHE digital credentials exceptionally secure and trustworthy, eliminating the risk of fraud or falsification.

1. Unique Digital Fingerprint
   Each digital certificate is secured with a cryptographic hash. This process converts the unique details of the achievement (learner name, qualification, date, etc.) into a unique code, or a ‘digital fingerprint’.
   • Tamper-Proof: Any alteration, no matter how small, to the certificate’s data will change its digital fingerprint, immediately invalidating the credential.
   • Instantly Verifiable: When a third party views the certificate via its unique link, our system re-calculates the fingerprint in real-time. If it matches the original, the certificate is verified as authentic.
2. The Single Source of Truth
   Unlike a paper or PDF certificate that can be forged or edited, our digital credentials exist as a secure and authoritative record on ATHE’s servers. The shared link always points directly to this ‘single source of truth’.

This provides employers, higher education institutions and other organisations with absolute confidence in the authenticity of the credential they are viewing.

The self-claiming of achievements is a switch within the new digital achievements’ dashboard. This can be switched on at any time to enable fully automatic confirmation of registration and issuing of certificates to your learners. Alternatively, you can manage the claiming process yourselves and issue the certificates either individually or in bulk from the dashboard.

We will keep you updated with launch details.

As many of you will know, our Customer Service colleague Mollie Gallon went on maternity leave in September. We’re delighted to share that Mollie welcomed her daughter Avery May into the world in early October, and both are doing very well. Mollie plans to begin a phased return to her role at the beginning of January.

We were equally pleased to welcome Tillie Patten into our Customer Service team, both as our latest graduate intern and also to cover Mollie’s absence supporting our centres in Quality & Assessment. Like Mollie, Tillie’s degree studies and work experience in hospitality make her a well-suited and very welcome addition to our team.

And while we continue to welcome new members to our wider associate team, we particularly want to recognise the sterling service of our longstanding EQAs Richard Wingate and Ruth Sharp, who both took well-earned retirement this year. We wish them both a relaxing and enjoyable time ahead.