Security update - March 2025

Door Supervisor Top Up and Security Officer Top Up qualifications no longer live for registrations

The Door Supervisor (Top Up) and Security Officer (Top Up) qualifications expired for registrations on 31st January 2025.  Learners registered before this date who wish to renew their licence using the Top Up qualification must be certificated by 31st March 2025.

The Door Supervisor (Refresher) and Security Officer (Refresher) qualifications are live and will be mandatory for all licence renewals from 1st April 2025.

Please make sure learners take the correct tests for the qualification they are registered on.  Learners registered on the Refresher qualification cannot use the tests for the Top Up qualification.  If learners take the Top Up tests their entries will not be marked and they will be required to take the correct Refresher tests.

Top Up tests will be removed from the website on 1st April 2025.  Any Top Up tests taken after this date will be reviewed and your centre will be referred to the Centre Quality Management team.

Onscreen tests

A reminder that all Security tests are available to sit onscreen as well as paperbased.

Advantages of onscreen tests:

• You do not need to have a separate secure room accessible only by examination staff
• You do not have to purchase and install a safe that meets JCQ secure storage requirements
• No printing or postage costs for tests
• Easy online test booking process
• No scanning and storing of completed answer sheets
• Alternative sites do not need to be within 90 minutes of your main approved site
• Tests can be sat online or offline
• Test results available on EOL more quickly than for paperbased tests
• Where a group of learners is sitting a test at the same time, they will be issued different versions of the test, thereby reducing opportunities for malpractice and increasing confidence in test results
• Learners who are unsuccessful will be eligible to take the test again the next day (5 working day test notification requirement still applies)

If you would like to have approval for the onscreen version of any Security qualifications that you are currently approved for you can contact us and we can sort this for you.

Contact us

For more information on how to run on-screen tests on our Pearson Onscreen Platform (POP) please see our website.

Learn more about Pearson Onscreen Platform

Please note, centres running paperbased tests otherwise than in accordance with the Security Centre Management Handbook and/or JCQ requirements may have their approval for paperbased qualifications removed and only be permitted to run onscreen tests.

Centre details to the SIA

A reminder to complete our form if you want your centre details to appear on the SIA Search for a Training Provider webpage.

Complete the Security Centre Details form

First Aid Requirements

A reminder that from 1st October 2024 if you combine first aid training and SIA licence-linked training into one training package you must now include training on how to respond to life-threatening bleeding and how to keep airways open. This applies to all first time, Refresher and any remaining Top Up Door Supervisor and Security Officer courses.
The full SIA requirements for first aid training can be found on their website.

View the full SIA requirements

Amends to learner details after certification

Learner details (including name and date of birth) used at registration must match the learner's Group A documentation and those used for their SIA licence application.  If the full name and/or date of birth do not match, their licence application will not be processed. Please ensure you check these details carefully when you are registering learners.
Once a learner has been certificated, if a change is required to their personal details, the original certificate MUST be returned to us before we will process any amendments.

Please note, we expect learner details to be accurately entered into EOL.  Centres making frequent requests for changes to learner details may be referred for maladministration and/or malpractice.

Cancelling Visits

A reminder that if you need to cancel an SV visit or an additional site approval visit, please contact the SV / Approval Officer as soon as possible to rearrange the visit.

If an SV / Approval Officer arrives at your centre and is unable to complete the visit because there is no member of centre staff present, and no attempt has been made to cancel/rearrange the visit, you may be charged a fee for the unsuccessful visit.

Test Inspections

A reminder that:

• The test notification form must be completed for all Security tests
• The dates and times on the test notification form must be accurate
• You must notify us if you need to cancel or change the date/time of any booked tests by emailing VQtestinspections@pearson.com

If a test inspector arrives at your centre but is not able to carry out an inspection because there has been a change to the test timings, action may be taken against your centre e.g. you may be charged a fee for the unsuccessful visit and/or referred for maladministration and/or malpractice.