With our quality assurance process for all BTEC higher-level programmes we can be sure our centres are meeting national standards.  

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Our enhanced quality assurance (QA) processes are in place for all Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications. The enhanced processes embed specific higher education expectations alongside Pearson’s QA expectations for its other BTEC qualifications. This enables us to work with approved centres to ensure that our qualifications are delivered to the required, UK Higher Education, national standards. 

Pearson’s QA expectations
Approval and Re-Approval for Pearson Higher Technical Qualifications in England

Higher Technical Qualifications offered by Pearson are subject to the same approvals and re-approvals process as BTEC Higher National Qualifications. Pearson will work with you to make sure this process is as smooth as possible.

> Find out more about Higher Technical Qualifications 

New centres: Providers who do not currently deliver any BTEC Higher National Qualifications will need to apply for centre approval. You can do this by filling out the below form, and somebody will be in touch to assist you.

Express your interest

Existing centres with new programme approval: Providers who have received centre approval to deliver BTEC Higher National qualifications will be subject to a qualification approval process, more aligned with that used in UK higher education. See below document for more information.

Re-Approval: Providers who are already delivering BTEC Higher National Qualifications that have been awarded Higher Technical Qualification status will need to apply for re-approval for the re-validated qualification.

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If you have any questions about this process, please email hnqa@pearson.com

Centre approval and BTEC Higher National qualification approval

Any provider wishing to deliver BTEC Higher National qualifications will need to become a Pearson approved centre.

Approval to deliver BTEC Higher National qualifications

Having received centre approval, providers wishing to deliver BTEC Higher National qualifications will be subject to a qualification approval process, more aligned with that used in UK higher education. 
Re-approval to deliver Higher Nationals

Pearson approved centres may need to apply for re-approval to continue to deliver our BTEC Higher National qualifications due to re-validation of the qualifications, undertaken approximately every five years.  

We will contact centres individually about this process, which will involve the head of each centre signing the declaration form below. If you need any further advice and guidance about this process please contact us via email at hnqa@pearson.com. 

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Regular monitoring of assessment standards and External Examination

Once your centre has been approved to deliver BTEC programmes, we’ll work with you to ensure the approval criteria continue to be applied consistently and that your internal verification of assignments and assessments meets the expectations of a UK higher education programme. 

We will appoint External Examiners (EEs) and give all centres the opportunity to present evidence that their internal processes to verify their standards continue to be suitable and are being used to ensure that the right standards in assessment are being applied. 

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Annual Programme Monitoring Review (APMR)

The Annual Programme Monitoring Review is a written annual review form that provides an opportunity for providers to analyse and reflect on the previous teaching year. Providers who are Pearson approved centres are required to engage with the APMR on an annual basis by completing the online form and submitting it to us. 

By working in collaboration with providers, the information can be used by Pearson to further enhance the quality assurance of the Pearson BTEC Higher National programmes, by sharing good practice, identifying problems and supporting providers. 

Further guidance, information and access to the online APMR form can be found on HN Global. You can also download the offline version below.

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Annual Student Survey

As part of our commitment to gather feedback and continually improve the Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications, we have a worldwide annual student survey for all Higher National students, conducted by an independent third-party company. 

The survey has been designed to provide valuable and quantifiable feedback on Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals to: 

  • Inform the future design of the qualifications.
  • Support the development of resources for BTEC Higher National students globally. 
  • Provide centres with custom reports to assist with teaching and support.

To ensure students are free to give honest feedback, Higher Education providers will only see anonymised responses.

As part of our responsibilities as the awarding organisation for Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals and to align with the expectations of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Quality Code regarding student experience, the results from the survey will provide us with data to better inform the future of our Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications and ensure that they provide students with the intended learning and skills.

Pearson has a responsibility to consider and act on information received. We will seek to address what may be common issues, and where necessary we'll provide appropriate support to both students and our providers. 

Further information, dates, promotional toolkits, and access to the online survey can be found on HN Global.

Registration Threshold Monitoring

Registration Threshold Monitoring is a vital part of enhanced QA, supporting the effective delivery of Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals and Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs). It’s all about making sure our centres recruit with integrity. 

Pearson monitors registration figures against those agreed at the time of approval for each qualification. We keep a close eye on thresholds and watch for any significant breaches. All sub-sites and collaborative partner sites are included within the agreed registration capacity, and the lead centre is responsible for managing this. 

If a provider breaches their registration threshold, Pearson will assess the severity. A minor infraction is defined as a breach under 10% above the agreed threshold. Even though this is considered minor, it must still be reported and will be monitored. If a provider significantly breaches their registration threshold (over 10%), we’ll get in touch to advise that there’s a risk of registration suspension. Providers can request an increase to their maximum number of registrations, but no further registrations will be allowed until Pearson confirms that the increase has been approved. 

Thresholds are set based on the resources available to deliver RQF Higher Nationals and HTQs. When agreeing on a threshold, we consider a provider’s previous registration history and quality profile. 

Pearson reserves the right not to approve a registration increase request if the provider cannot show they can manage the change effectively while maintaining the quality of the student experience. You can submit a Higher Nationals Registration Increase Request to our team via our form. If you need any further advice and guidance about this process, please contact us at hnqa@pearson.com. 

Further guidance and support

In the UK we have a dedicated Vocational Quality Assurance team who can help with quality questions and provide dedicated support for Quality Nominees. 

Centres based outside of the UK can get in touch with our International Centre Management team who can answer any questions relating to approval, registration and certification. You can contact them via:  internationaleo@pearson.com 

We also have a dedicated team who can help answer questions about assessment and progression of students and who are responsible for the External Examiners. They can be contacted via:  hnqa@pearson.com

For all other queries, and support with the HN Student Survey, APMR or re-approval of your qualifications, please get in touch with our Higher National Quality Assurance team:  hnqa@pearson.com

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