Latest News

Written by Abigail Black, Business Development Account Manager Over the past few months, I’ve been spending more time meeting with our existing providers to discuss curriculum development and future opportunities.  It’s been great to get out and see first-hand the qualifications they’re currently delivering, understand their priorities, and explore where there may be opportunities for growth. Every conversation is different, […]

Today we have received the news from the Department for Education that the proposed withdrawal of funding for Access to HE learners aged 16-19 has been reviewed, and that funding for learners aged 18 and above will now be maintained. DfE notes that “Access to HE Diplomas are an important pathway designed to support adults […]

Written by Nina Hinton, Director of Business and Development Last week, I attended the Festival of Education on behalf of Open Awards to hear from education leaders, researchers, teachers and policymakers discussing the future of education. Across two days, one thing became clear: education isn’t experiencing a single reform, it is navigating several at once. […]

Written by Nina Hinton, Director of Business and Development  Open Awards Trustees, Committee Members and colleagues came together on 18 June for the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), taking the opportunity to reflect on a successful year and look ahead to the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of education and skills. Chair Harm van Zalinge […]

During today’s AGM, we were proud to welcome new trustees to our board: Vicki Stott and Jasmin Lewis-Keedwell. Vicki Stott Vicki is a higher education quality, strategy, governance and planning specialist with extensive senior leadership experience in UK institutions, most recently as Chief Executive of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in the UK, […]

Written by Vicky McClymont, Access to HE Development Manager at Open Awards   Each year, UCAS undergraduate application data offers valuable insight into who is progressing to higher education and how. For the Access to HE Diploma, the 2024 cycle reinforced what the sector already recognises: the Access to HE qualification continues to play a […]

Written by Paul Henderson-Griffiths, Director of Service Delivery  As Open Awards customers (schools, colleges, and training providers) you rightly expect awarding organisations to understand the realities you face every day. In my role as Director of Service Delivery, I see it as essential that our decisions are shaped not just by policy and regulation, but by genuine insight into […]

Written by Kay Taylor, EQA for FSQ (English and Maths)  Each year, National Numeracy Day shines a spotlight on the importance of numbers in everyday life, and this year’s theme is “Count on Your Community”. This highlights a powerful idea: improving numeracy isn’t something you have to do alone.   Communities (whether families, workplaces, classrooms, or local groups) play a crucial role in […]

During Mental Health Awareness Week, it’s worth recognising the people who keep services running day to day and this includes Pharmacy Technicians.  Having worked as a Pharmacy Technician for just short of 30 years, I’ve seen just how much the role has changed. In the past, the focus was mostly on dispensing medicines. While that remains important, the role today is so much more.  In hospitals, Pharmacy Technicians now support […]

Written by Maria Karsa, Quality and Standards Advisor The moment we’ve all been working towards is almost here. Learners completing their Access to Higher Education Diplomas are preparing to take their next step into higher education, and your role in that journey has never been more important.  At the centre of this exciting milestone is the Final Awards Board (FAB). When everything runs smoothly, […]