Curriculum
The Board teaches to the national curriculum. Each course carries the curriculum document itself, published as it was issued.
The Board follows the national curriculum
The Board does not write its own syllabus. Every course it examines is taught and assessed against the nationally approved curriculum for that qualification, and the document published against each course is that curriculum — served as issued, not summarised, not retyped.
A curriculum retyped is a curriculum that drifts. An institute teaching from a paraphrase would be preparing candidates for a standard that no longer matches the one they are assessed against.
How a national qualification is developed
A qualification reaches the catalogue through a defined national process. The Board offers qualifications from that catalogue; it does not create them.
- 1
Labour market demand analysis
Occupational information and employment trends, at home and overseas, establish that the qualification is needed.
- 2
Intent submitted and approved
The intent to develop the qualification is submitted on the strength of that demand, and approved.
- 3
Qualification development committee
A committee is constituted to a set composition and terms of reference, and formally notified.
- 4
Competency standards developed
An occupational analysis is carried out and the competency standards are written from it.
- 5
Assessment and evidence guides
The guides that say how each competency is assessed, and what counts as evidence, are developed alongside.
- 6
Approved, notified and registered
The standards and guides are approved and notified, and the qualification is registered on the national framework.
Finding the curriculum for a course
Every course list carries a Curriculum button where the document has been published. Search for the trade, check the level and job role, then download the curriculum for that exact code.
Where a course shows no button
The Board has not published that curriculum yet. It is added as soon as the document is issued to the Board — no course is left without one on purpose.