ABC Awards Customer Service Statement
ABC Awards’ Customer Service Statement sets out the targets we have set ourselves. We strive to provide a prompt, high quality service to enable you, in turn, to meet the needs of your learners. We aim to provide the following services:
1 Registration Fees
ABC Awards endeavours to offer its centres value for money and reflects this in its fee structure. Customers are advised that ABC Awards’ candidate registration fees cover the following:
- the registration of learners
- one external moderation visit and / or one or more postal moderations per year
- the processing of results and issue of certificates
- advice and guidance from experienced staff
- future development of the qualification.
ABC Awards aims to publish its fees on the ABC Awards web site at www.abcawards.co.uk/fees.php in February for the following academic year. These and other fees can also be found in the ABC Awards Examination Officers Guide issued to all centres once approved and available from any ABC Awards Office.
2 Policy on the use of English, Welsh and Irish languages
ABC Awards endeavours to use plain language that is free from bias and appropriate to the qualification and may offer communication in other languages when requested and if reasonable to do so.
ABC Awards undertakes to use the English and/or Welsh and/or Irish (Gaeilge) languages as appropriate so that:
- qualification specifications and assessment materials for use in England are expressed in English;
- qualification specifications and assessment materials for use in Wales are expressed in Welsh, in English, or in Welsh and English;
- qualification specifications and assessment materials for use in Northern Ireland are expressed in English, or in English and Irish (Gaeilge).
Where more than one of the above languages is used, ABC Awards will ensure that:
- assessments carried out in the different languages are comparable;
- the moderation or verification of assessment carried out in the different languages is comparable.
In addition ABC Awards will endeavour to:
a) provide Welsh or Irish speaking moderators or verifiers on receipt of candidate registrations when requested.
Where it is not feasible to provide the language speakers indicated above, ABC Awards may provide a translator to work alongside its English speaking moderators/verifiers or may accept independent assessment of the work. For information on the availability of assessment materials in Welsh or Irish and/or the provision of a Welsh or Irish speaking moderator/verifier, customers should contact any of the ABC Awards offices.
3 Certificates
ABC Awards aims to despatch certificates or letters of recognition within 30 working days from receipt of results.
4 Reports
ABC Awards aims to provide centres with an annual written report by the end of September.
5 Enquiries and Appeals
Customers wishing to view ABC Awards’ policy on Enquiries and Appeals can do so at (www.abcawards.co.uk/policies.php), or in the ABC'S Examination Officers Guide available in centres in the Examination Office, or may request a copy from any ABC Awards office.
6 Malpractice
Customers wishing to view ABC Awards’ policy on Malpractice can do so at (www.abcawards.co.uk/policies.php), or in the ABC'S Examination Officers Guide available in centres in the Examination Office or request a copy from any ABC Awards office.
7 Complaints
Complaints must be made in writing by letter or email or on an ABC Awards complaints form (CF1). Customers wishing to view ABC Awards’ Complaints Procedure can do so at (www.abcawards.co.uk/policies.php) or the form at (www.abcawards.co.uk/forms.php), or in the ABC'S Examination Officers Guide available in centres in the Examination Office, or request a copy from any ABC Awards office.
ABC Awards aims to:
- acknowledge any complaint within 5 working days of receipt
- inform customers of progress and / or action to be taken within a further 10 working days
8 Customer Feedback
All centres and candidates are invited to comment on any of ABC Awards’ services by contacting any of the offices. Centres are provided with regular opportunities to comment through the annual survey. Candidates also have the opportunity to contribute to this survey during external moderation visits.
