Frequently Answered Questions (FAQ)

Complete the application form on the how to become a centre page.

When your application is received at ABBE it will be reviewed and an evaluation visit will be arranged to approve your centre.

We can provide ongoing support to complete the application form by telephone, email or through an advisory visit to your premises.

Once you become an ABBE Approved Centre you will have access to:

• Subject specialist External Quality Assurers
• Qualification specific documentation
• Online Learner registration and examination systems (if applicable)

If you wish to discuss your individual requirements and find out more about our approval process and the qualifications we offer, please contact us at abbeenquiries@bcu.ac.uk

If your Centre is not currently approved to deliver a specific qualification, you can apply for it using the Additional Qualification Application Form, this can be download from the centre area on the website.

Where assessments are externally assessed, centres must apply to ABBE to request a reasonable adjustment. Appropriate evidence must be submitted in support of a reasonable adjustment request. This may include medical evidence, a statement from an employer confirming the learner’s usual way of working or any other appropriate information. Please ABBE’s Reasonable Adjustment Policy on the Useful Information page.

Where the centre has made reasonable adjustments in relation to internal assessments, the Head of Centre (or designated nominee) must ensure that the adjustment implemented is based on firm evidence of a barrier to assessment and is in line with the guidance in the centre’s reasonable adjustment policy. Failure to do so may result in action related to malpractice which could ultimately lead to the recall of certificates, removal of qualification approval or removal of centre approval.

Your results will be processed and released to your training centre upon completion. We will process results within 5 working days, however, it may take a little longer if we have any queries we need to discuss with your training centre.

In the first instance, please speak to your training centre, it may be there has been a problem with the processing or delivery of your exam results, your centre can contact us and discuss this further.

Firstly, check the FAQs on PearsonVue, you can also visit your exam program’s homepage to find answers to FAQs about your exam. If you still have questions, you can find the contact details for your dedicated customer service team on this homepage.

If you are impacted by a test centre closure, you will receive an email with information on how to reschedule your exam.

Please inform the test administrator at Pearson Vue as soon as the issue occurs. A case will be filed, with most cases investigated and resolved within 3-5 business days.

Visit your exam program’s homepage, click “Create account” and complete the required fields. Once you’ve created an account, you’ll be able to schedule your exam. Or, use the PV Online Examination System User Guide for ABBE centres and learners document.

Visit your exam program’s homepage and sign in. Click “My Profile” under the My Account menu. You will see the Edit option to the right of any fields you can update.

If you are unable to update a field, please contact the customer service team listed on your exam program’s homepage for help.

Visit your exam program’s homepage and sign in to select the exam you’d like to schedule. You can select up to three test centres to compare appointment availability.

Visit your exam program’s homepage and sign in. Select the exam you’d like to reschedule or cancel from Upcoming Appointments. You will receive an email confirming any changes to your appointment. Don’t forget to click Confirm Reschedule on the final screen to ensure your changes have been saved.  It’s always a good idea to refer to your original appointment confirmation email to see whether there are any fees or deadlines for rescheduling or cancelling your exam.

On the payment screen, you will see the option to enter your code. If you’re booking your exam over the phone, please tell the agent that you have a voucher to use.

Firstly, visit the OnVUE page for your exam program. Once there, navigate to the FAQs section of the page, where you’ll find helpful information on everything from scheduling your exam to system requirements, testing policies, and more.

When you arrive for your exam appointment, before being permitted to enter the exam room, you will be required to confirm your identity by presenting two forms of accepted ID – a Primary ID and a Secondary ID. All ID must be current and valid (not expired). If you arrive for your exam without the required IDs you will not be permitted to sit the exam and you will have book (and pay for) a new appointment.
Primary ID:
Must be current, valid and contain your photograph and signature. *
Examples of accepted Primary ID:
• A currently valid signed passport of any country
• A currently valid signed government issued photo driving licence (full or provisional)
• Note: Only if issued in the country in which the candidate’s exam is being delivered.
• Employee ID or work badge
• Military ID
• School ID
• Government issued ID card
Note: Only if issued in the country in which the candidate’s exam is being delivered. The ID must contain a photograph and signature. The Irish passport card from July 2016 would qualify.

*Primary ID without a signature: Some government issued ID such as a passport, driver’s licence, military ID or state/country card may be a biometric type and/or may not contain a signature. In these cases Primary ID will be accepted without a signature on condition that you also present a Secondary ID which does contain your signature (e.g., bank, credit or debit card).

You can’t use the following for your exam:

• Mobile Phones
• iPads/Tablets
• Computers set in ‘S’ Mode
• Computers using more than one monitor
• Chromebooks/Notebooks/Thinkpads/Vivobooks/Surface Pro’s etc.
  • These types of computers tend to look like a typical laptop

We also recommend that you don’t use a work computer, as they tend to have firewalls and other security policies that may block video streaming during the exam.

If you are unsure whether your device is compatible, check the Device Specification List. You should also carry out a system test prior to your exam day – see section on “How can I check whether my computer will work with the EDExams software?”

Prior to exam day make sure your computer will work with the EDExams software. Click the link here https://edexams.com/candidate-software to:

1. Check the system requirements
2. Download the EDExams software
3. Carry out a system test. Open the EDExams App and click on the green “Check Status” button

On exam day and before your exam begins:

1. Run another system test

If you experience any issues during your system checks, contact EDExams for assistance by either:
Telephone: 01909 384 090
Email: mail@edexams.com
Live Chat: edexams.com

If you experience any technical issues, contact EDExams for assistance by either:

Telephone: 01909 384 090
Email: mail@edexams.com
Live Chat: edexams.com

You can, but we don’t recommend it because work computers tend to have firewalls and other security policies that may block video streaming during the exam.

If you must use your work computer to take your exam, please request your IT department opens the following ports:

• 22 (Support channel)
• 80 (HTTP)

You should also carry out a system test prior to your exam day – see section on “How can I check whether my computer will work with the EDExams software?”

Your training centre will book your exam for you. They can do this once they have registered you with your Awarding Body. Once your exam is booked, you will receive a confirmation email with your appointment details, the technical specifications for your computer, and important information about how to download the EDExams software and test your computer ahead of your exam day.

First of all, please check your “spam” folder, sometimes these emails end up in here. If you check your “spam” folder and you still haven’t received your confirmation email, then please let your training provider know, giving them an alternative email address, and they can request for the email to be resent.

The area where you take your exam should be a private and enclosed space, ideally free from windows or glass dividers that might enable others to view your screen. You need to be in the room on your own.

Your test space should be free from all revision materials, notes, paperwork including materials on the walls, such as, sticky notes, notes on boards etc.

You should also sit yourself in a place where you can maintain a reliable and consistent internet connection.

You will be asked to show three different 360-degree views of your room using your webcam before starting the exam. You need to show:

1. All walls
2. All desk surfaces
3. All floor area

Once you have completed the different 360-degree views of your room, you may start the exam.

Your exam space will be reviewed by an invigilator and if it fails to meet the requirements, this will be reported to your Awarding Organisation for suspected Malpractice and your exam may be invalidated.

We will accept any of the following forms of ID:

• Passport
• Driving Licence
• Proof of age cards with a PASS logo
  • such as, a CitizenCard or Young Scot card
• EU national identity card (unexpired)

Once you’ve started your exam, no-one else is allowed to enter or even pass through your exam space. This includes, children, colleagues, roommates, etc.

You are not allowed to get help from other individuals while taking the exam. However, if you experience technical difficulties during your exam, you can get help via the “Q Chat” button that is available on every slide of the exam.

You can get help via the “Q Chat” button that is available on every slide of the exam. However, most issues can be avoided by ensuring that your computer meets all the system requirements ahead of your exam and by completing a system test.

All personal belongings must remain out of arm’s reach during your exam. However, the following items are not allowed in the exam room:

• Mobile phones, tablets, iPads, iPods, MP3/4 players etc
• Headphones, Earphones, Airpods etc
• Watches

The invigilator will look out for certain behaviours such as, looking off the screen, mumbling or speaking aloud, covering your mouth or face, using unauthorised materials (e.g. mobile phones, recording equipment, writing materials), interacting with third parties intentionally or unintentionally, and leaving the webcam view. This list is not exhaustive.

If for any reason or duration you leave the webcam view, this will be reported to your Awarding Organisation for suspected Malpractice and your exam may be invalidated.

If your invigilation stream stops during your exam, as a security measure EDExams automatically freezes the exam and saves and encrypts all progress up to that point. EDExams will then contact you to offer a remote support session to get you back onto the platform to complete your exam.

Yes, click on the “A” text icon at the top of the exam screen and select the size text you want. You can also change the background colour of your screen, by clicking on the “Slide Colour” icon at the top of the exam screen.

No, if this happens, it will be reported to your Awarding Organisation for suspected Malpractice and your exam may be invalidated.

You may not take hand-written notes, but you can use the built-in “Doodle” pad in the EDExams app.

Yes, you can mark a question with an “x” to go back to later, if you have enough time. Just click on the “x” next to the question number at the bottom of the page and this will flag the question.

Your result will be sent to your training provider and they will notify you of your final result once it has gone through the quality assurance processes.

TQT determines the overall size of a qualification. This indicates how long a ‘typical’ Learner might take to study for a qualification, this includes time spent on individual study and assessment. It includes Guided Learning Hours (GLH), which is the time spent being taught by an Assessor or under supervision. Learners study at different rates, so the TQT of the qualification is a guide.

To apply for replacement certificates, please contact ABBE to request a replacement certificate form.

You can use the ‘Learner Certificate Validator’ found on the ABBE Parnassus Portal. You will need the Learner’s first name, last name, date of birth, certificate number and certificate date to validate a certificate.

As an Awarding Organisation, ABBE develops and owns qualifications, but we do not deliver training ourselves. To enrol onto an ABBE qualification, you would need to contact an ABBE Approved Training Centre directly to discuss booking a place on one of their courses.  They will be able to inform you of the associated costs etc.  Check out the ABBE Qualifications page for a list of ABBE Approved Training Centres who offer that qualification.

The ABBE Qualified logo is available to learners who have achieved an ABBE qualification. If you wish to apply for the ABBE Qualified logo, please email scanned copies of your certificates to ABBEenquires@bcu.ac.uk

Please email abbeenquires@bcu.ac.uk outlining the changes to your centre.

If you wish to add or remove a centre contact, you will need to send the request to ABBEenquires@bcu.ac.uk in writing.  Please make sure you include their full name, email address and job title.

If you want to make changes to your current assessment team, you should notify your EQA of the changes to be made, sending all required CVs, CPD documentation etc.  You must wait for confirmation from your EQA that the proposed amendments are acceptable before implementing the changes.  Your EQA will inform ABBE of changes to your assessment team.

Please email ABBEenquires@bcu.ac.uk

Please email the learner details to ABBEenquires@bcu.ac.uk

A Purchase Order (PO) is only required for any processes involving monetary transactions, such as learner registrations and resits of assessments. Your Centre will have its own financial agreement in place.