Unit Award Scheme
Sparking STEM is proud to be an approved AQA accredited Unit Award Scheme centre
AQA Centre number: 84721 - SPARKING STEM
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As an approved, AQA accredited UAS centre, we are delighted to be able to offer our learners the opportunity to gain accredited recognition of the skills and learning they develop in our Outdoor STEM and Practical Science sessions (in Sheffield, UK).
Enrolled learners receive formal AQA certificates for every unit they complete, helping to boost confidence and improve engagement and motivation as they build a portfolio of accredited evidence of their learning journey. Units are designed to enable users to gain recognition of a wide range of skills, knowledge and achievements without having to sit exams, or undergo formal assessment. How does it all work? |
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How does it work?
There are two different enrolment options offered, so that you can choose the best value option for how you are likely to attend.
To find out more about how enrolment works you can:
There are two different enrolment options offered, so that you can choose the best value option for how you are likely to attend.
To find out more about how enrolment works you can:
- watch the video below
- select an option to read more about it before purchase
- find answers to your questions answered here.
Please read the Terms and Conditions before purchase.
The Unit Award Scheme with Sparking STEM
Why join the Unit Award Scheme?
How does enrolment work?
How do they complete units and get certificates?
Which sessions have Unit Awards available?
What is the member page?
What is AQA?
What is the AQA Unit Award Scheme?
Who is it suitable for?
What does my child have to do?
How many units can they do?
What does a unit look like?
What if my child does not complete the unit or misses unit session?
Can we get a refund if we...?
Terms and Conditions.
Join the scheme
How does enrolment work?
How do they complete units and get certificates?
Which sessions have Unit Awards available?
What is the member page?
What is AQA?
What is the AQA Unit Award Scheme?
Who is it suitable for?
What does my child have to do?
How many units can they do?
What does a unit look like?
What if my child does not complete the unit or misses unit session?
Can we get a refund if we...?
Terms and Conditions.
Join the scheme
Why join the Unit Award Scheme with Sparking STEM?
With the Unit Award Scheme through Sparking STEM, units are designed to allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a range of different ways to suit them, such as completing hands-on activities, joining discussions, building something, labelling their creation, gesturing, role play, and so much more.
Sparking STEM facilitators are trusted by AQA to find evidence methods that suit individual learners so that we can award students for showing us what they can do, however they can do it best.
✅ Gain AQA accredited certification of skills, experiences and knowledge
✅ Learners evidence their abilities however suits them best
✅ No exams, tests or formal assessments
✅ No submission of written work (unless they want to)
✅ Your child can gain confidence, motivation and a boost to their self esteem
✅ Collect AQA accredited (high quality, printed, with hologram) certificates and build a portfolio of awards.
✅ No additional sessions or external work: Students demonstrate their skills as they take part in existing Outdoor STEM or Practical Science sessions (held in Sheffield, UK).
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Join the scheme
With the Unit Award Scheme through Sparking STEM, units are designed to allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a range of different ways to suit them, such as completing hands-on activities, joining discussions, building something, labelling their creation, gesturing, role play, and so much more.
Sparking STEM facilitators are trusted by AQA to find evidence methods that suit individual learners so that we can award students for showing us what they can do, however they can do it best.
✅ Gain AQA accredited certification of skills, experiences and knowledge
✅ Learners evidence their abilities however suits them best
✅ No exams, tests or formal assessments
✅ No submission of written work (unless they want to)
✅ Your child can gain confidence, motivation and a boost to their self esteem
✅ Collect AQA accredited (high quality, printed, with hologram) certificates and build a portfolio of awards.
✅ No additional sessions or external work: Students demonstrate their skills as they take part in existing Outdoor STEM or Practical Science sessions (held in Sheffield, UK).
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Join the scheme
How does enrolment work?
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Join the scheme
- Students must be enrolled (with AQA via Sparking STEM) to take part in the scheme and gain unit awards and certificates. Enrolment is per student. We offer two pricing structures for enrolment:
- Full entry: Pay one annual fee (£99.95) for enrolment and entry to all units your student is able to attend in that academic year (Sep - Aug)
- Annual Enrolment only: Pay one annual fee (£49.95) for enrolment and entry to the next half term of units. Then purchase entry to units on a half termly basis if you want to (£14.95), as and when you have secured a Practical Science or Outdoor STEM booking (held in Sheffield, UK).
- You can enrol your child in the Sparking STEM AQA Unit Award Scheme at any time of the year, but your child will have the most opportunities to gain awards if you enrol them at the beginning of the academic year. For example, if you enrol in the “September 2025 -August 2026 UAS” in March 2026, your child will only have a few months in which they may have unit opportunities, whereas if you were to enrol in Sep 2025, they will have a whole academic year of opportunities to gain unit awards.
- Once enrolled, a "Member Page" will be set up for you and you will be sent a personalised Sparking STEM log in and a unique learner number. You can log in (see main menu at the top of our website) to your Sparking STEM UAS account at any time on the Sparking STEM website to see your dates of enrolment and status of any units your child is entered for. You will also be able to see the unit codes and look up the criteria for each unit on the AQA unit library. If you have purchased enrolment and not been sent your log in details within 48 hours please contact us by email.
- If your student is enrolled with the AQA Unit Award Scheme through another provider or organisation they will still need to enrol with Sparking STEM to take part in Sparking STEM units. Enrolment is specific to the provider.
- Please see full Terms and Conditions here
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Join the scheme
How do they complete units and get certificates?
Upcoming Outdoor STEM sessions with Unit Awards
Upcoming 8-12s Practical Science sessions with Unit Awards
Upcoming 11-16s Practical Science sessions with Unit Awards
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Join the scheme
- During Outdoor STEM / Practical Science sessions, the facilitator will evidence the learner’s completion of the unit criteria, and do everything possible to ensure that your child has evidenced everything they need to, to complete the unit. Please be aware that we will support, encourage and offer opportunities for children to evidence their learning, but we will not pressure or push a child to do something they do not want to do, so enrolling them does not guarantee that they will complete the unit and gain certification.
- We will submit our evidence of each learner's completion of a unit to AQA at the end of each half term. You’ll be able to track the progress by logging in to your Sparking STEM Member Page (provided at enrolment).
- AQA will send us a high quality, AQA accredited, hologrammed, formal paper certificate for your child, which we will deliver to you either at sessions or by post.
Upcoming Outdoor STEM sessions with Unit Awards
Upcoming 8-12s Practical Science sessions with Unit Awards
Upcoming 11-16s Practical Science sessions with Unit Awards
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Join the scheme
Which sessions have Unit Awards available?
Two opportunities (min.) per half term are offered in the Outdoor STEM and Practical Science sessions.
You can see which sessions are coming up that have unit award opportunities here:
Upcoming Outdoor STEM sessions with Unit Awards
Upcoming 8-12s Practical Science sessions with Unit Awards
Upcoming 11-16s Practical Science sessions with Unit Awards
Two opportunities (min.) per half term are offered in the Outdoor STEM and Practical Science sessions.
You can see which sessions are coming up that have unit award opportunities here:
Upcoming Outdoor STEM sessions with Unit Awards
Upcoming 8-12s Practical Science sessions with Unit Awards
Upcoming 11-16s Practical Science sessions with Unit Awards
What is the member page?
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Join the scheme
- Once enrolled, a "Member Page" will be set up for you and you will be sent a personalised Sparking STEM log in and a unique learner number. You can log in (see main menu at the top of our website) to your Sparking STEM UAS account at any time on the Sparking STEM website to see your learner number, dates of enrolment and status of any units your child is entered for. You will also be able to see the unit codes and look up the criteria for each unit in the AQA unit library. If you have purchased enrolment and not been sent your log in details within 48 hours please contact us by email.
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Join the scheme
EXAMPLE
What is AQA?
AQA stands for The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance. It is an awarding body in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK. You can learn more about them here.
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Join the scheme
AQA stands for The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance. It is an awarding body in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK. You can learn more about them here.
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Join the scheme
What is the AQA Unit Award Scheme
The AQA Unit Award Scheme (UAS) is designed to offer a flexible way for students to gain accredited certification of their learning and achievements without the need for written exams. AQA’s adaptive approach enables approved AQA UAS centres, like Sparking STEM, to design and award specific unit awards to fit their learning opportunities, and their learners. Sparking STEM can therefore offer a range of skills-based units like “working scientifically” for example, or “designing an experiment” as well as awards for specific learning topics, like “identifying invertebrates” or “carrying out a neutralisation reaction”, and so much more. You can see what a unit looks like here.
Any student can gain confidence and recognition by completing units. For those who may struggle to access formal examinations, the UAS can offer a unique way to engage in accredited, certificated learning by allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge and skills however suits them best, without the need for written exams.
When enrolled students complete a unit successfully, they will receive a formal certificate from AQA. They can complete as many units as they like and build a portfolio of their achievements to evidence their skills and learning. Sparking STEM offers a wide range of units and opportunities for enrolled students to complete them.
Back to top
Join the scheme
The AQA Unit Award Scheme (UAS) is designed to offer a flexible way for students to gain accredited certification of their learning and achievements without the need for written exams. AQA’s adaptive approach enables approved AQA UAS centres, like Sparking STEM, to design and award specific unit awards to fit their learning opportunities, and their learners. Sparking STEM can therefore offer a range of skills-based units like “working scientifically” for example, or “designing an experiment” as well as awards for specific learning topics, like “identifying invertebrates” or “carrying out a neutralisation reaction”, and so much more. You can see what a unit looks like here.
Any student can gain confidence and recognition by completing units. For those who may struggle to access formal examinations, the UAS can offer a unique way to engage in accredited, certificated learning by allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge and skills however suits them best, without the need for written exams.
When enrolled students complete a unit successfully, they will receive a formal certificate from AQA. They can complete as many units as they like and build a portfolio of their achievements to evidence their skills and learning. Sparking STEM offers a wide range of units and opportunities for enrolled students to complete them.
Back to top
Join the scheme
Who is it suitable for?
The Unit Award Scheme is suitable for any student working at any level. For practical reasons, Sparking STEM can currently offer enrolment in the UAS for children attending the 6-10s, 8-12s and 11-16s Outdoor STEM groups, and 8-12s and 11-16s Practical Science sessions, these are in-person sessions, running in Sheffield, UK.
As the 4-8s Outdoor STEM sessions are shorter it is not currently possible to offer UAS to students in the 4-8s groups, though we hope to find a way to do this in the future.
It is important that your child is keen to take part as they will need to join in with the offered activities in sessions for us to be able to evidence their accomplishments. Sparking STEM staff will do everything possible to find a way for a child to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in a way that suits them, but we will not pressure, push or coerce a child to do something they do not want to do. It is therefore important that they are aware of their enrolment and keen to take part.
If your child is not keen to do it or to try to complete the tasks in UAS sessions you may end up paying but receive no certificate(s) as we will not be able to run that session again. (Please note that there can be no refunds as we will have paid AQA for enrolment and worked to run the assessment whether they pass or not).
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate (see full Terms and Conditions here). Thank you for your understanding.
Back to top
Join the scheme
The Unit Award Scheme is suitable for any student working at any level. For practical reasons, Sparking STEM can currently offer enrolment in the UAS for children attending the 6-10s, 8-12s and 11-16s Outdoor STEM groups, and 8-12s and 11-16s Practical Science sessions, these are in-person sessions, running in Sheffield, UK.
As the 4-8s Outdoor STEM sessions are shorter it is not currently possible to offer UAS to students in the 4-8s groups, though we hope to find a way to do this in the future.
It is important that your child is keen to take part as they will need to join in with the offered activities in sessions for us to be able to evidence their accomplishments. Sparking STEM staff will do everything possible to find a way for a child to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in a way that suits them, but we will not pressure, push or coerce a child to do something they do not want to do. It is therefore important that they are aware of their enrolment and keen to take part.
If your child is not keen to do it or to try to complete the tasks in UAS sessions you may end up paying but receive no certificate(s) as we will not be able to run that session again. (Please note that there can be no refunds as we will have paid AQA for enrolment and worked to run the assessment whether they pass or not).
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate (see full Terms and Conditions here). Thank you for your understanding.
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Join the scheme
What does my child have to do?
To complete a unit and gain certification a learner must complete all the criteria specified in the AQA Unit.
They just need to be keen and willing to take part and do everything they can in UAS sessions to join in with the opportunities offered.
Enrolled learners simply attend Outdoor STEM and Practical Science sessions as they normally would, and enjoy hands-on, practical engaging STEM learning, demonstrations and activities. These sessions are in-person, in Sheffield, UK.
They do not need to do any prior preparation, though of course they can if they want to. They simply need to take part fully in the learning opportunities offered in sessions. They may be encouraged by the facilitator to clearly evidence specific criteria for the unit in a way that works for them without pressure or any negative experience, but the units are designed by Sparking STEM to evidence the things they would be doing in that session anyway, and the things all children will be offered in that session. There should be no difference in their experience and they would not be treated differently to other students. They simply have the opportunity to gain accredited, certification of everything they would be doing in our sessions normally!
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate (see full Terms and Conditions here). Thank you for your understanding.
Back to top
Join the scheme
To complete a unit and gain certification a learner must complete all the criteria specified in the AQA Unit.
They just need to be keen and willing to take part and do everything they can in UAS sessions to join in with the opportunities offered.
Enrolled learners simply attend Outdoor STEM and Practical Science sessions as they normally would, and enjoy hands-on, practical engaging STEM learning, demonstrations and activities. These sessions are in-person, in Sheffield, UK.
They do not need to do any prior preparation, though of course they can if they want to. They simply need to take part fully in the learning opportunities offered in sessions. They may be encouraged by the facilitator to clearly evidence specific criteria for the unit in a way that works for them without pressure or any negative experience, but the units are designed by Sparking STEM to evidence the things they would be doing in that session anyway, and the things all children will be offered in that session. There should be no difference in their experience and they would not be treated differently to other students. They simply have the opportunity to gain accredited, certification of everything they would be doing in our sessions normally!
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate (see full Terms and Conditions here). Thank you for your understanding.
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Join the scheme
How many units can they do?
Sparking STEM will offer at least two opportunities to gain unit awards in every half term block of Outdoor STEM or Practical Science (these sessions are in-person, in Sheffield, UK).
An enrolled learner who attends all Outdoor STEM and Practical Science sessions in an academic year (Sep to Aug) would have a minimum of twelve opportunities to complete units and gain certificates (if full entry is purchased, or annual entry + entry to every half term).
If you only attend one half term your learner will have at least two opportunities to complete units and gain certificates.
Usually a unit will be completed in one session but occasionally a unit may be awarded over the course of the half term for demonstrating various skills across multiple sessions.
Unit sessions will run as normal Outdoor STEM / Practical Science sessions. The learner may not even realise it is a "unit" session, unless you tell them or choose to prepare them using the information provided on your Member Page (provided once enrolled).
Practical Science units will be repeated each year as the sessions each year are the same, though more may be added.
Outdoor STEM units are likely to be repeated every two years, though we hope to extend this in time!
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate (see full Terms and Conditions here). Thank you for your understanding.
Back to top
Join the scheme
Sparking STEM will offer at least two opportunities to gain unit awards in every half term block of Outdoor STEM or Practical Science (these sessions are in-person, in Sheffield, UK).
An enrolled learner who attends all Outdoor STEM and Practical Science sessions in an academic year (Sep to Aug) would have a minimum of twelve opportunities to complete units and gain certificates (if full entry is purchased, or annual entry + entry to every half term).
If you only attend one half term your learner will have at least two opportunities to complete units and gain certificates.
Usually a unit will be completed in one session but occasionally a unit may be awarded over the course of the half term for demonstrating various skills across multiple sessions.
Unit sessions will run as normal Outdoor STEM / Practical Science sessions. The learner may not even realise it is a "unit" session, unless you tell them or choose to prepare them using the information provided on your Member Page (provided once enrolled).
Practical Science units will be repeated each year as the sessions each year are the same, though more may be added.
Outdoor STEM units are likely to be repeated every two years, though we hope to extend this in time!
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate (see full Terms and Conditions here). Thank you for your understanding.
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Join the scheme
What does a unit look like?
You can see examples of units in the AQA Unit Award Scheme Library. Sparking STEM will carefully select or design units to specifically work with our Outdoor STEM or Practical Science sessions (these sessions are in-person, in Sheffield, UK).
There are several 'levels' of unit available. There is no need for you or your child to select a level. Levels are not shown on certificates and do not relate to any standard levels of the curriculum or other awards. They are for guiding teachers only. The learners do not need to know which level they are completing and we will not tell them. Your Member Page will show the unit level that is most likely to be used in that session but we will submit evidence for the highest level your child has been able to demonstrate in the session.
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Join the scheme
You can see examples of units in the AQA Unit Award Scheme Library. Sparking STEM will carefully select or design units to specifically work with our Outdoor STEM or Practical Science sessions (these sessions are in-person, in Sheffield, UK).
There are several 'levels' of unit available. There is no need for you or your child to select a level. Levels are not shown on certificates and do not relate to any standard levels of the curriculum or other awards. They are for guiding teachers only. The learners do not need to know which level they are completing and we will not tell them. Your Member Page will show the unit level that is most likely to be used in that session but we will submit evidence for the highest level your child has been able to demonstrate in the session.
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Join the scheme
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What if my child does not complete the unit or misses a unit session?
The aim of the scheme is to provide a positive experience and confidence boost for our learners. We will therefore never pressure our learners to do something they do not want to do, though we will do everything we possibly can to engage them and encourage them to complete the unit criteria, often in such a way that they will not even be aware that they’ve done it! If a child does not want to take part, or is unable to complete a unit due to illness or absence, it may occasionally be possible for them to complete it in another session, though this is only possible if it is a unit that spans several sessions. We won't be able to repeat a session if they miss it.
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate (see full Terms and Conditions here). Thank you for your understanding.
Back to top
Join the scheme
The aim of the scheme is to provide a positive experience and confidence boost for our learners. We will therefore never pressure our learners to do something they do not want to do, though we will do everything we possibly can to engage them and encourage them to complete the unit criteria, often in such a way that they will not even be aware that they’ve done it! If a child does not want to take part, or is unable to complete a unit due to illness or absence, it may occasionally be possible for them to complete it in another session, though this is only possible if it is a unit that spans several sessions. We won't be able to repeat a session if they miss it.
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate (see full Terms and Conditions here). Thank you for your understanding.
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Join the scheme
Can we get a refund?
Refunds can only be offered if Sparking STEM is unable to deliver a unit fully or complete an assessment, at the discretion of Sparking STEM (see full Terms and Conditions here).
We are unable to offer refunds for any other situation, such as enrolments where you no longer wish to attend, sessions your child misses, or units that they have not been able to complete, as we will have already paid for enrolment and spent time on your member page and all the administrative tasks required to carry out assessments. Thank you for your understanding.
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate. Thank you for your understanding.
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Join the scheme
Refunds can only be offered if Sparking STEM is unable to deliver a unit fully or complete an assessment, at the discretion of Sparking STEM (see full Terms and Conditions here).
We are unable to offer refunds for any other situation, such as enrolments where you no longer wish to attend, sessions your child misses, or units that they have not been able to complete, as we will have already paid for enrolment and spent time on your member page and all the administrative tasks required to carry out assessments. Thank you for your understanding.
Please note that entry to a unit does not guarantee a certificate!
We can only award certificates when children evidence all the necessary criteria (which of course we will fully support them to do).
Please do not purchase enrolment / entry if you think your child is not completely willing and keen to join in with the learning opportunities offered, or will feel pressured to take part, or if you will feel disappointed if they are unable to complete a unit successfully. We will encourage and support them but will not pressure them and cannot offer refunds if they do not gain a certificate. Thank you for your understanding.
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Join the scheme
