QAA Compliance & OpenEduCat
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
The QAA sets the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, which requires institutions to use Credit Weighted Average grading, apply the UK Honours classification bands, follow defined capped resit policies, and run Board of Examiners processes including compensation and condonement. OpenEduCat's UK gradebook module implements all of this, not as generic features you adapt, but as specific mechanisms designed for the UK regulatory context.
UK Honours Classification Scale
The classification is determined by Credit Weighted Average, not raw percentage. Pass mark: 40% undergraduate, 50% postgraduate.
| Grade | Mark Band | Classification | Common Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | 70–100% | First Class Honours | 1st |
| 2:1 | 60–69% | Upper Second Class | 2:1 |
| 2:2 | 50–59% | Lower Second Class | 2:2 |
| Third | 40–49% | Third Class Honours | 3rd |
| Fail | Below 40% | No award | Fail |
CWA computation: The Credit Weighted Average multiplies each module mark by its credit value, sums the results, then divides by total credits. A student with 60 credits at 72%, 30 credits at 68%, and 30 credits at 55% earns CWA = (60×72 + 30×68 + 30×55) / 120 = (4,320 + 2,040 + 1,650) / 120 = 66.75, a 2:1.
How OpenEduCat Supports the UK Quality Code
Six mechanisms specific to UK higher education practice.
Credit Weighted Average (CWA)
UK degrees are classified using the Credit Weighted Average, not a simple mean. Each module's mark is multiplied by its credit weighting before averaging. The system computes CWA using the grade_template_id on each assessment. Results display in both numerical (e.g. "63.4") and classification ("2:1") format. The final degree classification is computed by the CWA across the relevant years, typically excluding Year 1 from the final calculation.
Capped Resit Policy, 40% Undergraduate
When a student fails a module and sits a resit (referred or deferred), the capped resit policy limits the maximum grade achievable to the pass mark: 40% for undergraduate programmes, 50% for postgraduate. A student who scores 68% on a resit receives 40% (the cap) as their active grade. The actual score and the capped grade both appear on the transcript, the resit is annotated with "R" (Referred) and the asterisk marks the active attempt.
Compensation Board Workflows
The UK Quality Code recognises that marginal failures can be compensated when justified by overall academic performance. OpenEduCat's compensation wizard allows a Board of Examiners to compensate a module failure in the 35–39% range if the student's group module average meets or exceeds 40%. The compensated module is flagged with status "compensated", it does not block graduation and the CWA is computed as if the student achieved the pass mark.
Condonement
Condonement is different from compensation: instead of converting the grade, a condoned failure is simply set aside, it does not affect CWA or progression. The Board of Examiners uses the condonement action on specific backlog subjects. Condoned modules retain their original grade on the transcript but carry status "condoned" internally. Condonement limits (typically one module per level) are configurable.
Module Assessment Report
UK Quality Code requires institutions to document the assessment process for each module, including coursework marks, exam marks, resit history, and the final module outcome. The UK Module Assessment Report shows per-student breakdowns of each assessment component, the capped resit grade where applicable, and the final CWA contribution. This report is used by external examiners during their review.
External Examiner Requirements
External examiners review a sample of marked work, check that marking standards are consistent, and confirm that degree classifications are fair. OpenEduCat supports this process by generating module-level grade distributions, comparisons across assessment components, and flagging of borderline classifications for examiner review. Examiners can be granted read-only access to relevant gradebook data.
Reports for QAA Compliance
Generated directly from the gradebook, for Boards of Examiners, external examiners, and annual quality monitoring.
UK Module Assessment Report
Per-module breakdown of coursework, exam, and resit grades for all students. Shows annotation for capped resit results and compensation decisions. Used by external examiners.
CWA Summary Report
Credit Weighted Average computation for each student across their programme. Shows year-by-year CWA, the weight applied to each year, and the final degree classification.
Board of Examiners Report
Consolidated report of all compensation and condonement decisions for a cohort. Shows the before/after status of affected modules and the CWA impact.
Borderline Classification Report
Students within 2 percentage points of a classification boundary. Used by Boards of Examiners to identify cases warranting further consideration.
Resit History Report
All resit attempts across the cohort, including original grades, resit grades, capping status, and whether the resit cleared the backlog. Used for QA monitoring of resit rates.
Full UK Gradebook Documentation
See the complete UK gradebook module, CWA computation details, capped resit configuration, compensation and condonement wizard walkthrough, and Module Assessment Report format.
UK Gradebook Details →Frequently Asked Questions, QAA & OpenEduCat
Questions from academic registrars, quality officers, and IT administrators at UK universities.
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