Extending your course and additional fees

One question we get asked a lot is- what happens when they reach a year on programme. Do they have to pay to extend? 

Let's put that idea to bed right now...

At NCCE We don’t offer extensions on your course. 
Yep, you heard that correctly. NCCE don’t offer extensions.

That’s because you do not need to complete your course within a set time.

While we offer guidance in terms of time frames to support students who wish to set themselves a schedule, there are no penalties if these cannot be met.

On occasion, our awarding bodies expire a course and replace with an updated version. In these cases, you will be contacted by us to ask if you would like to complete the original qualification within a externally-required timeframe (between 6-9 months), or if you would like to register on the new version of the qualification. This second option may incur a small registration fee, which goes straight to the awarding body.

• We don’t offer extensions
• We don’t ask for extension fees
• We don’t penalise you for going over suggested timeframes
• We do offer a suggested learning time to aid and guide you
• We do continue supporting you until you are fully completed
• We do check in periodically if you have not been in touch for a while- we want to check you are okay and not struggling alone.

If a training provider is adding extension fees, this is a part of their business model and is not a requirement of the awarding organisation that they are using.

We are not an organisation who will continually take money from our students. No matter how long you take, you are doing the same course, and using the same resources, so why should you pay more just because you need a little longer than someone else might need? 

Other things to think about when choosing your training provider: 

• Do I get to interact with a personal tutor? Some providers will ask you to submit to a main portal and any marker may provide feedback. we believe this inhibits the important relationship that you should build with your tutor who will get to know your needs, learning styles and preferences as you progress through the course. 
• Are taught sessions offered to you? Not all students need formal training and are quite happy with the reading materials or interactions offered. Some colleges will charge extra for teaching in addition to their recourses. At NCCE all students are welcomed to taught sessions plus one-to-one support sessions on video call can be organised whenever you need it! 
• Is everything you need included in the price? We don't just mean reading materials, assessments, and your certificate (of course!), but where a course requires that you must be observed, you should ensure that this is included in the price and you are not stung with additional fees at a later date...! 
• Remember, you should be being observed by a qualified assessor who is employed by the training provider that you have chosen to work with. Witness statements and observations are a different type of assessment method. Where you are required to have an observation as a part of your qualification (such as the Early Years Educator Diploma or the Certificate for Supporting Teaching and Learning) this should be by your college assessor- who should be specially trained to do so- and not a manager in your workplace. 

When searching for your provider, these are the minimum considerations that you should have before you give away your hard-earned money. At NCCE we are extremely transparent about our fees. If you do have any further questions- do get in touch. We are happy to support by email or call at a time that suites you. 
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