Creative Media and Production Technologies

Agored Cymru is a Welsh awarding body specialising in meeting the distinct needs of learners, employers and communities.

We exist to create flexible learning opportunities and reward achievement to help people of every age and level achieve their full potential.

All our units and qualifications are flexible enough to meet the needs of learners in any setting – from schools to FE and from offender learning to training in the workplace.

With over 20 years experience in designing inclusive learning, our team of specialists provides support in developing an accessible and quality assured curriculum.

We are a charity and social enterprise: we work collaboratively with partners to maximise the impact of learning in meeting the diverse needs of communities and employers in Wales.

Because we work exclusively in Wales, we are ideally placed to respond to the demands of our learners and centres. Our qualifications are uniquely tailored to the needs and priorities of individuals, communities, employers and the aims of a modern Wales.

We work for the benefit of Wales: our dedicated team of specialists is committed to promoting the Welsh language by encouraging assessment through the medium of Welsh.

We offer our recognised centres the opportunity to deliver effective lifelong learning, widen opportunity and enable progression within current education and training frameworks.

At all times, we are committed to providing a high quality, responsive service to all our centres and learners.

Agored Cymru Qualifications:

• are available through the medium of Welsh, including certification;
• enable accreditation of component units to recognise continuing professional development (CPD), where full qualifications are not required;
• meet the needs of learners in Wales by developing qualifications that respond directly to the Welsh agenda;
• provide a range of flexible and responsive provision, designed to help learners achieve their potential;
• are designed to suit the needs and priorities of individuals, communities, employers and the national aims of a modern Wales.

The Agored Cymru Level 3 Extended Certificate, Diploma and Extended Diploma in Creative Media and Production Technologies are vocational qualifications designed for post-16 learners, typically progressing from Level 2 study, who wish to develop skills for further study, apprenticeships or employment within the creative media and production technologies industries.

The suite is structured to provide increasing breadth and depth of study. The Extended Certificate is equivalent in size to one A Level, the Diploma to two A Levels, and the Extended Diploma to three A Levels, allowing learners to choose a programme appropriate to their progression goals.

The qualifications aim to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, theory and understanding required for progression into creative media education or employment. They focus on practical, industry-relevant learning that reflects current professional practices within the creative media and production technologies industries.

Learners complete mandatory core units alongside specialist study in visual, audio and interactive production. Across all sizes of qualification, learners develop skills in research, idea development, creative production processes, and professional practice. Each level includes a substantial project component — a Project, Final Major Project or Extended Project — enabling learners to plan, manage and produce independent work that demonstrates technical competence, creativity and readiness for progression.

Through the programme, learners build the ability to:

• Explore media processes, theory, design methods and contextual influences
• Apply theory, research and critical thinking to creative ideas
• Develop specialist production skills across visual, audio and interactive media
• Understand industry roles, professional practices, educational and career pathways
• Plan, manage and evaluate original creative projects with increasing independence
• Present work professionally to appropriate audiences
• Progress confidently to Higher Education, apprenticeships or employment.
   

The qualification integrates technical creativity and skills development, contextual understanding and project-based learning in a structure that mirrors industry practice. This ensures learners develop as confident, reflective and adaptable creative practitioners, fully prepared to progress to further studies, apprenticeships or employment in the creative and digital sectors.

The qualification aligns with wider industry and regional skills initiatives, supporting the development of creative talent within the UK’s evolving media landscape. It reflects priorities such as those promoted by Creative Wales, including the strengthening of sector-specific skills, workforce development, and access to production opportunities within Wales.

The programme also recognises the importance of linguistic and cultural inclusion, supporting Welsh language integration in line with the Cymraeg 2050 Strategy. This includes encouraging the development of bilingual creative practitioners and promoting opportunities such as Welsh-medium training in areas including digital media and games development.

Assessment Model
Extended Certificate:

• Units 1, 2 and one of 3–5 are formative (Pass/Refer, internally assessed).
• Learners must pass these to progress to Unit 6: Project (P).
• Assessment is based on achievement of Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria.
• Unit 6: Project (P) is the summative graded unit (Pass–Distinction*), internally assessed and externally moderated.

Diploma:

• Units 1–5 are formative (Pass/Refer, internally assessed).
• Learners must pass these to progress to Unit 7: Final Major Project (FMP).
• Unit 7: Final Major Project (FMP) is the summative graded unit (Pass–Distinction*), internally assessed and externally moderated.

Extended Diploma:

• Includes Diploma units and FMP.
• Units 8–9 are formative (Pass/Refer) and must be passed to progress.
• Summative units:
  • Unit 7: Final Major Project (FMP)
  • Unit 10: Extended Project (EP)
• Both are graded (Pass–Distinction*) and externally moderated.
• EP is the primary graded unit, supported by FMP.
   

Grading
Extended Certificate:

• Overall grade is based solely on Unit 6 (Project).
• Learners must:
  • Pass all formative units
  • Achieve at least a Pass in Unit 6

Diploma:

• Overall grade is based solely on Unit 7 (FMP).
• Learners must:
  • Pass all formative units
  • Achieve at least a Pass in the FMP

Extended Diploma:

• Overall grade is based primarily on Unit 10 (EP).
• FMP confirms consistency of performance.

Rules: Overall grades are determined using a weighted approach, with greater weighting applied to the Extended Project (40 credits)

• If FMP is within one grade of EP → EP grade stands
• If FMP is more than one grade below EP → overall grade reduced by one grade e.g. if FMP is Pass and EP is Distinction, overall grade = Merit
• If FMP is more than two grades below EP → overall grade reduced by one grade e.g. if FMP is Pass and EP is Dinstinction*, overall grade = Distinction
• If FMP is more than one grade above EP → overall grade increased by one grade e.g. if FMP is Distinction and EP is Pass, overall grade = Merit
• If FMP is more than two grades above EP → overall grade increased by one grade e.g. if FMP is Distinction* and EP is Pass, overall grade = Merit

Principles of Aggregation

The following principles apply:

• the Extended Project has greater influence on overall grading due to its larger credit value
• learners are expected to achieve at least a Merit profile across components to achieve an overall Distinction
• Distinction* performance may compensate for lower achievement in the smaller weighted component where evidence demonstrates exceptional performance overall
• isolated high achievement in one component will not automatically result in the highest overall grade where performance across the qualification is inconsistent
• overall grades reflect holistic achievement across planning, application of skills, problem-solving, independence, and evaluation

Example Aggregation Outcomes 

Where the FMP is more than two grades above the EP, the overall grade is capped at one grade above the EP, because the EP carries the greater weighting.

Requirements:

• Minimum Pass in both FMP and EP
• No grade awarded if either is Refer               

Level 3 Extended Certificate in Creative Media and Production Technologies
Total Qualification Time (TQT) = 600 hours
Guided Learning Hours (GLH) = 380 hours

Agored Cymru Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media and Production Technologies
Total Qualification Time (TQT) = 1080 hours
Guided Learning Hours (GLH) = 720 hours

Agored Cymru Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media and Production Technologies
Total Qualification Time (TQT) = 1760 hours
Guided Learning Hours (GLH) = 1100 hours

The learner must be a minimum of 16 years of age to register against this qualification.

This qualification is only available through Agored Cymru recognised centres. If you would like to find out more about either becoming a recognised centre or working in partnership with a recognised centre, please access the ‘Centre’ area of the website or contact a Centre Manager for more information.

It is the responsibility of the centre to have systems in place to ensure that the person registered on a qualification or unit and taking an assessment is indeed the person they are claiming to be. All centres are therefore required to ensure that each learner’s identification is checked before they undertake the qualification, unit and assessment. Agored Cymru recommends the following as proof of a learner’s identity:

• a valid passport (any nationality)
• a signed UK photocard driving licence
• a valid warrant card issued by HM forces or the police
• another photographic ID card, e.g. employee ID card, student ID card, travel card etc.

If a learner is unable to produce any of the forms of photographic identification listed above, a centre may accept another form of identification containing a signature, for example, a credit card. Identification by a third-party representative, such as a line manager, human resources manager or invigilator, could also be accepted.

Higher Education Progression

• Degrees & HNDs: Learners could advance to specialised university degree programmes (BA Hons) or Foundation Degrees (FdA) in fields such as Film and TV production, Visual Effects, Animation, Journalism, Digital Arts, Games Design and Development, Esports or Media Marketing.
• Specialised Study: Learners could progress to focussing on specific areas like photography, graphic design, or multimedia journalism after exploring a broad range of options.

Current funding information is available on Qualifications in Wales (QiW).

For further information regarding discounted charges and incentives please contact a Centre Manager.

RPL is an assessment method leading to the award of credit. Assessors must consider if RPL can be applied for any learners. RPL is a method of assessment that considers whether learners can demonstrate that they can meet the assessment requirements for a unit / part of a unit and / or qualification through knowledge, understanding or skills that they already possess and so do not need to develop through a course of learning.

Please click here to view the Recognition of Prior Learning policy for further guidance.

This qualification is CASS rated H2. For all qualifications within this risk band, the CASS will match those required for moderation or the CASS will have high levels of control and a risk-based strategy to strengthen controls to a level that is typical for moderation.

Much of the complexity around CASS relates to the risk rating of numerous factors to inform risk and effective tracking and monitoring. There is no ‘one size fits all’. The controls that Agored Cymru puts in place in relation to a centre will vary. Controls are based on the specific intelligence and risks that Agored Cymru has identified in relation to the qualification and the centre delivering it, and what is necessary to ensure valid qualifications that are manageable for centres to deliver.

Agoered Cymru use a risk based targeted approach to selecting where to focus EQA activity.  The breadth, depth and frequency of EQA vary across centres and depend on several key risk factors.

Centres must register all learners promptly, within a timely manner, appropriate to the duration of the course start date. For guidance on registering learners, please click here.

Delivery

Centres must ensure that qualifications are delivered effectively and efficiently. Well considered and detailed course planning is a critical feature of effective delivery. Centres must have, and be able to demonstrate, a robust documented internal process for coherent course design, development and delivery.

A key feature of many of our qualifications is the flexibility they offer centres to contextualise them to meet the specific needs of their learners. This flexibility promotes strong learner engagement and meaningful learning experiences.

Centres should ensure that detailed schemes of work and session plans are in place which consider all aspects of the qualification specification. These should include details of strategies and resources required for teaching and assessment that meet learners’ needs.

Teaching and learning approaches must be consistent with the context, level and stipulations of the qualification and be designed to engage, stimulate and motivate learners.

Assessment

Centre devised assessments must meet the qualification specification. Assessments must enable the assessor to differentiate accurately and consistently between the levels of attainment demonstrated by learners. Assessment must only include content that is drawn from the knowledge, skills and understanding in the specification and that the level of demand must be consistent.

Assessment must:

• make it possible for learners to demonstrate the extent to which they have the knowledge, skills and understanding required by the qualification
• allow the specified level of attainment to be reached by a learner who has attained the required level of knowledge, skills and understanding
• be fit for purpose, valid and appropriate to the knowledge, skills and understanding being measured
• effectively differentiate between learners (on the basis of the knowledge, skills and understanding being assessed)
• accurately measure the knowledge, skills and understanding that it is intended to measure

Centres are required to ensure that centre devised assessments are kept under review, amending them where necessary, to ensure they remain fit for purpose, for example by reflecting new requirements, good practice or legislation.

Some qualifications and their units will prescribe the assessment methods that must be used. These prescribed methods will be highlighted within individual units.

Where the methods are not prescribed, centres should use a variety of assessment methods to assess learners as this will allow learners to demonstrate their knowledge and/or skills competency. The most important factor is that the assessment methods are appropriate for the intended outcome.

Centres must adhere to Agored Cymru’s assessment requirements when delivering qualifications, a unit or units.

For guidance on assessment, please refer to the Agored Cymru Guide to Assessment.

Assessors must:

• have current and/or relevant experience in assessing;
• have undertaken relevant training if new to assessing (Agored Cymru Introduction to Assessment courses);
• have good knowledge and understanding of Agored Cymru assessment requirements;
• be familiar with the level of the qualification and its unit(s);
• have good subject knowledge and understanding and/or experience of the unit(s)/qualification(s) being assessed.

Assessors do not currently need to have a formal assessment qualification* to assess Agored Cymru units and / or qualifications, unless stated in the qualification guide or unit specification. However, Agored Cymru strongly recommends that assessors work towards formal accreditation (e.g. Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement). In addition, Agored Cymru strongly recommends that assessors attend Agored Cymru’s Introduction to Assessment training.

Specific Assessor Requirements

The are no additional assessor requirements.

Centres must implement and maintain an effective internal quality assurance system. Internal verification is an essential part of a quality assurance system, particularly when there is no external summative (end of course) assessment such as an exam or online test.

Agored Cymru do not impose a particular internal verification process on centres, however, centres are required to implement effective internal verification checks to confirm that the assessment process (i.e. from pre-course planning to the award of credit) is fit for purpose and is implemented accurately, fairly and consistently and to the required standards.

Centres must adhere to Agored Cymru’s quality assurance requirements when carrying out internal verification on any unit(s) from qualifications.

Internal quality assurers must:

• have current and/or relevant experience in assessing and internal verification;
• have undertaken relevant training if new to internal quality assurance (see website for Agored Cymru Introduction to Internal Verification courses);
• have good knowledge and understanding of Agored Cymru internal verification requirements.
• Have good knowledge and understanding of Agored Cymru units and qualification in their chosen sector(s).
• be familiar with the level of the unit(s)/qualification(s) being delivered;

Internal quality assurers do not currently need to have a formal internal verification qualification to internally verify Agored Cymru units and / or qualification, unless stated in the qualification guide or unit criteria*. However, Agored Cymru strongly recommends that Internal quality assurers work towards formal accreditation (e.g Level 4 Certificate on Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice). In addition, Agored Cymru strongly recommends that assessors attend Agored Cymru’s Internal Quality Assurance training. Dates of when training events are held can be found here.

Internal quality assurers cannot internally verify their own assessment materials, tasks or assessment decisions. Consequently, it is recommended that the internal verification skills of a whole team are developed. This gives the centre more flexibility and avoids over-reliance on any one person.

* Some qualifications have particular requirements that must be met to enable tutors / assessors to deliver and assess the qualification. Please refer to the relevant qualification guide to confirm your tutors / assessors are able to meet these requirements. In some cases, evidence of a tutor / assessors experience / qualification must be submitted to Agored Cymru prior to delivery.

Centres must adhere to Agored Cymru’s assessment requirements when delivering qualifications, or any unit(s) from qualifications.

For guidance on internal quality assurance please click here.

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This approach forms part of Agored Cymru’s CASS strategy which ensures that sufficient controls are in place where an assessment is marked by a centre (Condition H2).

Agored Cymru ‘risk bands’ all of its qualifications. Risk bandings of qualifications feed into the risk management system which is ‘weighted’ accordingly.

When risk banding a qualification, Agored Cymru considers:

• the construct of the qualification
• any related professional standards for the qualification
• any evidence associated with the sector and/or qualification to suggest that a particular CASS approach may be necessary.

Agored Cymru determines the most appropriate CASS approach for each of its qualifications to ensure that regulatory minimum requirements are fully met. All centres delivering and assessing Agored Cymru qualifications will receive an Annual Centre Review.

Agored Cymru is confident that this will give additional assurance to sector specific bodies and protect the integrity of the qualification(s), creating better outcomes for learners.

It may be necessary to make changes to an assessment to accommodate the needs of a single or small group of learners. This may in response to a disability or difficulty that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment process. Reasonable adjustments to the assessment process must not affect the readability and validity of the assessment outcomes and must be as rigorous as assessment methods used with other learners. All reasonable adjustments must be recorded and be approved by the internal verifier before use.

In some instances it may be necessary to consider applying special considerations for adjustments for a learner or group of learners as part of the assessment process. This may be applied if a learner’s performance in an assessment is affected by circumstances beyond the control of the learners e.g. recent personal illness, accident, bereavement, serious disturbance during the assessment; or if part of an assessment has been missed due to circumstances beyond the control of the learner. All special considerations must be recorded and be approved by the internal verifier before use.

Assessors must remember that a reasonable adjustment and / or special consideration must not give the learner an unfair advantage. The learner’s result must reflect his/her achievement in the assessment and not necessarily his/her potential achievement.

Further guidance about the types of and process for applying reasonable adjustments and / or special consideration can be found in the Agored Cymru Reasonable Adjustments to Assessment Policy and the Agored Cymru Special Considerations for Assessment Policy.

Centres must keep all learner evidence and assessment records safe and secure to ensure that they are available for external quality assurance and regional standardisation events. Up to date, securely stored assessment records also help to minimise the risk of assessment malpractice, or potential issues if an assessor leaves during a course.

Centres must:

a) store all assessment records securely and safely;

b) maintain records of learner achievements that are up to date, regularly reviewed and tracked accurately;

c) have all current learner evidence available for external quality assurance;

Additionally, in line with Agored Cymru and regulatory requirements, Centres must retain sufficient evidence of learners’ work, assessment decisions and internal verification records to monitor standards over time. For guidance on the retention of assessment materials click here to access the Retention of Assessment and IQA Materials Policy and Procedure.

As an Agored Cymru recognised centre, you are required to attend Standardisation workshops. The workshops offer you an opportunity to meet with fellow assessment and quality assurance professionals with the aim of developing a common understanding of Agored Cymru standards and to share expertise and leading practice.

Standardisation workshops are supportive, interactive sessions where you will review examples of assessment materials and learner evidence and make judgements on whether:

• assessment materials are valid and fit for purpose;
• learner evidence is authentic, reliable and sufficient;
• assessment practice and internal quality assurance is effective and fair;
• standards are consistent across centres;
• standards are comparable over time;
• the sample includes any leading practice.

Current information on Agored Cymru standardisation workshops can be found on our website.

Digital Certificates will be made available within Service Standards

Centres are required to distribute paper certificates to all learners promptly.