AQA Conflict of Interest policy - Mar 2023 v2.0 (Final)

Oct 20, 2026

AQA Conflict of Interest policy sets out the purpose, scope, and governance approach for identifying and managing conflicts of interest across AQA qualifications and related commercial activities. It defines what constitutes a conflict, explains why fairness and transparency must protect the integrity of qualifications and assessments, and prevents unfair advantage or disadvantage. The policy specifies who it applies to, outlines when conflicts may occur, and references regulatory conditions on conflict-of-interest management and assessment confidentiality.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose

1.2 Who this policy affects

1.3 When might it happen?

AQA Conflict of Interest policy Mar 2023 v2.0 (Final) 1 Document Revisions | Date | Version | Document Changes | | --- | --- | --- | | 05/01/20 | 1.0 | Updated 2018 policy document – first draft by Michelle Donnelly | | 29/01/20 | 1.1 | Updated draft with feedback from Louisa Fyans, Steve Vear, Claire King, Tammy Rooker and Sarah Young | | 24/02/21 | 1.2 | Final revisions following further discussions with above stakeholders | | 19/03/21 | 1.3 | Removal of references to Biannual Statement of Assurance which has been discontinued and replacement with Annual Statement of Compliance. | | 09/09/21 | 1.4 | Removal of references to DRS | | 26/10/22 | 1.5 | Removal of requirement of suppliers to disclose when they are working with competitors | | 12/01/23 | 1.6 | Updated to include review date | | 17/03/23 | 2.0 (FINAL) | Updated to reflect changes to associate PI declaration process via Nexus Extranet | Review Date: August 2023 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose The purpose of this policy is to protect both the integrity of AQA’s qualifications and assessments and also the integrity of AQA’s commercial dealings, through ensuring the reputation and integrity of all employees, trustees, sub-contractors, consultants and all third parties acting on AQA’s behalf. AQA wishes to operate in a fair and transparent way in all its commercial dealings and in particular, that as an accredited awarding body, it continues to fully comply with regulatory requirements 1. In this regard, no school or candidate for AQA examinations should be advantaged or disadvantaged through special relationships with individuals employed or contracted by AQA (including the wider AQA Group) that are not available to all candidates or customers equally. This policy is designed to support staff and third parties through providing guidance on identifying and handling possible conflicts of interest that may arise and should be read in conjunction with the AQA Conflict of Interest Framework (Jan 2021 version) . This policy therefore : • Defines what is meant by conflict of interest. • Describes the role of conflict of interest in the context of working with, or for, an awarding organisation. • Sets out the responsibilities and requirements for managing conflict of interest at each level in the organisation. 1.2 Who this policy affects This policy applies to individuals involved with any aspects of the creation, marketing, distribution, marking, awarding or any other activity connected with AQA qualifications and supporting resources and services. This includes: • organisations and companies including (i) AQA and the wider AQA Group (Doublestruck); (ii) other organisations and companies acting on AQA’s behalf as suppliers, contractors or otherwise; (iii) other collaborations such as joint ventures • individuals including (i) individual employees of AQA and the wider AQA Group, Board of Trustees, associates, consultants and contractors; (ii) individuals connected to organisations and companies acting on AQA’s behalf. This will also include individuals working for/within AQA registered centres. Specifically, this policy covers: • all AQA employees (permanent, FTC and temporary resource) and the wider AQA group (Doublestruck) • all associates (those involved in the production of assessment materials and/or training and other resources; and/or examiners and moderators; NEA advisors; centre inspectors; Appeals and IAC panel members) . • all AQA suppliers and contractors, and • all AQA stakeholder groups including Board of Trustees 1 Ofqual Conditions of Recognition, condition A4 specifically requires awarding organisations to maintain an up to date conflict of interest policy and to have effective means in place to identify and monitor any personal interests; condition G4 focusses upon the confidentiality of assessments by requiring awarding organisations to ensure anyone involved in any part of the development and delivery process

FAQs

What is the purpose of the AQA Conflict of Interest policy?

It protects the integrity of AQA qualifications and assessments and the integrity of AQA’s commercial dealings by ensuring reputation and integrity across employees, trustees, sub-contractors, consultants, and third parties acting on AQA’s behalf.

Who does the policy apply to?

It applies to individuals involved in the creation, marketing, distribution, marking, awarding, or any other activity connected with AQA qualifications, including AQA staff, trustees, associates, suppliers/contractors, and stakeholder groups such as Board of Trustees.

When might a conflict of interest arise?

A conflict may arise when AQA’s activities or a personal or pecuniary interest could lead to acting contrary to Ofqual obligations, harming AQA’s best commercial interests, or damaging AQA’s reputation, including examples involving employees, associates, and schools or colleges.

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by Olivia Brown