2018 ACCREDITATION AND COORDINATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE SERVICES (ACELS)
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Accreditation and
Co-ordination of
English Language Services
ACCREDITATION AND
COORDINATION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
SERVICES (ACELS)
2018
REGULATIONS GOVERNING
THE RECOGNITION OF ENGLISH
LANGUAGE EDUCATION
ORGANISATIONSREGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
INTRODUCTION
The quality assurance recognition scheme for English Language
Education(ELE) organisations is managed by ACELS, (Accreditation and
Coordination of English Language Services), a service of Quality and
Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
Please note the following important information:
1) The ACELS recognition scheme operates on a private contractual and voluntary basis,
with renewal of recognition by mutual agreement each year, based on a declaration by
the applicant organisation that they have no regulatory issues outstanding, and that they
make a commitment to continual improvement of their academic, pastoral and business
services.
2) All ACELS recognised ELE organisations (irrespective of provision type) commit to
ensuring they are acting within the law at all times and are fully aware of their obligations
in this regard. See Appendix 1 for a list of the key legal obligations.
3) The ACELS scheme is not currently open to new applications.
4) It is envisaged that the ACELS scheme will cease to exist with the introduction of the QQI
statutory International Education Mark (IEM) scheme for English Language Education
(ELE) providers.
5) The current cohort of ACELS recognised ELE organisations make a public commitment
which acknowledges their responsibility to
a) uphold and strive to exceed the minimum standards as laid out in the 2018
Regulations;
b) abide by decisions taken by the ACELS Recognition Committee. In exceptional
cases, an Appeals process is in place for providers;
c) continuously strive for improvement and enhancement of the services they
provide, including educational provision, pastoral services, and business practices;
d) provide information which is up-to-date, factually correct, accessible and
transparent for the learner, and other stakeholders.
e) act with integrity and with a high standard of professional conduct.
[Page 1]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
The ACELS Quality Assurance standards apply to all the services provided by the organisation in
the Republic of Ireland, with the exception of those specified in the box below.
DEFINITION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION(ELE) PROVISION
English Language Education(ELE) provision is defined as:
»» ELE programmes and related services for adults
»» ELE programmes and related services for juniors (11-18 years old))
»» Programmes of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) for international students
»» Programmes of English for Professional and Specific Purposes (ESP) for international
students
Organisations may have recognition for any provision covered by the 4 areas above.
Please note that the following services and programmes
are NOT included in the ACELS recognition scheme:
a) Academic Year Placement Services, i.e. placement of second-level students in Irish
secondary schools, with pastoral services and English language support
b) Au pair placement services with ELE provision of less than 15 hours per week
c) Distance or Blended Learning Programmes
d) ELE for young learners (10 years old or less)
e) Employment placements/internships, as part of the programme package
f) Home Tuition/Total Immersion Programmes and services
g) In-company Programmes
h) Teacher Training Programmes, either for development or qualification purposes
If you have any queries re the above 8 excluded areas, please email the ACELS Administrator
(dobrien@qqi.ie).
[Page 2]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
OBLIGATIONS OF ACELS RECOGNISED ELE ORGANISATIONS
All ACELS recognised ELE organisations are required to:
»» operate within the agreed standards and conditions to ensure a high level of provision
and care to international learners;
»» assure students of a high standard of whole school experience including provision and
related services in line with the minimum standards;
»» uphold the reputation of the ACELS recognised ELE sector in Ireland and promote
understanding of ACELS recognition;
»» ensure that it is in good standing, confirmed, as requested, with all stakeholders,
agencies, government departments and clients, nationally and internationally;
»» comply with all national legislation and rules related to its provision, e.g., immigration,
health and safety, child protection, copyright. It is the organisation’s responsibility to
ensure it is familiar and compliant with all national legislation as required;
»» share the responsibility for provision of programmes to students who are left without
programmes when another recognised ELE provider closes without notice, as appropriate
in regard to their own provision ;
»» enable learners to have confidence in the protection for enrolled learners (PEL)
arrangements of the organisation if a recognised ELE school should suddenly close or
cease provision. These arrangements should be included in the organisation’s information
for learners;
»» demonstrate a clear commitment to the ACELS scheme, and the upholding of these
standards to ensure a continuous and ongoing enhancement of standards and provision.
»» demonstrate a clear and explicit commitment to complying with and exceeding the
minimum quality standards as laid out in this document;
»» have systems in place to elicit and receive feedback on a continual systematic basis,
which can be used to further improve and enhance the service and provision on offer;
»» have complete and full documented procedures for access to an independent body,
i.e. ACELS, for any issues arising through a formal complaints procedure, once internal
complaints procedures have been exhausted.
An ELE organisation granted ACELS recognition:
»» has access to an independent body for any issues arising through a formal, external
complaints procedure, i.e. ACELS;
»» may receive feedback to enable the provision and services or the provider to be improved
and enhanced;
[Page 3]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
»» is listed as recognised by ACELS for the current year on the ACELS website;
»» is enfranchised to use the ACELS logo, abbreviation (ACELS) and name (Accreditation and
Coordination of English Language Services);
»» is enfranchised to use the following legend on its promotional materials: Recognised
by ACELS, a service of Quality and Qualifications Ireland, for English Language
Education(ELE).
Please note that no deviation from this legend is permitted. Use of a variation of this legend may
indicate that the organisation is not ACELS recognised.
WITHDRAWAL OF RECOGNITION
Recognition may be withdrawn following identification and verification of the following:
»» issues of non-compliance with required standards for recognition as identified through
an inspection, including issues not addressed from a previous inspection;
»» submission of misleading information or omitting to submit information to ACELS, in
particular this refers to changes in circumstances which trigger a monitoring inspection;
»» failure to declare and submit all components of the ELE provision and/or all centres to
ACELS;
»» false, inaccurate or misleading advertising in promotional materials;
»» mistreatment of enrolled learners regarding their care and wellbeing;
»» non-compliance or breaches regarding national legal requirements, e.g., health and
safety, copyright, child protection (see Appendix 1).
ELE organisations which have recognition withdrawn must immediately remove the ACELS logo
and legend from all promotional materials and websites as soon as the recognition ceases (as
notified by ACELS). In the case of printed material, all references to ACELS recognition must
cease immediately. Failure to do so is regarded as false advertising, and may result in legal
action being taken against the organisation.
[Page 4]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
SECTION 1
INFORMATION
1.0 GENERAL
a) ACELS recognition is granted on an annual basis. A Certificate of Recognition is issued to
each recognised ELE organisation for each year.
Please note that a certificate is only valid for the year specified on the Certificate.
b) ACELS recognised ELE organisations which renew recognition are listed on the ACELS
website (www.acels.ie) with the main centre address.
c) ACELS may withdraw recognition from an organisation at any time in circumstances
where the organisation is deemed not to meet the minimum standard(s) as laid out in
Regulations.
d) Recognition is granted to the whole organisation. Therefore, it is required that all centres
operated by the organisation are compliant with the minimum standards as laid out in
the Regulations, for organisation’s recognition to be retained.
e) ACELS reserves the right to visit or carry out an unannounced inspection of a recognised
organisation at its discretion, at any time. This may be triggered by instances such as a
complaint or concerns raised by stakeholders, e.g., international agents, state agencies.
f) ACELS may at any time and with due notice update or revise these regulations.
g) Updated regulations are produced each year and made available on the ACELS website.
h) The members of the ACELS Recognition Committee will use the information provided in
the annual Renewal of Recognition Application form, and in any statutory declarations,
to manage and operate the ACELS Recognition scheme, to contact the renewing
organisation with any relevant information about developments in relation to the
Scheme, and to list recognised ELE organisations on the ACELS website.
The submitted information may be shared for the purposes of management and operation
of the Scheme with ACELS inspectors and independent moderators. Personal information
supplied by a provider will be retained for the duration of a providers’ ACELS recognition,
and following withdrawal from the ACELS Scheme by a provider will be retained until
the scheme concludes unless the provider requests otherwise. It will not be transferred
outside the EU and will not be subject to automated decision-making. Data subjects have
the right to access, rectify, delete, and restrict the processing of, personal information.
[Page 5]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
Any grievance in relation to the processing or storage of personal data can be addressed
the Data Protection officer of QQI. As a public authority, QQI, including information it
holds in the administration of the non-statutory ACELS Recognition Scheme, is subject to
the Freedom of Information Act 2014.
1.1 Renewal of Recognition
Recognition is valid for one year. It is the responsibility of a recognised ELE organisation
to renew its recognition. All eligible provision must be declared on the Renewal
Application Form. All recognised ELE organisations may be inspected at the discretion of
ACELS.
1.2 New Additional Centres1
ELE organisations must seek recognition or renewal of recognition for all ELE centres, i.e.
the main centre, plus any additional centres. If an ELE organisation decided to open any
additional centres after submission of its application, i.e. the new centres are not listed
on the Application Form, ACELS must be informed prior to the opening of the centre, and
the relevant fee(s) must be paid. All new additional centres will be inspected once open,
and when operational. It is the responsibility of the ELE provider to notify ACELS of any
new centre(s) as soon as plans are in place for the provider to conduct business at this
new centre. Please note that Eircode data should be provided for all centres.
Where temporary classrooms are sourced for 2 weeks or less, ACELS should be notified
with the arrangements made by the organisation to ensure parity of provision for any
learners allocated to these additional classrooms and facilities.
1 An additional centre is defined as any different address and Eircode from the main centre where classrooms are located.
Additional centres may open for a permanent or temporary period of not less than 10 working days. Temporary classrooms are
defined as opened for a maximum of 10 working days to accommodate an unexpected increase in student enrolments at peak
periods.
[Page 6]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
SECTION 2
RECOGNITION STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH
LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS
Standards relating exclusively to junior provision are in GREEN.
2.0 MANAGEMENT STANDARDS
In order for ACELS to renew recognition, the organisation must ensure that all required
systems and procedures are fully documented, staff are aware of them, and these systems
and procedures are being implemented as required. Core, general, and academic management
personnel must be in place within a management structure.
2.1 General Management & Administration
2.1.1 Statutory obligations:
All recognised ELE organisations must:
a) operate in accordance with legislative requirements and with full regard to the
health, safety and welfare of all its employees and students;
b) ensure that all health and safety legislation is complied with, and safety
statements and logs are accessible to staff and students. Safety statements and
logs must be maintained, kept up to date and evidenced;
c) comply with all HR obligations, have robust procedures for the recruitment of all
staff (academic and administrative) and have staff contracts, in line with national
employment legislation. Where external consultants are employed, the terms of
the consultancy arrangement along with the purpose of the consultancy should be
documented and available;
d) comply with and adhere to all immigration legislation and requirements for
students laid down by the immigration authorities (see Department of Justice and
INIS websites - www.justice.ie ; www.inis.ie );
e) be able to provide sufficient documentation to demonstrate their financial viability
as requested. One of the following should be submitted:
~~ letter from the organisation’s auditors who must be members of and, in
addition, be authorised to act as auditors under the Companies Act by one
of the Recognised Accountancy bodies that have been granted recognition
[Page 7]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
for the purposes of Section 187 of the Companies Act, 1990. (i.e. recognition
to bodies of accountants for audit purposes) by the Irish Auditing and
Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA), confirming that the applicant
has audited accounts signed off for the last three financial years and is in
conformance with Irish company law. QQI, as the body managing ACELS,
reserves the right to request copies of the last three years audited accounts
where it is deemed appropriate.
~~ Applicants not in a position to have three years’ accounts available, e.g., a
new entity, must furnish whatever audited financial statements it has in
place along with a letter of confirmation from the auditors;
~~ Confirmation from funding organisation(s) giving details of the funding
arrangements.
f) provide adequate public and employer liability insurance cover with evidenced
documentation;
g) comply with the conditions as laid out in all current IP licences, e.g., photocopy
licence. It is the responsibility of the organisation to ensure that all materials
are properly accredited (see licence for information on this). Please note that the
licence should list all the centres for which it is applicable and be displayed at
each of these, i.e. main centres and additional centres.
h) hold a current Tax Clearance Certificate. This should be available on request by
ACELS. A current TCC must be submitted to ACELS with the annual Renewal of
Recognition Application Form;
i) comply with data protection legislation. Providers must ensure that no personal
information of third parties is provided as part of an application for recognition or
for renewal of recognition without the express consent of the data subject.
j) ensure that a documented Child Protection Policy is in place with a nominated
person(s) responsible for the implementation of this in all centres where minors
(under 18 years old) are enrolled.
Where it is the organisation’s policy to place learners aged between 16-18 years
old in adult classes, the organisation must make it clear in public documentation
that adult classes may contain learners of a minimum 16 years old.
k) All staff including host families in contact with enrolled minors (under 18 years
old) must have obtained clearance through the Garda Vetting system.
Note: Marketing English in Ireland (MEI) provide this service for their member
schools only; all other ACELS recognised ELE organisations should contact Irish
Vetting Services at info@irishvettingservices.ie.
[Page 8]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
2.1.2 Quality Assurance
All recognised ELE organisations must:
l) record all professional development activities within each staff member’s
portfolio/personnel file. These should be updated on a regular, at least annual,
basis;
m) ensure that documented systems are in place and implemented for regular and
ongoing internal self-evaluation of all operations within the organisation, with the
data used to inform improvements;
n) provide a documented complaints and grievances procedure with records and
specific forms for staff and students, as well as other stakeholders, which is
outlined in staff, student and client information documents;
o) Monitoring Inspections: notify ACELS in writing as soon as any of the events
below are confirmed as taking place in the near future. Such events will trigger
an unannounced inspection and will take place shortly after the event has taken
place. The standard inspection fee is charged for this service.
~~ Change of Ownership of the Organisation: i.e. a complete change of
ownership2, change or the addition of a new co-owner(s), shareholder(s), etc.
~~ Appointment of new General/Centre Manager(s): this may be regarding
the recruitment of a new manager to replace the previous one, or the
recruitment of another manager in addition to the current one.
~~ Appointment of new Academic Managers: each academic manager (also
called Director of Studies) must meet the minimum qualification and
professional ELE experience requirements to hold this post. Procedures
should be in place to check qualifications and that these requirements are
met, at the recruitment stage;
~~ Change of Location or New Additional Premises: Change of location of
the main centre premises, or opening of new additional premises must be
notified to ACELS prior to it taking place, with full information, including
an opening date. During the process of re-inspection regarding new main
centre premises, the ELE organisation remains on the list of recognised ELE
organisations for that year, at the main centre address for which it holds
2 Please note that ownership is used to refer to all types of arrangements where a person(s) is deemed to have an investment,
financial interest (direct or indirect) or other related interest, e.g. due to association, family relationships, etc.
[Page 9]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
recognition. The main centre address is changed when and if the recognition
is reaffirmed at the new location.
~~ Complaints: Please note that an inspection process including a site visit
may be triggered by a complaint(s).
All the above changes in circumstances require the ELE organisation to submit
a completed current ACELS Provider Information Form including a Statutory
Declaration (see website) at the time of the new circumstances being legally in
place. These documents may also be supplied on notification of this change, by
ACELS.
Where, following the inspection process, recognition is not re-affirmed, a process
of withdrawal of ACELS recognition commences. The ELE organisation is removed
from the current ACELS list of recognised organisations at the end of this process.
p) work only with other ACELS recognised providers in the provision of English
language services;
q) ensure that in circumstances where students are referred to other organisations
for tuition, the following procedures are adhered to:
~~ the organisation to which the students are being referred must be
recognised by ACELS;
~~ name(s) and address(es) of such organisation(s) must be provided on the
Renewal of Recognition Application Form.
2.1.3 Staff Management
All recognised ELE organisations must:
r) ensure that an appropriate management structure with delegation of
responsibilities to, and lines of communication with, all managerial and
administrative staff, is in place. All posts within the organisation should have
documented job descriptions;
s) ensure that staff with academic management responsibilities, e.g., Directors of
Studies/Academic Managers:
~~ In year-round providers & ELE sections: Meet the minimum teacher
requirements, have a minimum of 5 years recent and consecutive experience
in ELE, can provide documented and recent evidence of CPD in his/her
personnel file. In large schools (more than 10 classrooms) and ideally in all
contexts, academic managers should hold or be working towards gaining a
higher ELE qualification, e.g. a diploma in ELE;
[Page 10]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
In junior seasonal centres: Meet the minimum teacher requirements,
have a minimum of 2 years’ recent experience in the ELE recognised
sector, and have received training (documented by the organisation and
contained in their personnel files) relevant to their responsibilities. Ideally,
academic managers should hold or be working towards gaining a higher
ELE qualification, e.g., a diploma in ELE, a diploma in teaching EL to young
learners.
t) ensure that a designated appointed member(s) of staff, e.g. a general/centre
manager, other than the academic manager, is available in each centre at all times
during operational hours to deal with the day-to-day management of the centre;
u) provide induction and continuous professional development opportunities
(documented by the organisation and contained in the personnel files) for
academic and administrative staff. It should be clear which of these are provided
in line with a documented procedure and which are solely being advertised
internally.
2.1.4 Internal and External Communications
v) ensure effective communication with all academic and administrative staff
through implementing communication systems that are fit for purpose and provide
access to information;
w) ensure that all information contained in advertising and promotional material, e.g.
websites, printed material, and electronic material is clear, accurate, factual and
verifiable. It must conform to the statutory legislation and provisions relating to
advertising;
x) provide clarity in public documentation, in the cases where a separate ELE section
exists within an organisation, that recognition relates to the ELE section only of
that provider and not the whole organisation, e.g., the English Language Education
centre of an HE provider;
y) clearly group or reference all logos used in advertising and promotional materials
to ensure that it is clear to the public as to what they refer to, i.e.:
~~ membership of a professional or marketing organisation,
~~ accreditation of a service or services offered other than ELE provision,
~~ accreditation of the organisation by a national body,
~~ accreditation of the organisation by an international body.
[Page 11]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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2.2 Academic Management: Teaching and Learning
All recognised ELE organisations must:
a) ensure that each constituent centre has an Academic Manager(s)/Director(s) of
Studies with appropriate skills, experience and qualifications in the field of academic
management to oversee the development and management of the curriculum regarding
effective teaching and learning. The Academic Manager should be accessible to students
and staff at all periods when classes are taking place;
Note: Where a centre has a maximum of 3 classes, the Academic Manager may teach on condition that specific
slots and adequate time is allocated for teacher and student support (throughout the year or at certain
specified times).
b) ensure that all academic staff have a minimum of:
~~ a major award at minimum Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications, (e.g.
Ordinary Degree) or equivalent;
~~ an ACELS recognised ELE qualification, or equivalent (see Annex 1).
c) ensure that copies of qualifications of all academic staff are available on site at the main
centre, and at any centre at which the staff member is currently working.
d) ensure that new teacher induction and continuous professional development (CPD)
for academic staff is formally managed and provided, with records of staff activity
maintained by the organisation;
e) provide a documented system of observation and appraisal for teaching staff, to support
and enhance performance, and the ongoing development of good practice. Structured
support is given to new and inexperienced teachers in terms of direction and guidance for
lesson planning and delivery;
f) provide an assessment framework which enables students to receive feedback on their
learning including:
~~ placement procedures which are valid and ensure students are placed in class
according to level of competence,
~~ a system of assessment of learner progress,
~~ assessment of learner achievement aligned to end-of-level/ course learning
outcomes.
g) ensure that a list of a maximum of 15 students per class is established and maintained
with transparent and accessible attendance records for each class maintained;
[Page 12]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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h) inform students of their obligations to attend their allocated classes, and that students
are not permitted to attend other classes of the same level, for the duration of their
course;
i) ensure that End-Of-Course Reports for learners are written according to the
organisation’s standard format and checked before distribution. The Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) is used as appropriate to refer to learner
levels of competence;
j) ensure, in as far as possible, that classes are shared with (an)other teacher(s) to facilitate
planning, sharing of practice, provide peer learning opportunities and enable students to
experience a range of teaching styles and approaches.
2.3 Academic Management – Syllabus and Programmes
All recognised ELE organisations must:
a) ensure that all programmes(s) provided are educationally sound and have content and
assessment procedures aligned to their stated learning outcomes within a Documented
Curriculum Framework (DCF)3
b) ensure that programmes are regularly monitored, evaluated and adjusted, taking into
account developments in the field of ELE that may impact on the programme design;
c) ensure that an appropriate and robust management system is in place where ‘rolling
enrolment’ of new students occurs, to facilitate this for all staff and students;
d) provide a clear learning pathway including a remedial route where programme duration is
an academic year (25 weeks and more);
e) include programmes listed on the (ILEP), in an ILEP nominated section of the Documented
Curriculum Framework for the academic year. These programmes should contain certain
core features (see 2.5);
All ILEP listed courses must be scheduled to take place between 09.00-17.00 over a
minimum of 4 days per week, Monday to Friday, in accordance with INIS requirements.
f) ensure that the programmes include a component(s) which reflects Irish life and culture
where appropriate;
3 Please note that it is the responsibility of the organisation to ensure that a current DCF is held at all times by ACELS.
[Page 13]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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g) ensure that programmes clearly state the number of classroom tuition hours. The
minimum number of classroom tuition hours must be 15 x 60 minutes (900 minutes) per
week.
h) in ELE centres for juniors (typically seasonal centres):
~~ ensure that the complete Schedule of Activities forms an integral part of the study
programme. This programme should be reflected in classroom tasks and activities.
~~ ensure that the programmes are designed and structured to recognise the needs
of junior learners on short courses regarding activation of language in an age-
appropriate context.
~~ ensure that the programmes use selected materials and modes of delivery appropriate
for the age group.
2.4 Academic Management: Academic Year (AY) Programmes
For programmes of an academic years’ duration, the following required policies and
procedures must be documented, contained in the DCF, and be the responsibility, as
specified in a job description(s):
a) ILEP requirements: where a programme is listed on the ILEP, the provider of the
programme must comply with all the requirements and criteria of INIS;
b) Attendance management of AY students: Recording and collation of attendance for each
enrolled student is maintained on an ongoing basis (updated weekly);
c) Refund of Fees: A published public policy and procedures regarding refund of programme
fees for students where programmes are not commenced, e.g., due to refusal of visas, a
change of circumstances, or in the case of withdrawal of the learner from a programme;
d) Holidays/Breaks: published information for students on the set holiday and break
periods over the duration of their course should be contained in the Student Handbook
and available online;
e) Course Schedules: There is a system for the production of course schedules over the
whole course. These must be available for each student, prior to the commencement of
their course;
f) Punctuality & Absenteeism: A published policy on student punctuality and absenteeism,
with procedures for staff to follow. Management of this is the responsibility of the
Academic Manager/Director of Studies;
g) Student Record: A system for logging the entry of learners on ILEP programmes,
through to the required end-of-course exam, with the provider maintaining a record of
[Page 14]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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grades achieved by the learners. It is the responsibility of the organisation to ensure all
students are entered for the required end-of-course exam. Repeated failure to ensure
that students are enrolled for end-of-course exams may lead to withdrawal of ACELS
recognition.
2.5 Teaching and Learning Standards
All recognised ELE organisations must:
2.5.1 Teaching
~~ ensure that all teaching staff hold the required minimum qualifications
for working in a recognised ELE organisation (see Annex 1);
~~ ensure that lesson planning takes place according to the documented
system in place and is related to learning objectives, level learning
outcomes and appropriate methodologies;
~~ ensure that lessons reflect the course programmes and provide a learning
pathway which provides a reasonable time for learners to achieve the
course learning outcomes;
~~ ensure that assessment (formative and summative) takes place in line
with the assessment framework, and feedback is received by students
regularly to support and guide their learning, and provide information
on achievement of learning;ensure that appropriate methodologies are
applied in the delivery of programmes to optimise learning;
~~ ensure that the classroom is managed appropriately to support and
effect optimal learning;
~~ ensure that resources in the classroom and available in the school are
utilised appropriately to support effective learning;
~~ ensure that a code of professional conduct is in place and documented
(normally in a Teachers’/Staff Handbook). A documented disciplinary
process is included as part of this.
2.5.2 Learning
~~ provide documented syllabi and course programmes for students;
~~ facilitate learner participation appropriately in activities and tasks to
promote learning;
[Page 15]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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~~ provide materials and resources to students appropriate to the
achievement of the learning objectives;
~~ provide advice and feedback on progress and level of proficiency to
students on an ongoing basis. Students on long-term courses should be
provided with feedback at regular and meaningful intervals across the
programme;
~~ ensure that opportunities for the development of effective learning
strategies form an integral and explicit part of the programmes and these
are incorporated into the delivery of the programmes;
~~ ensure that ongoing feedback mechanisms are in place to collect and
collate feedback from learners on all aspects of their school experience
at regular intervals;
~~ ensure that a code of conduct for students is in place and documented
separately for adult and junior students (normally in a Student
Handbook). Deviation from this should have clear documented
consequences.
[Page 16]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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SECTION 3
STUDENT SERVICES AND WELFARE
All recognised ELE organisations must:
3.1 Student Welfare
a) provide students with a Social Activities Programme. Promotional materials must be
clear as to what is on offer for students who enroll at the school, which activities are free,
at cost, or covered by course fees,etc;
b) ensure that the Social Activities Programme forms an essential part of the course for
junior students and reflects their interests, to encourage all junior students to actively
participate;
c) ensure that all provided activities are well-resourced and well-organised. Where
sports activities are provided, these should be organised by a person(s) who is properly
qualified, trained and experienced;
d) provide health and safety procedures for all students participating in on-site or off-site
activities (normally in a Student Handbook). All off-site activities should be under the
supervision of a nominated, responsible person(s) with the required or suitable staff:
student ratio;
e) ensure that provided accommodation conforms to the Requirements for Student
Accommodation (see Annex 2) and is subject to inspection by ACELS at any reasonable
time;
f) provide procedures for regular monitoring of host families and residential
accommodation. Monitoring procedures of all accommodation provision is documented
and feedback is acted upon;
g) ensure medical care and assistance is available to enrolled students as necessary;
h) ensure, regarding provision for juniors, that documentation for host families, agents and
students is available and that the rules and expectations for each are clearly set out, and
penalties related to infringements are clear;
i) ensure that appropriate and rigorous personnel rules and procedures are in place to
provide for a safe and secure environment for junior students;
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j) ensure that a Child Protection Policy is in place for junior students which meets national
legal requirements as laid down by TUSLA, with documented procedures. This should be
publicly available on the organisation’s website and or promotional materials.
3.2 Student Services
a) ensure that assistance and support is available to non-EEA students, for visa-related or
immigration issues;
b) ensure that public proficiency exam administration is available and carried out for any
students entering an exam, including non-EU students enrolled on ILEP programmes
where it is a requirement. In addition, there should be provision of information for
students on the exams available, recording of exam results where appropriate,
c) ensure that administrative policies and procedures for registering new students, and
maintaining accurate records, e.g., student progress and achievement, attendance, and
absenteeism are in place;
d) provide systems to ensure that all personal data information is held securely and that
administration of this complies with data protection and GDPR4 requirements (to be ‘live’
as of May);
e) ensure that procedures for handling general enquiries, bookings, refunds, and other
issues arising are in place, documented and implemented;
f) provide a documented complaints procedure for students;
g) ensure that there are procedures for obtaining and acting on feedback from students,
agents, external QA bodies, and others as appropriate.
3.3 Resources
a) ensure that a suitable, up-to-date and varied range of resources are maintained and
available to students for self-study purposes outside the classroom, both in-house and
online;
b) ensure that a suitable, up-to-date and varied range of resources are maintained and
available to teachers for the planning, preparation and delivery of lessons, both in-house
and online;
4 General Data Protection Regulations – a piece of EU legislation to be implemented as of May 2018.
[Page 18]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
c) ensure that resources are selected, managed and monitored regularly to ensure they
reflect a current rich range of materials and publications. This is the responsibility of a
nominated staff member as specified in a job description;
d) ensure that classrooms are adequately and appropriately equipped to support and
optimise English language learning;
e) ensure that staff rooms are of an appropriate size for capacity, and adequately and
appropriately equipped to enable teachers to plan lessons and take breaks;
f) ensure that educational technology is well-maintained with adequate technical support
to enable staff to use it with confidence.
g) ensure that there is adequate protection for students when using technology on the
school premises, to prevent hacking, public access to their work and correspondence.
3.4 Premises
a) ensure that all premises comply with the statutory requirements of local authorities
regarding:
~~ planning permission for educational purposes,
~~ fire precautions and general safety. A Fire Certificate issued by the local authority or a
certificate of compliance from a fire safety consultant5 should be available on file.6
b) ensure that all premises are appropriate to the needs and requirements of the students
and of the staff, and are maintained in good decorative order and cleanliness;
c) provide all premises with a suitable means of heating, capable of maintaining, when
required, a room temperature of 18.5 C;
d) ensure that each centre provides an environment which is conducive to learning and
teaching;
5 Please note that letters from a fire safety consultant should be accompanied by a certificate of compliance (see http://www.
dublincity.ie/main-menu-services-dublin-fire-rescue-and-emergency-ambulance-service-fire-safety-legislation/faq). These
are accepted in circumstances where buildings are under conservation orders, i.e. there are building restrictions in place
(evidence should be supplied in support of this, on request). The fire safety consultant should unequivocally state that the
building is compliant with national fire safety requirements and, if there are restrictions to any aspect of these requirements,
the consultant should state what these are and the import of their not being met. These will be considered by ACELS on a case
by case basis.
6 Please note that if a building predates the Fire Service Act 1981, written assurance should be provided from a competent
authority that, in line with good practice, that the premises meets reasonable safety requirements and the safety of staff and
students is assured.
[Page 19]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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e) ensure that each classroom has:
~~ a floor area for seated occupancy of not less than 1.56 sq. meters per person;
~~ at least one window with a minimum glass area equivalent to one-tenth of the floor
area, and of which at least one part shall open;
~~ suitable fittings and equipment
f) ensure that each centre has recreation or common room(s) appropriate to the total
capacity of students. The room(s) should be appropriately furnished, equipped and
contain some materials of interest to the students;
g) ensure that each centre has an adequately resourced self-access room or library
reflecting the range of programmes on offer and the number of students. This room to
be available to students at all reasonable times. In the case of junior centres, where the
scheduled programme covers full days including social and cultural activities, these may
not be provided;
h) ensure that each centre has a Staff Room, appropriate to the total number of academic
staff, exclusively for the use of teachers, available at all times;
i) ensure that all premises contain in a separate compartment, a suitably located wash
basin, together with WC for every fifteen persons who are students or staff members;
j) ensure that all centres have:
~~ an office staffed during operational hours for handling enquiries, complaints and
financial transactions, and assisting students with any problems arising,
~~ first aid facilities with a staff member trained in first aid,
~~ emergency procedures in place both during and outside operational hours, with staff
nominated with specific responsibility for this.
[Page 20]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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SECTION 4
ANNUAL RENEWAL & INSPECTION FEES
Annual Renewal of Recognition Fees for 2018 are:
Year round Main centre with 11 classrooms or more €870
Year round Main centre with 10 classrooms or less €520
Seasonal Main Centre €520
Each Additional Centre €280
Application fees are non-refundable.
Inspection Fees:
YEAR ROUND
Main centre with 10 classrooms or less 2 Inspectors x 1 day = €600
Main centre with 11 classrooms or more 2 Inspectors x 2 days = €1200
Additional centre with 10 classrooms of less 2 Inspectors x 1 day= €600
Additional centre with 11 classrooms or more 2 Inspectors x 2 days = €1200
SEASONAL JUNIOR CENTRES
Main centre 2 Inspectors x 1 day = €600
Additional centre 2 Inspectors x 1 day = €600
Inspection fees are non-refundable
Appeal to Independent Moderator: €950 per day.
»» Please note that if the moderator is required to make a site visit, the costs incurred re
travel, accommodation and subsistence will be met by the appellant body.
»» Please note that ACELS reserves the right to withhold inspection results and reports until
all outstanding fees have been paid.
Contact details:
All communication should be sent to:
ACELS Administrator, Quality Assurance Section,
Quality and Qualifications Ireland, 26-27 Denzille Lane, Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 9058100 Email: dobrien@qqi.ie Websites: www.acels.ie
[Page 21]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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ANNEX 1
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR EMPLOYMENT IN ACELS RECOGNISED ENGLISH
LANGUAGE EDUCATION (ELE) ORGANISATIONS: ACADEMIC STAFF
1.0 It is the responsibility of the employing organisation to ensure that all academic staff
meet the minimum qualification requirements for eligibility for employment in an ACELS
recognised school.
Copies of qualifications should be checked on application.
In the case of non-Irish higher education awards, please view the website of NARIC Ireland at
www.naric.ie for information.
NARIC Ireland provides advice on the academic recognition of a foreign qualification by
comparing it, where possible, to a major award at a certain level on the Irish National
Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). A comparability statement for each qualification listed is
available for download. If you are unable to locate a particular qualification here, a query may
be submitted using the Qhelp facility at https://qhelp.qqi.ie/
Regarding information on ELE certificates not listed below, it is the responsibility of the
organisation, prior to recruitment of the applicant, to assess whether or not the ELE certificate
meets the core criteria in order to be considered as equivalent to a recognised ELE certificate,
for the purposes of employment in the ACELS recognized sector.
The Eligibility for Employment ELE Certificate / Qualification checklist is downloadable from
the Regulations section of the ACELS website www.acels.ie/teachertraining.
All academic staff must hold a minimum of:
a) A major award at Level 7 (www.nfq.ie), (normally an Ordinary Degree) or equivalent;
b) An ELE Certificate from one of the following categories:
1.1 ELE programmes leading to a Certificate in English Language Education(CELE)
Notes:
a) The List of Recognised Initial ELE Certificate Course Providers can be found on the ACELS
website www.acels.ie/teachertraining .
b) This requirement applies to applicants who have completed ELE courses post January
1st 2005.
[Page 22]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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c) ELE Certificate qualifications required by ACELS Regulations prior to January 1st 2005
continue to apply to those teachers already qualified at that time, i.e., 70 hour TEFL course
(April 1995 to December 2004); TEFL course (pre April 1995).
1.2 ELE programmes of a minimum 115 hours’ duration leading to awards which are validated
by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the Dublin Institute of Technology, Institutes
of Technology which have delegated authority from QQI to make their own awards, the
National University of Ireland and universities recognised under the Universities Act 1997.
1.3 ELE programmes leading to awards which are validated or accredited by national awarding
bodies which have a status in law or are otherwise recognised as having authority to
make awards which have national recognition in their host jurisdiction (e.g. recognised
universities, etc)
Notes:
These awards include Cambridge English Language Assessments (formerly Cambridge ESOL)
CELA,
Trinity College London Cert TESOL, Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Professional
Development Award in TESOL at SCQF level 9.
2. TEACHING ELE IN THE ACELS RECOGNISED JUNIOR (SECOND LEVEL) SECTOR
All academic staff must hold a minimum of:
2.1 Any of the above (Section 1).
2.2 A state-qualified teacher qualification and an ACELS Preparatory Certificate for English
Language Teaching. Please note that a Prep ELE Certificate is not complete until the
Supervised Teaching component has taken place in the trainee’s first English Language
Education post and within a maximum of 36 months from having completed the input
component of the certificate.
It is the responsibility of the employing school and the trainee to ensure the Supervised
Teaching Component is carried out in the trainee’s first English Language Education post,
within the 36-month period. If this does not occur, the certificate is deemed incomplete
and lapses.
Notes:
a) the list of recognised Preparatory ELE certificate course providers can be found on
the ACELS website.
b) this requirement applies to teachers who have started working in this sector post
January 1st 2005. Qualifications required by regulations prior to January 1st 2005
continue to apply to those teachers qualified at that time.
[Page 23]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
ANNEX 2
REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
Each organisation is responsible for ensuring that all types of student accommodation are
monitored on a systematic and ongoing basis, meet national legislative requirements, and
ACELS standards.
HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATION
Applying host families must be visited and inspected by the staff member responsible for
accommodation to assess their suitability. Regular monitoring visits should take place of
all listed host families (a minimum of once per year is recommended). Records of both the
initial and monitoring visits are maintained and documented. All family members should have
undergone Garda Vetting and have received clearance prior to the host family being accepted by
the ELE organisation.
An organisation’s host families must be visited and inspected by the organisation regularly,
and when a change of circumstances is identified, with records maintained. All host families
must be fully acquainted with the rules and terms of conditions regarding the provision
of accommodation services, including booking and cancellation procedures, provided in
documentation. English is required to be the language of communication in the family home.
Where a host family is listed and used by more than one school, it is the provider’s
responsibility to ensure that this information is declared to them, and that the standards as
below are maintained.
HOST FAMILIES OF MINORS (11 -18 YEARS OLD)
The provider will ensure that minors are not placed in families with other students over 18 years
old.
The provider will provide parents or the legal guardians with a telephone number for contact
outside office hours.
Prior to the student arrival, host families must:
a) be made aware of the student’s travel arrangements, time of arrival and any meeting
arrangements,
[Page 24]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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b) be provided with a 24/7 emergency phone number for the provider,
c) agree to provide any special requirements, e.g., dietary, for the student,
d) there should be documented rules provided by the school for the junior students to
observe which are available to the host family. These should contain rules on curfew
times, evening outings, etc.
e) juniors to be provided with the name(s) and contact number(s) of the group leader(s)
All Host Families must:
f) provide a friendly environment which enables the student to feel welcome and part of the
family;
g) receive a schedule of the student’s timetable including classes and excursions from the
provider;
h) provide meals and services as agreed with the provider;
i) accommodate a maximum of three students at any one time;
j) ensure no more than two students are accommodated in the same bedroom.
Note: It is strongly recommended that only one student of any mother tongue should be
hosted by a family.
The following facilities must be available for each student:
»» comfortable bed with good supply of quality bedclothes and weekly change of bed linen;
»» adequate space for clothes storage;
»» laundry or reasonable access to a washing machine;
»» table and chair in bedroom for private study or access at all times to another room with
facilities conducive to study;
»» free access to bathroom, and bath or shower daily;
»» adequate heating, lighting and ventilation.
[Page 25]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
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RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION
k) All premises shall comply with the statutory requirements of local authorities in planning,
construction, water and sewage, and fire safety.
l) All premises should be appropriate to the needs and requirements of the students and
should be maintained in good decorative order throughout the building(s).
m) Adequate insurance cover must be in place.
n) Adequate provision for student health and safety should be in place including access to
first aid facilities and a trained first aid trained person.
o) Facilities must be available for self-catering where appropriate.
p) In the case of junior groups, adequate supervision, 24 hours per day, must be in place,
with a ratio of at least 1:20.
q) In the case of junior groups, all residential staff have been cleared through the Garda
Vetting process.
OTHER
Where the organisation offers assistance in obtaining private accommodation, information and
advice should be available to the student regarding:
r) legal issues re tenancy agreements, taxes, tenant rights etc;
s) list of websites where accommodation may be advertised;
t) hotel and hostel information.
u) advice if a student encounters difficulties with their accommodation.
********************************************
Please note that all ACELS-recognised ELE organisations
are enfranchised to carry the following Quality Mark for
provision of English language education and services. Accreditation and
Co-ordination of
English Language Services
[Page 26]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
APPENDIX 1
KEY LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS: FURTHER INFORMATION
(please note that this list is indicative i.e. not exhaustive)
1) National employment legislation. Please note the national agency with the remit to
provide information on employment requirements, address issues of employment
irregularity or abuse is the Workplace Relations Commission,
( www.workplacerelations.ie ).
2) National planning legislation re planning permission for educational purposes, national
fire and safety certification. Please note that the relevant local authority can advise on
requirements or refer the enquirer to the relevant agency.
3) Immigration requirements where students requiring visas or registration for study
permission in Ireland are recruited and/ or enrolled. The responsible state body for
issuance of study permissions is the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service
(INIS), a section of the Dept. of Justice, Equality and Law Reform www.inis.gov.ie .
Please note that the Interim List of Eligible Programmes7 (ILEP) is administered by
INIS with the Dept of Education & Skills. Any enquiries re the ILEP should be sent to
internationaleducationproviders@justice.ie.
4) Tax obligations in relation to their organisation and the maintenance of appropriate
accounts, its financial good standing, and the employees therein. All applying
organisations are required to submit a current Tax Clearance Form.
5) Child Protection legislation. Please note that all enquiries re Child Protection should be
addressed to TUSLA www.tusla.ie.
6) General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Please note that this is a piece of EU
legislation, already in place, and due to be ‘live’ as of May 2018, at which point all
organisations must be compliant.
7) Intellectual Property (IP) legislation. It is the responsibility of the organisation to ensure
that all appropriate licences, e.g., a current copyright licence, are in place and displayed
as required by the terms of the licence(s) at all centres.
7 The ILEP is a list of programmes eligible for enrolment by visa-requiring students, jointly managed by INIS and the Dept of
Education & Skills. Please note that the ILEP listing of programmes is specifically for immigration purposes and is not evidence
of quality assurance.
[Page 27]REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE RECOGNITION OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS 2018
8) Company law. All requirements of company law, including maintaining up-to-date records
with the CRO, should be adhered to and documented.
9) Health and Safety. All applying organisations must ensure that they are fully compliant
with health and safety requirements. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has
responsibility for the administration and enforcement of health and safety in the place of
work. www.hsa.ie
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