• AQA stands for Assessment and Qualifications Alliance of which Midnight Learning Ltd is an Accredited Centre.

• AQA is the UK’s largest exam board.

• The Unit Award Scheme (UAS) has been offered by AQA as a recording of achievement scheme for over 30 years. 

• It is a tried and tested means by which learners, no matter what their age or ability, can have their achievement formally recognised.

UAS can help learners with progression to

• further study

• training

• employment

• independent living

• more active involvement in society.

UAS is shown to motivate, encourage, engage, support and raise self-esteem and can reward achievement which might otherwise go unrecognised, eg small steps or non-mainstream subjects.

Many different organisations use UAS from mainstream and special schools and colleges to youth services, pupil referral services, prisons, charities, training organisations and housing associations, to name a few.

How does UAS work?

• Every centre must have a trainedCo-ordinator who runs and is responsible for UAS.

• Each UAS unit clearly sets out what the student has to do to achieve and the evidence needed.

• There is a huge bank of units for you to use or amend, or you can write your own.

• A responsible adult teaches the unit.

• AQA monitors evidence by checking this against the unit.

Certification

• Each time a unit is achieved, a Unit Award Certificate is issued.

• This lists all the outcomes, ie all the knowledge, skills and/or experiences completed as detailed on the unit.

• Certificates are usually issued promptly within 10 working days.

• They don’t show a level – UAS is not a qualification – but instead show the detail of what the student has achieved in completing the unit.

• They provide a great talking point for the learner about what they’ve done, eg during an interview for a college place or employment.

• No, you do not have to be a clinician to do our training.

• Our training forms a jig-saw of sexual health education and can be described as a clinical course for non-clinicians”. 

• We ‘hold our students’ hands’ as we take you on a journey which unravels the complications and mysteries associated with this extensive area of health.

• We don’t expect you to know very much about sexual or reproductive health but we do expect you to want to learn.

• If you already know about this field, our Units have been described as an excellent refresher, pitched to jog your memory and get your ‘grey cells’ moving again.

• By splitting the topics into ‘bite-sized chunks’, we aim to keep your interest and help your understanding to develop in a logical way, as the subjects unfold.

• The more effort you put into completing your Workbook, the more you will learn, and in turn, benefit.

At present, all of our Units are at Level 3

This:

• equates with 30 hours of notional learning time;

• is divided between the full ‘tutor led’ study day and the workbook (homework); and

• units at this level are comparable with the sort of work someone working at A-level/NVQ3 standard might be undertaking.

There are many benefits of the AQA Unit Award Scheme (UAS) to the student and to the centre.

These include:

• flexibility in rewarding and celebrating success;
• increasing engagement, self-esteem, motivation and performance;
• supporting lifelong and personalised learning;
• promoting inclusion;
• helping course delivery planning and target setting;
• use over a short time and the prompt issue of certificates;
• accredits learning which may otherwise go unrecognised;
• detailed certification making it easy to see what has been achieved;
• use as a ‘stepping stone’ towards full qualifications and awards.

• Our trainers are highly qualified British trained Clinical Nurse Specialists who work independently of doctors in clinical settings; or who are nurse mentors, specialist instructing nurses, university or business lecturers.

• Each of our trainers has a minimum of 15 years field and clinical experience in their field, working with less visible and hard to reach populations.

• Information about each of our trainers is listed on the page about The Team – click here to visit that page directly.

Knowledge & Understanding

• Use factual, procedural and theoretical understanding to complete tasks and address problems that, while well defined, may be complex and non-routine.
• Interpret and evaluate relevant information and ideas.
• Be aware of the nature of the area of study or work.

• Have awareness of different perspectives or approaches within the area of study or work.

Application & Action

• Address problems that, while well defined, may be complex and non-routine.
• Identify, select and use appropriate skills, methods and procedures.
• Use appropriate investigation to inform actions.
• Review how effective methods and actions have been.

Autonomy & Accountability

• Take responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures, including, where relevant, responsibility for supervising or guiding others.
• Exercise autonomy and judgement within limited parameters.

In Summary:

• Achievement at level 3 reflects the ability to identify and use relevant understanding, methods and skills to complete tasks and address problems that, while well defined, have a measure of complexity.

• It includes taking responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures as well as exercising autonomy and judgement within limited parameters. It also reflects an awareness of different perspectives or approaches within an area of study or work.