Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) and APC renewal

APC renewal

An Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) is valid for three years and needs to be renewed at the end of this three years. If there is a gap between the APC lapsing and the next renewal, reports submitted during that time will not be able to be used to support DSA applications in the future.

A renewal can take up to 16 weeks to complete, including any resubmission if the first report doesn't meet the SASC standards for an APC. Applications should not be sent more than six months before the renewal date.

The BDA follows the SASC guidelines for APC renewal, these guidelines are the same across all organisations who issue and renew APCs (BDA, PATOSS and The Dyslexia Guild).

To renew an APC with the BDA

Where a first APC was issued before 1st September 2018, applicants should:

• submit a full, anonymised Diagnostic Assessment report written within 18 months of renewal to SASC guidelines. The submitted Diagnostic Assessment report must be your own independent work that has not been submitted to any other APC awarding organisation (Dyslexia Action/PATOSS).
• submit the APC Renewal Form and CPD Log showing evidence of a minimum of 20 hours CPD across the previous three years. At least 5 of these hours should cover C1 and C2 which are SASC approved CPD:
  • C1 - principles of psychometrics, statistics, assessment and underlying theory
  • C2 - SpLD testing methods, interpretation and test materials
• All SASC approved CPD entries must have the correct date of the course, the correct course title and SASC reference which will be on the attendance certificate.
• The remaining supplementary CPD, may contain more of C1 and C2, in addition to
  • S1 - changes in regulations and legislation relating to SpLDs
  • S2 - developments in SpLD research
  • S3 - approaches to teaching and support for SpLD

CPD can be a combination of formal CPD, e.g. attendance at conferences, training and informal training, e.g. your own study, training delivered to colleagues. Copies of formal CPD certificates should be submitted.

You are also required to:

• maintain Professional Membership of the British Dyslexia Association for the duration of the APC. The APC will be invalid should the membership lapse.
• agree to adhere to the BDA Code of Ethics
• pay the renewal fee of £210 which includes £30 to update the SASC list of APC holders. There is a resubmission fee of £180 if the first submission is not a pass.

Where a first APC was issued after 1st September 2018 applicants should, for their first renewal:

• submit a full, anonymised Diagnostic Assessment report written within 18 months of renewal to SASC guidelines. The submitted Diagnostic Assessment report must be your own independent work that has not been submitted to any other APC awarding organisation (Dyslexia Action/PATOSS).

• submit an APC Renewal Form and CPD Log showing evidence of at least 10 hours CPD each year, to include 5 hours of SASC approved training each year. A CPD log should show evidence of a minimum of 5 hours SASC approved core training each year in the two areas below;
  • C1 - principles of psychometrics, statistics, assessment and underlying theory
  • C2 - SpLD testing methods, interpretation and test materials
• All SASC approved CPD entries must have the correct date of the course, the correct course title and SASC reference which will be on the attendance certificate.
• The remaining supplementary CPD, may contain more of C1 and C2, in addition to
  • S1 - changes in regulations and legislation relating to SpLDs
  • S2 - developments in SpLD research
  • S3 - approaches to teaching and support for SpLD
• CPD covering Exam Access Arrangements can only be used as 5 hours SASC approved CPD across the 3-year period.
• CPD can be a combination of formal CPD, e.g. attending conferences, training courses and informal training, e.g. your own study, and training delivered to colleagues.
• SASC approved mentoring is recommended as part of your CPD.
• Copies of certificates should be submitted.

You are also required to:

• maintain Professional Membership of the British Dyslexia Association for the duration of the APC. The APC will be invalid should the membership lapse.

• agree to and adhere to the BDA Code of Ethics

• pay the renewal fee of £210 this includes £30 to update the SASC list of APC holders and SASC membership. There is a resubmission fee of £180 if the first submission is not a pass.

• These links may be useful:
  • SASC Assessment Practising Certificate Report Criteria
  • Suitable Tests for the Assessment of SpLDs
  • SASC website for the latest information.

Please note that if you have previously held an APC, with any issuing body, and your APC has lapsed, you should renew through the appropriate renewal route above.

Renewing an APC for the 4th time (5th APC)

Assessors who have demonstrated excellent professional practice by renewing their APC three times, are not required to submit a diagnostic report for their 4th renewal, which will be their 5th APC (as the first one would have been issued on application following completion of your level 7 course). They must still evidence an ongoing commitment to CPD and assessors are required to submit a CPD log, meeting SASC guidelines, and maintain professional membership of their professional bodies. The SASC element of this CPD should not be on Access Arrangements. CPD must be submitted on the APC Renewal Form and CPD Log, the current APC renewal fee is applicable.

Submitting your application to the BDA

Contact accreditation@bdadyslexia.org.uk when you are ready to submit your application, you will be sent a link to upload your documents. Please do not submit your application for renewal more than six months before the renewal date.