Centre Support and FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

We know that getting the right level of support is important to you. We have put together this list of frequently asked questions to help you find your answer quickly and easily as possible.

If you can’t find an answer to your question or would like more information, please get in touch.

Accessing IRIS

IRIS can be accessed by selecting IRIS at the top of any page on the Signature website. To login simply enter your username (email address) and password. You can also use this link.

Email your customer support officer who will be able to reset your password and send it to you. You can find their contact details on our Contact us page

Yes. Your centre can have multiple users for IRIS. You can create yourself from within your IRIS account.

Approval

Your approval to run our qualifications lasts for one year. This starts from the date you completed your application. You will be reminded by e-mail when the renewal is due. The system will allow you to begin the renewal process 30 days before your approval lapses.

For non NVQ units once you have successfully submitted the application you should be up and running within 24 hours.

For NVQ units, when you have submitted your application correctly you will receive an email telling you what documentation you must to send to us. Once we have the documentation the approval will be processed quickly.

When you submit your approval application you will receive a confirmation e-mail. If you have not received the e-mail you should check that you have clicked on the submit button in your application.

Setting up new assessments and registering candidates

Log in to your IRIS account, within the booking form where you have registered your candidates, click ‘session view’ then click ‘Add session’. Complete the form and click ‘finalise session’ to book your assessment.

You must allow a minimum lead time when booking assessments.

UnitsLead time
BSL/ISL 101
T101
T201
T202
24 hours
BSL/ISL 102
BSL/ISL 103
BSL/ISL 202
BSL/ISL 203
7 days
BSL/ISL 201
BSL/ISL 320
BSL/ISL 321
BSL/ISL 420
BSL/ISL 421
BSL/ISL 423
14 days
NVQ
BSL/ISL 322
BSL/ISL 422
6 weeks

Candidates who have taken any of our assessments since 2007 will already have been allocated a candidate ID number and should pass this information on to you. The number will be printed on their result slip and at the bottom of their certificate.

If a candidate does not have this number they can contact us. You can search for candidates through IRIS if they were previously registered with you or call our Customer support team for assistance.

No. Candidates must be entered separately for each assessment.

When entering new candidates for more than one assessment, you must wait until you receive confirmation of the first assessment before entering the candidate for further assessments.

Yes. Candidates under 18 years will automatically receive a 30% discount on their candidate registration fee.

Assessments which you have set up are automatically saved and you can return to them at a later date.

Just be aware that the required lead time will start from the time of the last submitted assessment.

Yes. You can do this through Iris as long as there is still the required lead time.

Reasonable adjustments

When entering candidates on an assessment you will be able to apply if any of the candidates require any reasonable adjustments in order to carry out the assessments. You do this within the ‘Request Reasonable adjustment’ section of the booking form. You will need to answer the following questions:

  • What adjustment is required for this assessment?
  • What adjustment has been given throughout the learning process?
  • How will the adjustment help the candidate to meet the assessment criteria for this assessment?
  • Medical evidence will need to be sent within 2 working days to support the application. If not receive the application will be rejected.

You should be specific about your answers. You must also provide evidence produced by independent specialist (medical certificate, professional assessment report).

Reasonable Adjustments are specific to individual candidates.

Assessment materials

We do not send out materials for these assessments. Candidate Assessment Record forms can be printed out under the assessment ID in the view assessments section of IRIS. Any other materials you need to run these assessments can be found in the Qualification Specification.

Assessment topic titles are available 6 days before the assessment in IRIS. They will be available until the day of the assessment.

Materials (papers/DVDs) are sent to you 10 days before the date of assessment. If you do not receive them please contact your Customer Support Officer.

Results

We aim to issue assessment results within 6 weeks of the assessment date.

Assessment results are available to view online in IRIS

You are required to keep copies of any tape or media that is sent to us for marking.

We do not return tapes and other media once results have been issued.

Essential Criteria 1 (E1) is use of BSL Sign Order. Essential Criteria 2 (E2) is use of non-manual features.

Contact your Customer Support Officer who will be able to assist with this.

Appeals

You have 8 weeks from the date the results were issued to request an appeal. To log an appeal, complete the appeals form which is available within IRIS.

Certificates

We aim to issue certificates 4 weeks after the results for the candidate’s final assessment is issued.

They can be requested in writing or by emailing your Customer Support Officer. There will be a £20 fee to create a replacements certificate and it will be stamped with replacement.

Yes. We can issue unit certificates for those parts that they have achieved free of charge. We only produce unit certificates on request, you should e-mail your Customer Support Officer detailing the candidate’s name and assessment number.

General

Fees for the current academic year can be found under the Useful Documents section of the website.

Customer support officers

Our customer support team are on hand to answer any questions and offer advice and guidance. They will keep you up-to-date with any changes and new information you need to know.

Customer Support officers

Clare Rivers:

Eden Briggs:

Abbie Leask:

Enquiries

Leave your Name, Email and the manner of your enquiry and member of our very helpful team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Skip to content