AQA 7042 · C3.06 - Approval, title changes and Candidate Record Form checkpoints
Approval and authentication happen at different stages. Follow the 2027 forms from a proposed question to the completed investigation, and learn why a changed title or an unverified signature breaks the record trail.
Two records, one approval workflow
AQA's specification uses the term NEA title approval form. Current AQA administration uses an NEA Question Approval Form (QAF) for the centre's submission to its NEA Adviser. The change in wording does not remove the specification rules: the exact question, its chronological setting and its relationship to Components 1 and 2 still have to be checked.
The Candidate Record Form (CRF) is the candidate-level record that connects the approved question to the work eventually submitted. One form therefore contains checkpoints at different times: its title section is returned to the teacher for approval before the project starts, while its ownership and authentication declarations are completed truthfully for the finished work.
| Checkpoint | Main record | Responsible action | What the record establishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the investigation starts | CRF title section and the centre's current-series QAF process | The candidate returns the title to the teacher for approval; the centre prepares accurate question and route information for adviser review | The title has teacher approval before the project starts and the official approval trail uses the correct information |
| Centre submission deadline | Current-series QAF | The teacher/centre submits the form to the NEA Adviser no later than the series deadline | The adviser can check the precise question and whole-qualification rules |
| If the approved title or question changes | A new approval form | The change is referred back through the teacher; the rules are checked again | Approval belongs to the revised question, not an obsolete version |
| When the work is complete | Current-series CRF | Candidate and teacher make their own declarations and sign/date them | The submitted work matches the approved route and can be authenticated |
| Moderation | Approved QAF plus completed CRFs and required work | For 2027, the centre uploads every candidate's CRF through Centre Marks Submission and uploads the approved QAF with the sample | The moderator can check the approval and authentication trail |
Worked record trail: trace the question, not just the name
The division of responsibility matters. A student can supply accurate information and must make an honest declaration, but the centre submits the approval form to AQA's NEA Adviser and manages moderation. Every candidate's investigation must be covered by accurate approval information; the 2027 QAF requires a separate form for each question used within a centre. It must be completed onscreen and emailed to the NEA Adviser; scanned and paper copies are not accepted. The adviser completes the decision section and returns the form. A student should not invent an approval date or treat a teacher's informal conversation as the official record.
Pre-start approval and the centre deadline
Two timings must not be collapsed. The candidate returns the CRF title section to the teacher for approval before the project is started. Separately, the centre must submit its QAF no later than 20 October in the year before intended A-level completion or certification. The exact form is series-specific: for example, AQA's June 2027 QAF gives 20 October 2026 as its final deadline and strongly advises submission before a question is finalised. The centre should use the version named for its own series and follow its NEA Adviser's instructions rather than reusing an older file.
The approval record must make clear:
- the precise proposed investigation question or title and its chronological range;
- the Component 1 and Component 2 options being studied, including the date ranges requested on the current QAF; and
- that the proposal passes all three qualification checks.
Those three checks are:
- the question is set in the context of approximately 100 years;
- there is no overlap with the content studied in the examined components; and
- Components 1, 2 and 3 together cover a chronological range of at least 200 years.
The current QAF also requires the NEA Adviser to judge whether the question itself is appropriate. Passing one date calculation is therefore not a substitute for approval. The QAF is completed by the teacher and submitted for adviser review; the candidate does not self-approve a question.
A changed question needs a new approval trail
Approval attaches to the question that was checked, not merely to the student's name or broad topic. A change to the wording, focus or chronological range can alter the 100-year context, create overlap with Components 1 or 2, or change the combined chronological coverage. AQA's specification therefore says that if a student changes the Historical Investigation title, a new form should be completed.
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