NEBOSH has a responsibility to our learners and to the wider community to ensure that the standard of our qualifications is set appropriately and maintained over time. Our assessments are designed to measure whether a learner has met the requirements of a particular qualification. This means that everyone who takes a NEBOSH assessment and demonstrates that they meet the required standard are awarded a pass.
The pass mark for each assessment is the minimum number of marks that a learner must achieve to meet the qualification standard and pass the assessment. Each assessment has its own pass mark. For some Units, for example, the General Certificate practical assessment, the pass mark is set and remains unchanged. This is because the assessment is the same for all learners at all sittings. When each assessment is unique, for example the General Certificate (NG1/IG1), the level of demand can vary. For these we set a provisional pass mark; however, to be fair to all learners, and maintain standards over time, we use statistical methods and expert judgement and take this into account when setting the final pass mark for each assessment. This means that the initial ‘raw’ marks from those taking the assessment may be adjusted up, down, or stay the same to give a final, standardised mark for each learner.
As well as being fair to learners, this process also means our qualifications will continue to be valued by potential employers and other stakeholders. Our awarding process is overseen by our Regulators.