ADC Resits - GCO FAQ

GCO ADC Resit FAQ

If you have joined the GCO and have been working towards accreditation, you will need to resit the Assessment and Development Centre (ADC) by your resit deadline. If you are unsure of your exact ADC resit deadline, please email us at gcfprog-bookings@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

How/When do I book my ADC resit?

When you are nearing the end of your development programme/have completed all modules, the Business Operations team will contact you and provide information on how to book your ADC. You will be contacted shortly after you have completed your programme so that you can complete your assessment before your resit deadline. 

You will be given access to a self-service portal and can select from a range of available dates. Availability is limited, so please book your ADC as soon as you feel ready to.  Your ADC resit must be completed within your resit deadline.

When do ADC resit dates become available on the GCC?

ADC resit dates are added every month and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis - places are limited, so we strongly encourage you to book as soon as possible.

Resit dates can become available on an ad hoc basis due to cancellations across our other booking teams, so if you do not see an available date, we recommend you check back periodically for available dates.

Do I need to discuss my resit with my line manager?

Prior to your ADC resit, we would recommend you have a conversation with your line manager to ensure you feel as prepared as you can ahead of the resit and that any remaining concerns or areas for development can be addressed. 

What support is available to help with my ADC resit?

Once you have selected your resit date, we recommend taking the following steps to prepare:

• Review Preparation Documents: Access and review the ADC preparation documents, which can be found here. 

• Book a Feedback Session: Schedule an ADC feedback session with a Moderator from the ADC Team. This call provides an opportunity to review your initial ADC performance and help you prepare for your upcoming assessment. To book yourself onto a feedback call, please follow the link here and use the enrollment key detailed below:
  
  Enrollment key: Feedback_Call_1

I haven’t completed the development programme, can I take my resit?

If you have not completed your development programme, the relevant Learning and Development (L&D) will be offered to you before you take your resit. 

You will not be able to attend an ADC resit if you have not completed the L&D development programme in full, so please accept the invites when they are made available to you. 

If you are unsure whether you have completed your development programme, please email us at gcfprog-bookings@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

What happens if I take an early resit and the outcome is accreditation?

If you undertake an early ADC assessment and you receive an ‘A’ in the assessment, while at a programme, you must inform the bookings team. They will then record your results once they have been published, and you may be removed from the development programme.

I am unable to complete my development programme and resit the ADC before my deadline; what can I do?

If, due to extenuating circumstances beyond your control, you are unable to complete your development programme and resit the ADC before your resit deadline, please email us at gcfprog-bookings@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. 

Will I see the same assessors on the ADC as my first sitting?

As far as possible, you will not be assessed by the same assessors as previously at the ADC. Where this is not possible, the assessors will always assess a different exercise to the previous ADC, and they will not be informed that this is a resit.

Do I need to resit the Technical Interview?

As GCO Resit participants, you may carry your Technical Interview score from your previous ADC, so long as you resit at the same assessment level (or below) as previously (with CL being the lowest level, then ACS, then CS, then SCS as the highest) and:

• CL or ACS - You achieved a score of 3 (or above) in one of the Technical attributes.

• CS - You achieved a score of 3 (or above) in two of the Technical attributes.

• SCS - You achieved a score of 3 (or above) in three of the Technical attributes.

For example, if you previously attended a CS level ADC, achieved a score of 3 in three of the Technical attributes and are expected to resit at ACS level, then you do not need to sit your Technical interview.

If you are unsure whether you do need to resit your Technical Interview, please email us at gcfprog-bookings@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

Request to extend your resit deadline

If you feel you are unable to attend your current GCF development programme, and this situation may impact your resit deadline, then please inform the Commercial Bookings Team at gcfprog-bookings@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, and the ADC Business Operations Team at gcfdevelopmentcentre@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. 

You will need to speak with your Line Manager and complete the ‘Resit Extension Form’, which can be accessed by contacting gcfdevelopmentcentre@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

What are the potential outcomes of an ADC resit?

Following completion of your ADC resit, you will receive 1 of 3 possible outcomes:

1. You will be accredited. GCO Terms and Conditions, including eligibility for Performance Related Pay, will now be available, though some restrictions may apply to individuals who have not applied for a permanent role within the GCO. Those interested can discuss this with GCO HR.

2. With the agreement of the Commercial Director, individuals can opt to attend a panel interview with supporting evidence to secure accreditation (see below).

3. Your previous score of B will be used, and you will be treated as a B (meaning the same process as for B will follow).

What happens if I’m not accredited following my ADC resit?

We expect the majority of individuals to achieve accreditation through the ADC and therefore the number of individuals in the category is anticipated to be low. Should you not receive accreditation following completion of your ADC resit, you will be invited to begin the process of submitting evidence to our panel. The ADC team will facilitate this process throughout, and a decision to pursue this route, or leave core commercial, will need to be taken within 30 days of the ADC resit. Where an individual chooses to enter the process, the agreement of the Commercial Director will be required. 

The panel will take place within 90 days of the ADC resit. The supporting evidence will cover the period from the first ADC until the panel. Responsibility for assembling the supporting evidence will belong to the participant. The ADC team will provide guidance to the participant on how to undertake this. As a guide, supporting evidence provided should include examples of success at work via the end-of-year review, 360 feedback, sponsor statements, and the development log. There will be no mandatory evidence, but it is communicated to all staff on the development programme that the log is considered a very useful addition to the portfolio as it shows engagement with both the GCO and personal development. The statements should include reference to improvements (or otherwise) of scores in the attributes tested at the ADC and the sponsor’s view of these possible weaknesses.

The panel will be made up of at least one Accreditation Board member, one departmental Commercial Director (or nominated alternative). To ensure due process is followed, the panel will be facilitated by the Accreditation Lead (or nominated alternative). Members will have access to both ADC reports and the portfolio of evidence.

What happens if I do not want to go to the panel / am unsuccessful at the panel?

Permanent civil servants who choose not to enter the panel and supporting evidence process, or are unable to gain Commercial Director agreement to enter the panel, or are not accredited by the panel, will be supported in moving from the GCO into a non-specialist commercial role within 6 months.

Individuals who are on a Fixed Term Contract or on loan to the GCO will leave the GCO in accordance with the provisions set out in their offer letter and contract of employment or loan agreement.

How can I access my ADC report?

To access your ADC report, you will need to contact the ADC team (gcfdevelopmentcentre@cabinetoffice.gov.uk).

I haven’t found my answer; who can I contact?

If you were unable to find the answer you were looking for in this article, please contact gcfprog-bookings@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.