Specific requirements for certification are as follows:

• All MAEL certificates shall bear the MAEL logo at the head, and clearly show the title of the qualification. Where the qualification is accredited, the title shall exactly match the title accredited by the regulating body.
• The learner’s name shall be clearly stated. It is the responsibility of Centres to verify the identity of learners and advise their full name.
• The certificate shall refer to the accompanying transcript.
• The transcript shall briefly identify all units or modules and provide the grade for each.
• MAEL will issue only certificates which are clear and readily capable of being understood by users of qualifications, and which will not include a qualification which is not a regulated qualification on a certificate which contains regulated qualifications.
• MAEL does not issue unit certificates, only certificates/diplomas for full qualifications. Centres may issue certificates of professional development to learners who have completed some units. Such certificates shall be awarded only if the units concerned have been completed, and the marks verified by MAEL. Unit certificates, or certificates of CPD, shall not bear any reference to MAEL.
• Replacement certificates will not be awarded without an investigation into the circumstances surrounding a request for one from the learner or Centre. If the original certificate contained any error, it must be returned to MAEL and a new certificate will be produced immediately. If the original certificate was lost or destroyed, then the full circumstances must be reported to MAEL, who must be assured that it can not be recovered. A replacement certificate, clearly identified as such, will then be issued on payment of a fee representing the administrative costs involved.
• Where MAEL issues a certificate in relation to a qualification and the assessment of the qualification was in a language other than English then the language of the assessment is clearly identifiable on the certificate.
• MAEL will publish the expected dates or timescales for the issuance of certificates, ensure that the issue of certificates is timely and meet any date or timescale published by it in respect of the issue of certificates and/or replacement certificates.
• A full record will be maintained of the issuance of all certificates and replacement certificates which are issued, with sufficiently full details to enable a qualification to be verified to a third party or to enable a replacement to be issued. Before entry onto the record, a double checking system will be in place to ensure that MAEL has issued a certificate and/or replacement certificate to any Learner who has a valid entitlement to that certificate or replacement certificate, does not issue any certificate to a Learner who does not have a valid entitlement to that certificate,
• MAEL will revoke any certificate if the result on the certificate is false because of malpractice, maladministration, or is revealed to be inaccurate as a consequence of an appeals process.

Montessori is more than an educational method, and an award of Montessori certification implies more than just achieving a given academic standard.   It also asserts acceptance of and adherence to an ethos.   For this reason, MAEL reserves the right to instruct teaching centres to withdraw Montessori certification under certain circumstances.

Withdrawal will only be mandated in cases of gross professional misconduct.   Complainants must provide evidence of a standard which would be acceptable in a court of justice.   Unsubstantiated allegations and third party comment will be disregarded, unless accompanied by a signed witness statement.   Original evidence (or a copy certified as true by a solicitor) must be available to an authorised officer of MAEL (usually the MD).

Complaints may be made under one or more of the following headings:
i.        A criminal conviction for a serious offence which is mundane to the practice of Montessori e.g. fraud.   Any conviction for a child protection and/or safeguarding offence will lead to automatic withdrawal.
ii.        Serious professional misconduct which does, or is highly likely to, bring the good name of Montessori into disrepute.   This would include, but is not limited to, rendering seriously deficient services under the name of Montessori, instances of breach of confidentially or of the duty of good faith, sabotage of legitimate third-party Montessori activities, libel and/or slander and intentional misrepresentation of material facts.

Any complaint should be made, in the first instance, to the Managing Director, Montessori Assessment & Education Ltd, The Old School, Westhorpe, Suffolk  IP14 4SU.   Anonymous complaints cannot be accepted.   Requests for confidentiality will be respected, but it is recognised that that may limit MAEL’s freedom of action.

The MD will consider all submitted evidence (however, he/she will not undertake any further investigation but will consider issues solely on the basis of the evidence provided) and, if a reasonable case for withdrawal has been substantiated, will write to the person or organisation complained against, indicating the nature of the complaint, outlining the evidence submitted and inviting them to make a submission.

Following the submission, the MD will convene an appeals panel, at which the complainer will be invited, with legal representation if requested. Complaints will either be dismissed or accepted.   In the latter case, the teaching centre that issued the original certificate will be authorised to withdraw certification.
 

Document reviewed 04.01.2016