What Does Open Awards Do?

Total employees83
HeadquartersSpeke, Liverpool
Founded1981

Open Awards is a UK-based Awarding Organisation and registered charity, regulated by Ofqual (England) and Qualifications Wales. They specialize in designing and awarding a wide range of qualifications that are flexible, responsive, and tailored to meet the needs of learners, educational providers, and employers. Their offerings span various sectors including vocational training, employability skills, and access to higher education. Open Awards aims to promote social mobility and lifelong learning by providing accessible and high-quality qualifications.

Where Is Open Awards's Headquarters?

HQ Function

The headquarters serves as the central hub for Open Awards' operations, including qualification development, quality assurance, customer support for approved centres, regulatory compliance, and strategic management.

Notable Features:

Located in Estuary Commerce Park, suggesting a modern office facility within a business-focused environment. Likely provides contemporary workspaces and meeting facilities conducive to collaboration and operational efficiency.

Work Culture:

The work culture at Open Awards likely emphasizes collaboration, quality, and a strong commitment to the education sector. Employees are probably passionate about learning and development, working in a professional and supportive environment that values innovation and responsiveness to the needs of learners and centres.

HQ Significance:

As the primary operational base, the Liverpool headquarters is crucial for maintaining the integrity and quality of Open Awards' qualifications and services across the UK. It's the nerve centre for their engagement with educational institutions and stakeholders.

Values Reflected in HQ: The choice of a professional business park location reflects Open Awards' commitment to quality, efficiency, and accessibility for its partners and stakeholders. It suggests a focus on a structured and professional approach to its awarding services.

Location:

Open Awards primarily operates within the United Kingdom, serving England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. While their qualifications are UK-regulated, they may be recognized by learners and institutions internationally, particularly in contexts that value UK educational standards. Their direct operational support and centre approval processes are focused on the UK.

Street Address:

17 De Havilland Drive, Estuary Boulevard, Estuary Commerce Park

City:

Speke, Liverpool

State/Province:

Merseyside

Country:

United Kingdom

Where Else Does Open Awards Operate Around the World?

No additional office locations available.

Buying Intent Signals for Open Awards

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
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Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading Open Awards? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, Open Awards' leadership includes:

Heather Akehurst - Chief Executive Officer
Simon Feneley - Head of Business Development
Di Hlegge - Head of Quality
Julie Suffield - Head of Awarding Services
Nina Hinton - Product Development Manager

Who's Investing in Open Awards?

Open Awards has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Open Awards is a registered charity (No. 1085703) and a company limited by guarantee (No. 03816184). As such, it does not have traditional equity investors. Its funding is primarily derived from its operational activities, such as qualification fees and services provided to educational centres.

What Leadership Changes Has Open Awards Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

Based on publicly available information, there have been no major executive team hires or exits announced by Open Awards in the last 12 months, suggesting stability in its core leadership. The organization is currently seeking new Trustees for its Board.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byOpen Awards?

Discover the tools Open Awards uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Open Awards Email Formats and Examples

Open Awards primarily uses the email format [first].[last]@openawards.org.uk for its staff. This is a common format for professional organizations.

[first].[last]@openawards.org.uk

Format

heather.akehurst@openawards.org.uk

Example

95%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About Open Awards?

Open Awards WebsiteMay 23, 2024

Open Awards Seeks New Trustees to Join Its Board

Open Awards has announced it is looking for new Trustees to join its Board. The organization is seeking individuals with diverse experiences and skills to contribute to its strategic direction and governance as an awarding organisation and charity....more

Open Awards WebsiteMay 14, 2024

Open Awards Announces Upcoming Launch of Digital Functional Skills Qualifications (FSQs)

Open Awards is set to launch new Digital Functional Skills Qualifications (FSQs). These qualifications are designed to help learners develop essential digital skills for everyday life and the workplace, addressing the growing importance of digital literacy....more

FE WeekApril 26, 2024

Open Awards: Why we are removing external assessment from our Access to HE Diplomas

Heather Akehurst, CEO of Open Awards, explains the rationale behind their decision to remove mandatory external assessments from their Access to Higher Education Diplomas, aiming to reduce learner and provider burden while maintaining quality and robustness through moderated internal assessments....more

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