# Ofqual Qualification & Awarding Organisation Change Signals (`starshaped_bullsnake/ofqual-qualification-organisation-change-signals`) Actor

Track official Ofqual qualification availability and awarding-organisation recognition changes.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/starshaped\_bullsnake/ofqual-qualification-organisation-change-signals.md
- **Developed by:** [Starshape Tools](https://apify.com/starshaped_bullsnake) (community)
- **Categories:** Education
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $7.50 / 1,000 ofqual qualification or organisation signals

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Ofqual Qualification & Awarding Organisation Change Signals

Monitors meaningful regulatory and availability changes in Ofqual's official Register. It is for qualification operations, awarding-organisation monitoring, education procurement, and compliance-support workflows—not a qualification directory.

### Official source, licence, and attribution

The Actor uses only the official [Register downloads](https://www.gov.uk/find-a-regulated-qualification): Qualifications CSV and Organisations CSV. Units are deliberately omitted. GOV.UK content is available under the [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) unless otherwise stated. Attribution: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Qualification identity is `Qualification Number`; organisation identity is `Recognition Number`. The full normalized snapshot retains title, owner recognition number/name, level, availability, operational and certification dates, assessment/grading metadata, organisation name, and Ofqual recognition status.

### Detected signals

`NEW_QUALIFICATION`, `QUALIFICATION_WITHDRAWN`, `AVAILABILITY_CHANGED`, `QUALIFICATION_UPDATED`, `AWARDING_ORGANISATION_CHANGED`, `ORGANISATION_RECOGNITION_CHANGED`, `QUALIFICATION_LEVEL_CHANGED`, `ASSESSMENT_METHOD_CHANGED`, `OPERATIONAL_END_DATE_CHANGED`, `TITLE_CHANGED`, and `ORGANISATION_NAME_CHANGED`. Generic updates are limited to meaningful official fields. Null transitions do not create status, availability, or assessment changes.

The first live run creates a baseline with zero signals. The source is continuously maintained; weekly scheduling is a practical default.

```json
{ "mode": "live", "signalTypes": ["QUALIFICATION_WITHDRAWN"], "recognitionNumbers": ["RN5133"], "maxItems": 1000 }
```

```json
{ "signalType": "AVAILABILITY_CHANGED", "entityKind": "qualification", "identifier": "Q1", "previousValue": "Available to learners", "currentValue": "No longer awarded", "signalSummary": "AVAILABILITY CHANGED: Q1", "sourceUrl": "https://www.gov.uk/find-a-regulated-qualification" }
```

`maxItems` and filters affect Dataset output only. Sample mode branches before source/storage access and uses the production normalize/diff/filter path; `snapshotUpdated` is false. The gzip KVS snapshot is complete, while each signal is one Dataset item. Per-source count and schema guards retain the old snapshot if an official CSV collapses or changes critically.

Limitations: changes can only be detected after a successful baseline; the Actor reflects the Register's published fields and update timing and does not guarantee qualification compliance.

# Actor input Schema

## `mode` (type: `string`):

Live official comparison or isolated sample.

## `signalTypes` (type: `array`):

Optional signal-type filter.

## `qualificationNumbers` (type: `array`):

Optional official qualification-number filter.

## `recognitionNumbers` (type: `array`):

Optional official organisation recognition-number filter.

## `baselineOnly` (type: `boolean`):

Refresh baseline without signals.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Caps Dataset output only; never truncates the snapshot.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "mode": "live",
  "baselineOnly": false,
  "maxItems": 1000
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `OUTPUT` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("starshaped_bullsnake/ofqual-qualification-organisation-change-signals").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("starshaped_bullsnake/ofqual-qualification-organisation-change-signals").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call starshaped_bullsnake/ofqual-qualification-organisation-change-signals --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,starshaped_bullsnake/ofqual-qualification-organisation-change-signals"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/AUI8Nz8qvFYk2ki7g/builds/XWA4wnxFvbTP7Ievp/openapi.json