IQA Sampling Strategy
Internal Verifiers will implement the following sampling strategy. Sampling will include:
- All assessors over a 12-month period
- All units for the validity of assessment decisions for each assessor over a 12-month period including Mandatory and Optional units
- The full range of age, gender, new starters, midterm, and well-established learners
- The full range of evidence and assessment methods
- The first countersigned decision from each unit
- Interim and summative assessment decisions – Internal Verification will not be an “end” process.
Newly qualified and/or recruited assessors will be more frequently sampled until the Internal Verifier has confirmed effectiveness, reliability and quality of assessment decisions and practice.
For all unqualified assessors, each unit will be countersigned by a qualified assessor and the first judgement from each unit will be sampled by the IQA. This will continue until assessor award is achieved and assessment practice deemed sufficient and competent.
Standardisation of Assessment Judgements
The Internal Quality Assurer is responsible for ensuring the standardisation of assessment judgements and will:
- Ensure that written feedback to assessors contributes on an ongoing basis to the standardisation of assessment decisions
- Plan and implement standardisation meetings with all assessors.
Internal Quality Assurers must ensure that standardisation meetings:
- Focus on any revisions to the standards and how they differ from old standards, areas identified through monitoring where evidence has been difficult to generate, or where monitoring suggests that assessors are taking different approaches.
- Focus on validity, sufficiency, currency, and authenticity of the evidence reviewed at the meetings – use actual learners’ portfolios/evidence; and
- Develop a supportive, non-threatening environment where assessors are willing to share issues and concerns to ensure that each assessor makes valid assessment decisions.
Monitoring Assessment Practice
The Internal Quality Assurer will monitor the assessment process and will:
- Ensure that there is a clear and accurate audit trail of the IQA and assessment processes relating to each learner incorporated within the IQA and assessors’ records as well as the portfolio itself
- Observe at least one assessment for each assessor every 6 months as a minimum. The level of observation may increase/decrease depending on changes in assessor experience, learner group, award standards, and internal procedures. All observations will be recorded.
- Interview learners and workplace supervisors to establish understanding of the award and validate portfolio evidence and record the discussion. Record any issues, areas for improvement or good practice highlighted during the interview and provide feedback to the assessor.
Development and support of assessors
To support and develop assessors the Internal Quality Assurer will:
- Provide all assessors with an induction programme and issue them with their own copy of the standards for the relevant NVQ/RVQ.
- Monitor all assessment methods used by assessors to identify training needs.
- Identify any occupational or professional development needs within the team of assessors.
- Give regular feedback to assessors regarding their assessment practice and the outcome of any monitoring or sampling.
- Ensure all new assessors not holding the necessary qualifications for conducting NVQ/RVQ assessments, work towards achievement of the L3 TAQA within the first year of their employment and provide all necessary support to enable them to achieve their qualification.
Staff Training
All assessors and IQAs are to maintain their own CPD plans and have them available at every EQA visit. The IQAs are to support the assessors in identifying and meeting their development needs; the QAC will support the IQAs in identifying and meeting their own development needs.
External Quality Assurance (EQA) / certification
All IQAs must ensure that all presented portfolios for external verification and certification meet all the requirements of the awarding body.
All IQAs must contribute to EQA visits and ensure that all action points are addressed by the agreed target dates.
All IQAs are encouraged to use the EQA for guidance and support on the standards through the lead IQA
Equality and Diversity
All staff will undertake appropriate anti discriminatory approach in all that they do as part of the centre policy.
Data Protection
It is the responsibility of all the staff to store and allow access of data in accordance with the centre policy.
Contributing to the quality assurance process
All assessors must complete all their assessment records in accordance with this strategy and the awarding body specifications within a realistic time frame.
All assessors must attend at least 2 team meetings a year and mandatory standardisation meetings at least 4 a year.
Submissions for Internal verification
- It is the responsibility of learners to submit evidence for assessments.
- It is the responsibility of the assessor to submit assessed qualifications/awards for internal verification and to ensure that all documentation has been completed.
Support and development.
- All assessors must be proactive in maintaining their CPD in accordance with the above specifications and have annual development plans. These plans will be audited by their respective internal verifier.
- All assessors are to use their internal verifier for advice and guidance on the assessment process and on the interpretations of the occupational standards.