Procedure Number: 006	Qualification Quality Assurance Procedure
	Date of Last Revision:	17/2/2020
	Date of Last Review:	17/2/2020
	Date of Next Review:	17/2/2020

 

• Introduction

 

The following processes happen in order to achieve an NVQ:

 

 

The above cycle demonstrates the process of being assessed, what it does not show is the continuous quality assurance that is happening simultaneously.  The quality of the assessment process is monitored by a person known as the Internal Quality Assurer (IQA).  The role of the IQA is to monitor the quality and consistency of the assessment process, the performance of the assessor and assessor judgements against the National Occupational Standards.  This is a continuous improvement process and is monitored through the SAMPLING ACTIVITIES of the IQA.

 

2.0 Sampling

 

The IQA must record and report on all sampling activities and be able to provide sufficient detail to justify their decision.  To this end the IQA will produce a Sampling Plan.

 

2.1 Sampling Plan Strategy

 

The IQA must be able to provide an audit trail that clearly demonstrates that assessors have checked that the evidence presented, regardless of its format, meets the rules of evidence i.e. it must be confirmed by the assessor as being:

 

Valid :          Relevant to the standards for which competence is claimed.

Authentic:   Produced by the candidate.

Current:       Sufficiently recent for assessors to be confident that the same level of skills             knowledge and/or understanding exists at the time of the claim.

Sufficient:    Meets in full all of the requirements of the standards.    

 

The sampling plan must be agreed with the External Quality Assurer (EQA) and should take into account the following:

 

Candidates: Ethnic origin, age, gender, particular requirements and any other relevant feature of the candidate population.

Assessors:   Experience and qualifications, workload, occupational expertise, CPD, evidence of counter signing for trainee assessors.

Methods of Assessment:    Questioning, observation, RPL, simulation, product evidence, assignments, projects, tests and any other method appropriate to the SSC Assessment Strategy.

Evidence:     Written confirmation that the evidence is valid, authentic, current and sufficient, problem areas and special requirements.

Records:      reports from assessors, correct assessment practices, IQA records, candidate portfolios and files.

Assessment Locations:      Workplace assessments, off the job training, other assessment locations.

 

CAMERA

The sampling plan must:

 

• Meet the requirements of the NVQ code of Practice and the Awarding Body.
• Be continuous throughout the programme.
• Be planned and meet the requirements of CAMERA.
• Ensure that over a period of time, all assessors, all assessment sites/locations, all methods, all parts of the assessment process, all candidates and all units are sampled as appropriate to the awarding body
• Not be determined by any rule of thumb such as a percentage of portfolios.
• Be flexible to account for:
  • Assessor experience e.g larger samples for newly qualified or trainee assessors.
  • Workload of the assessor. The sample must reflect the percentage workload.
  • Specialist assessors i.e. assessors only assessing part of the scheme e.g first aid, manual handling

 

3.0 Records

 

IQA records must be kept as a printed document for a period of three years.  The record must also be kept as an electronic file and stored securely for the same time period.

 

4.0 Review

 

IQA activity is a regular item on the agenda of the quarterly Standardisation Meeting.

5.0 Revisions

 

Date	Pages / Sections	Issue Status	Amendment Details
17/2/2020	All	Issue 1	First issue of policy