BTEC Quality Assurance 2011-2012

BTEC Foundation Level – Level 3 including Workskills The quality assurance includes three processes: Lead Internal Verifier accreditation by online standardisation via OSCA Standards Verification Quality Review & Development (includes NVQ/SVQs)

Who should be a Lead Internal Verifier? The person who usually has responsibility for verifying and signing off assessment outcomes for a Principal Subject Area Involved in the assessment and delivery and have an understanding of the units being assessed The person who usually coordinates internal verification across assessors and other internal verifiers for a Principal Subject Area

Lead Internal Verifier Accreditation A Lead Internal Verifier is nominated for each Principal Subject Area Lead Internal Verifiers: register on OSCA undertake induction training, available as a podcast on the Edexcel website complete a practice exercise complete formal exercise – within one of the two windows results sent one week after close of window There are two possible outcomes: Accredited Accredited, subject to Standards Verification Brief overview, to recap and outline the procedure for Lead IVs gaining accreditation. Note when exercises are available – not all subjects are available in both windows. Full details are in the Lead IV chapter of BTEC Quality Assurance handbook Practise materials available 6th October

Lead Internal Verifier online standardisation 2011-12 This will apply to Lead Internal Verifiers who: did not complete online standardisation in 2010-11 were not released at first Standards Verification sample in 2010-11 are replacing an existing Lead Internal Verifier are registering for any new BTEC programmes being offered Existing Lead Internal Verifiers accredited for 1+3 years need to confirm their registration on Edexcel Online each September Existing Lead IVs will be sent reminder emails to re-register in September.

Lead Internal Verifier online standardisation 2011-12 Lead Internal Verifier induction Preparation & practice Window Standardisation Notification of results Allocation of Standards Verifier (if required) September 06/10/11 One 3/11/11 to 30/11/11 09/12/11 January 2012 Two 19/01/12 15/2/12 24/02/12 March 2012 Foundation Learning level materials only available in Window 2 All exercises will be in two parts covering: 2 units with 14 questions on each unit sections on assignment brief, standard of learner work, assessor and internal verification activity Existing Lead IVs will be sent reminder emails to re-register in September.

New for 2011-2012 Some Principal Subject Areas have been merged: Production Arts is a new Principal Subject Area Principal Subject Area Merged into Building Services & Civil Engineering Construction Customer Services & Operations Hospitality Dance Performing Arts Forensic Science Applied Science Vocational Studies Personal and Social Development If you are already the accredited Lead Internal Verifier for one of these Principal Subject Areas, you will retain your accreditation status, once you re-register • If you have separate accredited Lead Internal Verifiers for two Principal Subject Areas that have merged: our system will recognise the accreditation status of both Lead Internal Verifiers but only one should re-register in September you should refer to the tables on page 12 onwards to ensure that the registered Lead Internal Verifier’s accreditation covers all your programmes QUALITY NOMINEE NETWORK MEETINGS AUTUMN 2011

Principal Subject Areas not covered by Lead Internal Verifier accreditation A Standards Verifier will be allocated annually to: BTEC Security BTEC Fire Services BTEC Emergency Care Existing Lead Internal Verifiers cover: BTEC Management BTEC Supporting Teaching and Learning BTEC Management (Law) BTEC Travel Studies (Aviation Operations) BTEC Maths BTEC Children & Young People (Level 2 and Level 3 only) Where centres are running these for the first time in 2011-12 they will be allocated a Standards Verifier There are various reasons why each PSA listed are going to SV: e.g. Children & Young People require SV for regulatory reasons Aviation is very specialist and small The Handbook identifies which of these still have practice materials.

BTEC Children and Young People We will continue to provide an annual Standards Verifier visit for Level 3 Children’s Care, Learning & Development programmes In 2011-12, this visit will cover all programmes within the Principal Subject Area at level 3 and below Where there is no Level 3 running, postal sampling will cover all programmes within the Principal Subject Area at level 2 and below Where only Level 1 is delivered this will be covered by Lead Internal Verifier accreditation via OSCA The BTEC level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning & Development continue to provide a licence to practice • Therefore, for these programmes, the Standards Verifier will select one mandatory unit and Unit 4: Reflecting on and Developing Practice for Children aged 0-8 for sampling

Standards Verification We allocate a Standards Verifier for two reasons: Confirmation sampling: Where you have an accredited Lead Internal Verifier Over the course of your accreditation period you can expect to be sampled at least once Accreditation sampling: Where a Lead Internal Verifier is “Accredited, subject to Standards Verification” Where online standardisation has not been attempted Where a Principal Subject Area is not covered by Lead Internal Verifier accreditation (e.g. Security, Fire Services)

Standards Verification We allocate a Standards Verifier for two reasons: Confirmation sampling: Where you have an accredited Lead Internal Verifier Over the course of your accreditation period you can expect to be sampled at least once Accreditation sampling: Where a Lead Internal Verifier is “Accredited, subject to Standards Verification” Where online standardisation has not been attempted Where a Principal Subject Area is not covered by Lead Internal Verifier accreditation (e.g. Security, Fire Services)

Standards Verification Accreditation sampling 1st Sample by Standards Verifier Release Lead IV accredited for current year + 3 Block 2nd Sample required 2nd Sample by Standards Verifier Release certification for current year Block Remedial action required RQM support to release certification for current year The diagram illustrates how the sampling process works: The Standards Verifier negotiates a sample with the centre. If assessment is judged to be accurate, then certification is released and the Lead IV is accredited for the full period. If assessment is inaccurate, the Standards Verifier will block certification and negotiate a re-sample. If the resample is judged to be accurately assessed, certification will be released for the current year. Lead IV standardisation will be required in the following year. If the resample is blocked, the relevant Regional Quality Manager intervenes, meeting with the centre staff and agreeing remedial action. Once the remedial action is completed satisfactorily, the Regional Quality Manager can release certification for the current year. Lead IV standardisation will be required in the following year. If a centre does not attempt or complete the Lead IV standardisation, Standards Verification can only release the current year, and Lead IV standardisation will be required in the following year. Where Lead Internal Verifier standardisation is not completed, certification can only be released for current year

Standards Verification Confirmation sampling 1st Sample by Standards Verifier Release Lead IV accreditation retained and certification released Block 2nd Sample required 2nd Sample by Standards Verifier Release Lead IV accreditation retained and certification released RQM support to release certification for current year. Lead Internal Verifier accreditation withdrawn Block Remedial action required The diagram illustrates how the sampling process works: The Standards Verifier negotiates a sample with the centre. If assessment is judged to be accurate, then certification is released and the Lead IV keeps accreditation for the full period. If assessment is inaccurate, the Standards Verifier will block certification and negotiate a re-sample. If the resample is judged to be accurately assessed, certification will be released for the current year. Lead IV retains their accreditation. If the resample is blocked, the relevant Regional Quality Manager intervenes, meeting with the centre staff and agreeing remedial action. Once the remedial action is completed satisfactorily, the Regional Quality Manager can release certification for the current year. Lead IV standardisation will be required in the following year.

Standards Verification The Standards Verifier will: Sample all levels within a Principal Subject Area Request the largest programme at each level Request complete mandatory unit(s) Select learners to be sampled Sample across levels of achievement Require all learners sampled to have been internally verified By this, we mean that for each learner, the assessment decisions for at least one assignment towards the unit has been internally verified

Number of learners sampled is linked to registrations Sampling Programmes delivered Units sampled Level 3 Diploma or Extended Diploma 2 units Level 3 Certificate or Subsidiary Diploma 1 unit Level 2 programmes Level 1 or Foundation Learning Number of learners sampled is linked to registrations 1-3 all learners 4 to 100 4 learners 101 to 250 8 learners 251+ 12 learners Refer to the QA Handbook: Standards Verification Sampling Only copies of work should be sent A sample is: • the assignment brief(s) for the whole unit with evidence of internal verification • a complete portfolio of work with evidence of assessment and internal verification, for each learner sampled • for graded qualifications, learner work at all grades (Pass, Merit, Distinction) where possible The Standards Verifier will contact you to request a list of anticipated learner grades for the units approximately 4 weeks before the agreed sample date and make the final selection of learners to be sampled.

Checking learner work All learner work should be clearly labelled (any video evidence should include clear identification of learners) Assessment decisions should be checked Internal verification should be obvious and functioning The feedback should be directly linked to the grading criteria The assessor should be providing guidance for improving the work Presentation of evidence should follow the order of the quality assurance process

Standards Verification Release When: Assessment decisions are accurate Internal verification meets national standards: assignments are fit for purpose accurate verification of assessment decisions Successful outcome means: The Standards Verifier concludes that the centre is assessing securely to national standards and documenting assessment and internal verification correctly

Resampling This will be required when: the assignment brief is not fit for purpose any one of the assessment decisions is incorrect the assessment and internal verification are not conducted correctly In some cases centres may be asked to produce an action plan as well as a resample (e.g. if the issue was to do with the timeliness of internal verification)

Learners in first sample Resampling First sample materials with actions addressed, plus additional learners If the second sample does not meet national standards, the Regional Quality Manager will support you to release certification Learners in first sample Additional learners 1–3 learners no increase 4 learners + 2 learners 8 or 12 learners + 4 learners Where required, the second sample should include the elements of the first sample that caused the initial certification block, with evidence to show that the issues have been addressed. The Standards Verifier will need to ensure that standards are being reapplied consistently across each programme that was blocked at first sample. Therefore, the Standards Verifier will: • check that amendments have been made to the original sample of learners • check a further sample of learners to ensure that standards are being correctly applied

Feedback and action The Standards Verification report will provide feedback and action on three main categories: The assignment brief(s) Accuracy and consistency of assessment decisions Verification and standardisation processes Additional comments: general feedback, support for centres, etc.

Unit Content A centre is expected to deliver (i.e. ‘teach’) the unit content fully. All the elements of content must be covered, apart from anything preceded by ‘e.g.’ which is merely an example of what can be selected to teach A learner is not required to provide evidence for all the unit content, but is required to provide sufficient evidence to address the assessment and grading criteria in order to successfully achieve the unit Assessment guidance is given in each unit to support meeting national standards

Essential guidance for tutors The Essential Guidance section within the specifications gives tutors additional guidance and amplification to aid understanding and a consistent level of delivery and assessment This can be found immediately after the Assessment and Grading Grid within each unit of the specification Some of these sections are for guidance only and can be adapted to meet local needs, whereas the Assessment section provides amplification about the nature and type of evidence that learners need to produce in order to pass the unit or achieve the higher grades. Therefore it is extremely important that all assessors and verifiers read this section thoroughly and take it into consideration when devising assignments and making judgements about learner work.