Internal verification and external standards moderation

Internal verification and external standards moderation: what is the difference? Internal verification The process whereby a centre ensures it operates consistently and to national standards in interpreting and assessing key skills. External standards moderation The process by which awarding bodies ensure consistency across centres and ensure that national standards are being maintained and applied.

Internal verification Required by QCA code of practice Work reassessed: -within each key skill and at each level -across different tutors/assessors -across all programme areas Further advice provided by awarding body

External moderation Postal/centre visit Approximately 10% of submission is sampled, covering spread of key skills, levels, programmes and assessors Standards moderator can: -approve all portfolios in the sample -re-mark more sample portfolios -withhold approval from a particular cohort -withhold approval from all candidates in the centre Written feedback via moderator’s report Procedures for centres to appeal

Ensuring success Preparing for external standards moderation Establishing clear internal verification procedures Training assessors Quality assuring assignment briefs Forward planning

Effective forward planning involves: establishing clear roles and responsibilities supporting effective teaching and learning mapping and obtaining evidence designing and implementing cross-curricular systems and methods for tracking learners scheduling and publishing an internal verification cycle for the forthcoming year.

Quality assuring assignments Before they are delivered to learners, key skills assignments need to be quality assured to check they are: Purposeful Appropriate achievable.

Training assessors All those assessing key skills need to: have a comprehensive and up to date understanding of the 2004 key skills standards assess the evidence that is produced against the relevant key skills criteria provide appropriate feedback to candidates be conversant with the key skills tracking and assessment sheets used across the centre.

Establishing clear internal verification procedures Establishing clear internal verification procedures requires that: sessions are scheduled throughout the year to ensure the quality of key skills assessment across the centre is consistent, fair and reliable processes and outcomes are clearly recorded decisions are discussed, resolved and disseminated to appropriate staff.

Preparing for external standards moderation Ensure that evidence is tracked, indexed and assessed against the key skills standards. Check that assignment briefs are attached or available. Remember the QCA message – ‘quality before quantity.’

Tips from moderators (1) Integration of tasks into main programmes Training for deliverers and assessors Early internal standards moderation so that weaknesses are addressed ‘Levelness’ Cross-centre approach to documentation Task title/purpose

Tips from moderators (2) Clearly organised portfolios, evidence and assessment criteria cross- referenced Attention to accuracy Authentication – witness statements and word-processed work

Internal verification and quality assurance Internal verification about ensuring quality in key skills The elements of a key skills quality assurance system are: self-evaluation/self-assessment continuous improvement internal verification external standards moderation.

Ensuring quality in key skills Self-evaluation/self-assessment issues: Collecting Listening Evaluating Embedding Providing links Assigning personnel retention and achievement data to staff and learners by measuring performance in strategic planning to lesson observation and appraisal specific roles and responsibilities.