LSIS: the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) and the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) have now come together to form the new sector-led organisation dedicated to supporting excellence and leadership development in the further education and skills sector. Initial Assessment

2 Aims: To ensure a positive and effective initial assessment process including: choosing appropriate IA tools making the process positive and relevant using IA to plan learning.

3 The assessment process needs to: be positive be understood by candidates, staff, and employers be accurate and reliable be relevant provide the information required be recorded and shared as appropriate be used to plan Skills for Life and vocational learning.

4 The initial assessment process A nationally recognised tool or tools is required to ensure objective, standardised judgements about skills levels. Self-assessment, questioning, observation and work-related tasks will all inform the assessment process and the planning of work needed.

5 Stages of assessment Skills checkInitial assessment Diagnostic assessment PurposeTo find out who would benefit To give a level To give detailed information InformationTo find who already has Level 2 skills To identify appropriate learning To plan ILP Who offers it?Trained staff A SfL specialist

6 Choosing assessment tools Range assessed – from E1 to L2? On screen / on paper? Authority / accuracy / reliability? Relevance / acceptability to learners? How long? Easy to mark / self-marking? Does it give useful information / feedback?

7 IT based assessment Advantages: Questions adapt to the level of the learner. Can be a shorter process. Automatic and immediate marking and feedback (+ MIS). Many learners like it. Possible problems: Lack of access to IT. Some learners may not have IT skills.

8 Responding to initial assessment What do you offer these learners? Learner 1 has literacy at E2 and numeracy at E1. (S)he wants to do an NVQ 2 in Trowel Skills. Learner 2 has literacy at L1 and numeracy at E3. (S)he wants to do an NVQ 2 in Health & Social Care. Learner 3 has literacy at L1 and numeracy at L2. (S)he wants to do an NVQ 3 in ITQ.

9 What does the learner need to know at the end of initial assessment? What does their assessor need to know? What does the provider manager need to know? What works well in sharing the information?