2. BTEC Quality Assurance 2011-2012

3. 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)

4. 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

5. 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

6. Lead Internal Verifier online standardisation 2011-12
This will apply to Lead Internal Verifiers who:
did not complete online standardisation in
were not released at first Standards Verification sample in
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 s to re-register in September.

7. 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 s to re-register in September.

8. 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

9. 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 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.

10. 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 , 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

11. 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)

12. 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)

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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)

20. 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

21. 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.

22. 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

23. 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.