Wiltshire College: Assessment & Verification Procedures, Study notes of School management&administration

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ASSESSMENT AND VERIFICATION

PROCEDURES

Agreed: At P&Q - June 2017

To be reviewed: At P&Q – February 2019

It is intended that this procedure is ‘fair to all’. Where any part could potentially lead to unequal outcomes, the policy then justifies why this is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

1. Scope and Purpose The College recognises that assessment is an integral aspect of effective teaching and learning and takes its responsibility seriously for ensuring the quality and reliability of assessment, marking and feedback practices. Our approach aims to ensure that assessment practice and decisions meet national standards and our verification practices provide continuous checks on the consistency, quality and fairness of marking, grading and overall assessment of students’ work. This procedure applies to all college staff and sub-contractors undertaking assessment on behalf of the College. This procedure will be used in conjunction with other handbooks such as the Wiltshire College BTEC Handbook, IQA Handbook and Awarding Organisation Quality Assurance documents. Reference should be made to the HN Assessment Board Procedures for Pearson Higher National Provision. Objectives The objectives of the Assessment and Verification Procedure at Wiltshire College are to promote learning and achievement by: 1.1 Providing a framework for student entitlement in relation to assessment and verification for Further Education (FE) & Higher Education (HE) programmes. 1.2 Ensuring that the standard for each award is set and maintained at the appropriate level and assessment mechanisms remain fit for purpose. 1.3 Ensuring consistency, transparency, reliability, authenticity and validity of assessment processes 1.4 Providing quality assurance in assessment processes by establishing quality control mechanisms through a system of sampling, moderation and internal verification as appropriate. 1.5 Providing learner centred approaches to assessment which give appropriate opportunities for learners to record evidence of achievement. 1.6 Ensuring that students are aware of their right to appeal against assessment decisions. 1.7 Ensuring that students and staff are aware of plagiarism, malpractice and maladministration and its consequences. 1.8 Providing standards against which to report progress to learners, parents, employers and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). 1.9 Providing a means of reviewing, evaluating and improving assessment and verification practice.

responsible for managing student expectation’s around timescales and any changes to the 10 working day general rule. 3.8 For Higher Education return assessment decisions within 15 working days of submission of assignment. 3.9 Provide constructive oral and written feedback to students within the regulations of the awarding organisation. 3.10 Discuss and agree targets and areas for development with individual students 3.11 Adhere to the awarding organisation’s assessment specifications in judging evidence towards an award. 3.12 Record outcomes of assessment using appropriate documentation such as Pro- Monitor Mark Book. 3.13 Provide feedback on students’ progress to Personal Tutors at least once per half- term. 3.14 Provide written reports to parents/guardians of full time 14-18 learners and employers of WB learners under 19 3.15 Ensure that the right to appeal against assessment decisions is in the course handbook and that students are aware of it at the start of the course. 3.16 Course teams should carry out standardisation using both awarding organisations materials where provided and current assessed student work at least once per term. 3.17 HE – Courses should carry out moderation internally and externally in line with the Awarding Organisation and HEI requirements. 3.18 Ensure that assessment sampling takes place with timely scrutiny by External Verifiers/Examiners/Moderators. 3.19 Ensure that appropriate records will be maintained and checked as part of the course quality process throughout the year. 3.20 Ensure that learner’s work and assessment records are stored securely and that both are retained for the duration set by the awarding organisation 3.21 Utilise appropriate methods of sampling assessment decisions to assure the quality of non- vocational and short courses. 4 For competence based programmes: 4.1 Develop plans for assessing competence with learners that ensure simple assessments are scheduled first which then progress to more complex tasks. 4.2 Judge evidence against agreed standards to make assessment decisions contributing to the internal quality assurance process.

5 Responsibilities - The Head/Deputy Head’s role is to: 5.1 Appoint staff who are suitably qualified vocationally or appropriately experienced to deliver the curriculum. 5.2 Provide adequate resources to support identified staff development needs. 5.3 Provide appropriate resources to support the delivery of the curriculum and assessment practices. 5.4 Monitor assessment and examination entry practices and procedures for compliance. 5.5 Ensure that assessment and verification workloads are distributed appropriately 5.6 Ensure that internal verification is conducted appropriately to meet college and awarding organisation requirements. 5.7 Ensure that the relevant procedures, eg Internal Verification (IV), appeals, plagiarism etc, are made known to students and followed by staff 5.8 Ensure that course teams hold standardisation meetings to discuss and record assessment decisions and implement agreed actions. 5.9 Ensure that the course team follow college guidelines/policies and prepare thoroughly for external verification sampling and/or visits. 5.10 Ensure that the Quality Coordinator is informed in advance of all External Verifier (EV)/External Moderator (EM)/External Examiner (EE) visits and both the Report and Post External Verification Action Plan (PEVAP) is completed and returned to the Quality Coordinator 5.11 Meet with EQAs and attend the feedback session at the conclusion of the visit where possible. 5.12 Ensure that the EQAs action points are completed and incorporated into Course Review Action Plans. 5.13 Ensure that marks/grades are recorded accurately and learner outcomes are recorded and made available to MIS data submission or HEDU for HE. 5.14 Ensure that teachers review assessment practice and action plan for improvement. 5.15 Ensure that assessment briefs are internal verified prior to issue to students 6 The Head of Teaching, Learning & Assessment will: 6.1 Oversee the development of good assessment practice in conjunction with other related policies,eg, RPL, Appeals etc 6.2 Ensure that staff are trained to discharge their responsibilities effectively to maintain high standards 6.3 Ensure staff are updated in current and diverse assessment standards and Practices individually or in teams as appropriate.

8.2 The HE Manager will take responsibility for internally moderating assessment decisions which are deemed to be anomalous. 8.3 The results of additional internal moderation and/or re-assessment will be reviewed biannually during internal Unit Examination Boards. 8.4 The practice of internal moderation will comply with all relevant indicators within the Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) UK Quality Code chapter B6 (December 2011). 9 Electronic Submissions and Feedback to Students 9.1 Electronic submission regulations must be approved by the relevant awarding organisations prior to implementation. 9.2 Generally assessors can mark students’ assignments online and provide feedback electronically. As a Centre our electronic assignment systems have to be secure and auditable. eStudy offers a range of systems such as “Assignment Tool” and “Turnitin” 9.3 A form of electronic signature is required from the student and member of staff to effectively authenticate that it is their work. The College will comply with the guidance of the relevant awarding organisation regarding acceptable electronic signature formats.. 10 Conflict of Interest It is not possible to provide a comprehensive definition of circumstances which may lead to a conflict of interest, however the following are examples of the most likely situations that will lead to perceived conflicts of interest:  Where college staff and learner/s have a personal relationship which could weaken the assessment process and the integrity of certification.  If the college staff involved in the assessment and internal quality assurance process are related and in a position to influence awarding organisations for professional or personal benefit.  If the college is running a course for it’s own staff and in a position to influence awarding organisations for professional or personal benefit Conflicts of interest are not restricted to cases in which an individual actually derives some advantage. They also arise and can be equally damaging where a conflict exists or appears to exist without any consequential behavioural impact. It is the responsibility of all staff to make the Head of TLA aware of any such conflicts before participating in any form of assessment or internal quality assurance activities. Where there is a conflict of interest, Wiltshire College will approach the awarding organisation for authorisation before the activity begins and agree to this activity being monitored as part of an external quality assurance activity. For internal conflicts involving the college delivering qualifications to it’s own staff, and with permission from the awarding organisation, internal verification will be stepped up to scrutinise assessment and verification procedures and outcomes.

11 Associated Documents (Linked Policies) Academic Appeals Procedure Recognition Prior Learning Procedure BTEC/IQA Handbooks (available on Staff Room) Plagiarism, Malpractice and Maladministration Procedure Awarding Organisation and Examining Body Guidelines HEI/Partner University Assessment Policies and Procedures HN Assessment Board Procedure 12 Monitoring, Review and Evaluation 12.1 Quality audits including analysis of learner surveys will be completed throughout the year under direction of the Head of TLA and results reported to the Assistant Principal Quality. 12.2 External examiners’ or verifiers’ reports will be monitored by the Head of TLA to ensure that recommendations and actions are implemented. 12.3 Any conflict of interest must be reported to the Head of TLA who will maintain a log and alert the relevant awarding organisation. 12.4 These procedures will be reviewed annually by the Head of TLA