Nternal Verification and Assessment Strategy

INTERNAL VERIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

1 Policy documents

The internal verification assessment strategy and procedures of KM Training are outlined in our policy documents:

 Assessors Guide  Internal Verification Guide  City and Guilds Assessors Guides for Awards (Hairdressing, Barbering, Key Skills and Customer Service)  HABIA Assessment Strategy

These can be found on our e-IV website. In addition assessors and trainers have access to the awarding body (City and Guilds) and Qualifications and Curriculum authority (QCA) policies and procedures. These relate to:

 NVQ code of practice  Joint Awarding Body Guidance on Internal Verification of NVQs  Provisions for learners with individual needs

2 IV Sampling Strategy

Effective verification is required to monitor and maintain effective assessment procedures within KM Training. The sampling strategy takes into account the following:

 Size of sample

100% of all learners should have 2 units (minimum) of their completed NVQ and one unit of their Key Skills fully IV’d as part of an apprenticeship framework i.e. this translates to one vocational unit summatively IV’d within the first year of a two year hairdressing course. For shorter courses, e.g. NVQ 1 in Hairdressing and Barbering, one unit is often sampled.

 Assessment methods

o Observation - from training/ model sessions o Oral/ written o On-line assessment through GOLA o Must be based on candidate needs o Where an option is given for oral/ written questions give the candidate the option. o Written/ mandatory – Must achieve 70% before progressing to complete the test. o Work based assessment is encouraged and may come from a variety of stylists/ locations (Babington Lane, Scunthorpe, St Peters Street, Westfield, Sinfin, Littleover, Cheapside). IVs must ensure that sampling of Work based assessment/ Witness Testimony is made and that the evidence submitted is thorough and relevant. o APA/ APL – used where learners have previously completed units/ parts of the NVQ or have proxies/ relaxations for Key Skills. o Simulation – only used where stated, ie fire evacuations (G20/22), gift vouchers (G4) o Product evidence – naturally occurring/ consultation sheets/ client record cards/ photographs (signed and dated on the back) o Assignment – annotated to support any other question

 Assessors

Number: All assessors will be internally verified within a sample year

Experience: Where assessors are inexperienced, the level of sampling will be increased

Workload: The effective sampling of assessors should reflect their workload i.e. if one assessor is primarily responsible for G20 assignments then a lower sample of this evidence can be taken. However, where a range of assessors assess G20 evidence the sampling needs to reflect this and be increased.

Location: Sampling should reflect all assessors at all locations within KMT where assessment occurs. These are primarily model sessions at Market Place and Scunthorpe, and the training centre at Babington Lane.

 Candidate cohorts

Sampling is split into NVQ levels and planning takes into account cohorts of learners and locations so that units that the candidates are being assessed on are made available for IV and any centre issues are addressed.

 The NVQ or Key Skill/ Functional Skills

Sampling will increase when qualifications alter or change while the assessors become accustomed to the new criteria against which they are assessing. Increased standardisation is also required.

 All units and particularly focusing on any problem unit. IV sampling and bi-annual aggregate plans are brought together to form the basis of the next IV Plans which are then recorded on-line. The aggregate cross references locations, methods of assessment, assessors, candidates, units and any gaps are recycled into the next planning period.

Issues arising are brought to the attention of assessors either personally or through centre meetings.

3 Access to assessment

Learners have access to assessment in the following ways: - In the salon (work-based assessment) - During model sessions - In the training salon

Assessors are in the salon and are available to learners for work based assessment. However, in circumstances where learners have not planned the assessment with the work based assessor witness testimonies can be used. Under no circumstances should full-price paying clients be aware that they are part of an assessment process even if the naturally occurring evidence may be used. However candidates can arrange to be subtly assessed by their work based assessor. It is only clients who have come in specifically for model sessions should be asked to sign papers etc.

Not all of the KM salons are training salons and must remain fully commercial. Our joint policy is that regular salon clients are not training clients and should not be treated as such.

Specific assessment requirements-

The following assessments have presented particular difficulty and have required additional advertising for clients:

. colour correction . facial hair (full beards and moustaches) . image clients for fantasy . emerging fashion hair cuts . perms, . finger waves and pin curls

In some of these cases, vouchers as a means of payment is approved by the company. Internal Verifiers should be consulted for clarification.

4 Assessment Planning Assessment is organised through action planning - reviewed with key assessors and, once completed, the assessment is crossed off the ILP review. Assessments not completed are brought forward to the next ILP review until achieved. The assessment process is seen in the flow chart overleaf.

THE ROLE OF ASSESSMENT AND INTERNAL VERIFICATION IN THE LEARNING PROCESS RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION

EMPLOYMENT INITIAL ASSESSMENT & TRIAL PERIOD INDUCTION

SKILL REGISTRATION WITH INDIVIDUAL LEARNING DEVELOPMENT AWARDING BODY PLAN MONITOR

PLANNING LEARNING EKU PRACTICAL SKILLS

OFF THE ASSESSMENT ON THE JOB JOB

INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PLAN/ WORK-BASED PRACTICAL ACTION ASSESSMENT PROGRESSION PROGRESS WITNESS FORMS REVIEWS TESTs (Model Sessions) INTERNAL VERIFICATION

EXTERNAL VERIFICATION

CERTIFICATION

a. Tracking assessments

Tracking documents are recorded online and in internal tracking systems. Assessors must ensure that all assessment (E4/ E3a) result papers are kept secure. b. Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Assessors are regularly IV’d and must complete CPD hours annually as a requirement of vocational currency for the awarding body (these hours are pro rata according to the number of hours spent assessing). These hours are endorsed by the External Verifier at regular visits.

c. Standardisation

Standardisation aims to ensure that all assessors/ trainers are delivering and assessing to the same standards. Updates in methods of expected standards of service, answer guides and pro-formas for collection of evidence data support this process. Standardisation should be conducted in all areas of delivery, for example:  Hairdressing NVQs  Key Skills  Customer service NVQs  Internal Verification  Across a range of assessments  Assignment development

IV QUALITY STANDARDS

100% of all apprentices should have 2 units of their completed NVQ and one unit of their Key Skills fully IV’d from their framework

100% of all learners should have 1 unit of their completed NVQ or partially completed NVQ fully IV’d from their evidence.

Learners should access a range of assessment sources

ASSESSMENT QUALITY STANDARD

100% of all learners complete at least 2 units of NVQ/ Key Skills in their first six months on a learning programme.

100% of all learners complete at least 6 units of NVQ/ Key Skills by the end of the first year of their apprenticeship course.

90% of all learners to complete their Key Skills within the first year of their course. Impact of Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment Control Measures Learners who drop out of their Termly meetings for IVs to maintain of programmes early may take their assessment and identify candidates assessment log books with them who may be at risk making the IV plan impossible to implement

As our IV system is now recorded A recent introduction to the e-IV sends online, there is the risk that assessors alerts to assessors email accounts to may not read their feedback and so tell them to look at their IV records. It is poor practice may continue to then recorded as been seen. This will enable the IVs to check that individual assessors are looking at their own feedback in order to improve practice.