Centre requirements

Quality assurance requirements for approved centres

New Assessor and Verifier Awards

Following review of the Learning and Development Standards, D32-35 units have been re-titled.

Candidates registering for the Learning and Development qualifications after 31 May 2002 must register for new awards. If registered for old awards, candidates have 2-3 years in which to complete them. The amount of time will depend on the awarding body. QCA/SQA have granted an extension to the old awards until 31st December 2002 to allow time for awarding bodies to prepare for the new Awards.

In the meantime the awarding bodies are in the process of seeking approval from QCA to offer the new awards, and this will progress differently for each awarding body. Once an awarding body has been approved it is expected that they will immediately offer the new awards, and at the same time will stop registering candidates for the old awards.

The AAT will not be re-applying to seek accreditation as an awarding body for the A&V units, candidates registered with the AAT to undertake the D-units have until 30 June 2003 to complete their awards (but need also to take account of the 18 month rule for achieving these units).

Level New unit title Previous unit title Level 3 Level 3 Level 4 Level 4

For the first time, the assessment strategy for the revised standards introduce the concept of 'independent assessment' for the A and V units. This will require candidates to present a substantive piece of outcome evidence which can be assessed independently by a secondary assessor (someone who is a qualified assessor, but not the candidate's primary assessor).

The following are examples of substantive pieces of work which could be independently assessed in relation to the standards:

• A1.1 - an assessment plan
• A1.2 - a record of a professional discussion
• V1.3 - an observation of an assessor conducting the assessment process with the candidate

Assessors will need to have sufficient occupational competence which is defined as: "having held a post for a minimum of one year within the last two years which involved performing the activities defined in the standards as an experienced assessor-practitioner; or being an experienced trainer or instructor of at least one year's standing in the competence area of the standards."

Assessors of Internal Verifier-candidates need to have achieved their own Assessor and IV units before they can start to assess the IV candidates.

Assessors will also need to demonstrate that they have engaged in some form of continuing professional development so that they have a sound knowledge of the standards they are assessing and the assessment requirements.

Assessors who have already achieved their D32 and/or D33 will not be required to achieve the new A1 or A2 units. However, they will need to uphold the revised expectations of the new standards. Similarly, existing D34-qualified Internal Verifiers will not have to achieve the new V1 units but will need to work to the new requirements (i.e. all internal verifiers must have sufficient experience of having conducted assessments of the specific national occupational standards they are verifying, or in a related occupational area - sufficiency is further clarified within the guidance).

For further details about the standards and changes please refer to the Employment NTO webpages at www.empnto.co.uk

You can also download copies of the new standards here:

• Assessor units A1 and A2
• Verifier units V1 and V2