Level 4 Internal Quality Assurance

Description

Internal Verification simply put is a system of quality checks made by someone in your centre to ensure that assignments have been written correctly and that assessment decisions are accurate. They are responsible for recording discussions between two or more professionals to ensure accuracy, fairness, consistency and quality of assessment. They do not have direct contact nor does this involve the learner.

It is an integral part of all recognised qualifications on the QCF and trainingprogrammes, which are assessed by centre-devised assignments. Particularly with BTEC’s as all assessment decisions are totally in the hands of centre staff. And therefore Internal Verification process checks that the standards set by the awarding body are being maintained and consistent.

• all the assignment briefs or assessment tools used in every unit have been checked against the set performance criteria.
• all assessment decisions made for every unit are checked against the performance criteria.
• a sample of assessment decisions from every assessor are checked to ensure standards are consistent and maintained.
• When sampling, the sample should ensure that:
• The range of assessment decisions made is covered
• The experience of the assessor is taken into account when setting the sample size
• The sample size is sufficient to assure the accuracy of the assessment decisions for the whole group.
• The internal verification process must be planned and documented.
• NB Every assignment brief is internally verified before it is given to the learners. And a sample of assessment decisions are internally verified before the work is returned back to the learners.
  • A good internal verification process will be planned and monitored, usually by a Lead Internal Verifier depending on the size of centre and number of learners.
  • There is no need for a formal verifier award in order to verify BTEC programmes, so any colleague who has sufficient subject knowledge (industry competent) can internally verify assignments and assessment decisions.
  • Your centre is responsible for ensuring that internal verification and assessment records are kept for three years after certification.

  Each learner on this program is required to build a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate that all the assessment criteria associated with each unit has been met. Learner’s portfolios should include a variety of evidence to suit the learners industry. Types of evidence that could be included are:

  • Practical demonstrations
  • Reflection log/diary
  • Notes from group discussions and Q & A
  • Witness statements or testimonials
  • Worksheets
  • Professional discussion
  • Record of questions and answers
  • Peer evaluation and reports
  • All assignments

  As an assessor, they must ensure that all evidence presented in a portfolio is:

  Valid: – it should be clearly demonstrating the knowledge or skills that are set out in the assessment criteria. And should be clearly the work of the learner themselves.

  Reliable: – which means that it will in general, produce the same range of responses from learners, as long as they are used in similar circumstances and with similar groups of learners.

  Inclusive: – so that no individual learner is excluded from the opportunity to show their achievement because of their individual background or experience.

  Assessors must be satisfied that learners have achieved all assessment criteria relating to the unit being assessed prior to deciding the learner has completed the unit.

  THIS QUALIFICATION AIMS TO ENSURE THAT THE INTERNAL VERIFIER IS ABLE TO

  • Evaluate the internal assessment process
  • Monitor and review internal assessment audit systems
  • Carry out related internal verification activities – including sample planning, sampling portfolios, running
  • standardisation activities, record keeping etc