Matthew McCullagh Quality Manager Making the most of Verification Making the most of Verification

VerificationVerification Verification is the process by which SQA assures that national standards are maintained in assessments carried out by centres Verification is the process by which SQA assures that national standards are maintained in assessments carried out by centres Partnership approach between SQA and approved centres Partnership approach between SQA and approved centres

Internal Verification An on-going quality assurance and improvement procedure An on-going quality assurance and improvement procedure Ensures that all assessment decisions are valid and consistent throughout the entire assessment process Ensures that all assessment decisions are valid and consistent throughout the entire assessment process A 3 stage, rolling programme of before, during and after assessment activities A 3 stage, rolling programme of before, during and after assessment activities

Stage 1 - Before key features Planning Planning Design and development Design and development Validity and reliability Validity and reliability Discussion and agreement Discussion and agreement

Records of Stage 1 Minutes of team / partnership meetings Minutes of team / partnership meetings Internal Verification plan Internal Verification plan Pre-delivery checklist Pre-delivery checklist Endorsed Unit master file Endorsed Unit master file

Roles and Responsibilities – Stage 1 Assessor Get familiar with standardsGet familiar with standards Get familiar with conditionsGet familiar with conditions Propose assessment instrument(s)Propose assessment instrument(s) Prepare candidatesPrepare candidates Internal Verifier Support assessorSupport assessor Confirm conditionsConfirm conditions Confirm assessment methodsConfirm assessment methods Confirm guidanceConfirm guidance

Stage 2 - During key features Support Support Consistency Consistency Sampling Sampling Feedback Feedback

Records of Stage 2 Records of sampling and feedback Records of sampling and feedback Minutes of team / partnership meetings Minutes of team / partnership meetings Countersigned assessment records Countersigned assessment records

Roles and Responsibilities – Stage 2 Assessor Assess candidatesAssess candidates Make assessment judgementsMake assessment judgements Feedback to candidatesFeedback to candidates Internal Verifier Support assessorSupport assessor Confirm assessment judgementsConfirm assessment judgements Feedback to assessorFeedback to assessor

Stage 3 - After key features Review and evaluation Review and evaluation External verification External verification Discussion Discussion Consensus Consensus

Records of Stage 3 Minutes of team / partnership meetings Minutes of team / partnership meetings Action plans Action plans

Roles and Responsibilities – Stage 3 Assessor Reflect on:Reflect on: -assessment instrument -support to candidates -assessment judgements -feedback to candidates Agree Action PlanAgree Action Plan Internal Verifier Support assessorSupport assessor Confirm reflectionsConfirm reflections Feedback to assessorFeedback to assessor Agree Action PlanAgree Action Plan

Key points Internal Verification is not a re-marking exercise Internal Verification is not a re-marking exercise Stage 2 IV is a sampling process Stage 2 IV is a sampling process IV records are important – especially when used as feedback IV records are important – especially when used as feedback Internal Verification should be supportive Internal Verification should be supportive

External verification External verification – IP Unit Quality Forums Quality Forums Small groups of centres Small groups of centres IP EVs and Quality Enhancement Managers IP EVs and Quality Enhancement Managers Discussion and agreement Discussion and agreement Supportive Supportive