1. Lead IV Update James Nelson, Carol Allen Carol Marshall and James Penney

2.  Agored Framework & Unit Library Review - JN  Learner registration, RAC & certification update – CM & JP  Lead IV registration - CA  Lead IV standardisation - CA  Agored paperwork & IV process - CA  Agored standardisation & EV visits - JN

3.  The frameworks for CL and CMD will be merged by the first week in October  It is essential that Lead IV’s and teaching staff check the current framework ◦ If a unit has been deleted find an alternative to deliver in 2010/11 ◦ If a unit is under review please contact Agored to influence the review  Quality & Curriculum will notify you when ◦ Changes are made to a unit e.g to assessment criteria ◦ Units have been merged ◦ A unit is being reviewed/deleted (within the next 12 months)  An updated copy of the CL framework will be maintained on G:\Planning and Standards\Curriculum Coordination\Agored Documents (a copy has been emailed to you in advance of this meeting)

4.  Unit library review will rationalise the units available that we can offer learners  The aim is to reduce duplication and identify whether or not there is a need for the unit  Units outside of a qualification framework e.g. Access, are not QCF approved  When deciding if you want to run a programme using Agored units we need to ask the following questions ◦ Can you use units from an accredited QCF qualification ◦ Is there progression to an accredited QCF qualification ◦ If there is no equivalent QCF qualification, and it meets the needs of learners (community, employer) then we may be able to accredit the qualification onto QCF (talk to HOP) ◦ Use existing Agored units or request a new unit

5.  Learners must be registered as soon as possible after they start their course ◦For short courses (less than 12 weeks’ duration): students must be registered within 25 working days from course start date. ◦Other courses: students should be registered within 40 working days from course start date Processing of RAC’s ◦Must take place as soon as the work has been countersigned by a Lead IV Clic, EBS and Agored, further training  Carol Marshall & James Penney

6.  All new Lead IV’s must be approved by Agored (complete the Agored AIV form to be approved) ◦ If you have an appropriate IV qual (D34, D35, V1, V2, NPTC Award) and have current IV experience or ◦ Experienced tutor with experience of IV, but no appropriate verifier certification you can be fast-tracked (until June 2011) ◦ If you do not meet the above criteria approval involves attending a one day Agored course, and submitting a portfolio to achieve NOCN AIVS  The College must send a Lead IV to each Agored standardisation event  All Lead IV’s must attend one standardisation (internal or external) event every 2 years to maintain their AIV status  Contact Carol Allen if you want to be a Lead IV/Agored AIV

7.  AIV status enables the college to directly claim awards for learners subject to the College having successful EV visits  Lead IV’s or Agored AIV’s should work together in a subject area to ensure that assessment is standardised across the College which will involve ◦ 3 internal standardisation meetings per academic year ◦ Each meeting will ensure that the IV of assignment brief’s is appropriate, and that the standard of assessment is the same across the institution ◦ Lead IV’s should ensure that we where possible have one meeting per subject area ◦ Minutes of standardisation meetings should be forwarded to Carol Allen

8. Tutors/ Assessors Co- ordinators Internal Verifier Quality/Curriculum/ Exams Agored QUALIFICATION APPROVAL Create/UpdateCreate/Update units for Agored approval Send to Lead IV Complete Agored approval request for new units.new See Course Validation Guidelines and complete Validation Request FormCourse Validation Guidelines Validation Request Form Internal Validation Panel: if approved internally, Curriculum Manager will request approval from Agored Approve/recommend changes to units and confirm to provider Retain copy on fileRecord and send copy to Tutor/Assessor Head of Learning Development record centrally and inform IV/HOP/CAD/Exams Exams: update CLIC and approvals spreadsheet AGORED Internal Verification Guidance (Sept 2010)

9. Tutors/ Assessors Co- ordinators Internal Verifier Quality/Curriculum/ Exams Agored COURSE PREPARATION including Assignment/Task production and submission to IV for approval Internally verify assignments/tasksInternally verify assignments/tasks and approve/ recommend changes to tutor/assessor Curriculum Manager: provide Lead IV Induction/Updates REGISTRATION*: Register programme and learners with Agored by completing (on-line on CLIC) Course & Learner Registration Form (CLRF).Course & Learner Registration Form Send 1 copy to Lead IV Keep 1 copy in files. Receive printed copies of CLRF Check fully completed (return to tutor if not) Countersign Log date received (CLRF 1 on tracking sheet) tracking sheet Retain 1 copy on file Send 1 copy to Exams Exams: Receive copy of CLRF Log date received Send to Agored Log date sent to Agored On receipt of CLRF: Allocate External Verifier for the programme. Send Recommendation for Award of Credit () forms to Exams

10. Tutors/Asse ssors Co- ordinators Internal VerifierQuality/Curriculu m/Exams Agored ON- COURSE/PROGRAMME: Issue assignments/tasks to learners. Mark/assess, provide feedback Track Maintain evidence Plan IV/sampling Inform tutors/assessors of IV plan Receive from Lead IV Check for accuracy; write on any amendments Retain on file Record date RAC received (RAC 2 on tracking sheet) Send () forms to Tutor/Assessor Exams: Record receipt of RAC and date Send RAC to Lead IV

11. Tutors/Asse ssors Co- ordinators Internal VerifierQuality/Curriculu m/Exams Agored INTERNAL VERIFICATION: Provide documentation to IV Retain copy of IV records/feedback Mid course and End of year: Sample, Internally Verify and Feedback to tutor/assessor; recordInternally Verify COMPLETION: When learners have achieved: Complete forms: check accuracy Keep 1 copy for file. Send to Lead IV (record date sent) Sign completed Record date received (RAC 4 on tracking sheet) Return signed to Exams Exams: Retain copy of RAC Send signed RAC to AGORED Record date sent Receive and record receipt of RACs

12.  It is the responsibility of the Internal Verifier to consult with course tutors to determine which learners’ work should be included within the sample that they will review in line with the centre policy and Agored Cymru sampling framework.  The sample is not selected at random, neither is it selected by the tutor/assessor, the internal verifier makes the final decision.  How many pieces of work should you sample? ◦ The minimum number assessments involved in any IV process should be 3 pieces of work ◦ As a guide the sample should be the square root of the number of learners within the group

13.  How many pieces of work should you sample? ◦ In the case of tutors new to Agored assessment, or with those where there have been problems in the past, the sample may be increased ◦ All verifiers should advise assessors that they reserve the right to sample at random in addition to the structured sample described above.  Internal verification should be planned in advance and the IV programme should be communicated to assessors and Agored staff as part of the annual quality review.  Evidence from internal verification activities should be properly recorded so that it is available for the external verifier to review. If a person signing as an Lead Verifier is not recognised by Agored as a Lead Verifier there may be a delay in processing the award.  Further guidance on sampling, IV and revised Agored paperwork will be circulated via email

14. Tutors/ Assessors Co- ordinators Internal VerifierQuality/Curriculum/ Exams Agored Quality: Circulate EV report to Principal, CAD, HOP Send EV Report to Quality RESULTS: When results sheets are received: Complete tracking sheet Keep copy in file. Record receipt date and check for accuracy (Results 5 on tracking sheet) Send results sheets to Tutor/Assessor Exams: Check for accuracy Return faulty ones to Agored Record receipt date. Upload Results File onto MIS Send results sheet to Lead IV Send certificates to learners Send Results Sheets, Certificates, electronic results to Exams END OF COURSE: Review of course Analysis of results Response to EV Report.

15.  Agored EV’s courses using a risk approach, and not all provision will receive a visit each year  EV visits allow Agored to assure themselves that standards are appropriate and that internal QA systems are secure and being used  The EV has the ability to remove direct claims status  In some cases there will be Agored standardisation events ◦ Instead of EV visits ◦ As well as an EV visit  If an EV visit results in an action plan, please respond to Quality & Curriculum explaining how you will address the action  EV reports and standardisation meetings will be reviewed through the annual Agored Quality review

16.  Excellent standard of work  Overall IV is generally good ◦ IV of assessment is not always completed ◦ IV of evidence assessed by tutor observation can improve – adopt revised Agored proforma’s for IV planning and IV of work (circulated via email w/c 22 nd )  Cross reference learning outcomes and assessment criteria to tasks  Teaching staff should attend annual Agored updates Lead IV’s to disseminate this event, C.Allen to deliver termly Lead IV training sessions, and updates to staff  Lead IV’s should attend Agored external standardisation events – Quality & Curriculum will notify you of events in advance  Where units from a sector are delivered on different sites, standardisation should take place regularly – Lead IV’s to work together, and standardise across the network  EV’s will want to meet learners  Standardisation should be evidenced in the minutes of team meetings  Lead IV’s must check that the units being awarded on the RAC are correct by reviewing the tutors tracking sheet