To enable trainee assessors to develop a deeper understanding of the principles, practice, skills and knowledge underpinning the process of assessing National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), whilst allowing trainee assessors to work towards becoming an accredited NVQ assessor.

To ensure the knowledge and skills of National Health Service staff stay up-to-date within a rapidly changing healthcare sector; the traditional vocational qualifications (work-based learning) were re-designed (Department for Children, Schools and Families 2009). These competence and work-based training qualifications now incorporate three interlinked elements, including:

• A Technical Certificate
• Key Skills
• National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) (on-the-job practical element)

Apprenticeships have been designed to enable apprentices to learn on-the-job, building up knowledge and skills, gaining qualifications and earning money at the same time. The Training and Development Agency for Schools (2009) state that Apprenticeships are now considered to be the ‘gold standard’ for work-based training, as employers continue to recognise the value and importance of these qualifications (Life Long Learning UK 2009).

To ensure these high standards are maintained, when candidates undertake the practical NVQ element of the Apprenticeship, they have to be assessed. This is a universal requirement whether the NVQ is administration or health and social care based. To do this important task, there has to be professional, competent and experienced assessor, whose role it is to appraise the ability of the learner to perform a particular job.

The duties of an A1 Assessor, according to Cook (1994) and Ollin and Turner (2002), include:

• Explaining the standards of the assessment process
• Helping candidates to identify their present level of competence,
• Encouraging candidates to gather evidence demonstrating their competence,
• Planning assessments, development and reviews with the candidates,
• Assessing candidates,
• Making assessment decisions, giving positive and constructive feedback and completing any documentation.

The City and Guilds accredited course allows new and inexperienced assessors to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of the valuable practice. The training requires the new assessor to work closely with their candidates and an experienced (Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust) second assessor, as well as an Internal Verifier, to achieve the high standards established by City and Guilds criteria.

The Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the personal and professional development of its workforce. By encouraging such high standards of work from their trainee assessors, is aimed that these principles will be reflected by the assessors themselves when appraising their NVQ candidates, thus continuing to improve quality across the Trust.

A1.1 Develop plans for assessing competencies with trainee assessors.

A1.2 Judge evidence against criteria to make assessment decisions.

A1.3 Provide feedback and support to candidates on assessment decisions.

A1.4 Contribute to the internal quality assurance process.

Formative and summative assessments take place throughout the duration of the course.

Assessments occur at regular intervals and the trainee assessor will be asked for a combination, of:

• Assessor observation reports
• Questioning records
• Professional discussions
• Written evidence including candidates assessment and development plans and observation reports
• Recognition of prior learning
• Recognition of prior achievement
• Internal verifier statement

The evidence should be presented in the form of a portfolio.

This award is open to staff employed by the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust. Individuals must be working in a capacity (clinical or non-clinical) where there is a need to assess National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) candidates.

It is expected that the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Candidates using a Range of Methods, will be completed within six to twelve months of the original start date.

There are no pre-requisites for academic qualifications however delegates need to be occupationally competent in the area they wish to assess. A reasonable level of written and spoken English is expected as well as being computer literate.

Contact Healthcare Careers Development Unit: (0121 42) 41760 or hcdu@heartofengland.nhs.uk