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Quality Assurance Policy

Quality Assurance Statement

 

The purpose of this policy is to set out the commitment of continuous quality assurance to ensure delivery is relevant and effective in line with the SAR, QIP and CPD policies.

 

The Scope of this Policy

 

The Quality Assurance Policy outlines the practices, resources and sequence of activities relevant to the maintaining quality provision. A commitment to measure the consistent standards of provision and customer satisfaction, and covers all training offered by Workforce Training and Development (WTD), including (but not limited to) apprenticeships, Corporate Training and Compliance Training.

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The principles and aims articulated in this policy will inform strategic and business planning decisions in relation to deciding future direction of the business.

 

Objectives

 

The Quality Assurance Policy sets out to ensure that Workforce Training and Development

 

  • Provides consistency on the organisation’s response to customer needs and gives all stakeholders confidence that quality provision is being delivered

  • Improves communication about setting standards and the practices and methods of achieving the required standard

  • Clarifies tasks so that staff know the level of performance to be attained

  • Sets targets which measure learner satisfaction

  • Monitors and evaluates results and feedback in order to act to maintain a Quality System of continuous improvement

  • will develop its staffing, allocate its resources, and design its infrastructures in order to continue to move towards a service which is driven by the needs of its learners and its employers.

  • Our employer facing strategy will drive forward local economic growth and social justice and equality of opportunity.

 

Responsibilities

 

The Quality Assurance Policy details a commitment from senior management to establish,

document and communicate the drive for continuous improvement for the benefit of all

stakeholders.

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The Quality Manager will be directly responsible for ensuring that provision of teaching and

assessment meets the needs of learners and Awarding Organisations and that there is a mechanism for acquiring feedback from all relevant parties. This feedback will be instrumental in measuring stakeholder satisfaction.

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WTD is aware that the service provided is only as professional as the people supplying the service. The recruitment process includes the requirement for customer care and the standards of service to be attained. The aforementioned is monitored through the staff one to one review’s, the staff appraisal system, quality provision and customer satisfaction reports and surveys.

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The following mechanisms will be instrumental in measuring internal and external stakeholder (e.g. learner, parent, carer, employer, funder, local community etc) satisfaction:

 

  • Assessor/Monitoring Review Sheets;

  • Quality Assurance sampling activities;

  • End of Programme Evaluation;

  • Evaluation of service provision by employers (if applicable);

  • External Verification visits and client feedback interviews.

 

Improving Provision through Feedback

 

Where performance does not meet the required standard, discussion regarding improvement and development of provision to meet requirements will be subject to the following procedures:

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  • All feedback documentation must be examined by the Quality Assurer and in the event of a shortfall occurring it will be the responsibility of the designated Quality Assurer to submit a report detailing the outcomes of the findings and include recommendations for improvement

  • The report will be submitted to the Quality Manager, who is ultimately responsible for quality provision

  • Nominated personnel will be responsible for the development and implementation of the agreed recommendations within a reasonable and achievable timescale

  • The improved level of provision will be monitored and assessed in order to ensure improvements meet customer satisfaction.

 

The Quality Assurance Policy detailed above will provide the foundation upon which WTD will continue to operate a continuous improvement programme, on behalf of all its stakeholders.

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Registration and Certification of Learners

 

Registration

 

Registrations for all qualifications must be completed in conjunction with the administrators in each centre and the admin team.

 

At enrolment, a ticket must be raised for the qualification that the learner is being enrolled against.

 

A nominated member of the admin team will then register the relevant learners on the qualification using the relevant awarding body platform online.

 

A confirmation of the registration must then be sent through to the centre that submitted the registration, the tutor/ assessor and all internal quality assurers responsible for quality assurance of the qualification. Sampling planners must then be updated by the Lead IV for that qualification on a weekly basis.

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Certification

 

All claims of learner achievement must be made by a nominated and approved quality assurer for the relevant qualification. The quality assurer will claim part or full awards within 24 hours of the achievement of the component.

 

Part achievement will be claimed where the tutor/assessor has instructed the quality assurer that the learner will not be continuing with further delivery or assessment and where the evidence is deemed sufficient.

 

Once the certificate is generated and where the award has DCS, this is sent to Aegon House Ground Floor Suite, 13 Lanark Square, London, England, E14 9QD

 

Where there is no DCS for an award, remote or in centre standards verification will take place prior to the release of any certificates. These will also be sent to Head Office.

 

A nominated member of the DMPT will then disseminate the certificates to the learner or the centre that the learner is registered to. This will depend on instruction at registration stage.

 

Sample Strategy

 

The sample strategy will be reviewed and upheld by the team of Quality Assurers at WTD and overseen by the Quality Manager and Head of Quality. The review will take place annually to ensure the process detailed are up to date and correct for all Qualifications being delivered.

 

The strategy will cover Apprenticeship Frameworks, Apprenticeship Standards, BTECs and

standalone qualifications delivered by Trainers and Tutors within WTD.

 

Qualified / Unqualified Trainers and Tutors

 

Trainers and Tutors will hold a minimum of TAQA (or A1, D32/33) or teaching equivalent dependant on the subject area.

 

Unqualified Trainers and Tutors will be supported through the Colleague Development Strategy to achieve the minimum qualification required to deliver Teaching, Learning and Assessment.

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All assessments will be 100% quality assured where assessments have been delivered by an unqualified Trainer or Tutor. The same principle will apply to new Trainers / Tutors to WTD or if a new qualification is being delivered, until such time as there is sufficient evidence of good practice to reduce sampling levels. The Quality Assurance will cover the below:

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  • Second line assessment / countersigning will take place by a qualified Trainer / Tutor. Second line assessment will take place throughout a learner’s qualification to enable the correct guidance and support to be given to the unqualified colleague. There will be 100% second line assessment of all evidence until the Trainer / Tutor is qualified (from the date on the certificate).

  • Assessment methods, practice, administration procedures and audit trails. The Trainer / Tutor will be countersigned by a suitably qualified Trainer / Tutor and will be observed a qualified Quality Assurer

  • Evidence sampled should cover each assessment criteria/ outcome of the unit and competency/ knowledge points. The assessment methods sampled should vary and all methods of assessment are sampled over a period of time.

  • All unit evidence sampled by the Quality Assurer are to be clearly recorded on the Quality Assurance Sample form and this will be attached to the e-portfolio

 

Qualified Trainers and Tutors will be reviewed against key performance indictors which will inform the sample quantity and methods for quality assurance. This ‘Risk Banding’ (RAG) will be reviewed with the colleague’s line manager on a quarterly basis, as a minimum.

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The Quality Assurer will hold a minimum of IQAAPP or equivalent (e.g. V1, D34) and have

occupation competence in the area for Quality Assurance. For unqualified Quality Assurers they will have second line quality assurance completed by a qualified Quality Assurer who will follow the same process for an unqualified Trainer / Tutor.

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Apprenticeship Standards Sample
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Compliance sample using the OneFile e-portfolio will take place within the first twelve weeks of a learner’s apprenticeship, this will be informed, and any the results of any sampling activity will inform the overall risk banding process. Formative sampling to be planned for 60% amount of the way through the Apprenticeship Standard. The sample will cover the learning being delivered and the evidence being produced by the learners in readiness to submit to the EPA.

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Where a standalone qualification is being delivered alongside the Apprenticeship Standard this will be quality assured accordingly.

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BTEC Sample

 

BTEC First and Technical will receive a formative sample following the schedule of units being delivered by the Tutors and assignment deadlines set for the cohorts of these learners. The quality assurance will be 100% due to the requirements of the Awarding Organisation and the assignment requirements. The sample is recorded on the BTEC Sample Planner for that Qualification.

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BTEC Foundation and Specialist will receive a summative sample as these are short courses completed over shorter timescales. The percentage sample is based on the cohort being submitted to the Quality Assurer and this is reviewed alongside the Sample Planner. The RAG rating of Tutors is also taken into consideration. For example: If work is submitted by a green colleague this will be at 30% of the cohort submitted, if Amber this will be at 50% of the cohort submitted and 100% if a red colleague.

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Entry Level Functional Skills
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Entry Level Functional Skills test papers will be marked by the Trainer/Tutor and then submitted to the Quality Assurer for 100% Sample. This quality assurance is recorded on the Functional Skills Quality Assurance Feedback form as well as the Sample Planner. Once the Quality Assurer has confirmed the learner has passed their Entry Functional Skills test paper, this will be claimed on Edexcel online.

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Functional Skills Level 1 and Level 2
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The Speaking, Listening and Communication element will be assessed by the Trainer/Tutor and then submitted to the Quality Assurer for 100% Sample. The quality assurance is recorded on the Quality Assurance Feedback form and attached to the e-portfolio, this is then claimed on Edexcel online and the Speaking, Listening and Communication tracker is updated accordingly.

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Quality Assurance of Assignments and Briefs

This is designed to be used in conjunction with Awarding Organisation guidance which the centre makes available via the staff SharePoint page and is communicated at induction and during standardisation meetings.

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Internal Verification has two parts within a centre:

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  1. Internal Verification of Assignment Briefs

  2. Internal Verification of Assessment Decisions.

 

1. Quality Assurance of Assignment Briefs

 

All learners will undertake a series of assignments which will be marked by their Assessor/Tutor. 

 

All assignments will be submitted on or before the given deadline by submitting the evidence on OneFile to the Quality Assurers.

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100% of assignment briefs must be internally verified within the centre before being handed out to learners. Any actions must be amended and signed off prior to the brief being handed out to learners.

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Quality assurance decisions must be recorded on appropriate internal verification paperwork and signed by both the Trainer/Tutor and the Quality Assurer. Assignments briefs must be reviewed by the assessor and internally quality assured annually.

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2. Quality Assurance of Assessment Decisions

 

The Quality Assurance of assessment decisions should consist of two parts:

  • Standardisation

  • Quality Assurance of assessment decisions

 

Standardisation:

 

Standardisation is a way to ensure consistent assessment decisions are made by Trainers/Tutors at all levels for learners and are consistent across the organisation. It is also a way to support the development of Trainers/Tutors and teaching staff in the quality of delivery of qualifications.

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Standardisation will take place every 6 months per programme. This will be in the form of a

standardisation meeting where good practice is discussed, marking work outside a meeting and discussing feedback, delivery of information on best practice, observation of assessment activities and feedback.

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Standardisation can also take place to discuss the qualification requirements, create teaching and planning materials, design assessment etc.

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Standardisation will also take into consideration internal quality assurance of assessment decisions and External Quality Assurance of assignment briefs.

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Quality Assurance of assessment decisions

 

Quality assurance will take place for all units assessed. All Quality Assurance colleagues will sample assessment practice at regular intervals to highlight at risk learners or issues with assessment practice. The sampling strategy includes:

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  • Where there are 20 learners or fewer, a minimum of four learners across a range of grade boundaries (i.e. one pass, one merit, one distinction and one other.) Larger cohorts will have an increased sample size.

 

Quality Assurance colleagues will sample all Trainers / Tutors, grades and units across each

qualification.

 

Quality assurance of assessment decisions will be recorded on the BTEC Quality Assurance form or the WTD Quality Assurance Form and will be annotated by both the Trainer/ Tutor and the Quality Assurer.

 

Quality assurance must take place prior to learners receiving their grades and any actions must be amended and signed off prior to the work being handed back to learners.

 

Quality assurance of assessment decisions should also include the internal quality assurance of resubmissions. Further quality assurance activities such as observation of teaching and support and development of Trainers/Tutors will be done in line with our Quality Improvement Policy.

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Complaints and Appeals
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There are two further formal stages to the complaints process and then recourse for individuals to take their complaint to external bodies who have oversight of the quality and funding for all aspects of WTD's provision.

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There are three stages to resolving complaints:

 

Stage 1 Informal Resolution

 

Stage 2 Formal Resolution

 

Stage 3 Internal Appeal

 

If you have a potential complaint, you should raise this informally in the first instance with your Line Manager (if you are a WTD employee) or Trainer/Skills Coach (if you are a WTD Learner. They are trained to deal with complaints and will aim to resolve this with you to a satisfactory outcome within 48 hours.

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WTD will record the complaint for future reference and to track all complaints received by the Business. A copy of the response will be logged in the Central Complaints Record and will be subject to Document Maintenance Procedures regarding the safe storage of records and documents.

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Please see Complaints Policy for full details.

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This policy will be reviewed annually.

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Authorised by

Pauline Price

COO

Workforce Training & Development

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