Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (City & Guilds 6317) – Level 3 (was A1 Assessor Award)

Who is the course for?

This qualification is for staff that are working in, or looking to gain entry to, roles in Assessment. The new units and qualifications will provide people who carry out assessments in their organisation with the opportunity to develop and improve their practice as well as achieving a professional qualification for the role.

The qualifications consist of a mix of units – some competence-based and some knowledge based units. The knowledge only units allow anyone who is interested in or needs to know about assessment and quality assurance – but is not a practitioner – to acquire knowledge and information about the roles.

Successful achievers will understand the principles of assessment and have the knowledge to develop and improve systems at their centre.

What will I study?

The Certificate is awarded as follows:

Level 3 – Unit 301 – Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (3 credits)
A knowledge-only Award for those who are starting their journey as an assessor, or for those who need to know about assessment practice but who are not currently practicing e.g. a starting point for aspiring assessors or a professional development qualification for managers, HR or quality assurance personnel.

You should apply for the Unit 301 first as this is the starting point for the Certificate, details are as follows:

Unit 301: Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment - This Unit is aimed at those people who are starting their journey as an assessor, or for those who need to know about assessment practice but who are not currently practicing. For example, aspiring assessors or could be used as a professional development qualification for HR staff or managers in any sector.

This qualification is available to any organisation, especially those working with vocational qualifications, national occupational standards and components of qualifications or in-house standards. The unit will cover the following:

• Understand the principles and requirements of assessments
• Understand different types of assessment methods
• Understand how to plan assessments
• Understand how to involve learners and others in assessment
• Understand how to make assessment decisions
• Understand own contribution to the quality assurance of assessment
• Understand the legal and good practice requirements in relation to assessment
• Understand how to manage information relating to assessment of occupational competence

Assessment Methods:
This is a distance learning package. You will be provided with a support assessor who will contact you via e-mail and telephone.

Upon successful completion of Unit 1, you would be entitled to apply for either Unit 2 or 3 – your tutor will confirm which Unit you should apply for, details as follows:

Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (9 credits) - This level is for practitioners who assess the demonstration of competence in a work environment using the following assessment methods: observation, examining work products, oral questioning and discussion, use of others (e.g. witnesses), learner statements and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). To achieve this level, you will need to complete Unit 1 and Unit 2:

Unit 1: Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (3 credits) – As above
Unit 2: Assess Occupational Competence in the Work Environment (6 credits)

Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (9 credits)- For practitioners who assess knowledge and/or skills in vocationally-related subject areas who use the following assessment methods: assessments in simulated environments, skills tests, oral and written questions, assignments, projects, case studies and RPL. This may take place in training workshops, classrooms or other learning environments. This part of the award requires completion of Units 1 and 3:

Unit 1: Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (3 credits)
Unit 3: Assess Vocational Skills, Knowledge and Understanding (6 credits)

Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (15 credits)- For practitioners who may use ALL of the above listed assessment methods based upon sound assessment principles. This will be dictated by the relevant vocational assessment strategy/centre guidance. Completion of all 3 units of the Award is required to a maximum of 15 credits:

Unit 1: Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (3 credits)
Unit 2: Assess Occupational Competence in the Work Environment (6 credits)
Unit 3: Assess Vocational Skills, Knowledge and Understanding (6 credits)

How will the course be delivered?

Unit 301 – This is a distance learning package. You will be provided with a support assessor who will contact you via e-mail and telephone.

Units 2 and 3 – There will be a variety of delivery methods including options of blended learning opportunities. These can be tailored-made to suit the individual learner

Course Dates:
Unit 301 Course Intake Dates: Contact us to arrange a mutually convenient start date.

Units 2 and 3 – Course dates and times for these units are to be arranged with the individual learner upon enrolment and following completion of Unit 301.

Course Entry Criteria

If you can answer YES to the following questions then you would be eligible to attend on this course:

Are you currently working in, or looking to enter a role in assessment?

Do you possess a relevant qualification (at the appropriate level) appertaining to your particular occupational area?

Do you possess relevant experience appertaining to your particular occupational area?

Do you have access to 2 candidates who are both working on the same qualification/national occupational standards/in-house standards and are working at the same level?

Are you involved in the following activities?

• Recruitment process
• Induction process
• Initial assessment
• Learning plans
• Teaching/training
• Facilitating learning
• Review of progress
• Assessment of processes
• Achievement
• Progression planning
• Engaging with the quality assurance process throughout.

Are you involved in reflective practice and continuing professional development in the assessment process?

Do you maintain the currency of your own expertise and competence as relevant to own role in assessing occupational competence?

Do you have access to an Internal Quality Assurer (IQA)?

Do you have a Manager or someone else within your company who is already a qualified assessor and who will countersign your assessment decisions?

Are you able to attend 2 standardisation meetings within your occupational area/workplace during the completion of the Award?

The college operates a no refunds policy as detailed below. Cancellations and transfer requests are subject to the following conditions:

• More than 4 weeks notice no charge
• 4 weeks notice 30% of the cost
• 2-3 weeks notice 50% of the cost
• 1-2 weeks notice 75% of the cost
• Less than 1 weeks notice 100% of the cost

All cancellations must be made in writing and are subject to a £10 administration charge. The full fee’s policy is available on request.

What will I get at the end of the course?

On successful completion of Unit 301, you will gain a City & Guilds Certificate – Unit 301: Award in Understanding the Principles & Practices of Assessment which can be credited towards completion of the Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (City & Guilds 6317) – Level 3.

Upon completion of Unit 301 and unit 2 or 3 you will gain a Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (City & Guilds 6317) – Level 3

What can I do next?

On successful completion of Unit 301, you will gain a City & Guilds Certificate – Unit 301: Award in Understanding the Principles & Practices of Assessment which can be credited towards completion of the Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (City & Guilds 6317) – Level 3.

Upon completion of Unit 301 and unit 2 or 3 you will gain a Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (City & Guilds 6317) – Level 3
You may wish to consider the Level 4 Qualifications for Quality Assurance
Successful achievers will understand the principles of assessment and have the knowledge to develop and improve systems at their centre.

How much does it cost?

The total fee for completion of the Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (City & Guilds 6317) – Level 3 is £1,050 which is payable separately upon enrolment as follows:

Unit 301 – £200
Units 2 or 3 – £850

SPECIAL OFFER
BUY UNIT 302 OR 303 AND GET UNIT 301 FREE
(Units must be booked together to get this deal)

Prices are subject to change.