Qualification

NVQ Candidate General

Induction Pack and
Handbook

Candidates Name
Assessors Name
Induction Date
 Contents Page No

CONTACT DETAILS FOR

Members of the team who can help you:

Curriculum Manager
Steve Miller
Assessor / Internal Verifiers:

Advice and Guidance for all NVQ candidates:

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At the start of your programme, you will take part in an induction session which
includes Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) to help you make a decision
about appropriate training. An experienced advisor will work with you to
complete the first IAG document.

During your programme, your NVQ assessor will review your progress and
discuss other training options with you.

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National Vocational Qualifications

Introduction

This booklet has been produced for all NVQ Candidates working with Carshalton
College to support them by giving guidance and information about the NVQ..

Quality Assurance and NVQs

The aim of any NVQ training and development programme is to enable the
candidate to develop and demonstrate occupational competence. You will be
allocated a tutor/assessor who will support you to demonstrate competency in
the units required to complete the chosen qualification..

Competence
Effective quality assurance in NVQs allows all involved to have confidence in
assessment decisions. Only candidates who have been assessed as competent
should be judged to have met the national occupational standards. All individuals
involved in NVQs have distinct roles to play in quality assurance as outlined in
the NVQ Code of Practice.

Your tutor/assessor will carry out a summative assessment of your evidence to

ensure that:

 You have the specified knowledge and understanding and are able to
apply it across a range of situations;
 Your competence is current and you can demonstrate consistent
performance over a period of time.

National Occupational Standards (NOS)

Industry lead bodies that are made up of occupational experts of a particular
profession or occupation develop national occupational standards. The NOS
specifically relate to job tasks required by a particular occupation or job and
make up the occupational requirements of the NVQ.
These standards have been developed into 5 levels, relating to responsibility and
knowledge level of the specific job role (not the individual carrying it out): -

Level 1 – directly supervised at all times, mostly routine tasks

Level 2 – may have indirect supervision, includes non-routine tasks
Level 3 – mainly supervised indirectly, mainly complex tasks
Level 4 – responsible for own actions, accountable for others
Level 5 – strategic role, responsible for implementing and monitoring systems
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Layout of NVQs

NVQs are made up of a number of units. Each NVQ is unique and will contain a
different number of units to make up the complete qualification.

Units are separated into core or mandatory units, which must be achieved and
optional units, which may be chosen by the student/candidate in agreement with
the assessor - normally to reflect the job they are currently doing.

Units are broken down into specific activities called

 performance criteria/ performance indicators

 scope of activities/range

 evidence requirements

 knowledge and understanding

The Benefits of NVQs

 Nationally recognised qualification

 Work related qualification
 Involve your understanding of task being undertaken
 Bring together skills, performance, knowledge and understanding
 Awards given on basis of what you can do in a real life situation- achieved by
work based activities
 Ensures consistency in training and assessment against national standards
 Ensures equality for all candidates
 Involves systematic assessment of candidates’ competence to undertake a
range of tasks related to your job
 Candidate-led and provide career pathways and progression

Assessment Centres

NVQ centres co-ordinate registration and paperwork and submission of

portfolios, for all candidates, to the awarding body for issue of the qualification
certificate.
External Quality Assurers are appointed by the awarding body to monitor the
activities of the Assessment Centre. Centres go through a rigorous
accreditation process to enable them to carry out NVQ assessments and
training delivery. Quality Advisors usually visit centres and associated work
places every six months to give quality assurance to the whole process.
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The Verification System

(Qualifications Curriculum Authority)

Awarding Body

Quality Advisor

NVQ Assessment/Training Centre

Internal Verifier(s)

Tutor/Assessor(s)

Candidate

There are a number of layers of assessment and verification within NVQs:

 Tutors/assessors who assess candidates using a range of evidence including

observation and a variety of evidence such as written work and testimonies

 Internal Verifiers, who co-ordinate and verify the assessment process.

They are responsible for ensuring that the entire assessment process in
the workplace is carried out to national standards.

 Quality Advisors are appointed by the Awarding Body to make sure all
assessments/Internal Verification is being carried out correctly.

 All tutors/assessors and verifiers need to work to the national standards

for assessment and verification laid out within the Learning and
Development NVQs and Code of Practice.

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NVQ Candidate’s Evidence and Portfolios

You will collect evidence of work-based tasks, skills and performance

(Performance evidence) together with evidence of your understanding
(Knowledge evidence). You will put this evidence together in a portfolio, which is
a snapshot of your ability and competence.

When sufficient quality evidence is collected and assessed and internally

verified as competent, the awarding body issues the qualification certificate.

You will also include evidence you have produced and all tutor/assessor and
observation comments in your portfolio of evidence. This evidence is provided to
prove competence.

You can draw on past experience, (no more than three years ago) to provide
evidence as well as evidence from your present role. The evidence needs to be
filed and indexed in a portfolio.

Case studies and personal statements are used for you to record accounts of
performance, which have happened but may not have been observed by the
tutor/assessor or observed by a witness. In these statements you should give
an account of the work performance you have undertaken, giving the context,
information and an explanation of what took place, related to your normal
practice, and some personal reflection on the incident. ( Product Report)

The accounts should be referenced to the relevant national occupational

standards/performance criteria/performance indicators, scope/range and
knowledge. You should sign the statements which will then judged and agreed
with the tutor/assessor who will then sign the account off.

The tutor/assessor might ask you additional questions if required. If this is

witnessed, the tutor/assessor will confirm its authenticity with the witness in
question before signing the account off.

You should also include any work products referred to in the reflective account
from. The evidence must be signed and dated by both the candidate and the
tutor/assessor to ensure consistency, authenticity, reliability and currency.

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 Natural performance and observation

You will probably be observed by your tutor/assessor carrying out part of your
job role. Your tutor/assessor will write an account of observation on an
observation sheet.

 Witness testimonies

You can also ask a witness to produce a statement explaining what they witness
when and how. For this purpose a Witness Testimony form is used. The witness
must also complete the Witness Status list. The tutor/assessor will then
discuss the testimony with the witness and authenticate the statement
confirming it is a true account and meets the standards claimed.

 Work products

You should include photocopies, photographs or scanned copies of actual

products from the work place as evidence of originals seen and recorded by
your tutor/assessor.

 Simulation

The use of simulation is limited and is specified within each individual NVQ unit.

 Written questions and answers

You may be given questions to answer by your tutor/assessor who will then mark
them to confirm they meet the standards.

 Recorded professional discussion

Your tutor/assessor will guide you through recorded professional discussions

when you will explain your evidence and describe how, when and why you carry
out specific activities. These will be planned between you and your
tutor/assessor in advance.

 Prior experience may also be accredited

If you can prove that you already have some experience/qualification to prove
your competence, your tutor/assessor will take this into account when assessing
the unit.

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Cross Referencing

Pieces of evidence can be used across units and candidates should cross-
reference evidence where appropriate.

Please note:

 All evidence used must be your own work and relevant to the unit
competences.

 You should always use the term ‘I’ rather than ’we’ in your accounts.

Witness status

Witnesses fall into four different categories of experience:

1. Occupationally competent and an expert who is familiar with the

standards (likely to be the NVQ centre assessor)
2. Occupational competent expert who is not familiar with the standards
(likely to be your line manager)
3. Non-occupational expert familiar with the standards (could be someone
who knows about the NVQ but not your exact job)
4. Non-occupational expert unfamiliar with the standards. (could be a
someone who doesn’t know your job or NVQs – e.g. a customer or client
receiving service from you)

In involving witnesses, planning is essential. You and your tutor/assessor may

need to arrange for someone who is willing to be a witness to meet with you
both and discuss the requirement of the standards and ensure they understand
what is required of them and how to complete all documentation required.

It is important that you ensure that ALL evidence is signed and dated,
especially where witnesses are used,both the date of the activity and the
date signed are required.

Unit Certification

Where candidates have completed individual units but cannot continue to work
towards the complete NVQ for whatever reason, certification of these units
will be claimed from the awarding body.

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The Assessment Process

All NVQs regardless of the occupational group are assessed using the same
criteria (the assessment national standards) to ensure quality and consistency.

The assessment cycle involves four phases:

Plan it – understand the performance criteria/performance indicators,

range/scope and knowledge

Do it – gather the evidence

Review it – the tutor/assessor will make a judgement on the evidence you

collect against the standards

Feedback – you will receive clear timely written and verbal feedback from
your tutor/assessor

Portfolio Building

Carshalton College use a paper based portfolio in which to record and build up
your evidence. Which will be reviewed on a regular basis (normally 12-14 weeks)
and is the responsibility of the learner.

You should include the following documentation in your portfolio.

 Record of Achievement
 Details including your name, organisation and the qualification (eg Wood
Occupations Level 2)
 A contents page
 Your CV and Job Description
 Vocational Assessment
 Individual Learning Plan
 Induction Checklist
 Candidate Induction Handbook
 Declaration
 Declaration of retention of evidence

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Withdrawal Policy

 The learner has advised the training provider that they have made a
decision to withdraw from the program. A formal Withdrawal Form should
be completed. In the event that a learner leaves their employment and
cannot be contacted, the sponsoring employer will be asked to sign the
Withdrawal Form which will be accepted as evidence of the learner
wishing to leave the program.

 The learner has not met the attendance or progress requirements as

detailed in their individual learning plan.

Attendance and progress requirements

1. Learners must attend the agreed number of hours required for

underpinning knowledge training (either in group workshops or on a one-
to-one basis) within the agreed timescale in their individual learning plan.

2. Learners must be available for assessment in their normal place of work

on days and times agreed with their assessor.

3. Learners will carry out all assessment-related activities within the

timescales for completion.

4. Learners must reach the agreed target milestones and dates stated in
their individual learning plan or negotiate alternatives with their assessor
which will still enable them to meet the agreed timescale for completion

5. Under extenuating circumstances, extensions of completion deadlines can

be agreed with the workplace delivery manager. Any negotiations must
take into account the contractual requirements.

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Equal Opportunities Statement

Carshalton College recognises the rights of all candidates to expect a fair and
equitable assessment of their competence whilst being registered for their
NVQ.

Carshalton College will ensure that all candidates are supported to develop the
required skills relating to their particular NVQ and that account is taken of
their individual learning requirements.

Carshalton College Equal Opportunities Policies

Carshalton College is committed to an Equal Opportunities Policy and Code of

Practice which aims to provide equality of opportunity regardless of age, colour,
ethnic origin, family responsibility, gender, marital status, nationality, ‘race’,
religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or disability. The aim is to
create a community in which diversity is valued and which both reflects and
serves the needs of the broader community in which it operates.

Carshalton College follows each Awarding Body’s equal opportunities

requirements.

Your tutor/assessor will give you separate details for the award you are working
towards.

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Carshalton College NVQ Appeals Procedure

Candidates have the right to challenge the assessment decision made by an

assessor.

Assessors can appeal against decisions and actions of an IQA and similarly, an
IQA can appeal against a Quality Advisor

Appeals Procedure

If a candidate wishes to appeal against an assessment decision, the following

steps should be observed:

1. The candidate should first discuss the reason for appeal with their
assessor. This should ideally be done as soon as possible after the
assessment decision.
2. The assessor must consider the reasons for the appeal and must give the
candidate a response within 24hrs, backed up in writing, of the
assessment decision and a new decision, or confirmation of the original
decision.
3. If the candidate is not satisfied with the assessor’s final decision, the
assessor should be informed immediately and an appeals form (available
on request) should be completed by both the candidate and assessor.
4. The assessor should inform the relevant internal verifier (IV) that a
formal written appeal has been lodged within 24 hours of the appeals
form being completed, and provide the appeals form and any other
relevant details to the IV.
5. The IV will reconsider the assessment decision taking into account the
candidate’s reason for appeal, the candidate’s evidence and associated
records and the assessor’s reason for the assessment.
6. The IV must give the candidate the reconsidered decision, in writing,
within five working days of receiving the appeal.
7. If the candidate is not satisfied with the findings of the IV then the
candidate has the right to go to another IV and must inform the IV that
they wish to do so.
8. The IV must provide the appeals form, assessment record sheets and any
other relevant details to the Managing Director (as the Awarding Body
Coordinator) who will appoint another IV to oversee the appeal within 10
days.

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 9. The appointed IV will review all evidence, speak to the candidate,
assessor and original IV and make a decision. This decision will be
communicated to all parties within 5 days.
10. If the candidate remains unsatisfied the Managing Director will contact
the QA for a final decision. The decision of the QA will be final.

Appeals Relating to the Conduct of the Scheme

If a candidate considers that their performance or presentation has been
affected by the way that the Scheme has been delivered, they should raise
their concerns with the Managing Director. This should, wherever possible, be
done in writing.
The Managing Director will investigate the matter and inform the Candidate
within 10 working days the outcome on the investigation. Where it is not
possible to meet this deadline the Managing Director will inform the Candidate
of the likely timescale and the reasons for the delay.
Once the outcome of the investigation has been communicated to the Candidate,
should they still be unsatisfied, they should refer the matter, in writing, to the
QAC whose decision, subject to Quality Assurance Monitoring by the awarding
body, is final.
Other Complaints & Grievances
Should a Candidate have any other complaints or grievances in relation to the
Centre’s conduct or administration these should be raised through the
Carshalton College Group Limited’s Complaints or Grievance procedures as
appropriate.

Extenuating Circumstances
Extenuating circumstances are defined as those, which are unexpected, acute,
and beyond a Candidate's control which may affect academic performance.
Examples can be illness or disability, severe mental or emotional stress,
bereavement or family illness. Wherever relevant, candidates are to submit
medical certificates in support of their submissions.

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Plagiarism/Malpractice Policy

Tutor/assessors are required to ensure the authenticity of the candidate’s

work. Regular progress meetings are one way of ensuring that the candidate’s
work is their own. The opportunity should be taken at these meetings to use
probing questions to authenticate the assessment material. Plagiarism is a
potential issue with written work. Tutor/assessors must ensure that the
candidate is aware of the centre’s plagiarism policy and ensure that submitted
material is consistent with that policy.

Health and safety for candidates

You should always follow the health and safety policies and procedures for your
own organisation and ensure that when your assessor visits you they receive a
copy of this whilst working on your premises.

If you are working on your NVQ at a venue which is not your normal place of
work, you must ensure that you make yourself aware of the Health and Safety
policies and procedures for that venue.

Carshalton College’s Health and Safety Policy can be provided upon request and
can be viewed on our web site.

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 NVQ INDUCTION QUESTIONNAIRE

Name:

Qualification:

Please answer the following questions to show that you have understood the
information in the Induction pack and Handbook. This sheet should be included
in your NVQ evidence portfolio and presented to your tutor/assessor for
discussion.

1. What does NVQ stand for?

2. How many levels of NVQ

are there?

3. Can you state 1 benefits

and 1 for your employer to you
in obtaining an NVQ?

4. Who will be involved in

ensuring that you achieve your
NVQ and what do they all do?

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5. Name 3 different types of
evidence you could present to
your tutor/assessor.

6. What are the 4 stages in

the assessment process?

7. What would you do if you

didn’t agree with the
assessment decisions made by
your tutor/assessor?

8. What are the main things

you need to remember relating
to health and safety when
completing your NVQ at work?

9. What have you learned

about NVQs that you didn’t
know before you read this
Induction pack?

Candidate Signature: Date:

Tutor/Assessor Signature: Date:

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 Fair Processing Notice

The Managing Information Across Partners (MIAP) service is operated by the

Learning Skills Council (LSC) for learners aged 14 years and over and learners
registering for relevant post-14 qualifications.

MIAP offers a Learner Registration Service to allocate Unique Learner

Numbers (ULNs) which enable the individual to access a Learner Record
Service. The Learner Record Service will offer the Learner the facility to
access their participation and achievement data via a website and to share this
with other organisations and individuals where permission is granted.

The MIAP service will allow those organisations listed on section 537A of the
Education Act (www.miap.gov.uk) to use the Unique Learner Number as a key to
sharing participation and achievement data in a consistent and approved manner,
promoting good information management practice.

All organisations that will have access to the information you provide are
registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. At no time will your personal
information be passed to organisations for marketing or sales purposes.

Individuals can opt-out of sharing participation and achievement data with those
organisations listed in section 537A of the education act. Details of opting-out
of data sharing can be found at www.miap.gov.uk or by telephoning the MIAP
helpdesk on 0845 6022589.

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 Data Protection Policy

Carshalton College needs to keep certain information about its employees,

learners and other users to allow it to monitor performance, achievements, and
health and safety, for example. It is also necessary to process information so
that the Carshalton College Group Limited can comply with its legal obligations
and staff can be recruited and paid and training organised. To comply with the
law, information must be collected and used fairly, stored safely and not
disclosed to any other person unlawfully.

To do this, Carshalton College must comply with the Data Protection Principles
which are set out in the Data Protection Act 1998 (the 1998 Act). The full Data
Protection Policy for Carshalton College can be found with all policies and
procedures in the Learning Rescores Centre.

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