A1_Knowledge_Spec

A1 KNOWLEDGE SPECIFICATION 1. I would try and see more than 1 candidate at a time either in the same area or the same setting, I would try and collect as much evidence as possible for the unit we are covering and also be doing Holistic Observation which would enable me to cross reference with other units. All of the above would cut down on travelling time and expenses and would enable me to be more efficient in my role as an Assessor. 2. Candidates could use any current training certificates relevant to their NVQ, I could take copies of these for their portfolio, also any work placed experience they have attained and also any ongoing training they are attending. It is important that they are up to date on current legislation and that their knowledge is appropriate to the setting they are in and also that they are following their settings Best Practice. 3. They may need permission from the manager or supervisor of the setting for me to visit them and it is also courteous to inform other members of staff that they may be unavailable at a certain time during the day and they may need cover. I would advise the candidate to check with their manager and colleagues that the assessment time is suitable for everyone. I would make sure that the candidate knows what is expected of them during the observation and also what else they may be required to do. I would make sure they are aware and understand each step of the assessment process. 4. I would discuss with the candidate how we could gain more evidence, this could mean doing a further observation, a work product, setting up a task or simulation, I would always be positive when giving feedback and make sure that they understand that we can obtain the extra evidence we need through a variety of ways and that I am here to help and support them. I would go through the Performance Criteria and the Knowledge with them and help and support them through the next stage. 5. Standardisation meetings are held on a regular basis to make sure every Assessor is working towards the same judgements, it is also an opportunity for assessor’s to get together to evaluate and discuss their work. The Internal Quality Assurance procedures make sure that assessors are of a high quality and are trained to work to the standards and the requirements of the awarding body and the assessment centre, they also make sure the evidence that they are using is the appropriate evidence suitable for the different standards. 6. I will plan with my candidate what will take place during the assessment and explain what I will be looking for; I will make sure they understand what is expected of them. I would also ask them to familiarise themselves with the standards and performance criteria especially for the particular unit we will be covering. When the observation is finished I would give my candidate feedback and advise them of any areas that we still need to cover and how we could do this. 7. Assessments and meetings should be held in a private and confidential location and only authorised people should be present. Details of families, clients and children should not be included in any assessment material and it is a legal requirement that any data should be kept confidential. If a piece of evidence is of a sensitive nature I would use a record of observed product evidence, explanation or discussion and maintain confidentiality at all times. If I use the voice recorder I will make sure that no children’s names are used and when I have uploaded the recording to the fusion system I will delete from the recorder to maintain confidentiality. I would make sure that I was always aware of the current Data Protection Act and adhere to these at all times. 8. Some candidates may need more support and encouragement than others, all candidates will be treated as individuals and the assessment process will be tailored towards their individual needs and abilities. If I had a candidate that needed more individual support I would make sure that they are aware that I can help them through the process, we can spend more time on planning if necessary and I would make sure that they are aware of what is expected of them and how I can help them achieve this, when doing observations we could break them down into small sections so as not to over burden them and make them feel unable to achieve and I would reiterate my role in the assessment process and that I am here to help, support and encourage them throughout. Equally I could have a candidate who is very confident and needs little help from myself, in this case I would still make sure that they understood my role as the assessor and that I was available if they needed additional help. 9. Discrimination is when a person is being treated unfairly either through age, gender, race, or religious beliefs. As an assessor I would use language appropriately and positively, I will use positive body language at all times and would never let my own personal opinions interfere with my role as an assessor. If an allegation of discrimination was made towards me I would advise the candidate to follow the discrimination procedure and advise them how to do this, at no time would I be confrontational over the allegation. If I felt that I was being discriminated against I would try to discuss it with my candidate and if I could not resolve the issue I would also follow the discrimination procedure. 10. All candidates will differ in their needs and abilities and it is important that I have the knowledge to support them in the appropriate manner. There differing needs could be for a number of reasons such as Literacy, Numeracy, Lack of Confidence, Physical Disability, Not done training for a long while, English as a second language, Single Parent or any number of other reasons. I would make sure that I was aware of the candidate’s individual needs and support them accordingly. If I had a candidate with poor literacy skills I could use the voice recorder for their work, I could also write things for them and get them to sign and date, I would make sure I put them at their ease and make them aware that I am their to help and support them. 11. I would always give feedback in a positive way regardless of how I felt the observation had gone, I would hope to be able to give feedback straight after an observation but sometimes this is not possible due to the setting and its surroundings in this case I would try and give some quick positive verbal feedback if I felt it appropriate and if not I would either give it verbally or written within 24 hours, it is important for a candidate to have their feedback as soon as possible as often they are really worried about their observation and how it has gone. If I had a less confident candidate I would make sure that they felt positive about their observation and concentrate on all of the positive aspects and I would then help them with their plan to see what still needed to be covered and make sure that they understand everything that we had talked about. If I had a more confident candidate I may not have to spend as long giving them feedback as they may already have a good knowledge and understanding of what they are doing, however it is still important to make sure you are spending enough time with them and that they understand any areas that have not been covered. 12. I would always be open and approachable to my candidates and I think this is important to enable you to build a good working relationship, I think that is important that they feel comfortable with me as I would want them to feel able to ask questions and advice from me, this would enable them to become competent in completing their NVQ and gain more knowledge and understanding. 13. I would make sure the candidates choose appropriate optional units that are relevant to their job post and also that they have the training that is needed to make them competent in this unit. I would make sure that my training and knowledge is current to enable me to assess the unit compently. 14. I will ensure that I always have the current knowledge required to enable me to assess candidates against the unit standards. I would attend standardisation meetings and any other training that was needed. 15. I would make sure that I am always up to date with the current best practice standards for the different settings and also by with City and Guilds and assessment centre standards. 16. I would make sure my work follows the relevant legislation and assessment centre policies. I would make sure that my candidates were always aware of what was expected of them and the type of evidence gathering method that best suits the candidates and the performance criteria that they are currently working on and I would also ensure that all evidence used is current and validated by being signed and dated. 17. When I look at the candidates Key Skills Assessment I will be able to get information on any special requirements they may need. If the candidate had any special requirements I would discuss it with them and the training centre manager and decide how we can help them. 18. I would be using the Fusion system which enables me to store all of the relevant information on the NVQ for a specific candidate, it is updated regularly and it is only possible for the appropriate people involved to look at this work, you are also able to leave messages and specific information for the candidate and the Internal Verifier. 19. This is the same as question 13. 20. I would explain to the candidate my concerns in a positive way and explain to them where I felt the inconsistency was and I would help them to plan to provide more evidence to show their consistency. 21. I would explain to the candidate about the appeals procedure and suggest that we should discuss the problem with the Assessor/Internal Verifier if we couldn’t resolve the matter the candidate could appeal to the NVQ Quality Assurance Co-ordinator which would need to be done in writing within 20 days. 22. I would have made the candidate aware of the assessment process and the procedures that re in place prior to this and I would encourage them to use them if they were at all unhappy with the way they were being assessed. 23. Questioning:- The assessor could ask questions verbally or for them to be written as part of an assessment activity, this is a good way to collect evidence as you are checking that the candidate has the necessary knowledge and understanding to be competent. Accreditation of prior experience and achievements:- The candidate may already hold parts of the national standards through previous courses or training or had work experience and gained certificates in relevant areas. Formal Testing:- The candidate can take a test to ensure that they still have the claimed current competence from their prior training and achievements. Projects and Assignments:- The candidate could do a piece of work on a certain topic; this is a good way to see the candidate’s knowledge and understanding. Simulations:- The assessor could set up a task without the candidate knowing but with prior agreement with the setting manager, you would also need permission from the Internal Verifier, it may cover something that the assessor is unable to observe normally, it would give the assessor the opportunity to see the candidate and how they cope in certain situations, you would only use this if there were no other assessment methods possible. Candidate and Peer Reports:- This would be where the candidate or a colleague could either write a report about something the candidate has covered when the assessor wasn’t there which has covered part of the unit standards, this could also be done verbally, it would show what the candidate did and how they dealt with it. Evidence from others:- This could come from people like, Parents, Managers, Supervisors; they could give a witness statement to say how the candidate had covered part of a unit and what they did to achieve this. This is a good way to collect evidence particularly for elements that may be harder to see the candidate performing in. Work Products:- This could be work that the assessor has set the candidate to help cover parts of the unit such as a written assignment, it could also be copies of policies or procedures, risk assessments, child observations or a workbook, it could also be photographs of activities or projects that the children have done (making sure no children are photographed). This is a good way for the candidate to extend their knowledge and understanding.