Internal Quality Assurance Process

Internal Quality Assurance Policy and Procedure

This Policy should be read to be read in conjunction with the following policies:

• Equality and Diversity
• Confidentiality
• Data Protection
• Keeping Records
• Examinations

Equal Opportunities
Tove Leeds shall comply with all statutory duties in respect of equal opportunities in the areas of sex, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, transgender, religion, belief, pregnancy, maternity and paternity, marriage and civil partnership. The Tove Leeds shall also comply with the Human Rights Act 1998 and any subsequent enactments or modifications.
Sustainability
Tove Leeds will comply with all statutory duties in respect of sustainable development by seeking to improve the long-term economic, social and environmental wellbeing of people and communities. This needs to be done in ways which promote social justice, equality of opportunity and which enhance the natural and cultural environment while respecting its limits.
Tove Leeds Quality Statement
Tove Leeds provides educational and training opportunities for students of all ages and is committed to ensuring a standardised approach to internal quality assurance practice, under a single quality assurance system that is well documented and systematically reviewed regularly. 

The internal quality assurance procedure for all provision must be open, fair and free from bias and have accurate and detailed recording of internal quality assurance decisions.

Tove Leeds is committed to ongoing training and development of all members of the IQA Panel and have senior leadership involvement within the team.

The internal quality assurance process will monitor and maintain the quality, transparency and integrity of assessment in line with the requirements of our awarding organisations.

Managing Director
Assessment, Internal Quality Assurance Policy and Procedure

1. Introduction and Aim

Internal marking, moderation/verification seeks to ensure that all learners have access to fair and accurate assessment and that assessment practices are consistent, transparent, valid and reliable and meet the requirements and standards of awarding bodies.

This strategy aims to provide clear guidance and a framework to enable greater consistency of assessment practice and standards within Tove Leeds, irrespective of subject discipline. The strategy is concerned with both assessment materials and assessment decisions.

Assessors/Tutors, Internal Quality Assurance will have the appropriate qualifications, experience and knowledge relevant to the assessment and certification of qualifications. The Examination Manager will ensure that there is a schedule of internal quality assurance with identified IQAs.

The Examination Manager will ensure that all programme specifications and particularly assessment procedures are known by teachers, tutors or assessors as required.

The Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) process is an integral part of the quality assurance system because it focuses on the quality of learner assessment. It confirms that the assessment requirements of the approved programme are being reviewed and that the standards of achievement match the agreed criteria of the units/modules. It also provides an opportunity for problems to be identified and remedied and for the recognition and sharing of good practice.

The aim of this policy is to ensure that:

• Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) is on-going, robust, valid and reliable;
• IQA procedures are open, fair and free from bias and that assessors adhere to the Awarding Body assessment specification in the judgment of evidence;
• Recording of IQA decisions is accurate and detailed;
• Consistency, transparency, reliability and validity of assessment processes, ensuring that standards and specifications are implemented/achieved;
• Assessment is fit for purpose, consistent and meets the national standards for the particular level being assessed.

In order to do this, Tove Leeds will:

• Verify an appropriately structured sample of assessor work from all programmes, sites and teams to ensure programmes conform to national standards in line with Awarding Body guidelines and procedures;
• Plan internal quality assurance schedules linked to assessment plans;
• Define, maintain and support effective internal verification roles;
• Ensure that IQA staff will maintain secure records of all IQA activity in line with Awarding Body guidelines and procedures;
• Brief and train staff of the requirements for current IQA procedures for different Awarding Bodies;
• Promote IQA as a developmental process between staff;
• Provide standardised IQA documentation;
• Use the outcome of IQA to enhance future assessment practice.

2. Tove Leeds Policy for Internal Quality Assurance

The Assessor Teams are responsible for providing the evidence and the IQA Team should internally verify and quality assured assessed work.

The aim is for Assessor Teams to work with the IQA system so that consistent, rigorous processes can be adopted. By having a team approach, good practices can be shared and the person internally verifying can gain personally from the experience.

Tove Leeds “Internal Assessment and Verification Procedures” will be adhered to at all times. Compliance with the procedures will be the responsibility of Head of Tove Leeds.

3. Standardisation Meetings

Verification standardisation meetings will take place each term. Minutes and training packs and work provided by Assessor will be made available in order to improve standards.

Outcomes will be reported at Assessor Team Meetings and emailed to all Assessors.

Meetings of Internal Quality Assurance for each curriculum pathway will take place in line with the requirements of Awarding Organisations.  Findings will be reported Head of Tove Leeds

IQA file will be established and securely maintained up-to-date within the Examination Office. The file will be available for inspection/audit by the relevant Awarding Body External Verifiers (EVs), the Quality Assurance Panel and other relevant staff. The information will be used by the Assessor Team for self-assessment purposes. The information will be stored securely in line with the Tove Leeds Keeping Records Policy.

4. The External Verifier Reports

All EV reports will be reviewed by the Quality Assurance Team who will communicate the findings of the report to the Head of Tove Leeds and within the Assessor Teams.

The Tove Leeds identify any areas of development for the IQA process. The Assessor will be responsible for ensuring that that the actions have been completed by the agreed deadline.

This policy will be reviewed and evaluated on an on-going basis by the Head of Tove Leeds and the Senior IQA.

5. Roles

Assessors will:

• Identify and   design   suitable   assessment   activities   ensuring   coverage   of performance criteria and learning outcomes/principal objectives set out in the unit/module specifications;
• Advise and support candidates to identify prior achievement where applicable;
• Agree and review assessment plans with candidates;
• Assess assignments or other evidence that allows the Candidate, the Assessor and the Internal and External Verifiers to cross-reference and locate evidence;
• Attend team and standardisation meetings  on  a  regular  basis  to  ensure that assessment is being undertaken according to national standards;
• Ensure that suitable arrangements are made for external tests, where appropriate;
• Follow the Tove Leeds procedure in the event of any candidate appeal set out within the Appeals Procedure.
• Ensure that individual awarding body requirements regarding assessments are adhered to;
• Ensure that assessor candidates have their assessment decisions signed by a qualified assessor;
• Ensure procedures are in place for candidates with access arrangements.

Assessor Teams will meet twice per term and attend all internal and external training identified to support the assessment process:

• Ensure candidates are registered on the appropriate awarding body programme of study.
• Prepare an  assessment  plan  for  each  programme  to  show  unit  specification coverage;
• Adapt assessment plans to suit individual needs as required;
• Discuss assessment plans and decisions;
• Compare evidence presented;
• Gain mutual understanding of appropriate evidence;
• Record achievement of candidates;
• Update on procedures, processes and awarding bodies amendments;
• Modifications and practices.

Internal Quality Assurers will

Advise, guide and support assessors to:

• Monitor samples of Assessor performance to ensure that assessments are being conducted properly and that national standards are being interpreted accurately;
• Identify issues arising out of assessments decisions and take appropriate action;
• Ensure that the verification process is conducted in a supportive manner;
• To attend IQA training at least once a term to support the IQA process;

Maintain and monitor arrangements for processing assessment information to:

• Keep records of the verification process in a secure place in line with the Archive Policy;
• Liaise with the Internal Quality Assurance Panel members;
• Manger to ensure that individual awarding body requirements regarding internal verification are adhered to;
• Ensure that the results of monitoring are communicated to the Assessment Team, the Directors of Faculty and the Awarding Bodies.

Verify assessment practice, where appropriate, to ensure:

• All curriculum areas will have frameworks for the academic year which are internally quality assured prior to being issued to learners;
• Assessment practice is of consistent quality, is sufficient but does not demand more of candidates than specified, and meets national standards;
• Awarding Body re-submission and rework rules are adhered to, with clear records of learner re-submission and re-takes for scrutiny by External Verifiers;
• All Summative decisions are made by qualified assessors;
• All IQA candidates have their IQA decisions signed by a qualified Internal Quality Assurance Panel Member;
• Identify staff training needs.

The IQA folder holds information about the

1. The centres statement of assurance
2. Diversity &  Equality,  Reasonable  Adjustments,  Special  Considerations,  Data Protection, Health and Safety Policy
3. Assessment and Internal Quality Assurance
4. Information Book
5. Job descriptions for members of staff involved in the IQA Team
6. Minutes and Agendas for IQA Meetings, Standardisation
7. Access Arrangements
8. Staff signatures
9. Risk Assessments for assessment

Meet with the relevant IQA(s) on a regular basis to:

• Sample work from each Programme and from each Assessor;
• Ensure the internal verification process is being carried out effectively;
• Ensure consistency of standards throughout the organization;
• Ensure consistency with national standards;
• Identify areas of possible weakness and suggest possible training strategies.

Sampling Strategy for the Internal Verifier or Lead Verifier

A  representative  sample  of  learners’  assessed  work  should  be selected  taking  into account, as appropriate:

• 25% of Assessor/teacher/tutor marked work to be drawn each of the units and modules forming part of the programme of study/specification. The sample called must have a cross section which reflects differences in age, gender and ethnicity.
• 10% of Assessor/teacher/tutor marked work which has been verified by the IQA to be drawn each of the units and modules forming part of the programme of study/specification to be verified. The sample called must have a cross section which reflects differences in age, gender and ethnicity.

Should an internal quality assurance sample fail, then 100% of the sample will be called for internal quality assurance with training provided for the Assessor.

Internal Quality Assurance Feedback Report

Internal Quality Assurance Report

• Please Note P for Partial and F for full with IQA initials