STANDARDS MODERATION POLICY
This policy is available on-line at: www.bptc.ro/intranet
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Policy No.:
Approved by:
Version:
Issue Date:
Review Date:
Contact Person:
TL.8012
OfD
V.3
September 2015
September 2017
Quality Manager
Equal Opportunities:
Impact Assessed
1.Introduction
a. What is Standards Moderation?
Standards Moderation is a quality improvement/management process. Standards Moderation is concerned with the management of the assessment
process to ensure the accuracy, fairness and consistency of assessment decisions between assessors and to ensure that assessors are consistent in
their interpretation and application of the standards for the award.
Rigorous standards moderation relies upon a number of continuous and integrated activities including:
i.
Assessment Planning
ii.Feedback
iii. Assessment Decisions
iv. Certification, including unit certification, where applicable.
NB – Induction of candidates, including their registration with the Awarding/Validating Body, is a function closely associated with the management of
the assessment process and is a role ordinarily completed by the Course/Programme Leader. It is therefore (ordinarily) the role and responsibility of the
Course/Programme Leader to ensure that the candidates have been registered with the Awarding/Validating Body as near to the start of the programme
as possible, and in accordance with the time scale of the Awarding/Validating Body.
b. What do Internal Moderators do?
The Internal Moderator is central to the Quality Improvement/Assurance and Standards Moderation process in non-external programmes and courses,
both within the relevant National Frameworks and within the quality improvement system, operated at Bucharest Professional Training College. The role
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of the Internal Moderator is crucial in ensuring confidence of all stakeholders in the awarding of non-externally awarded qualifications and involved four
main aspects:
i.
Operate and evaluate internal assessment and quality improvement/assurance systems.
ii. Support assessors.
iii. Monitor the quality of assessor performance (to ensure the consistent interpretation and application of the national standards).
iv. Meet external quality assurance requirements.
There are three types of moderators:
v. Internal Moderators are appointed by the Centre and verify the accuracy, consistency and quality of assessment at the unit/module level of a
qualification.
vi. External Moderators are appointed by Awarding/Validating Bodies. They confirm that Centres are meeting the assessment and internal moderation
requirements of the Awarding Body and provide advice and support for Centres regarding the Awarding/Validating Body requirements and
interpretation of National Standards.
vii. Quality Moderators/Reviewers are appointed by Awarding/Validating Bodies to ensure, through a review of quality procedures, programmes and
candidates, that Centres are consistently applying standardised Centre assessment procedures and internal moderation procedures, in accordance
with the requirements or Awarding/Validating Bodies.
Each has an important role in providing support and feedback to the Centre in establishing and improving internal quality control systems.
2. Roles and Responsibilities in the Standards Moderation Process
Programmes at Bucharest Professional Training College cover a diversity of levels, topic areas and students/candidates, however it is crucial that
standard internal moderation (IM) procedures that apply meet the requirements of both the College Quality Improvement process and the Awarding/
Validating Body certificating the award.
The following internal moderation procedures must be applied to all non-external programs (e.g. UK NVQ) at the College and clearly outline the
responsibilities and accountabilities of each participant in the College’s Standards Moderation process.
The major participants are:
•Assessor
• Internal Moderator
• Internal Moderator Coordinator (Note: Edexcel call these Lead Internal Verifier)
• Quality Manager
In large programmes the two Internal Moderation roles may be performed by separate individuals. In small programmes they may be combined. The
Course Team is best placed to agree the most appropriate way of meeting the needs of their programme within the College’s standards moderation
procedures, whilst ensuring that the requirements of the Awarding/Validating Body are upheld.
Within the Standards Moderation process it is essential that all participants are fully aware of their responsibilities and accountabilities.
a.Assessors
All assessors must be:
i.
Occupationally competent and have relevant occupational/subject expertise.
ii. Qualified to an appropriate standard for the qualification on which they are assessing, as outlined in the Awarding/Validating Body (usually to a level
at least one level above that of the qualification on which they are assessing).
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All assessors are responsible and accountable for:
iii. Participating in an appropriate Assessor Induction, to ensure that they understand their role in the assessment and standards moderation process.
iv. Ensuring that they are fully conversant with Awarding/Validating Body assessment documentation, (i.e. the most up to date programme specification,
Awarding/Validating Body guidance and updates, Awarding/Validating Body quality documents, National Occupational Standards for the programmes
that they assess).
v. Managing the assessment system, from assessment planning to assessment feedback and assessment decisions, as required by the Awarding/
Validating Body.
vi. Producing Assessment Plans which meet the requirements and timescales of the Awarding/Validating Body.
vii. Fairly, accurately and consistently assessing evidence of candidates’ performance against the National Standards in the qualification, as described
in the Awarding/Validating Body Programme Specification (or equivalent document), and to A1/A2 standards as appropriate.
viii. Ensuring the candidates’ evidence is valid, authentic and sufficient.
ix. Providing feedback on assessment decisions appropriate to the assessment method used.
x. Meeting with their IM and participating in IM activity at appropriate times, as required by the Awarding/Validating Body.
xi. Retaining documentation/records to standards required by the Awarding/Validating Body.
xii. Maintaining accurate and verifiable records of candidate assessment decisions and achievement, as required by the Awarding/Validating Body.
xiii. Updating their Curriculum Vitae.
xiv. Maintaining their own CPD in accordance with the requirements of the Institute for Learning and their Awarding/Validating Body.
xv. Attending team meetings and standardisation activities.
b. Internal Moderators
All Internal Moderators must be:
i.
Occupationally competent and have relevant occupational/subject expertise.
ii. Qualified to an appropriate standard for the qualification on which they are internally moderating, as outlined by the Awarding/Validating Body
(usually to a level at least one level above that of the qualification on which they are moderating).
iii. Appropriately experienced in the qualification on which they are internally moderating, as outlined by the Awarding/Validating Body.
All Internal Moderators are responsible and accountable for:
iv. Participating in an appropriate Internal Moderator (IM) Induction, to ensure that they understand their role in the standards moderation process.
v. Ensuring that they are fully conversant with Awarding/Validating Body assessment documentation (i.e. the most up to date programme specification,
Awarding/Validating Body guidance and updates, Awarding/Validation Body quality documents, National Occupational Standards for the programmes
that they moderate).
vi. Understanding the content, structure and assessment requirements for the Awards that they are moderating.
vii. Managing the Standards Moderation system, from assessment planning, to assessment feedback, and assessment decisions (and certification
(including unit certification) where appropriate) as required by the Awarding/Validating Body.
viii. Establishing procedures to ensure that all assessors interpret the National Standards in the same way.
ix. Producing Internal Moderation Sampling Plans which meet Awarding/Validating Body requirements, and ensure that all assessment briefs*, all
assessment methods, all units/modules and an appropriate sample of assessment decisions (covering the full range of marks) are included (as
required by the Awarding/Validating Body).
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*Following internal moderation, there may be an expectation for assessment briefs to be approved by the Awarding/Validating Body prior to issue to students.
x. Regularly sampling evidence of assessment activities made by assessors, in accordance with their IM Sampling Plan, to ensure the fair, accurate
and consistent interpretation and application of the National Standards in the qualification, as described in the Awarding/Validating Body programme
specification (or equivalent document), and to V1 standards as appropriate.
xi. Using, as a minimum, the College IM documentation (Appendix 1, Appendix 3 and, where appropriate, Appendix 2 accompanying Standards
Moderation for non-NVQ Procedures), or appropriate Awarding/Validating Body IM documentation when required (ensuring that all aspects of
College Policy and Procedures are covered).
xii. Ensuring that they do not internally moderate their own assessment decisions.
xiii. Monitoring and supporting the work of assessors, including the facilitation of appropriate staff development and training for assessors.
xiv. Ensuring that candidate certification, where appropriate, is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Awarding/Validating Body.
xv. Maintaining up to date records of IM and sampling activity and ensuring that these are available for External Verification/Moderation/Examination.
xvi. Retaining documentation/records to standards required by the Awarding/Validating Body.
xvii. Updating their Curriculum Vitae.
xviii.Maintaining their own CPD in accordance with the requirements of the Awarding/Validating Body.
xix. Attending team meetings and leading the standardisation process, evidence of which must be appropriately documented.
c. Internal Moderator Coordinators/ Lead Internal Verifier
All Internal Moderator Coordinators/ Lead Internal Verifiers must be:
i.
Occupationally competent and have relevant occupational/subject expertise.
ii. Qualified to an appropriate standard for the qualification on which they are Internally Moderating as outlined by the Awarding/Validating Body (usually
to a level at least one level above that of the qualification on which they are moderating).
iii. Appropriately experienced in the qualification on which they are internally moderating, as outlined by the Awarding/Validating Body.
All Internal Moderator Coordinators are responsible and accountable for:
iv. Liaise with the Awarding/Validating Body regarding arrangements/requirements for External Moderation/Verification/Examination.
v. Providing appropriate samples of assessed and moderated learner work to be Awarding/Validating Body in order to meet the requirements of the
Awarding/Validating Body.
vi. Providing feedback to the External Moderator/Verifier/Examiner or Standards Verifier on the effectiveness of assessment.
vii. Ensuring that any corrective action required by the Awarding/Validating Body is carried out within agreed timescales.
viii. Establishing procedures for standardising the judgements and decisions of Internal Moderators in their team.
NB – In teams where the role of Internal Moderator and Internal Moderator Coordinator are being performed by the same person, the responsibilities
and accountabilities of the Internal Moderator Coordinator are in addition to those of the role of the Internal Moderator. Where the role of IM and IM
Coordinator are performed by separate individuals, the role of IM Coordinator is usually performed by the Curriculum Leader.
d. Quality Manager:
The Quality Performance Manager is responsible and accountable for:
i.
Conducting sample audits to confirm that the College Standards Moderation Policy and Procedures are being applied across the Schools/
Programmes.
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ii. Liaising with Internal Moderator Coordinators, when required.
iii. Liaising with External Moderators/Verifiers/Examiners and / or Quality Moderators/Reviewers when required.
iv. Producing reports to meet the needs of College Committees, when required.
v. Consulting with College staff and managers regarding the review of the College Standards Moderation Policy and Procedures.
3.Sampling
The IM must record and report on all sampling undertaken in sufficient detail to justify their decisions. Underpinning all IM activity is the validity of the
moderation sample, which is best achieved using an IM Sample Plan.
a. Sampling Plan/Strategy
Correct sampling should entail reviewing the quality of the assessment judgement by evaluating how assessors have reached those decisions. The IM
must be able to follow an audit trail which clearly demonstrates that assessors have checked that the evidence presented – regardless of format – meets
the rules of evidence, i.e. evidence must be confirmed by assessors as being:
Valid
Relevant to the standards against which performance is being assessed, i.e. the evidence enables assessment against the learning
objectives and outcomes of the award.
Authentic Produced by the candidate.
Sufficient Meets in full all of the requirements of the standards, i.e. ensures coverage of the learning objectives and outcomes of the Award.
The Sampling Plan/Strategy for each programme will vary according to the specific needs of the programme and its candidates, but in all cases must
meet the requirements of the Awarding/Validating Body and preferably be agreed with the External Verifier.
b. The IM Sampling Plan/Strategy must:
i.
Meet the requirements of the Awarding/Validating Body.
ii. be continuous throughout the programme.
iii. Be planned and ensure that all assessment briefs*, all assessment methods, all units/modules and an appropriate sample of assessment decisions
(covering the full range of marks) are sampled, to ensure the quality and reliability of the assessment process (as required by the Awarding/Validating
Body)
* Following Internal Moderation, there may be an expectation for assessment briefs to be approved by the Awarding/Validating Body prior to issue to students.
iv. Be flexible to account for:
• Assessor Experience – substantially larger samples are required for assessors that are inexperienced (less than 12 months experience), new
to the centre, new to the qualification or out of practice.
• Workload of Assessor – ensuring that the total sample reflects the number of decisions being made by each individual assessor.
v. Employ, as a minimum, the College IM documentation (Appendix 1, Appendix 3 and, where appropriate Appendix 2 accompanying Standards
Moderation for non-NVQ Procedures), or appropriate Awarding/Validating Body IM documentation when required (ensuring that all aspects of
College Policy and Procedures are covered).
4. Appeal Procedure
Formative and Summative assessments enable the candidate to actively participate in the assessment process. If this participation is to be taken
seriously by all parties then it must be accepted that there will be times when the candidate’s and assessor’s perceptions, as to whether evidence meets
the standards for the Award, are going to be different.
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In such circumstances, the candidate has right to appeal in line with the College
Internal Assessment Appeals Policy and/or those provided by the Awarding/Validating Body.
5. Arrangements for Periodic Review
The Quality Manager is responsible for the Periodic Review of the Standards Moderation Policy within two years of its revision, January 2014. These
procedures should be reviewed in accordance with this associated Policy.
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