AET Manual for the
Certification of Level 3
Portfolio
AET Manual for the Certification of Level 3 Portfolio
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................................................3
2. THE PROCESS FOR SUBMISSION AND EXAMINATION OF PORTFOLIOS .......................................................................4
3. THE AET PORTFOLIOS OF EVIDENCE FOR LEVEL 3 .......................................................................................................5
3.1 GUIDANCE NOTES ON COMPLETION OF PORTFOLIOS OF EVIDENCE ...............................................................................................5
3.2 LEVEL 3 PORTFOLIO ...........................................................................................................................................................6
4. THE ROLE OF THE VERIFICATION ASSESSORS ............................................................................................................13
5. ANNEXES ..................................................................................................................................................................14
ANNEX A: AET EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY ...........................................................................................................................14
ANNEX B: AET PLAGIARISM POLICY..........................................................................................................................................16
ANNEX C: AET COMPLAINTS POLICY.........................................................................................................................................17
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1. Introduction
The AET national training programme has been funded by the DfE and has been developed and delivered by
a partnership of a number of the major voluntary and maintained sector organisations which focus on
professional training for staff who educate children and young people with autism.
The training is at 3 levels:
Level 1 is basic autism awareness training for teaching or non-teaching staff within any education setting who
need an understanding of autism in their role (including office staff; governors; caretakers; drivers and
escorts).
Level 2 provides practical knowledge, hands on tools and techniques for all staff working directly with children
on the autism spectrum (including teaching assistants; lunchtime staff; teachers).
Level 3 is for all staff who need further knowledge on autism and/or who may wish to pursue a training role
(including lead practitioners for autism; SENCOs and inclusion managers).
A consultation process carried out for the AET in 2012 established that there was a considerable demand for
the provision of an AET certificate for candidates who had completed level 2 or level 3 training who wished to
demonstrate the impact of the training on their practice through the submission of evidence.
Subsequently the AET has developed its own verification system whereby an AET Verification Certificate is
issued to learners who have completed the AET Training at either Level 2 or 3 and submit a portfolio of
evidence.
The process for the submission and examination of portfolios is outlined in section 2.
The evidence forms are provided in section 3.
Professionals appointed by the AET, assess the forms. The role and qualifications of these assessors is set
out in section 4
Section 5 contains annexes which include the AET policies on equal opportunities, plagiarism and complaints
which underpin the process.
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2. The process for submission and examination of portfolios
The flow chart below sets out the process for the submission and examination of the portfolios for
level 3 certification.
KEY:
Action by candidate
Applicants complete and return portfolios by email. Hard copy of
declaration sheet completed and returned by post with copy of
certificate of attendance (of AET training) and cheque (or payment
reference for payment by card*) to AET
*(Phone AET on 0207 9033650 to pay by card)
Action by AET
AET appoints markers according to the person specification
criteria set out
Two markers consider each portfolio against the evidence as set
out and quality assure decisions made.
Markers agree that
the portfolio meets
the criteria
AET notifies
applicant and
awards
certificate
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The markers agree
that the portfolio must
be deferred and
justifies decision in
writing.
The AET writes to candidate to
confirm decision suggesting areas for
development to consider in
resubmission and confirms the right
to appeal the decision.
AET Manual for the Certification of Level 3 Portfolio
3. The AET Portfolios of Evidence for Level 3
3.1 Guidance notes on completion of portfolios of evidence
The purpose of the portfolio is to give you an opportunity to verify that you have been able to practically
implement ideas and strategies from the AET Level 3 training. The attached portfolio template provides a
framework for you to reflect on and record your professional development and the impact you have had on
provision for pupils and your school or setting.
The portfolio reflects the structure of the AET training programmes and provides some examples to illustrate
what is expected. You do not need to add numerous attachments to the templates to evidence your work.
There should be ample space in the boxes provided to provide your evidence. Submissions should be succinct
and clear, summarising your key points.
Your portfolio will be marked by a panel of markers in good faith on the understanding that the work submitted
is your own work and has not been copied from other sources. You will be notified in due course about the
outcome of your submission and whether your portfolio meets the required standard. Where portfolios are
deemed to meet the criteria, you will then receive an AET Verification Certificate at the appropriate level. In
cases where there is not enough evidence to award a certificate, you will be notified of the decision, giving
reasons why and offering an opportunity to re submit an amended and updated portfolio of evidence at a later
stage.
If you have any further questions, please contact your hub lead for additional information and advice about
completion of portfolios.
Please complete all relevent sections of the form and email it to:
info@autismeducationtrust.org.uk
In addition please complete the declaration at the end of the portfolio to undertake that the work is your own
and send it with a copy of your certificate of attendance (of AET L3 training) and a cheque for £50* made
payable to The National Autistic Society to:
The Autism Education Trust
c/o The National Autistic Society
393, City Road
London
EC1V 1NG
Applicants complete and return portfolios by email. Hard copy of declaration sheet completed and returned by
post with certificate of attendance and cheque (or payment reference for payment by card*) to AET
*(Phone AET on 0207 9033650 to pay by card)
NB. Make sure you retain a copy of the portfolio for your own records.
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3.2 Level 3 portfolio
AET VERIFICATION: LEVEL 3 TRAINING
Name
Contact Address
Work Place
Hub
Date of AET training and Level
Email Address
Please attach signed and dated copies of your AET Level 3 Training Certificate confirming that you have
attended this programme with your declaration.
1. THE INDIVIDUAL PUPIL
-
Describe the four key areas of difference, as set out in the AET Programme that practitioners need to be
aware of in a teaching and learning environment for children with autism. Give examples, for each area, of
how your school has successfully provided for children’s strengths and weaknesses”
.
1
2
3
4
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2. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Working with others towards effective provision
Plan, hold and reflect on a meeting that will support the review of pupil progress for one pupil and assist future
planning. Demonstrate how the process can build parental and professional confidence in the school’s
provision and widen the knowledge base around individual pupils
Who did I plan to invite and why?
Who attended and how did they contribute towards an overall picture?
What I plan to do as a result of this knowledge.
Reflections on the process. Can the process be generalised for use with other pupils? How valuable was
the process in informing a plan for a) the individual b) wider school provision?
3. CURRICULUM AND LEARNING
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Take one area of the curriculum and discuss how school has developed it’s offer/provision to meet the needs
of a range of different pupils
Area of the curriculum and possible challenges
Possible differentiation
Example:
Humanities: Imagining they are someone else for a
piece of written work
Offer them the opportunity to write from their own
view point. (“‘What would you do if?”…)
1
2
3
4
5
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4. ENABLING ENVIRONMENTS
Consider one teaching and learning environment in your school
Outline 5 key challenges children with autism may face in the classroom environment.
Describe 5 general measures you could suggest to colleagues to address the above.
How do you share information about individual pupils to ensure as consistent approach as possible
across the school?
Give an example of how this has been effective
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5. EVALUATING PRACTICE
The Autism Education Trust supplies tools to help assess schools’ performance in relation to autism provision
and to steer practitioners towards greater all round competence. This section asks you to reflect on how you
might make use of these tools.
Using the AET Standards document, indicate three Standards where your school is offering high quality
provision for students on the autism spectrum and explain your justification for this. (Note the number of the
standard in the left hand column).
Standard
Justification
Using the AET Standards document, indicate three areas for development and outline the steps you mean to
take to secure this.
Using the AET Competencies document, plan an INSET event for staff working with children on the autism
spectrum. What area(s) would you address and why?
How will you make use of the AET Competencies document to develop your SEN workforce?
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6. PERSONAL REFLECTIONS FROM THE AET LEVEL 3 TRAINING.
Describe how your practice has developed your school’s capacity to meet the needs of pupils on the autism
spectrum as a result of having attended the AET level 3 training event.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Declaration
Please print this page, sign it to undertake that the above work is your own and send it with
a copy of your certificate of attendance (of AET L3 training) a cheque for £50* made
payable to The National Autistic Society to:
The Autism Education Trust
c/o The National Autistic Society
393, City Road
London
EC1V 1NG
Applicants complete and return portfolios by email. Hard copy of declaration sheet
completed and returned by post with certificate of attendance (of AET L3 training) and
cheque (or payment reference for payment by card*) to AET
*(Phone AET on 0207 9033650 to pay by card)
I confirm that the work submitted is my own and has not been copied or taken from other sources.
Signed…………………………………………………………………. Date…………………………….
Full Name (print)………………………………………………………………………………………..
I also enclose a cheque for £ ……………….. or (please delete whichever does not apply)
I have paid by card over the phone. My payment reference is: ……………………………………
Now email the whole document to info@autismeducationtrust.org.uk
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4. The role of the verification assessors
The AET verification assessors are responsible for examining the portfolios presented by candidates and
cross-checking them against the criteria, as set out. They are also responsible for ensuring that the process is
fair and that any decisions made are fully documented and justified. All panel members must have a sound
knowledge of the AET Competency Framework, good practice in autism and knowledge of the education
system within which the competencies are being applied. This will enable the panel to come to sound and
robust judgments based securely on the evidence presented. It is important to note that it is only the portfolio
of evidence being scrutinised and no claims can be made regarding the candidates themselves. All
judgements must be made on the basis of the evidence contained within the portfolio.
The AET verification assessors will work in pairs with a lead marker and a second marker for each candidate.
Within the person specifications, panel members should:





Have qualified teacher status
Be educated to postgraduate level
Have significant experience of teaching in schools and also of school systems and processes.
Have leadership or management experience in a school or educational setting.
The panel of assessors will include at least one adult with autism, who does not need to meet the
criteria above.
Additionally, each panel member must be in possession of a recent, up to date Enhanced CRB and must
adhere to the ethical code of conduct whereby confidentiality and impartiality is paramount. Panel members
are asked to declare where there may be a conflict of interest where they know an applicant personally, thus
making it inappropriate for that panel member to evaluate the portfolio belonging to the applicant.
A quality assurance process involving a moderating panel scrutinising the decisions of the assessors and
feeding back to them will be in place and it will sample approximately 10% of candidate’s portfolios. This will
feed back into the verification process but will not affect the decisions made by assessors accept where an
appeal has been made by a candidate. The moderating panel will include officers of the AET and/or members
of its Programme Board and Expert Reference Group.
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5. Annexes
Annex A: AET equal opportunities policy
1. Statement of policy
The aim of this policy is to communicate the commitment of the AET to the promotion of equality of opportunity
in the Autism Education Trust.
It is our policy to provide equality of opportunity to all, irrespective of:








Gender, including gender reassignment
Marital or civil partnership status
Having or not having dependants
Religious belief or political opinion
Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, being an Irish Traveller)
Disability
Sexual orientation
Age.
We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination. Those who submit work for assessment will
be treated fairly and will not be discriminated against on any of the above grounds.
Decisions will be made objectively and without unlawful discrimination.
2. To whom does the policy apply?
The EO policy applies to all those who work, (or apply to work for), volunteer or submit work to the
organisation.
3 Equality commitments
We are committed to:







Promoting equality of opportunity for all persons
Promoting a good and harmonious working environment in which all persons are treated with respect
Preventing occurrences of unlawful direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and
victimisation
Fulfilling all our legal obligations under the equality legislation and associated codes of practice
Complying with our own equal opportunities policy and associated policies
Taking lawful affirmative or positive action, where appropriate
Regarding all breaches of equal opportunities policy as misconduct which could lead to disciplinary
proceedings.
This policy is fully supported by the AET Programme Board.
4. Implementation
The AET Director has specific responsibility for the effective implementation of this policy. We expect all our
employees and volunteers to abide by the policy and help create the equality environment which is its
objective.
In order to implement this policy we shall:

Communicate the policy to employees, job applicants and relevant others (such as contract or agency
workers)
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




Incorporate specific and appropriate duties in respect of implementing the equal opportunities policy
into job descriptions and work objectives of all staff
Provide equality training and guidance as appropriate, including training on induction and
management courses.
Incorporate equal opportunities notices into general communications practices (e.g. staff newsletters,
intranet).
Obtain commitments from other persons or organisations such as subcontractors or agencies that
they too will comply with the policy in their dealings with our organisation and our workforce
Ensure that adequate resources are made available to fulfil the objectives of the policy.
5 Monitoring and review
We will establish appropriate information and monitoring systems to assist the effective implementation of our
equal opportunities policy. The effectiveness of our equal opportunities policy will be reviewed regularly by the
AET Programme Board (at least annually) and action taken as necessary.
For example, where monitoring identifies an under-representation of a particular group or groups, we shall
develop an action plan to address the imbalance.
Any staff member, volunteer or accreditation candidate who believes that they have suffered any form of
discrimination, harassment or victimisation are entitled to raise the matter through our accreditation complaints
procedures. A copy of these procedures is available from the AET Administrator. All complaints of
discrimination will be dealt with seriously, promptly and confidentially.
In addition to our internal procedures for review of portfolios submitted for assessment, employees have the
right to pursue complaints of discrimination to an industrial tribunal or the Fair Employment Tribunal under the
following anti-discrimination legislation:
Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, as amended
Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended for example, Grievance Procedures.
Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, as amended
Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003
Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, as amended
Employment Equality (Age) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006
Equal Pay Act (Northern Ireland) 1970, as amended.
However, employees wishing to make a complaint to a tribunal will normally be required to raise their
complaint under our internal grievance procedures first.
Every effort will be made to ensure that applicants and employees who make complaints will not be victimised.
Any complaint of victimisation will be dealt with seriously, promptly and confidentially. Victimisation will result
in disciplinary action and may warrant dismissal.
Date: …28.1.13…………………..
Signature: …
………………………… AET Director
Signature: …………………………… Chair of AET Programme Board
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Annex B: AET plagiarism policy
1. Introduction
Candidates submit portfolios of work to the AET to show how their practice has developed as a result of the
training, use of the AET competency frameworks and their own experiences have combined with their own
reflective learning to become more effective in working with young people with autism. Candidates must
undertake and record their own learning and insights in order to be able to do this. We expect candidates to
make the best use of examples of good practice, but to consider these and add their own experiences and
insight in the work submitted.
As an assessing organisation the AET has a duty to ensure that qualifications received are a fair reflection of a
candidates knowledge and skills. If a candidate passes an assessment or gets a qualification by unfair means
it would be unfair to those whose work will have a greater effect on young people as a result of their learning.
The AET will therefore take appropriate measures to ensure that work is a candidate’s own.
2. What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is a form of cheating. (Neville, 2007) describes plagiarism as, “a practice that involves knowingly
taking and using another’s work and claiming, directly or indirectly as your own”. For the purposes of the AET
qualification, making full use of the materials included in training and in the AET Autism Education Standards
and AET Competency Framework is expected, but candidates must reference the materials fully and show
what they have learned personally in using these approaches and reflect on their learning.
3. Implementation
3.1 Candidates will be encouraged to reference their work effectively using the Harvard System of referencing.
Details of how to use the Harvard system to record sources of information effectively can be found on the
internet through a number of university websites. Useful examples include: Staffordshire University,
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/assets/harvard_quick_guide_tcm44-47797.pdf Anglia Ruskin University,
http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm and DeMontford University
http://www.library.dmu.ac.uk/Images/Selfstudy/Harvard.pdf.
3.2 It is expected that all portfolios submitted will be the candidate’s own work. In submitting a portfolio a
candidate is giving the AET permission to assess the work for plaigiarism, whether by the expertise of its staff
and assessors, or using electronic plagiarism detection systems. In doing so, they give permission for this
work to be transferred out of the EU for the purposes of plaigiarism detection at the time of submission and to
be stored and used in the future for the same purpose.
3.3 Please note that student material submitted for the purposes of assessment is copyright NAS (on behalf of
the AET).
4. Action on detection of Plagiarism
4.1 If it appears that plagiarism has taken place, whether intentional or not, action must be taken. If it appears
to be unintentional, guidance will be provided by the AET as to what is needed and the portfolio must be
redone and can be resubmitted once that has been done.
4.2 If the plagiarism is more extensive and it is a clear attempt to cheat in the professional opinion of both first
and second assessor, it will be brought to the attention of the Director AET who will decide whether it is
appropriate to refuse the portfolio and deny the candidate the normal option to resubmit their portfolio.
Date: …28.1.13…………………..
Signature: ……
………………………
AET Director
Signature: …………………………… Chair of AET Programme Board
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Annex C: AET complaints policy
1. Policy Statement
The Autism Education Trust believes that all children and young people with autism including all those on the
Autism spectrum including Asperger syndrome should receive an education which enables them to reach their
individual potential to engage in society as active citizens (and that individuals, families and professionals are
informed, supported and equipped to enable this to be achieved).
We therefore have a commitment to our stakeholders to ensure that any complaints they may have are dealt
with fairly, efficiently and effectively. We also recognise that complaints can be used actively to improve our
performance.
2. To whom does it apply?
This policy applies to anyone having contact with the AET including any candidate who has submitted a
portfolio for certification, stakeholders and members of the public in contact with the AET.
3. Process
3.1 In the event of being unhappy with any interaction with the AET, ideally, the person should raise it at the
time so that we are able to do as much as possible to correct the situation at the time.
3.2 If that is not possible, or a satisfactory conclusion isn’t reached, then the person should contact the AET
Director by e-mail or post using the AET Complaint form to the following email or postal address:
Steve.huggett@autismeducationtrust.org.uk
Steve Huggett, Director Autism Education Trust.
c/o The National Autistic Society
393, City Road
London
EC1V 1NG
The AET Complaint form can be downloaded from http://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/about-aet/contactus.aspx
3.3 The complaint will then be considered by the Director and the person raising the complaint will receive a
written reply from the AET Director within 3 weeks of the complaint. If they are unable to agree that the
complaint is resolved, it will be escalated to the Programme Board and will be discussed at the next
Programme Board Meeting. Meetings are held 6 times a year.
3.4 The Programme Board will discuss the complaint and any issues that are outstanding and the Chair of the
Programme Board will write to the person who raised the issue to let them know their conclusions.
Date: …28.1.13…………………..
Signature: …
………………………… AET Director
Signature: …………………………… Chair of AET Programme Board
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Have a
complaint
Key:
Action by complainant
Discuss
with AET
at the
time
Action by AET
End of Process
Yes
End
Resolved?
No
Fill out
complaint form
Email AET
Director
Complaint acknowledged
Written reply
from Director
Yes
Confirm it is
Resolved?
No
Discussed at next
Programme Board Meeting
Written reply from
Chairman of AET
Programme Board
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End