A1 Assessor course which is now replaced by the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (RQF) also known as Level 3 Assessor qualification, was considered an industry standard qualification for people looking to assess learners for accredited courses. Before the A1 assessor course, if you wanted to train to become an assessor you would complete the D32 and D33 units. The D Units were then replaced by the A1 Assessor Awards and finally the A1 qualification was replaced by the current suite of qualifications, which are commonly referred to as TAQA training (Training Assessment and Quality Assurance) Qualification. And among this suite the most popular is the Level 3 CAVA.
Most training centres would expect you to have a Level 3 CAVA qualification before you start assessing qualifications in the Further Education and Higher Education sectors. And the best thing about this qualification is that you are not required to have any prior qualifications or experience to work towards your Level 3 CAVA. Regardless of your expertise, this is the perfect qualification in case you are seeking to become a qualified NVQ Assessor.
To achieve an A1 Assessor Qualification or Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement, follow the steps below:
Achieving the theoretical requirements:
This qualification about is about achieving knowledge of the concepts, understanding of the practices and competence (i.e., assessor skills). It is made up of three Units; Unit 1 is knowledge- based while Unit 2 & 3 are practical Units.
You will undergo an induction process, depending on the kind of support you have form your centre and assessor. You will have access to study material and samples to know what exactly you are setting off to achieve. People who are awaiting work placements or are unable to achieve the practical requirements of the course, usually go for the one-unit assessor course i.e., Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (RQF)
In Unit 1, you will be required to cover each assessment criteria in the form of complete written answers on a document file (provided by your centre); compiling all you have studied and forming essays to demonstrate your knowledge.
Achieving the Practical requirements:
There are two practical units in this course. One is based on the assessment of competence in an actual work environment, while the other is based on assessing knowledge in a classroom setting. Learners usually get one unit confused with the other. So, it is critical to remember that each unit is designed to be used in a specific environment and requires specific assessment methods to assess specific capabilities.
To achieve the first practical Unit, i.e., Assess Occupational Competence in the Work Environment (H/601/5314), the awarding body requires you to assess real learner in a real work setting. The methods for assessment that you will use for this Unit are: Direct Observation in the Work Environment, Examining Products of Work, Questioning the learner, Discussing with the learner, looking at Learner Statements, use of others (Witness Testimony) and Recognising Prior Learning (RPL).
To achieve the second practical Unit, i.e., Assess vocational skills, knowledge and understanding (F/601/5319) the awarding body requires you to assess real learner during any training-based activity when they are not actively working in their role. The methods for assessment that you will use for this Unit are: Assessment in Simulated Environments, Skills Tests, Oral And Written Questions, Assignments, Projects, Case Studies, Recognising Prior Learning.
The standard way to carry out assessment in both units is to assess a minimum of 2 learners and with a minimum of 4 assessment plans being assessed 2 for each learner. You can assess 4 learners with a single assessment plan being assessed for each learner, however, the minimum number of assessment plans required is four and the minimum number of learners to be assessed is two.
The most important part is that you will need to record physical evidence to support the conduction of all assessments. Valid evidence against each method would be required such as a recorded videos of you directly observing your learner at work or at training, documents produced as a result of an activities performed, written work for assignments and case studies, recordings of discussion and questioning with your learner, witness documents and records of prior learning. Your tutor and assessor will guide you regarding this at every step.
How the Centre will support you?
The centre you choose for completing a course is obliged to support you in all aspects especially providing you with an assessor to support and guide you throughout the course. This assessor will be responsible for:
- Your introduction to the standards and a complete induction of the course;
- Disclosing the appeals procedures in case you disagree with your assessor’s decision.
- Communicating you about how you will be assessed on the course, the grading and feedback procedures;
- To ensure that you are given guidance (in the form of Assessment Plans) regarding what you need to do;
- Your assessment of performance and knowledge requirements;
- Providing a timely and constructive feedback as soon after an assessment as possible;
Your Centre/Assessor will also:
- Make sure that the awarding body standards are used to make the assessment decisions;
- Ensure that all your records are properly collected and safeguarded in accordance with the GDPR requirements;
- Undergo constant standardisation procedures to keep up with the awarding body standards and to ensure Continuous Professional Development;
- Must make sure that your Certificates are awarded after the completion of your course.
Centres must also have in pace an internal quality assurance system to ensure that assessment decisions are sound and that all assessors are following the assessment strategy for the qualification.
However, before hurrying up to apply for this course, it would be the best to Identify your current assessor qualifications need. You can read here about which Assessor Qualification would suit you the best – PICKING THE RIGHT ASSESSOR COURSE
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Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (RQF)
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Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (RQF)
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