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What are NVQs?

 

National Vocational Qualifications are work based qualifications, which assess the skills and knowledge that people have and need to perform their jobs effectively. In other words NVQ’s are qualifications which assess what you do and know to be able to do your job. Each aspect of your job has been broken down into tasks, which are called UNITS OF COMPETENCE. These units of competence state the most important aspects of your job. NVQ’s are based on national occupational standards and the qualifications are unit based. The number and size of units vary between occupational areas and therefore awards. A unit is achieved when a candidate is assessed as competent in applying all the skills and knowledge specified within it.

The NVQ Framework

There are five levels of NVQ’s; each reflects the level of skills, knowledge and independent working that is needed for effective performance.

Level 1 – involves the application of knowledge and skills when undertaking a scope of practice in varied work activities, most of which are routine and predictable.

LEVEL 2 – involves the application of knowledge and skills in a scope of practice in varied work activities, undertaken in a variety of situations. Some of these activities are complex and non-routine. There is some individual responsibility and independent working.

LEVEL 3 – involves the application of knowledge and skills in a broad scope of practice in varied work activities, undertaken in a variety of situations, most of which are complex and non-routine. There is considerable individual responsibility and independent working,

 

LEVEL 4 – involves the application of knowledge and skills in a broad scope of practice in complex, technical or professional work activities undertaken in a wide range of situations and with substantial degree of professional responsibility and independent (autonomous) working. There is responsibility for the work of others and the allocation of resources.

LEVEL 5 – involves the application of skills and a relevant range of essential standards across an often unpredictable variety of situations. There is very substantial autonomous working and often significant responsibility for the work of others and allocation of substantial resources. Personal accountability for analysis, diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation.

 

Access to NVQs

is open to all; there is one entry requirement see basic skills, no age limits, and no prescribed methods of delivery. You, the candidate can be assessed against either a particular unit or against a full NVQ Award. In being assessed against national standards you are considered either COMPETENT or NOT YET COMPETENT.

 

Who offers NVQs?

An organisation that offers NVQs is called a centre. This may be a school, college, university, employer or training provider or a combination of these. The designated centre has responsibility for the quality of the qualification and is required to work within policies and guidelines set by the awarding body.

What makes up the structure of an NVQ?

All NVQ’s have a common structure. Each NVQ reflects a group of jobs within one area of work which is to be assessed at a particular level. Each NVQ consists of national occupational standards which are composed of:

 

Units – a unit is the smallest part of an NVQ for which you can be awarded a certificate. It reflects a particular aspect of your role.

Elements – each unit has a one or more elements (sub-sections). The element title summarises the activities that you, the candidate, need to be able to do.

Performance criteria – this is a list of activities that are needed to be undertaken with evidence provided that can be assessed to prove that you, the candidate, possess the skills to do your job efficiently. ALL performance criteria must be covered to complete the element.

Scope – the scope statements describes the different situations in which the performance criteria are undertaken. The aspects of the scope that require to be covered to complete the unit are those that are undertaken in the candidate’s daily role.

Underpinning knowledge & understanding – NVQ’s are not only about doing, they are also about understanding what you are doing and why you are doing it. In each unit of occupational standards there are a number of KNOWLEDGE SPECIFICATION points for which you, the candidate, must provide evidence through which your knowledge and understanding has been assessed.

Evidence requirement – the type, amount and variety of evidence that is required for each unit are usually indicated on the national occupational standards.

How to achieve competency?

 

Competency is defined as the ability to perform the activities within an occupation. Competence is the ability to transfer skills and knowledge to a new situation within an occupation/work area.

Knowledge + Skills = Competence

 

 

 

How are NVQs achieved?

The process of gaining an NVQ is flexible, depending on your needs. Advice can be given by the award leaders and internal verifies about the type and level of NVQ to be undertaken, this depends on your existing competence in relation to the national occupational standards. The appropriate type and level of NVQ depends on the job role you undertake and the experience and skills that you possess. You, the candidate, need to collect evidence of your knowledge and skills, that is, your competence for your job role/area of work.

A qualified NVQ assessor, who is occupationally competent, will assess the evidence presented by you, the candidate (possibly through an assessor candidate - who is not yet qualified) against the national occupational standards.

To qualify for an NVQ Award or an individual unit, you the candidate, have to show in the evidence provided that you have met ALL the performance criteria, knowledge specification and appropriate aspects of the scope as stated by the evidence requirements for each unit of occupational standards. Evidence may come from:

 

How are NVQs Assessed?

Assessment involves you, the candidate, the NVQ assessor (assessor candidate + qualified NVQ assessor), the internal verifier and the external verifier.

You, The Candidate – collects the evidence with the help and advice of your assessor.

The Assessor – assesses the evidence that you have collected against the standards. Their decision (competent or not yet competent) is fed back to you and their decision is recorded. If your assessor is not yet NVQ qualified, a qualified NVQ assessor will check the assessor candidate’s decision and the appropriate feed back to you and the assessor candidate, documenting their decision.

The Internal Verifier (I.V.) – checks the assessment decisions of the assessor to ensure their decisions are consistent and fair against the national standards. In other words, the I.V. checks that your assessor is being neither too hard nor lenient with the amount of evidence you have to provide.

The External Verifier – is responsible for approving new centres and ensuring that the national standards are maintained by the centres. They monitor the quality of the NVQ’s on behalf of the awarding body – Edexcel

What is evidence?

To be awarded an NVQ or a unit of NVQ, a candidate must demonstrate that they perform the job or task competently. Evidence of competence can come from a number of sources and can take many forms including:

 

How much evidence is needed?

The short answer is “enough to be able to satisfy the assessor”. The assessor assesses the evidence against the standards and needs to be satisfied that you, the candidate:

 

EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS – are identified within the unit and provide a guide to the type and amount of evidence needed. All evidence that is provided must be:

Any evidence produced must demonstrate current competence. This is particularly important when using evidence from past experience to claim for prior learning and achievement. That is to say, evidence must be less than 2 years old for it to be current. Evidence older than is can be used as a basis for knowledge, but you, the candidate must provide evidence of how you have kept your knowledge up to date. Have you attended any study days? Can your assessor or expert witness write a report stating that your skills and knowledge are current – giving examples?

 

 

How should evidence be presented?

Evidence of competency is frequently presented in a file or portfolio. This normally contains a profile or pen portrait of you, the candidate which includes:

A pen portrait from your line manager can be included in your portfolio. The pen portrait may include:

 

What is Expert Witness Evidence?

Expert Witness Evidence is different to witness testimony in that an Expert Witness must have:

An expert witness can assess the performance and knowledge of a candidate for any optional unit (ie. other than core units) when an assessor is not available. They cannot judge the evidence presented or declare that sufficient evidence has been presented to complete a unit or award. The witness status list must be completed by every expert witness.

When should witness testimony be used?

A witness testimony is a statement, which supports your (the candidate’s) evidence of competence. A witness testimony should only be used as supporting evidence and should:

 

The witness testimony should include:

The relationship of the witness to the candidate

 

When can simulations be used?

Simulations can NOT be used for any part of any NVQ award except when in identified specific health emergencies or when health and safety issues prevent real life activities from being performed.

How can underpinning knowledge & understanding be                           

demonstrated?

The assessment of knowledge and understanding is an essential part of collecting evidence for your portfolio. Evidence of how your knowledge has been gained and is applied to your job/role should be included in one or all of the following ways:

 

What is product evidence?

Work products can be used to demonstrate your performance. Eg. – request cards, fluid balance charts, observation charts, swab check lists, etc. All work products need to be authenticated by an appropriate person and care must be taken to maintain confidentiality – ALL identifying names, numbers and addresses must be removed. Each work product must identify which unit, element, performance criteria, scope and /or knowledge specification it relates to.

Witness status list

It is important to ensure that a witness status list accompanies each unit which is submitted for internal verification.

 

Further help and advice

If you have any concerns, worries or problems please do not hesitate to contact the NVQ Centre at St James’s Hospital. We can’t help if we don’t know!

 

Roles and Responsibilities

 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF N/SVQ CANDIDATES

All candidates undertaking an NVQ programme should:

 


 

THE ROLE OF ASSESSORS

 

ROLE OF INTERNAL VERIFIER

 

 

ROLE OF EXTERNAL VERIFIER

 

Appeals Procedure

Assessment Centre Appeals Procedure

 

APPEALS COMMITTEE

Head of Education, Training & Professional Development

 

NVQ Centre Manager

 

Clinical Representative

 

Personnel Representative

 

Candidate Representative

The Assessment Appeals committee will meet as necessary.

Appeals against a referrals/fail within an element/unit.

 

Appeal Against the decision not to award the a) National Vocational Qualification or b) Units of Achievement following 3 unsuccessful attempts:

 


 

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Access (to assessment) make sure that candidates can be assessed in the most appropriate ways: ensuring that barriers to assessment are minimised: enabling candidates to have some control over the assessment process.

Accreditation for formal recognition of candidates' work against prescribed criteria: candidates can be accredited for all or part of a unit, or in all part of an award.

Accredited Centre see Centre.  Also ACC, ADAC

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) the formal recognition of work done previously, which is eligible to count towards an award: this work can be from both certificated sources, e.g. qualifications, and uncertificated sources, e.g. from previous experience (also: APEL Accreditation of Prior Experimental Learning: APA Accreditation of Prior Achievement).

Achievement the amount of skills, knowledge or understanding which an individual is able to demonstrate: standard of achievement are used in GNVQs rather than standards of competence.

Action Plans the tasks an individual needs to undertake to reach particular goals; plans usually include target and review dates, and are often agreed with a supervisor, they may cover any time period, one or more goals, and may be recorded on formal documentation or be in note form.

 

Assessment (competence based) judging the degree to which a candidate has met predetermined criteria, candidates must show that they can do certain tasks in a prescribed way and that they know the context of the task and why it must be performed in certain ways.

Assessment Centre (see Centre)

Assessment Criteria the standards against which assessments are judged, they must be explicit before the assessment is agreed and undertaken: they determine the minimum of what must be taught, if part of a programme of learning.

 

Assessment decisions that can be made in NVQs are competent, not yet competent or insufficient evidence.

 

Assessment instruments these are not some medieval torture devise, but the range of questionnaires, tests, checklists and other materials used to assess specific skills, knowledge, qualities, or understanding: for example:  there are tests designed to pick out weaknesses in grammar, or count the number of facts remembered, or tall us how confident we are: languages can be tested through the use of specially designed audio-tapes, and skills by using real or simulated work tasks.

 

Assessment Opportunities the range of options to candidate and assessor to determine competence or achievement: these may be work-based, or training centre/college-based: they may be formally planned, occur during normal work, and be based on a whole range of sources of evidence: candidates and assessors need to be aware that there may be alternative opportunities to assessment from those normally used.

Assessment Plans an agreed statement between candidate and assessor, normally written, of how the candidate will demonstrate competence; plans may cover whole or part awards, and whole or part units; assessment plans need to specify as a minimum what will be assessed, the criteria for assessment, how the assessment will be undertaken and by whom, the time-scale involved and any special arrangements that need to be made; assessment plans can be for individuals or for groups.

Assessor-Candidate a person seeking to achieve the A1 Assessor Award to become an NVQ Assessor.

Assessor-devised questions composed by the assessor as opposed to being drawn from a bank of prepared questions produced by, for example, an awarding body.

Assignments practical or written tasks given to candidates which test skills, knowledge or understanding, or combinations of all three: tasks should be explicit and candidates should be clear about what is required of them.

Authentic evidence can be established as being that of the candidate rather than that of another, or of a group; if group work is used as evidence, the candidate's contributions should be clearly identifiable.

Award a certificate or record of achievement issued by an awarding body which confirms accreditation; in the case of the 'Assessor Awards', 'Verifier Awards' and the 'APL Award', the awarding bodies have identified one  or more units from the TDLB standards and offered them as a 'package', some of the awards consist of units which form part of a full NVQ.

Awarding Body a body (organisation) which gives awards, e.g. IHCD, City & Guilds, Royal Society; all awarding bodies which give NVQs (including the assessor and verifier awards) must first be approved by the QCA.

Barriers (to access) anything (physical or mental) which prevents a candidate from taking up opportunities for training or assessment.

BTEC Business and Technical Education Council are an awarding body.

 

Candidate a person who is preparing to be assessed for an award; in this book, the term is used to indicate anyone who is presenting themselves for assessment, e.g. someone being assessed for NVQs within the workplace, or someone being assessed for GNVQs in a school; depending on the context, the candidate can be an employee/client/trainee/student/pupil.

Candidate-(student) centred any approach in training and assessment which considers the needs of the candidate, and which involves the candidate in making choices about the processes to be used.

Candidate reports used in range statements to indicate oral or written reports from the candidate which involve descriptions of activities and processes and some self-assessment, e.g. a work diary.

Centre an organisation approved by an awarding body to assess and accredit on its behalf; its advisors, assessors and Internal Verifiers should also be approved by the awarding body.

Certification the process of registration, assessment, recording results, completing documentation, applying for and receiving certificates.

Competence the ability to perform within a work-related function or occupational area to national standards expected in employment.

Contingencies the unexpected occurrences that can happen at work and that a candidate will need to show that they can deal with; a candidate's competence in dealing with contingencies is often explored through the use of questioning e.g.  'what if…?' questions; simulations may be another means by which the candidate can be assessed.

 

Continuous assessment making judgements on a candidate's performance or ability over a period of time.

Core skills a set of generic skills, transferable across all occupational areas; they are incorporated into all GNVQ programmes, with mandatory units on communications, application of numbers and information technology and optional units on personal skills (working with others, and improving our own learning and performance), and problem-solving.

 

Credit accumulation an arrangement which enables candidates to collect individual units or elements of competence over a period of time; these can then be matched and accredited against appropriate awards or qualifications; reassessment does not have to take place should a credit be used for credit transfer; many Credit Accumulation and Transfer Schemes (CATS) already exist in higher education and in future will be in further education as well.

Credit transfer using credits (units, qualifications) from one award to count towards another different (but usually related) awards.

Criterion-referenced judgements made against agreed criteria.

Currency refers to evidence which shows the candidate can competently perform at the time of the assessment; currency often depends on the subject e.g. computing changes quickly, bricklaying techniques less swiftly; evidence less than two years old is usually required - all cases need to be individually negotiated.

 

Curriculum all the aspects of learning, including methods, resources and syllabus content that makes up a programme of study.

 

Direct Assessment assessing a product or process e.g. a cake, a completed stock-sheet, a training session.

 

Differing sources of evidence see diverse evidence

Direct evidence - evidence which the candidate has produced themselves

Direct Support - help is offered directly to the candidate, e.g. offering advice

Diverse evidence - evidence drawn from a number of different sources, including natural performance.

Element (of competence) a description of a single action, behaviour or outcome required to be demonstrated separately; a number of elements make up each unit; for assessment purposes, elements can be accredited separately; all elements must have been accredited before a unit award is given.

Evaluation judging the value of something through gathering data from a variety of sources, e.g. interviews, questionnaires, informal discussions, results and analysing this feedback.

Evidence information from a variety of sources which proves a candidate's competence; the word is occasionally used as a verb, when it refers to the process of logging relevant activities as evidence.

Examination of work products a variety of work products could be examined as evidence of a candidate's performance.  For example, records or reports completed by the candidate, photographs or an item that the candidate that the candidate has produced.  The authenticity of the product must be checked by an appropriate person.

Experienced candidate a candidate who has had experience of presenting evidence for assessment.

Experiential learning which has happened through and from experience, as opposed to formal programmes of education or training; much adult learning occurs in this way, and the learner often needs help to recognise skills, knowledge and understanding gained in non-formal ways.

External assessment- assessment by an assessor who is not part of (is external to) the assessment or accredited centre

External Verifier a person appointed by the awarding body who approves assessment centres and then regularly monitors their operation to national standards; they act as a quality assurance link between the approved centre and the awarding body.

 

Fairness ensuring just and equitable conditions in the assessment process for all candidates, e.g. by providing for candidates with special assessment needs, and by following the national standards for assessment.

Feedback reviewing a process and giving constructive oral or written comment to the candidate so that they understand the strengths and weaknesses of their performance/evidence and understand what to do as a consequence.

Formative assessment made to help determine future actions and development, or to confirm progress.

Functional analysis the process of breaking down a whole job or task into its component pieces according to the different tasks performed in that job; NVQ competencies have been determined through the process of functional analysis.

Generic competencies - competencies which occur across many occupational areas, e.g. competence in maintaining standards of safety, competence in working with people; competence in assessment is a generic competence, as individuals have to be able to assess as part of their job role within every occupational area.

General National Vocational Qualification a vocationally related qualification covering a broad based occupational area and aimed primarily at 16-19 year olds in full-time education.

Indirect support help for the candidate is organised from another source e.g. by putting them in touch with someone who could train them in certain techniques.

Inexperienced candidate a candidate who has had little or no experience is presenting evidence for assessment.

Insufficient (evidence) not enough evidence to be sure whether the candidate is competent or not.

Internal assessment - assessment by an assessor who is a member of staff of the assessment or accreditation centre with which the candidate is registered.

Internal verifier - a person approved by the external verifier to co-ordinate the assessment processes and practices within a centre, and who liases with the external verifier and the awarding bodies.

Knowledge evidence a means of showing that a candidate knows and understands both what they are doing and the context in which they are working; knowledge evidence is also a means of showing that the candidate knows what to do in a range of different situations.

 

Level (of qualifications) NVQs have five levels from basic competence (level 1) to strategic management (level 5); the levels are determined by job role and are defined on the basis of the skill, knowledge and understanding required, together with the degree of responsibility and supervision involved in performing the related work roles.

Log book a document issued by many awarding bodies to candidates in which detailed tasks and tests are set out together with the required units and elements of competence; both assessor and candidate are required to sign in the books as competence is confirmed.

Moderation a process whereby the results of assessments from more than one source are compared together and against an agreed, accepted, standard; moderation can be internally or externally conducted.

Moderator a person (approved by an awarding body if an external moderator) to conduct moderation, usually with considerable experience in the curriculum area; they often help with training and with interpretation of the curriculum.

National Vocational qualification a qualification related to employment, recognised by the NVQ and part of an approved framework of levels; an NVQ is not a course; NVQs are awarded when a candidate has successfully demonstrated competence in a number of units of competence related to job role.

Natural performance they way in which a candidate normally undertakes tasks in the course of their employment.

Naturally occurring evidence - evidence which occurs as a normally part of an individual's work, i.e. part of their job or part of a programme of study.

 

Norm-reference assessment - evidence which is judged against the achievements of others undertaking the same assessment; grades awarded depend on the ability not only of the candidate/student, but of the whole group under consideration.

Occupational Standards set by National Training Organisations, these are standards which have usually been derived by a process of functional analysis; the standards are set for each element of a task within a complete job, and cover the performance, context of operation and underpinning knowledge and understanding required.

Open access systems of learning, training, education or assessment open to as many people as possible through removing as many barriers to participation as possible.

Open Learning methods of acquiring skills knowledge and understanding which do not involve traditional attendance at classes or even require contact with a tutor; they often involve the use of interactive learning packages (written or video), supplemented by appropriate tutor support.

 

 

Peer group- a group of people equal in status to, or from the same or similar groups as oneself.

Peer reports oral or written descriptions of activities or processes from the candidate's peer group providing information about the candidate's performance which can be used for assessment purposes.

Performance criteria statements which indicate the standards of performance required for each element of competence; all performance criteria need to be met before an element can be accredited.

Performance evidence from an activity carried out by the candidate, or something produced as a result of that activity.

Portfolio a collection of evidence, usually produced over an extended period of time, and from various sources, which is presented together as evidence of achievement, the term is sometimes used to indicate the receptacle in which the evidence is contained, e.g. a ring binder.

Pre-set tests any oral or written test prepared by advance by an assessor or by an awarding body; these often form an integral part of assessment for all candidates at particular levels; they are often set out in candidate log books or are provided separately by the awarding body as in GNVQ end tests.

Prior experience evidence acquired by the candidate before registering for an assessment which may provide evidence against units or elements.

Prior learning acquired by the candidate before registering for an assessor training programme; this learning may or may not be certificated.

Products see examination of work products

Proforma a template document devised to record a particular stage of a process or procedure.

 

Project an extended piece of practical and/or written work involving planning and research and often presented as a report.

Professional Discussion - a structured review of practice conducted between an assessor or verifier and a person making a judgement on their competence which identifies and explored key aspects of competence not readily manifested by product evidence.

Relevant evidence which relates directly to the requirements of the standards.

Qualification a certificate legally provided which indicates that the holder has reached a necessary standard, e.g. driving rest certificate, an 'A' level.

Quality Assurance methods by which standards are regularly checked and monitored; systems which ensure that procedures are done in certain ways.

QCA Qualification Curriculum Authority

 

Questioning a range of techniques involving written or oral questions designed to elicit knowledge and understanding from candidates.

Range statements descriptions of the context(s) an circumstances in which performance criteria described in the element should be able to be performed by someone competent in the activity.

Record of achievement a composite record of a person's varied achievements and learning experiences over a period of time; it typically contains records of formal and informal learning experiences, credits gained, modules studied, reflections on achievements, agreed learning plans and evaluations.

Reliability the degree to which an assessment can be administered with the same results to others, the consistent ability of the assessment or the assessor to accurately distinguish between competent and non-competent performance.

Review the formal or informal process of reflecting on performance, often conducted between an advisor/assessor and a candidate, usually on a one-to-one basis; used as a basis for planning future activity.

Satellite centre an organisation which conducts its own assessment under the supervision of a larger approved centre; staff follow the same practices and procedures as those of the approved centre.

Scope these are observations made by an assessor using a diversity of methods.

Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) the Scottish equivalent of NVQs awarded by SCOTVEC.

SCOTVEC SCOTLAND the Scottish equivalent of NCVQ.

Simulation a realistic exercise set up specifically to assess knowledge, skills or understanding; it should replicate a real work situation and should be used in circumstances where it would be difficult or costly to assess within the work context (e.g. fire-fighting procedure, dealing with an emergency first-aid situation).  The internal verifier should be able to advise on the acceptable use of simulators.

Skill the ability to do a task or perform an activity.

Special assessment requirements NVQs and GNVQs emphasise the importance of access to fair and reliable assessment.  According to candidate's circumstances, this may involve special arrangements being made, e.g. physical access.

 

 

Sufficient (evidence) needs to infer that the candidate can achieve a consistent competent performance over time in a number of different situations as defined in the standards.

Training needs analysis the identification of individual or organisational training needs through a systematic analysis of current skills against future performance requirements.

 

Transferability the ability to relate learning or performance in one area or context to another, e.g. a candidate who can measure in metric in a training environment should be able to do so in the workplace using different materials and equipment.

Unit (of competence) a group of elements of competence which together constitute a particular work role, and which form the smallest grouping of competence able to be recognised separately for certification towards an award.

Underpinning (knowledge and understanding) that which ensures that tasks are not performed systematically, but shows that candidates know why things are done in a particular way, and that they have a general and/or specific knowledge about the task overall.

Unit credit units within NVQs and GNVQs can be accredited separately; a unit is the smallest amount of achievement or competence, which can be submitted to an awarding body for accreditation.

Validity an assessment process has validity if it measures what it's supposed to measure.

Verification the process of checking that the correct and agreed procedures and systems have been used.

Witness testimony a statement which supports a candidate's evidence of competence and is provided by someone other than the assessor who has observed the candidate's performance.

Work-based assessment - assessments conducted in the candidate's workplace or which are made on evidence produced from or at the workplace.

Work-based learning - learning which occurs at the place of work rather than, for example, through attendance on a formal programme of study based in an institution; some programmes of study do, however, include work-based learning as part of the course e.g. work experience, sandwich courses.

Work-based training - training which takes place within the work environment as opposed to being conducted elsewhere.

Verifier-Candidate a person seeking to achieve the V1 Verifier Awards to become an Internal Verifier for NVQs.

 

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