Scope of the Policy 

This policy is provided for LEICAD customers, learners and staff members who are using or  delivering courses and qualifications offered by LEICAD. 

Review arrangements 

LEICAD will review this policy annually in line with self-assessment arrangements. This policy  will be also be revised as and when necessary, in response to customer and learner feedback, or  good practice guidance issued by an awarding organization or other regulatory body. 

Location of the Policy 

This policy is available for all staff members, third parties and learners to access. Communication of the Policy 

Every staff member involved in the management, delivery, assessment and quality assurance of  qualifications offered by LEICAD, shall be made aware of this policy during their induction period  of employment. Learners undertaking LEICAD qualifications shall be informed of this policy  during their induction process. 

Policy Statement 

Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) is concerned with monitoring the learner journey throughout  their time undertaking a qualification at LEICAD. 

IQA involves monitoring the training and assessment activities and the quality of work learners  produce, in terms of meeting the correct grading criteria. Internal quality assurance helps to ensure  that assessment and IQA activities are valid, authentic, sufficient, fair and reliable. 

Internal quality assurance measures the quality, delivery, processes, procedures and learner  achievements. 

Statement of Principles 

Key concepts and principles of internal quality assurance of assessment include:- 

∙ ensuring quality standards throughout the learner journey 

∙ ensuring accuracy and consistency of assessment decisions made by assessors ∙ identifying issues and trends that develop 

∙ supporting and developing assessors and tutors

∙ ensuring accountability for assessment decisions and quality standards, awarding body procedures  and policies are maintained 

∙ ensuring achievement made by learners and judged by assessors is recognised and meets the  grading criteria 

∙ ensuring the correct and appropriate assessment strategies are used by assessors ∙ ensuring confidently of the learner and provider are maintained at all times ∙ ensuring sampling both interim and summative is occurring 

Internal quality assurance principles include; ensuring standardization activities take place,  assessment decisions embrace inclusion, equality is promoted with learners and the diversity of  learners is valued by all staff. It ensures that fairness is apparent in all assessment decisions and  that there are auditable records to show this. 

Other principles include maintaining health and safety practices, such as risk assessments. Also  ensuring all staff have access to training and CPD, that assessors and staff members are motivated  and that clear communication between takes place regularly. 

IQA Activities 

LEICAD will undertake sampling of assessment judgements in line with the sampling plans in  place for all qualifications offered. 

Sampling will be formative and summative and at a 10% to 25% of learner evidence, depending  on the assessor’s experience, qualifications and competency. (100% for new or newly qualified  staff members). 

Sampling may take place formatively. 

All completed qualifications will be formatively sampled. 

An assessor will receive a sampling report within three days of submitting a learner portfolio for  sampling. 

Any disagreements with a IQAs findings will be reviewed by the Director of LEICAD, who will  have the final say on any judgements. 

Sampling plans will identify learners, assessors and the assessment criteria to be sampled.  Sampling activities will meet the requirements of the awarding organizations LEICAD are  approved with. 

Standardization activities will be undertaken regularly (at least every eight weeks) with IQAs,  Assessors, Trainers and relevant line managers present. Standardization activities will meet the  requirements of the awarding organizations LEICAD are approved with.

All meetings will have a set agenda and minutes shall be produced and disseminated to all relevant  staff members. 

Example Standardization Meeting Agenda: 

∙ Actions from previous standardization meetings 

∙ Resources, H&S, E&D issues 

∙ Progression and achievement of learners 

∙ Examples of learners work to standardize 

∙ Good practice from assessors 

∙ Areas for improvements 

∙ Internal quality assurance reports 

∙ External quality assurance reports 

∙ AO and qualification updates 

Observations of staff members will be determined by a yearly cycle, with all training and assessing  staff members receiving a minimum of two observations per year. All staff members will be  required to be observed at grade two or above. Action plans and support will be in place for any  staff members identified as ‘requiring improvement’. 

All observations will be documented and moderated. 

All LEICAD staff members will receive access to regular, continuous professional development  (CPD) and shall be encouraged to undertake reflective practice. 

Learner feedback shall be collected through surveys, focus groups and comments, complaints and  complements cards. Learner feedback will be regularly obtained and analyzed and improvements  shall be highlighted and implemented across the organization, where required. 

All documents relating to IQA activities will be held securely, in line with Data Protection and  confidentiality requirements. Access will be granted to all relevant awarding organizations to any  assessment documents and related materials.