Moderation and verification of centre assessment judgements
Applies to England
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
| Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|
| Amend our definition of Moderation and provide a new definition for the term verification | We have decided to modify our definition of Moderation and to remove references to verification. In place of defining verification, we will instead require awarding organisations to put in place a Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny process, of which Moderation will be one distinct form. |
| Set minimum requirements that an awarding organisation’s verification process must meet | We have decided to set minimum requirements that an awarding organisation’s Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny process must meet. These will be similar to those which we had proposed would apply for verification, but we will amend these to make them less prescriptive, and reduce their potential burden. In particular, we have decided not to specify a minimum number of centre visits per year, and to require awarding organisations instead to determine the most effective controls for the qualifications it is offering in the centres that deliver them as part of their Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny. |
| Require awarding organisations to meet these requirements by January 2021 | We have decided that as it may be possible to meet some aspects of these requirements more quickly than others, we will allow awarding organisations to phase their introduction. We will require all requirements to be met in full no later than September 2021, but would expect an awarding organisation than can implement them in part, or in full before this, to do so. |
| Require that all centre assessment judgements are subject either to Moderation, or to another form of Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny | We will require that all centre assessments are subject to a form of Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny, of which Moderation will be one specific form. |
| Require that centre assessment judgements in certain qualifications must always be subject to Moderation | We will require Moderation of centre assessments in certain qualifications and are consulting on what these should be as part of our technical consultation. |
| Require that for all other qualifications where centres make assessment judgements, Moderation should be the starting point and allow for verification where an awarding organisation can justify why moderation cannot be implemented for a qualification | We will expect awarding organisations to consider whether Moderation, or another form of Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny provide the most effective controls to ensure standards for the qualification, in the centres delivering it. |
| Where verification is used, to provide guidance on the circumstances in which an enhanced verification approach should be considered | We will expect an awarding organisation to use a risk-based approach to determining when, and how, it will be appropriate to go beyond our minimum requirements as part of its Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny. |
| To require all awarding organisations to have in place a centre-assurance strategy, explaining its approach and rationale for its moderation or verification controls | We will require an awarding organisation to explain its approach, and the rationale for it in a Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny strategy. |
| Set requirements that an awarding organisation’s centre-assurance strategy must meet | We will set requirements that an awarding organisation’s Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny strategy must meet. |
| Put in place guidance about the actions an awarding organisation should take where it discovers through its verification process, that a learner has been issued with an incorrect result | We will require an awarding organisation to take account of our guidance when deciding whether to correct an incorrect result that has been issued, which it identifies through its Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny process. |
| Allow awarding organisations to revoke certificates that have been issued in reliance of an incorrect result | Where an awarding organisation’s decision to correct an incorrect result leads to a need to revoke a certificate that has been issued in reliance on that result, we will allow for revocation of these certificates. |
Feedback received
Detail of feedback received
84 people responded to the questions we asked and 4 provided general views.
| Personal/organisational response | Respondent type | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Organisational response | Awarding Organisations | 45 |
| Organisational response | Centres | 18 |
| Organisational response | Employers | 1 |
| Personal response | Individual members of the public | 13 |
| Organisational response | Representative Body | 11 |
62 respondents were based in England, 1 was based in Northern Ireland, 2 were based in Scotland and 3 were based in Wales. 20 respondents did not provide a location.
Original consultation
Consultation description
Where assessment judgements are made by centres, our current rules require an awarding organisation to check results for each group of learners before they are issued. In many cases this is not being delivered, and if it were, some vocational and technical qualifications may no longer be deliverable.
We want to make sure our rules allow for qualifications to be delivered in a way that meets the needs of users, while ensuring standards are appropriate whenever and wherever a qualification is taken. We are proposing to change some of our rules relating to the controls awarding organisations have in place with centres, to strike an appropriate balance between ensuring an appropriate level of awarding organisation control over centre-assessment judgements, and ensuring qualifications can be delivered to meet the needs of users.
Consultation events
We are holding events in Manchester and London where you can find out more about our proposals and have the opportunity to ask questions.
Find out more and reserve your place on our Eventbrite page.
Documents
Updates to this page
Published 25 February 2019Last updated 19 September 2019 + show all updates
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Consultation decisions and analysis of responses published.
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Added a link to the consultation events booking page.
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First published.