CACHE Centre Information Pack

CACHE CentreInformation PackVersion 1

ContentsWorking with CACHE 3What services and help does CACHE offer? 4How to get access to all that CACHE offers 5Qualification frameworks on offer at CACHE 8NQF Qualifications and Extended Diploma 15About NQF assessment and moderation 17QCF Qualifications 20About QCF assessment and quality assuring 242

Working with CACHETo become a CACHE recognised centre and gain Qualification ApprovalApplying to become a CACHE recognised centre couldn’t be easier:- just go to the CACHE public website www.cache.org.uk, complete the Recognitionform and submit using the accompanying guidance. If you need any assistance, callthe Customer Support team on 0845 347 2123 who will be happy to help.When your application has been validated we will send you confirmation, with acentre number and a Centre Agreement that you will need to sign before one of ourRegional Development Executives contact you to discuss what’s needed for you toget Qualification Approval. They will review your policies and procedures with you –full details of CACHE’s approval criteria are on www.cache.org.uk . If you’ve alreadybeen approved by another recognised UK awarding organisation you may not needan approval visit.When all is in place you will be allocated a Customer Quality Advisor, who willsupport and guide you through the delivery of your chosen qualifications.When you have been approved to offer CACHE qualifications we will send you aWelcome Pack and a Centre Certificate to show that you are recognised andapproved.You can add to your portfolio of qualifications at any time by applying online throughcachezone or contacting your Customer Quality Advisor or Regional DevelopmentExecutive directly.3

What services and help does CACHE offer?Customer Quality AdvisorYour Customer Quality Advisor will work closely with you to advise on how your staffcan meet the CACHE requirements and for each unit or qualification.The CACHE Customer Support TeamWe have a friendly Customer Support team, providing a support service fromMonday to Friday, between 8.45am and 5.15pm (excluding public holidays and theChristmas closure).Contacting CACHE couldn’t be easier! You can telephone on 08457 347 2123 oremail us on info@cache.org.uk. If you prefer you can fax us on 01727 818618We are keen to improve our service to you and welcome your input. To do this youcan use our online service or write to us at Customer SupportCACHEApex House81 Camp RoadSt AlbansHertsAL1 5GBOnline servicesThe CACHE public website includes up-to-date CACHE information that is availableto everybody, such as news updates and case studies, information on the CACHEqualification and service offer and links to other useful websites.More detailed and specific information to support your delivery is now included oncachezone, the CACHE secure website for Centres.cachezone is an invaluable mine of information, providing access to:A Resource Centre for qualification support materials, documents and reports foryour Centre’s QCF and NQF qualifications including registrations and Learnerresults. It becomes your Centre management area (A Document upload area toshare documents between your Centre and CACHE)4

How to get access to all that CACHE offersIf you would like a cachezone account or to make any changes to your permissionsincluding access to qualifi, please contact your Centre cachezone administrator whowill be able to arrange this for you.An e|ngage account can be obtained by completing and submitting the following webform https://engagereg.cache.org.uk/. For grade entry permission please completeand either scan and email or fax back the Level 3 Access to e|ngage Request Formwhich can be accessed through cachezone. We will then be able to set up access foryou to enter grades onto e|ngageRegistration and Grade Templates, along with Help for qualifi and e|ngage can befound in the Resource Centre under the qualifi and e|ngage Import File pages.Qualifications DevelopmentOur qualifications & services development team work hard to provide you with theinformation you need to plan and deliver your CACHE qualifications.Qualification SpecificationsCACHE Qualification Specifications are aimed primarily at tutors and assessors toinform and support your qualification delivery, assessment and quality assurance.You will find that these documents cover either a single qualification or a group ofsimilar qualifications. They include qualification summaries (covering key pointsincluding aim, purpose, progression and grading), qualification-specific informationon the units (mandatory and optional), available pathways, rules of combination andassessments that make up each qualification.Where there is a large range of optional units, the detailed information relating tothese units is available in separate Optional Unit Specifications on cachezone andthe CACHE public website. These are available in Word format on cachezone,enabling you to copy only the optional units relevant to your learners’ chosen area ofstudy to create personalised qualification reference folders. Within the QualificationSpecification, and within the Resource Centre on cachezone, you will also find otherimportant information to help with your planning.If you have any questions that are not covered within the documents available oncachezone, you can find further information by contacting your RegionalDevelopment Executive, Centre Quality Advisor, calling customer support oremailing info@cache.org.uk5

Ordering Printed Copies of Support Materials, handbooks and leafletsOnline ordering facilities can be found in cachezone for those QCF QualificationSpecifications and NQF handbooks that are available in printed format.The print ordering home page is accessed through cachezone (Resource Centre >Order Printed Materials) and shows the status of your current and past orders withadditional information such as your CACHE order and invoice numbers, the ordertotal and your own PO number for reference.We aim to deliver all orders within 2-5 working days. Deliveries are made between9amand 5pm, Monday to Friday and require a signature. Please see the Terms andConditions for information about returns and refunds.The CACHE Virtual PanelWe are keen to receive the input of our customers in the development of our portfolioof qualifications and services. The CACHE Virtual Panel consists of volunteers fromour Centres who are willing to review our material from time to time prior to it beingpublished or implemented. Feedback from our Centres is a key element of ourdevelopment and review process. If you would like to be part of this panel, pleasecontact CACHE on 0845 347 2123 or development@cache.org.uk for furtherinformation.Qualification Key FactsCACHE Qualification Key Facts are available for every CACHE qualification oncachezone under Resource Centre, and also on the CACHE public website. Theyare a quick source of key information relating to qualifications.Online updatesCACHE sends out emails on a regular basis to keep Centres informed and up todate. They can also be viewed on cachezone under Announcements.Where more specific or detailed information is available about the funding of CACHEqualifications, a CACHE Funding Newsletter is released as a free-standingpublication.If you have staff members who are not currently receiving these communications andwho want to do so, please email newsletters@cache.org.uk stating your Centrenumber and the names, job titles and email addresses to be added to the distributionlist.Training Days, Information Days and Bespoke ActivitiesWe offer a wide range training days designed to help in the delivery of CACHEqualifications, with new events being introduced regularly to support newqualifications. Where there is a demand, events are held on a regional basis.CACHE can also provide bespoke training events for you or for a group of Centres.We are always keen to expand our Training Days programme to meet your needs.Please contact CACHE on 0845 347 2123 or by email ontrainingdays@cache.org.uk if you identify a need for a type of training event that we6

This means that the tutors, assessors or internal moderators/quality assurersshould be qualified or working towards a qualification to deliver the fullrequirements in the area of learning and qualified to assess or internallymoderate/quality assure units designed to test specific knowledge andunderstanding. Occupational knowledge should be maintained through clearlydemonstrable continuing learning and professional development.Expert WitnessAn expert witness must:• Have a working knowledge of the units for which they are providingwitness testimony;• Be occupationally competent in their area of expertise;• Have either any qualification that includes assessment of workplaceperformance or a professional work role which involves evaluatingeveryday practice of staff.In order to be fully aware of assessment you should familiarise yourself with eachSector Skills Council (SCC) Assessment Strategy:1. Skills for Care and Development www.skillsforcare.org.uk2. Skills for Justiceww.skillsforjustice.com/websitefiles/SfJ_Assessment_Strategy_October_2010.pdf3. Training and Development Agency4. LLUK now the LSIS(Learning and Skills Improvement Service)lluk.advice@lsis.org.uk.Conflict of interestSteps should be taken to avoid any part of the assessment of a learner (includingmoderation/quality assurance) being undertaken by any person who has a personalinterest in the results of the assessment.Learning timeLearning time consists of all the time needed to achieve each unit and can include:• meetings or study with the course advisor, tutor or assessor• personal study such as private reading and completing assessments• time being assessed to undertake practical work or work experienceIt is important that you standardise your practice to ensure that the integrity of thequalification is secure.Reasonable adjustmentsTo access guidance when you need to offer support or adjustments for learners’please refer to the CACHE Good Practice Guide: The Application of Reasonable9

Assurance has been carried out, your Internal Quality Assurer can sign the certificateclaim form and you can return it to CACHE.In order to maintain Direct Certificate Claim Status you will receive a Centre QualityAudit and/or Qualification Integrity sample so you’ll need to make sure that a copy oflearner work is available along with the tracking (lost learners work/portfolio audit).As long as you continue to meet the criteria you’ll continue to be awarded DirectCertification Claim Status. Remember that Direct Certification Claim Status isawarded on an individual qualification/award basis, so you might have DirectCertification Claim Status for one qualification, but not another. For qualificationsbased on national standards we can generally honour Direct Certification ClaimStatus awarded by another awarding organisation when you transfer over to CACHEqualifications. We just ask you to show us notification of Direct Certification ClaimStatus.12

Centre Records for Quality AuditingMinimum Evidence RequirementsCentres are required to keep the following records at the Centre which must beavailable for centre monitoring activities. This is to give evidence of a clear audit trailof the assessment process and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the internalquality assurance process.CACHERequirementsExamples of possible evidenceHealth and SafetyPolicyComplaintsProcedureProviding a safe learning environment for learners which mayinclude checking placement safetyProviding opportunities for learners that may have a complaint thatcould be escalated to CACHEWithdrawal ProcessWithdrawal process that show how you withdraw a qualification andor withdraw a learner from CACHE qualifications.Learner InductionEquality andDiversityPrior AchievementQuality AssuranceLearner Induction to show how learners are introduced to therequirements of the qualification and the routes available to complain orappeal.Diversity or Equal Opportunities Procedure which includes a Centreinclusion statement detailing how learners with specific needs will beinitially assessed and supported to achieve.Learner Appeals Procedure showing how learners can appeal againstan assessment decision made by the Centre and how this cansubsequently be escalated to CACHE.Complaints Process showing how a learner can raise any concernsabout their learning experience at the Centre.Recognition of Prior Learning Process showing how the Centresupports applications for RPL from learners.Credit Transfer and Accumulation Process to evidence how theCentre supports the accumulation and transfer of credits for its learners,including the recording of exemptions.Internal quality assurance strategy / policy / procedure giving anoverview of the organisational approach.Documented internal quality assurance approach which includesclear guidelines for the implementation of the internal quality assuranceprocess and documentation to be used in this process.Internal quality assurance plans which includes information aboutplanning for internal quality assurance.Sampling methodology with a clear rationale for the approach usedwhich covers all assessors, all assessment methods, all levels ofunits for each qualification over the study time of a cohort.Internal quality assurance reports with clear feedback andactions as required for each assessor and evidence that any actionsset or feedback given to assessor is implemented and re-checked.Standardisation minutes showing that effective standardisationactivities have been carried out and that all assessors and allinternal quality assurers have attended.13

CACHERequirementsExamples of possible evidenceLearner TrackingSystemsLearner data - securely stored auditable evidence to include: name,date of birth, CACHE PIN, ULN, contact address, workplace addresswith contact details.Learner records – securely stored securely stored auditable evidenceto support the potential loss of learner work to include: assessor name,internal quality assurer name, registration date, contact sheet,assessment plans, learner feedback records and achievements.ULN Acquisition Process - arrangements in place to obtain uniquelearner number (ULN) and a personal learner records on behalf oflearners.Learner tracking - administrative systems in place to track theprogress of learners, either electronic or paper-based, and ability tohold and transmit securely details of assessment outcomes to CACHE.Staff records andresourcePartnershipActivitiesSupportingauthorisation forcertificates claimedLearner AssessmentEvidence RecordsStaff CVs showing the competence of assessors to assess and thecompetence of internal quality assurers to internally quality assureand the vocational competence of assessors in line with therequirements of the assessment strategies for the units that theyassess.Continuing Professional Development (CPD) records forassessors and quality assurers relevant to the units which theyassess or quality assure and CPD relevant to their ability to assessand / or quality assure.Register of Units for Assessors and Internal Quality Assurers (orCentre equivalent) showing which units each assessor and internalquality assurer is able to assess or quality assure.Partnership Roles and Responsibilities Summary - evidence thatdocuments the respective roles and responsibilities of each partnerwhere a Centre operates in partnership with another organisation forthe delivery of CACHE QCF qualificationsAuthorised evidence of learner achievement to support electronicclaims for certification, including evidence of who authorised the claim,dates certificates were claimed, who was responsible for administeringthe electronic certification claim.Learner assessment evidence for sampling.Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) evidence to support allclaims for RPL on behalf of learners.Exemption and equivalencies evidence to support all claims forexemptions and equivalencies on behalf of learnersNon-Compliance VisitThis type of visit would only occur where a significant breakdown in the qualityassurance systems at your Centre has been identified. Visits would be undertakenby our Subject Specialist Team and would usually be at short notice. Under thesecircumstances, you would have learner registration and/or certification rightssuspended whilst the potential non-compliance was investigated and any remedialactions required have been addressed. Usually these visits would be free unlessadditional on-going monitoring is required.14

Malpractice and MaladministrationThe CACHE Centre must:Notify CACHE in all casesTake advice from CACHE onthe required actionCooperate with the CACHEinvestigationCACHE Subject Specialist Team will:Investigate allegations of suspected malpractice andmaladministrationPrepare a written report of the findings and set actionsfor resolution of the matterSend copies of the report to the Centre and relevantqualification regulatorImplement any actions agreedMonitor the implementation of the agreed actionsIt is a requirement of the qualifications regulators that CACHE publishes proceduresfor Centres on dealing with malpractice on the part of learners, Centre staff and anyothers involved in providing the qualifications.Malpractice covers any deliberate activity, neglect, default or other practice thatcompromises the integrity of the assessment process and / or the validity ofcertificates and which contravenes regulations.It is a regulatory requirement that Centres report all cases of suspected malpracticeto their awarding organisation. Failure by Centres to cooperate can lead to awardsnot being made, certificates not being issued and future entries and registrationsfrom the Centre not being accepted. CACHE is required to report all cases ofmalpractice to the qualifications regulators whenever it finds evidence that results orcertificates may be invalid.Maladministration generally covers instances where the non-compliance withregulations has not been deliberate.Procedure for Dealing with Malpractice and MaladministrationIf malpractice or maladministration is suspected within a CACHE Centre, thefollowing actions must be taken:NQF Qualifications and Extended DiplomaEntering learners for CACHE External AssessmentsYou will be able to find dates for these assessments on the External AssessmentTimetable which is published on the website each year.Learners need to be registered with CACHE before they are able to undertake anyexternal assessments. Internal and external moderation15

CACHE ensures that the standards of all its NQF qualifications are maintained by asystem of internal and external quality assurance. Each qualification also has anelement of external assessment that is demonstrably independent of anyone whomight have a vested interest in the outcome of the assessment decision.Internal Moderation of assessment is an essential part of your Centre’s internalQuality Assurance process to uphold the standards of CACHE qualifications.You need to appoint an Internal Moderator to ensure that the Centre's internalQuality Assurance process is met and appropriate standards are upheld. InternalModerators have a responsibility to ensure that markers mark according to theassessment criteria outlined in the CACHE assignment guidance which is specific toeach unit and qualification.It is your responsibility to produce an internal Quality Assurance procedure formoderating internally assessed work. This should ensure that the:• Requirements of the CACHE and the regulatory bodies are met.• Learners’ work is assessed and internally moderated according to CACHEcriteria and guidelines.• Records are completed accurately and meet CACHE requirements.• Copies of learners’ work and moderation activities must be kept and madeavailable to CACHE for 6 months after the learner has completed thequalification.Internal Moderation in practiceInternal Moderation of assessment is an essential part of the Centre's internalQuality Assurance process and ensures that the criteria set by CACHE are achieved.During the Internal Moderation process, if the Internal Moderator and markerdisagree on the grade awarded, it is the grade decision of the Internal Moderator thatis taken forward. It is the responsibility of the internal moderator to ensure that:• the process of checking that assessment standards have been appliedconsistently between markers and sites.• the marker has a clear understanding of the assessment process beforelearners start the assessment.• the work of the learner is assessed according to CACHE marking criteriaand is reflected in the grade awarded.• learners’ are given constructive feedback on their assessment to facilitateprogress and development.• support and feedback is given to the assessor.• documentation is completed accurately and meets CACHE requirements.Internal Moderation procedures are quality assured during the your Centre QualityAudit process by the Customer Quality Advisor16

About NQF assessment and moderation…………….External AssessmentExternal assessment is the way that standardised and consistent assessment can beapplied to a qualification across all centres and for all learners. The assessmentmust be carried out independently of anyone who might have an interest in, or maybenefit by, the outcome of the assessment decision.To achieve this, your learners’ work is either• sent to a designated external examiner appointed by CACHE. Theexternal examiner will have received training and standardisation formarking the particular assessment, or• marked electronicallyWhere a Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) test is required CACHE offers tests in twoways:• Computer-based tests – available on set test dates and on-demand tests(depending on the qualification)• Paper-based tests – available on set test dates and on-demand tests, i.e.tests available to Centres within a ‘test window’ (depending on thequalification)If you would like to offer computer based tests, please complete the e-assessmentapproval form located on cachezone.Assessment of Practical and Professional CompetenceFor a small number of qualifications, learners will be required to complete practicalassessments satisfactorily. The practical assessment may include:• Professional Development Profile (PDP)• Practice Evidence Record (PER)• Practice Evidence Record Diary (PERD)• PortfolioFurther information regarding the individual requirements for each qualification isdescribed in the qualification specification.AssignmentsThe assignments for each qualification are published in the qualificationspecification.Guidance on interpretation of assignmentsAdditional support for assignments can be obtained by accessing the followingdocuments from the CACHE website:• Finding the Level• Assignment Guidance.17

Both of these documents define the language used in assignments and identify whatis required to meet the grading criteria.Internally Assessed AssignmentsSubmission dates for internally assessed assignments are set by the centre. Onaccepting assignments, it is important that the appropriate Unit Submission Form isattached to the learner's work and that it has been signed by the learner (seeQualification Specification).You are responsible for publishing the submission date for each internal assignmentand ensuring that it is communicated to and understood by the learners. It isrecommended that you have a policy in place for circumstances where learners donot meet the submission date. This policy should not adversely affect theperformance grade awarded to the learner.Marking internally assessed assignmentsInternally assessed assignments to be marked and internally moderated within yourcentre are accompanied by grading criteria to assist learners and tutors in theinterpretation of the assignment and the levels required. Where a grading sheet issupplied it must be used to ensure that there is a standard approach to the collectionof evidence. Grading sheets specific to assignments are found in the QualificationSpecification on the reverse side of the Unit Submission Form.Each assignment should be marked in accordance with the CACHE grading criteriaand will be awarded a grade on the scale of either A* to E, Pass, Merit or Distinction,or Pass only, according to the particular qualification. Where appropriate to thequalification, the overall number of points achieved for each unit determines thegrade category for the whole qualification. The learner's copy of the overall gradingstructure is contained within the Qualification Specification.Concise and meaningful comments written in ink should be provided for the learner.Comments may be written on the learner's paper if this is in accordance with themarking policy of your Centre. You should retain a copy of the comments made tothe learner. These may be required if a learner's work is lost or for quality assurancepurposes.Examiner Marked Assessments (published set submission dates)Learners, who are ready to submit an examiner marked assessment, can be enteredvia e|ngage for the next available submission date. Prior to submitting theassessment, a copy of the External Assessment Cover Sheet, signed by the learner,needs to be attached to the assessment in order to authenticate the learner’s work.You will receive details of where to send assessments ten working days before thepublished submission date.Prior to submitting the assessments, we recommend that you retain copies as weare unable to return original scripts until the ‘Request for Re-mark’ period haselapsed.18

Re-submitting an Examiner Marked AssessmentLearners who are referred in the assessment may wish to re-submit; alternativelylearners who have achieved a pass grade (pass/E or above) may wish to attempt tore-submit in order to achieve a higher grade. Learners wishing to do this need to beentered for a submission as outlined above. In addition to attaching a signed copy ofthe Cover Sheet, the re-submission box on the sheet must be ticked and enclose acopy of the original assignment. The highest grade achieved following upgradeattempt is the grade which is recorded on the learners’ certificate.Externally Assessed TestsTests must be taken on the published date and at the specified time. The followingguidance documents may also be referred to in relation to conducting tests:JCQ Document ‘General, Vocational and Diploma Qualifications: Instructionsfor conducting examinations’ located on the JCQ website: www.jcq.org.uk.CACHE Good Practice Guide: The Application of Reasonable Adjustmentsand Special Consideration in Vocational Qualifications located on the CACHEwebsite.There may be times when tests are taking place at your centre, when a CentreQuality Advisor will visit you to undertake a quality audit.It is also possible to request test papers in the medium of Welsh. A request form isavailable on cachezone.Paper-based tests (Multiple Choice and Short Answer Tests): Available on setdates or within test windows.When a learner is ready to sit a test, their centre can enter them via cachezone forthe next available test date. At the point of entry, delivery instructions and/or testvenue details may also be provided to CACHE to enable test papers to be packagedaccordingly.Test papers are despatched to arrive at centres at least 8 working days before thetest date. Upon receipt of the test papers, the outer bag containing the papers maybe opened in order to access the guidance notes regarding the secure storage oftest papers and how to administer the test. The seal on the inner bag which containsthe test paper should be checked to ensure that it is not broken. If the seal has beenbroken, advice should be sought from CACHE urgently.A learner may be admitted to a test up to 20 minutes after the start of theassessment but additional time must not be given unless there is a genuine reasonfor late arrival, where the Centre has the discretion to give the appropriate differencein time. You will need to record this on the CACHE External Assessment AttendanceList.On Line tests (Multiple Choice Tests): Available on demand and set dates19

Further information relating to tests that are available on line and entering learnersfor tests can be located on cachezone.Centres are informed of the learners’ results as published in the ExternalAssessment Timetable. Centres should then inform learnersof their individual results.Re-taking a testLearners who are referred in the test may wish to re-take the test; alternativelylearners who have achieved a pass grade (pass/E or above) may attempt to upgradeto a higher grade. Centres can make all necessary arrangements and re-entercandidates for any future test dates as outlined on the Assessment Timetable. Thehighest grade achieved following upgrade attempts is the grade which is recorded onthe certificate.External Assessment Results EnquiryWhilst CACHE aims to ensure a fair and consistent result for every learner, theremay be occasions where a Centre feels that the grade awarded to the learnerfollowing the outcome of an external assessment marked by CACHE, does notappropriately reflect their predicted performance. Centres are advised to follow theResults Enquiries Process.QCF QualificationsIf you are delivering QCF qualifications you need to appoint a named individual withaccountability for quality assurance at the Centre. This could be the lead qualityassurer but doesn’t have to be. They will ensure the effective management of theinternal quality system for CACHE QCF qualifications and will be responsible forensuring that the Centre is able to provide evidence to support the internal qualityassurance activities.The QCF has been designed as a unit and credit based framework and each unithas a credit value. The framework is underpinned by a system of creditaccumulation and transfer which operates across the whole of the regulatedframework so that credits can be transferred between qualifications andawarding organisations according to set Rules of Combination.Unique Learner Number (ULN)You must be able to register and issue learners with a Unique Learner Number(ULN) if they do not have one. This is an individual number available to anyone overthe age of 14 years involved in UK education which will transfer with them when theymove on to other programmes of study. Learners do not need a ULN to take aCACHE qualification but without one, you may not be able to access public fundingon their behalf.You should familiarise yourself with the requirements and process for obtainingULNs. The process is owned by Learning Records Service and accessed through20

their Learner Registration Service. Current information on registering for the LearnerRegistration Service and obtaining ULNs is available onwww.learningrecordsservice.org.ukCredit TransferCredit transfer is the process of using credits awarded in the context of onequalification or awarded by a different awarding organisation towards theachievement requirements of another qualification.Every awarding organisation in the QCF must support credit transfer by recognisingcredits of all other QCF.Credit transfers should be submitted to CACHE Customer Services with a copy ofthe certificate issued. We will authenticate the credit value within the rules ofcombination for the qualification against which credit is being claimed. All other unitachievement should also be submitted directly to us at this stage. The final decisionregarding credit value that can be transferred rests with CACHE if we are awardingthe qualification for which credit is being claimed.Personal Learning Record (PLR)Learners over the age of 16 are able to use their ULN to access their on-linePersonal Learning Record (PLR) which will show all their credit and qualificationachievements in the QCF. A key aim of the Personal Learning Record is ‘to improvethe flow of learning related information about pupils and learners from schools tocolleges and other education providers and ultimately employers, leading to moreeffective information sharing and better decision making’. With each learner’spermission, you will also be able to access their Personal Learning Record to viewtheir previous achievements which will help you to ensure that opportunities for credittransfer are maximised for each learner.Learners will need to be issued with a Privacy Notice in relation to the use of theirpersonal data on the PLR. Further information on this is available onwww.learningrecordsservice.org.uk.Rules of Combination (RoC)All QCF qualifications have a set of Rules of Combination (RoC) which specifiesthe number of credits that need to be achieved through the completion of specificcombinations of units. Detailed information on the Rules of Combination for eachCACHE QCF qualification is included in each Qualification Specification,available on the CACHE website or through cachezone. Information on RoC isalso available on the Register of Regulated Qualifications (RRQ)http://register.ofqual.gov.ukRecognition of Prior Learning (RPL)RPL should be learner-initiated. It enables individuals with existing learning andachievements to achieve QCF assessment criteria and meet learning outcomes21

without having to repeat learning. It is an alternative route to recognition and not ashort cut. RPL must therefore be an integral part of a quality-assured assessmentprocess.The learner being assessed for credits through RPL must still comply with all thestated standards and requirements within the units, including the learning outcome,the assessment criteria and any additional information provided within the unit inrelation to sector assessment strategies and principles.RPL can be achieved in either of these two ways:1. A learner completes the assessment for the unit or units but does notparticipate in a formal programme of learning2. You work with the learner through the Centre’s RPL process, giving advice onthe nature and range of evidence considered appropriate to support RPL andguidance and support on how to make a claim.Learners will be awarded credit using RPL when they have successfullydemonstrated that they meet all the learning outcomes and assessment criteria of aQCF unit. CACHE will be unable to award credit for the partial completion of a unit.Centres may use RPL flexibly to support the achievement of the learning outcomesof a unit or units in conjunction with other assessment methods so long as a full audittrail is retained.RPL in practice – from advice through to appealThe following table outlines the route that you will need to take in liaison with yourlearner to ensure that RPL is applied appropriately.1. General awarenessYou will need to ensure that any learner registering for a QCF unit orqualification is aware that they may be able to claim credit for some of theirprevious learning. If the learner chooses to pursue an RPL route they will needto be made aware of: Process of claiming credit through RPL Your administrative processes for RPL applications, including timelines,appeals processes and any fees and subsidies Any sources of support and guidance available to themIt is recommended you develop a formal written process for RPL to ensure aconsistent approach to supporting achievement through RPL.2. Gathering evidence and giving informationYou will need to ensure that the learner is fully informed of the RPL processand has sufficient support to make a viable claim and to make decisions aboutevidence collection for assessment. This will involve a negotiated assessmentplan identifying the evidence needed for the assessor to make an assessmentjudgement against the assessment criteria of the QCF units.3. Assessment and documentation of evidenceAssessment must be valid and reliable to ensure the integrity of units and theRPL system as a whole. The assessment process for RPL must be subject tothe same quality-assurance processes as any other assessed unit delivered.22

Each unit achieved using RPL must be quality assured by your internal qualityassurer. You should ensure that assessment records specify that theassessment method used was RPL and retain documentary evidence of theassessment and internal quality assurance. This will be monitored by theCustomer Quality Advisor through the external quality assurance process.4. FeedbackAfter assessment the assessor must give feedback to the learner, discussingassessors’ judgement decisions and giving support and guidance on theoptions available to the learner.5. Awarding creditWhen claiming QCF achievement and certification for the learner, you shouldupload RPL achievements through qualifi in the same way they would anyother learner achievements. The fact that a unit has been assessed throughRPL is not recorded on a learner’s certificate.6. RPL AppealsLearners have the right to appeal against RPL assessment decisions in the sameway that they are able to appeal against any other assessment decisions, so youshould ensure that your existing appeals process covers appeals about RPLdecisions. Learners wishing to appeal against an assessment decision need to followyour appeals process.23

About QCF assessment and quality assuring…………….Meeting assessment criteria within QCF qualificationsIt is a fundamental principle of QCF that in order to be awarded a unit, learners mustdemonstrate their individual achievement of every assessment criteria within everylearning outcome in that unit. Assessment criteria are written with enoughinformation within them to enable assessors to make an effective judgement aboutwhether the learning outcome has been achieved.Each QCF unit is capable of being assessed independently of other units. However,holistic assessment arrangements that enable evidence from more than one unit tobe generated and presented through a single process are recommended whereverpossible when a learner is taking more than one unit.Recommended Assessment MethodYou should implement a range of recommended assessment methods which willenable learners to provide the evidence to meet the assessment criteria of eachlearning outcome and unit. Not all assessment methods are appropriate forevidencing skills/competency, but all assessment methods can be appropriate forevidencing knowledge/understanding.The following table summarises CACHE recommended assessment methods forQCF qualifications:RefAssessment MethodSuitable forAssessingSkills / CompetenceSuitable forAssessingKnowledge /UnderstandingA Direct observation of learner by assessor Yes YesB Professional discussion Yes YesC Expert Witness evidence Yes YesD Learner’s own work products Yes YesE Learner log or reflective diary Yes YesF Activity plan or planned activity Yes YesGObservation of children, young people or adultsby the learnerYesYesH Portfolio of evidence Yes YesI Recognition of prior learning Yes YesJReflection on own practice in real workenvironmentYesYesK Written and pictorial information No Yes24

RefAssessment MethodSuitable forAssessingSkills / CompetenceSuitable forAssessingKnowledge /UnderstandingL Scenario or case study No YesMTask set by CACHE (for knowledge learningoutcomes)NoYesN Oral questions and answers No YesOAssessment method devised by Centre andapproved by CACHENoYesYour Customer Quality Advisor will assist you if you wish to use another method ofassessment.The use of grading within CACHE QCF qualificationsMost CACHE units and qualifications have been developed against a Pass / Referframework. This means that for virtually all CACHE units, the assessor must usetheir professional judgement to decide whether the evidence demonstrates that thelearner is competent and can perform/know/understand according to the assessmentcriteria.Internally Quality Assuring CACHE QCF units & qualificationsPrinciples of Internal Quality AssuranceThe principles of internal quality assurance outlined below will give a standardisedapproach to internal quality assurance:• You will have an internal quality assurance strategy and have identified anapproach to internal quality assurance that includes an internal qualityassurance plan with a clear rationale for the sampling approach taken.• The internal quality assurance approach should include sampling assessmentplans, assessment decisions and feedback to learners for each assessor overa stated period of time.• Recorded feedback to assessors from the internal quality assurer shouldclearly state the findings, the need for any action with time goals andfeedback on the completed action where necessary.• Clear, auditable records of the internal quality assurance process need to becompleted and stored safely.• Standardisation activities should take place and involve all assessors and allinternal quality assurers over a stated period of time. It should involve lookingat the actual working practices and products of the assessors and internalquality assurers to arrive at a benchmark for practice within the centre andmaintenance of that level of practice.• Learners’ work sampled should include evidence for all units claimedthrough Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), exemptions andequivalencies.25

• Securely stored auditable evidence to support the potential loss of learnerwork, to include, name, registration date, contact sheet, assessment plans,feedback records and achievements.• CVs and certificates which show vocational competence and competenceto assess and quality assurers in line with the requirements of theassessment strategies for the units that they have assessed.• Evidence of current Continuing Professional Development (CPD) forassessors and quality assurers relevant to the units which they assess orquality assure and CPD relevant to their ability to assess and/or qualityassure.• Through standardisation activities, it is the responsibility of your named qualityassurer to ensure that assessment judgements made against specific criteriaare consistently valid, reliable and fair. The standardisation process mustmonitor the assessment evidence to make sure that it is consistentlyadmissible, authentic and current.• Standardisation activities should, in the main be pre-planned sessions whichare designated to focus explicitly on the monitoring of assessmentjudgements, to ensure that the continued integrity of CACHE qualifications ismaintained.Quality assuring procedures are quality assured during the your Centre Quality Auditprocess by the Customer Quality Advisor26

Quality assuring learners’ work over a period of timeThe Subject Specialist will request a sample of your learners’ work, over time,covering all assessment methods, sectors and levels to monitor the qualityassurance judgements of each internal quality assurer. Where issues are identified,they will also sample the assessment judgements of all assessors across allassessment methods, sectors and levels relevant to the issue identified. The amountof learner assessment evidence reviewed and the number of learners sampled willdepend on the individual circumstances of your Centre.The Subject Specialist will monitor the evidence supporting the assessmentjudgements made for all Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) claims made by theCentre. They will also sample the evidence retained by the Centre for claimsmade to CACHE on behalf of learners for learner exemptions and equivalencies.The Subject Specialist will complete a Qualification Integrity Report (QIR) to providefeedback on the sampling of learner assessment evidence, identifying whether theCACHE minimum requirements for internal quality assurance and assessmentjudgements are being met. This may include minor actions for improvement (seeSanctions Tariff and Sanctions Policy).Where actions are required, the Subject Specialist will complete a SMART actionplan on the QIR.27