Overview
Within the statement with questions, an unbiased assessor observes the apprentice of their office and asks questions. The apprentice completes their day-to-day duties underneath regular working situations. Simulation isn’t permitted. It offers the apprentice the chance to display the KSBs mapped to this evaluation technique.
Rationale
The statement technique is used as a result of sensible nature of the occupation. The assessor can witness the apprentice enterprise duties required for occupational competence. Because the apprentice is engaged on actual case work this requires a protracted period (7 hours statement) this should enable for operational interruptions as there is a component of unpredictability. The questions which can be requested throughout the statement are to behave as clarification.
Supply
The statement have to be structured to provide the apprentice the chance to display the KSBs mapped to this evaluation technique to the very best obtainable grade.
An unbiased assessor should conduct and assess the statement .
The unbiased assessor should solely observe one apprentice at a time to make sure high quality and rigour. They have to be as unobtrusive as attainable.
The EPAO should give an apprentice 2 weeks discover of the statement with questions.
The statement should take 7 hours.
The unbiased assessor can improve the time of the statement with questions by as much as 10%. This time is to permit the apprentice to finish a job or reply to a query if essential.
The statement with questions could happen in components however have to be accomplished inside 2 working days. A working day is usually 7.5 hours. The rationale for this break up is
To supply flexibility for the assessor, apprentice and employer.
The EPAO should handle invigilation of the apprentice throughout the evaluation, to take care of safety of the EPA, in step with their malpractice coverage. This consists of breaks and shifting between places throughout the working day.
The unbiased assessor should clarify to the apprentice the format and timescales of the statement with questions earlier than it begins. This doesn’t rely in the direction of the evaluation time.
The unbiased assessor ought to observe the next throughout the statement:
Apprentices have to be noticed, by an occupationally competent unbiased assessor. Finishing operational casework wherein they may display the KSBs assigned to this evaluation. The EPAO will prepare for the statement to happen in session with the employer. The employer will make obtainable casework which is at completely different levels of development which can allow the apprentice to proof in opposition to the themes of the KSBs;
- Operational supply
- Theoretical underpinning data
- Private duty
- Technical utility
- The authorized/ policing context
- Communication
It’s anticipated that the statement would take as much as 7 hours to finish. As a result of nature of the apply, some operational examinations is not going to go as anticipated and subsequently extra questions could also be requested to verify data, expertise, and behaviours of the apprentice.
Consolation breaks are permitted as essential. The unbiased assessor has the discretion to extend the time of the statement(s) by as much as 10% to permit the apprentice to finish the duty that’s a part of this factor of the EPA. The 7 hours allotted to this evaluation could be break up over 2 days in settlement with the employer and apprentice. The unbiased assessor could conduct and observe one apprentice throughout this evaluation technique.
These actions present the apprentice with the chance to display the KSBs mapped to this evaluation technique.
To discover the breadth of data for instance testing what an apprentice would do within the occasion of a chunk of labor not going to plan. The questions will even make sure the apprentice is conscious of their limitations, when to contain colleagues and seek advice from extra skilled members of the staff.
The unbiased assessor should ask questions. Questioning can happen each throughout and the statement. The time for questioning is included within the total evaluation time. The unbiased assessor should ask at the very least 5questions. To stay as unobtrusive as attainable, the unbiased assessor ought to ask questions throughout pure stops between duties and after completion of labor slightly than disrupting the apprentice’s stream. Comply with-up questions are allowed the place clarification is required. The unbiased assessor should use the questions from the EPAO’s query financial institution or create their very own questions in-line with the EPAO’s coaching.
The unbiased assessor should ask questions on KSBs that weren’t noticed to assemble evaluation proof. These questions are along with the above set variety of questions for the statement with questions and must be saved to a minimal.
The unbiased assessor should make the grading choice. The statement and responses to questions have to be assessed holistically by the unbiased assessor when they’re deciding the grade.
The unbiased assessor should hold correct information of the evaluation. They should document:
- the KSBs noticed
- the apprentice’s solutions to questions
- the KSBs demonstrated in solutions to questions
- the grade achieved
Evaluation location
The statement should happen within the apprentice’s regular place of business (for instance their employer’s premises or a buyer’s premises). Gear and assets wanted for the statement have to be offered by the employer and be in good and secure working situation.
Questioning that happens after the statement ought to happen in a quiet room, free from distractions and affect.
Extra venue necessities that have to be in place embody:
the assessor could must signal a confidentiality settlement and will be unable to take away objects from the office. assessors could also be required to finish police vetting.
Query and useful resource improvement
The EPAO should develop a purpose-built evaluation specification and query financial institution. It is suggested that is finished in session with employers of this occupation. The EPAO ought to preserve the safety and confidentiality of EPA supplies when consulting employers. The evaluation specification and query financial institution have to be reviewed at the very least annually to make sure they continue to be fit-for-purpose.
The evaluation specification have to be related to the occupation and display the best way to assess the KSBs mapped to this evaluation technique. The EPAO should be certain that questions are refined and developed to a excessive commonplace. The questions have to be unpredictable. A query financial institution of enough dimension will assist this.
The EPAO should produce the next supplies to assist the statement :
- unbiased assessor evaluation supplies which embody:
- coaching supplies
- administration supplies
- moderation and standardisation supplies
- steerage supplies
- grading steerage
- query financial institution
- EPA steerage for the apprentice and the employer
The EPAO should be certain that the EPA supplies are topic to high quality assurance procedures together with standardisation, coaching, and moderation.
