Regulatory requirements for centres offering SQA accredited qualifications

When we are advising clients about competency management system assessment and verification principles, we often fall back on SQA guidance as a point of reference when helping to shape the governance principles within a CMS.

Along with all SVQ centres, we received an e-mail of the areas that SQA are seeing coming up in audits.  It is a useful reminder of the key principles of competence based assessment and quality assurance.  We have included some of the main points below:

Competence of assessors and internal verifiers

Assessors and internal verifiers must be suitably competent to perform their roles, in line with the qualification requirements.

At Polaris Learning, we would add: in line with your agreed assessment strategy- this may not always be a qualification but the same principles apply.

Roles and responsibilities

Expert witnesses, assessors and internal verifiers must understand their roles and carry out their duties to meet the requirements of the qualifications they deliver.

Again, at Polaris Learning, we would say that whether or not you use qualifications, assessors and verifiers training, experience and approach need to align with, and be supported to comply with your CMS requirements in this area.

Candidate evidence

Assessment must take place in line with the qualification requirements, and you must provide evidence of this during external verification activity.

At Polaris Learning, we help build guidance on the assessment process so everyone understands the assessment process and what is required to ensure that evidence is Real, Reliable and Relevant.  These terms are a more accessible version of the ‘VARCS’ framework (VARCS of course stands for Validity, Authenticity, Reliable, Current and Sufficient).

If you need any help or want to discuss any of this, please let us know

Competency Management Systems