HOMELAND SECURITY QUALIFICATIONS

Transcription

1 52 Ickburgh Road, London E5 8AD Telephone: Mobile: E mail: denise.clarke@homelandsecurityqualifications.co.uk Website: HOMELAND SECURITY QUALIFICATIONS RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING HANDBOOK 16 August 2016

2 CONTENTS Policy for the Recognition of Prior Learning... 2 Introduction... 2 RPL system... 2 RPL process... 2 Endorsement... 4 Implementation... 4 Policy review... 4 Appendix 1: Application form... 6 Appendix 2: Candidate Action Plan form... 8 Appendix 3: Review of Progress form... 9 Appendix 4: Declaration of Completion Appendix 5: Costs Appendix 6: Terms and Conditions of Business Homeland Security Qualifications Page 1

3 POLICY FOR THE RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING INTRODUCTION 1. It is Homeland Security Qualifications policy to provide opportunities for the prior learning, experience and achievements of personnel working towards competence-based qualifications to be recognized as evidence for these awards where this is both practical and worthwhile. This process is known as the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). 2. The RPL ethos is that, while assessment of a candidate s competence against national standards is best undertaken through observation and evaluation of workplace performance and other contemporary evidence, alternative methods of assessment, less dependent upon time or place, can also be valid. The RPL approach enables candidates to build upon past experience, learning and achievement without the unnecessary repetition of tasks, tests or training; it can also shorten the time needed to gain competence based awards. RPL SYSTEM 3. The Homeland Security Qualifications RPL system consists of the following sequence of events: a b c d e identification of the candidate s skills and knowledge; equation of the candidate s skills and knowledge with specific occupational standards; provision of guidance regarding the collection, collation and presentation of evidence for assessment; assessment of the candidate s evidence against the occupational standards; accreditation of the candidate through the verification process. 4. As can be readily seen, this system broadly follows that used for standard assessments conducted on the basis of workplace observation and other forms of contemporary evidence. The main difference lies in the fact that various forms of historic evidence may be taken into consideration, provided that no more than 5 years has elapsed since it was originally produced. Homeland Security Qualifications Page 2

4 RPL PROCESS 5. Step 1 Assessing the Scope for RPL. The candidate seeks or is offered RPL advice by a suitably qualified person (see paragraph 14 below). Provided that the candidate s claim to prior learning, experience and achievement appears to meet some of the requirements of an award offered by Homeland Security Qualifications, his or her assessor will advise completion of the Application form (Appendix 1), subsequently adding appropriate comments. This form, which provides a profile of the candidate s education, training and employment, details of his or her target qualification(s), and the assessor s comments, can be used in the candidate s portfolio. 6. Step 2 Action Planning. On the basis of RPL evidence available, the candidate and his or her assessor will agree an action plan designed to ensure that gaps in the evidence can be filled efficiently and effectively, enabling the remaining evidence to be produced and documented in the portfolio. The assessor will assist the candidate to complete a copy of the Candidate Action Plan form (Appendix 2). This form summarizes the advice given to the candidate during the interview outlined above, outlines his or her need for additional training, lists gaps in evidence, describes portfolio collation, advice given, and gives a target review date. 7. Step 3 Filling Training Gaps. Where time and resources allow, staff may assist the candidate in attempting to fill some or all of the gaps in his or her knowledge or experience through additional training, or alternatively candidates can be referred to appropriate training providers. 8. Step 4 Gathering and Documentation of Evidence. The candidate is responsible for gathering and collating witness statements and other documentary evidence in support of his or her claim to prior learning, experience or achievement. Assessors may offer guidance and support in this process. Where witness statements are to be included in the candidate s portfolio in support of RPL claims, they must be in the format given the Review of Progress form (Appendix 3). The completed portfolio must also include a list of all witnesses, in the format given in the Candidate Action Plan form (Appendix 2). It should be remembered that, where the RPL claim only meets part of the award concerned, contemporary evidence of competence in the remaining areas will also be required, and should be presented as described in Step Step 5 Reviewing Progress. Candidates should use copies of the Review of Progress form (Appendix 3) to record, review and report their progress in gathering evidence. 10. Step 6 Assessment/ Verification. Once the candidate believes that he or she has met all of the requirements of his or her target award, he or she should submit his or her portfolio to the assessor to begin the assessment process. Once the assessor is satisfied, the portfolio is to be submitted for internal quality assurance/internal verification. Homeland Security Qualifications Page 3

5 11. Step 7 Certification. Applications for the certification of successful candidates will be submitted in accordance with awarding body procedures and the procedure outlined in the Operations/Quality Manual used by the Centre concerned. No certificate may be claimed until the candidate s portfolio has been signed off by a qualified internal quality assurer/internal verifier. The certificate at Appendix 4 is to be completed in all cases. ENDORSEMENT 12. Evidence produced by candidates through the RPL process must be current (less than 5 years old), reliable, authentic, valid, sufficient and relevant 1 : If the assessor is satisfied on all counts, accreditation may be pursued. If the requirements have only been partially met, learning support and further assessment or reassessment opportunities will be required. The certificate at Appendix 4 is to be completed in all cases. IMPLEMENTATION 13. All candidates for competence-based qualifications are to be informed of the Homeland Security Qualifications RPL Policy by their assessors. 14. Responsibility for the provision of detailed RPL advice lies with staff holding one or more of the following qualifications (or their predecessor awards 2 ): a. Assessing in workplaces: either the QCF L3 Award in assessing competence in the work environment (LLUK Units 1 & 2) or the QCF L3 Award in assessing vocational achievement (LLUK Units 1, 2 & 3); b. Assessing in training environments: either the QCF L3 Award in assessing vocationally related achievement (LLUK Units 1 & 3) or the L3 Award in assessing vocational achievement (LLUK Units 1, 2 and 3); c. Assessing in workplaces and training environments: either the QCF L3 Award in assessing vocational achievement (LLUK Units 1, 2 & 3) or the QCF L3 Award in assessing competence in the work environment (LLUK Units 1 & 2) with the QCF L3 Award in assessing vocationally related achievement (LLUK Units 1 & 3). 15. The requirements of the new QCF assessor qualifications (or appropriate combinations of predecessor awards) provide the model for RPL followed in Homeland Security Qualifications. 16. Overall responsibility for implementation of the Homeland Security Qualifications RPL Policy rests with the Quality Manager. 1 Evidence based on course attendance or historic evidence from employment, must be certified by an appropriately qualified person (eg a manager with access to the candidates attendance records and results) and must not be more than 2 years old. Evidence based on successful completion of a course must state which units of the qualification in question the course covered fully, and, if the course has been mapped to that qualification that the course has not changed since mapping was conducted and endorsed by HSQ. 2 Unit A1 Assessor award or the old TBLB D32 and D33 awards combined with the D36 award. Homeland Security Qualifications Page 4

6 INDUSTRY QUALIFICATIONS AND NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS 17. Candidates who have successfully achieved an HSQ industry VQ may apply by the RPL process for any nationally recognized equivalent for which HSQ and/or its partners has been accredited by the qualifications regulator provided that either: 1. the industry VQ was gained no more than 5 years before the conversion application; 2. or, that the applicant can demonstrate regular use of the skills and knowledge reflected in the qualification concerned during the 5 years before the conversion application. A small administrative fee will be charged for this service. POLICY REVIEW 18. This policy is reviewed at regular intervals. 19. Appendices: Appendix 1 Application form Appendix 2 Candidate Action Plan form Appendix 3 Review of Progress form Appendix 4 Declaration of Completion Homeland Security Qualifications Page 5

7 APPENDIX 1: RPL APPLICATION FORM n If there is insufficient room for all details, please continue on the back of this form. CANDIDATE DETAILS STAFF NO CANDIDATE NO NAME INITIALS RANK/GRADE PRESENT COURSE/ EMPLOYMENT AND RESPONSIBILITIES (include dates if possible) SECONDARY EDUCATION (include qualification(s) gained and date (s) if possible) ADULT AND/ OR FURTHER/HIGHER EDUCATION AND/ OR TRAINING COURSES (include Youth Training and any civilian or military courses, short or long, and dates if possible) COURSE TITLE FROM DATES TO RESULT SUBJECT(S) COURSE PROVIDER (see Note 1) EVIDENCE AVAILABLE (see Note 2) Note 1 - eg college or training provider Note 2 - eg course syllabus, certificates, reports Homeland Security Qualifications Page 6

8 PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENTS ORGANIZATION (eg Firm, Unit) FROM DATES TO JOB TITLE EVIDENCE AVAILABLE (eg Job Description) TARGET VQ AND/ OR KEY SKILLS AWARD(S) TITLE LEVEL UNITS REQUIRED (Disregard units for which full evidence/certificates are available) PROPOSED METHOD(S) FOR EVIDENCING REQUIRED UNITS (eg Observation/RPL) CANDIDATE S SIGNATURE DATE ASSESSOR S COMMENTS ASSESSOR S SIGNATURE DATE Homeland Security Qualifications Page 7

9 APPENDIX 2: CANDIDATE ACTION PLAN FORM n If there is insufficient room for all details, please continue on the back of this form. CANDIDATE DETAILS STAFF NO CANDIDATE NO NAME INITIALS RANK/GRADE TARGET AWARD(S) SUMMARY OF RPL ADVICE GIVEN FURTHER TRAINING NEEDS IDENTIFIED EVIDENCE REQUIRED FOR UNITS SOUGHT THROUGH RPL GUIDANCE GIVEN ON COLLATION OF EVIDENCE FOR PORTFOLIO TARGET REVIEW DATE ASSESSOR S SIGNATURE DATE ASSESSOR S JOB TITLE CANDIDATE S SIGNATURE DATE Homeland Security Qualifications Page 8

10 APPENDIX 3: REVIEW OF PROGRESS FORM This review of progress can be used as the basis for a revised personal action plan. Continue overleaf if necessary. Candidate Number Staff Number Rank/Grade Family Name Initials Organisation/Course TITLE OF TARGET AWARD: LEVEL OF TARGET AWARD: DATE OF PREVIOUS REVIEW / PLAN: SHEET NO: UNIT, ELEMENT, ITEM: EXISTING EVIDENCE: EVIDENCE STILL TO BE GATHERED: ACTION POINTS: REVIEW DATE: Homeland Security Qualifications Page 9

11 UNIT, ELEMENT, ITEM: EXISTING EVIDENCE: EVIDENCE STILL TO BE GATHERED: ACTION POINTS: REVIEW DATE: Homeland Security Qualifications Page 10

12 APPENDIX 4: DECLARATION OF COMPLETION 1. It is hereby certified that the following individual: Full Name: Date of Birth: NI / Passport / Service Number: is deemed fully competent against the standards/criteria required for the following qualification: Scheme Number: Title: Level: having completed a programme of RPL assessment. 2. Balance of evidence: a. This candidate s evidence entirely comprises verified and acceptable course attendance (ie 100%) 3 ; or b. The proportions of evidence are as follows: Verified and acceptable course attendance % Other historic evidence % Evidence produced during of the RPL process % Assessor signature: Assessor name: Date: IQA/IV signature: IQA/IV name: Date: 3 Proof of successful course attendance must be certified by a manager from the training establishment/learning organization concerned and he/she must confirm in writing in the same document that the course was completed less than 5 years ago and had not changed materially since being mapped to the qualification concerned to the satisfaction of HSQ. The original signed certificate to this effect must be placed in the candidate s portfolio and be available for scrutiny by the External Quality Assurer/External Verifier until certification is agreed by HSQ and/or its partner organization. The centre must hold a certified true copy on file for 3 years. Homeland Security Qualifications Page 11

13 APPENDIX 5: COSTS The cost to candidates is VAT i.e. a total of 660 Normally, it is not expected that there would be a need for candidates and their assessors to meet as the process will be conducted remotely. However, if this proves necessary, the assessor s travel and subsistence costs would be charged additionally (at cost) VAT i.e. a total of 468 is payable on initial registration. This covers registration, the portfolio and assessment. This is non-refundable. A second payment of VAT i.e. a total of 192 is payable for internal verification and certification. Any changes to personal details/registration will incur an administrative fee of 10. Homeland Security Qualifications Page 12

14 APPENDIX 6: TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS 1. The costs for RPL claims are divided into two stages: a) 468 is payable on initial registration, covering registration, the portfolio and assessment and b) 192 for internal verification and certification. 2. If required, assessors travel and subsistence are charged at cost (or 0.45p per mile or standard class rail travel). 3. This work is subject to VAT. 4. No work can proceed until invoices have been settled in full. 5. Unfortunately, we have found it necessary to include provision for late payments. Our terms relating to payment of amounts invoiced and not covered by standing orders, where appropriate, are strictly due on presentation. Interest and compensation for recovery costs may be charged on all overdue debts at the rate for the time being applicable under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act Homeland Security Qualifications Page 13