Assessors Voice – The Importance of Standards
An article by Professor Ian Favell – Fellow of The Assessors Guild Have you noticed that everyone today is talking about Standards? Suddenly Standards seem to have become the new ‘must haves’ for all organisations, whether providing goods or services in the private, public or not-for-profit sectors and [...]
Advice for Gaining a Regulated Assessor Qualification
We were recently contacted by a potential member who wanted some advice on Assessor courses. With 30 years-experience in accounting and business admin roles within many business sectors, she had often prepared and given in-house training which included the development of assessments. However, this practitioner didn’t have formal qualifications in assessment [...]
The Changing Face of Apprenticeships
The reformed Apprenticeship programme is now finally off the ground. With some 279 new Apprenticeship standards approved for delivery, and 38% of starts this year on new standards the position is much improved from this time last year. However the overall numbers remain significantly lower - 28% down. So what [...]
Partnership with Protocol Recruitment Services
The Assessors Guild are excited to be partnering with Protocol. Protocol are one of the leading providers of flexible staffing and recruitment services to the FE sector, providing high quality jobs to the Assessor job market. This collaborative working arrangement will seek to provide more opportunities for Assessors to find [...]
Are the New Apprenticeships Just Another Name For Examinations?
Those of us still able to remember our full time college courses that resulted in a final examination may well question whether the current shift in learning is actually anything new. The fact that End Point Assessment must be completed by an impartial, independent Assessor is no different from having [...]
Ofqual Consultation of End Point Assessment Regulation
Ofqual carried out a consultation into the regulation around apprenticeships and End Point Assessment. This consultation related to Ofqual’s external quality assurance of apprenticeship end-point assessments. It is about the rules and guidance that they wish to apply and those that they intend to disapply. The consultation has now finished and it makes for [...]
Apprenticeship – The Learning and Work Institute Collection of Essays
The Learning and Work Institute have recently published a collection of essays on the reformed apprenticeship programme - All Change: Where next for apprenticeships? This has contributions from leading experts setting out ways to improve the quality of apprenticeships and ensure fair access to training. Some essays highlight the stark [...]
AELP Conference (24th & 25th June)
Much discussion was held at the AELP conference held on the 24th and 25th June.. The article in FE Week detailed some of the issues facing Apprenticeships, most specifically End Point Assessment. Ms Collier, Ofqual's Chief Regulator spoke at the conference and told delegates she wants to keep tabs on EPA and [...]
Nottingham 06/06/18
Thank you to all who came along to the launch of ACE360 in Nottingham- we hope you enjoyed the introductory presentation to The Assessors Guild during the day too. We look forward to working alongside our current and future Assessors to provide a clear and strong voice within the industry [...]
8th May saw a Westminster Hall Debate on “Progress on the Government’s Skills Strategy”
During the debate, the previous Skills Minister Rob Halfon questioned Anne Milton the current Skills Minister as to whether there is really a need at age 16 for young people to choose between a wholly academic and a wholly technical route and whether young people might benefit from the opportunity [...]