The Membership Organisation for IQA Professionals in Education & Training across the UK

To maintain consistent and fair assessments, it's essential to plan and manage standardisation activities with your assessors and any other IQAs on your team. Standardisation ensures that everyone interprets assessment and IQA requirements correctly, leading to comparable and consistent decisions. You can organise separate standardisation sessions for assessors and IQAs, especially if there’s more than one for your subject area. For smaller teams, consider including a standardisation activity as part of your regular team meetings. Standardisation can cover various aspects, such as: •Assessment Activities: oReviewing safety, fairness, validity, and reliability, and deciding on alternative methods to meet specific learner needs. •Creating Assessment Materials: oBuilding a bank of resources like assignments, multiple-choice questions, oral questions, and expected answers. •Interpreting Standards: oEnsuring assessors understand and apply standards consistently when making decisions. •Evaluating Learner Evidence: oConfirming that evidence meets the required standards. •Completing Records: oStandardising how assessment plans and feedback records are filled out.   •Providing Feedback: oAligning the way feedback is delivered to learners. •Conducting Learner Reviews: oEnsuring consistency in how learner reviews are carried out. •Using Witness Statements: oStandardising the use of witness statements. •Updating Documentation: oKeeping checklists, records, and templates current and consistent. Practical Activity: One effective way to standardise practice among assessors is to have each assessor bring evidence they have evaluated, along with supporting assessment records, to a session. These can be swapped anonymously between assessors for reassessment, allowing a discussion to follow on how well they align in their interpretation of the requirements and the decisions they make. This also highlights any differences in record-keeping and feedback detail, providing a basis for action plans to improve and align assessor practices. Additionally, ensure assessment types and methods are standardised. For example, if an assessor creates a project or assignment, sharing it with other assessors ensures all learners have access to the same materials. This also helps verify that questions and tasks are appropriately challenging for all learners.

1. Plan in Advance Schedule the meeting well ahead of time and provide all attendees with clear objectives. Ensure assessors have the relevant materials to review, such as learner work samples or assessment guidelines. 2. Set Clear Objectives Define the purpose of the meeting: improving consistency in assessment, reviewing assessment standards, or ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks. Make sure everyone understands the goals from the outset. 3. Prepare Relevant documentation Distribute key documents before the meeting—assessment criteria, learner evidence, and feedback examples. This allows assessors to come prepared with any questions or comments. 4. Encourage Collaboration Foster an open and supportive environment where assessors feel comfortable sharing their perspectives. Encourage dialogue about best practices, challenges, and areas for improvement. 5. Use Real Work Examples Review actual assessment decisions and learner evidence to benchmark and compare against the set standards. This provides practical insight and helps everyone align on expectations. 6. Keep it Structured Ensure the meeting stays on track by sticking to the agenda. Allocate specific times for each agenda item, including discussions, decision-making, and action points. 7. Focus on Consistency The main goal is consistency in assessment decisions. Compare how different assessors interpret and apply the same criteria, and address any variances to standardise approaches. 8. Take Minutes and Document Decisions Document the key points discussed, including any decisions made on assessment practices, and circulate the notes afterwards. This ensures accountability and a point of reference for future meetings. 9. Agree on Actions At the end of the meeting, agree on any follow-up actions, such as additional training or reviews, and assign responsibilities. Set deadlines for when these actions should be completed. 10. Follow-up Post Meeting Check in with assessors to ensure any agreed actions are being implemented. Continuity and reinforcement are key to maintaining consistency across assessments. By following these steps, Internal Quality Assessors can ensure their standardisation meetings are productive, helping assessors align with expectations and improve the quality and consistency of assessments across the board.

1. Start with Positives Acknowledge strengths first: Begin by highlighting what the tutor or assessor is doing well. This creates a supportive tone and helps them feel valued. Example: “I noticed how thoroughly you explained the assessment criteria to the learners—this really helped clarify their expectations.” 2. Be Specific with Your Feedback Detail both good and bad practices: Vague feedback doesn’t help. Mention specific examples of good work and areas that need improvement. Good practice: “Your feedback on [Student’s] work was detailed and constructive.” Area for improvement: “However, it might be helpful to provide more guidance on [specific area] to ensure consistency in assessments.” 3. Use a Professional and Friendly Tone Stay respectful: Even when addressing areas for improvement, maintain a tone that encourages development rather than criticism. Friendly suggestion: “Have you considered using [this approach] in future assessments? It could make the process clearer for learners.” 4. Offer Solutions, Not Just Problems Provide actionable advice: When identifying bad practice, don’t just point it out—offer practical ways to address the issue. Example: “I noticed some learners seemed unsure about feedback on their progress. Perhaps a followup session or a written summary could help reinforce key points.” 5. Balance Feedback Using the ‘Feedback Sandwich’ Sandwich the constructive feedback: Place constructive criticism between positive comments to create a balanced conversation. Example: “Your observations of learner performance were excellent. Just make sure all decisions are clearly documented to meet compliance standards. Overall, your commitment to maintaining highquality assessment is clear.” 6. Be Objective and EvidenceBased Use examples from the work: Always tie feedback to actual assessments or specific incidents to avoid making it personal. Example: “During the review of [learner’s work], I noticed a variance in how feedback was delivered compared to others. Ensuring a consistent approach will help maintain standards across the board.” 7. Focus on Development Encourage professional growth: Frame feedback as an opportunity for growth rather than just pointing out errors. Example: “Your dedication to your learners’ success is clear, and by focusing on [specific area], you can further enhance the impact of your assessments.” 8. Check for Understanding Ensure clarity: Ask for feedback on your feedback! This helps ensure the assessor or tutor understands and feels supported. Example: “Does that approach make sense to you? Let me know if you’d like any support with implementing these suggestions.” 9. Schedule FollowUps Offer ongoing support: Follow up after your feedback to see how they are progressing. This shows that you’re invested in their development. Example: “Let’s touch base next month to see how the new strategies are working. I’m happy to support in any way.” 10. End on a Positive Note Motivate and inspire: Finish the conversation by reinforcing the tutor or assessor’s value to the team. Example: “Your commitment to quality is so important, and I’m confident these small changes will make a big difference!” This approach ensures feedback is delivered in a constructive, professional, and friendly manner, fostering a positive relationship while maintaining high standards in education.

1. Assess the Situation Understand the challenges: Arrange a 1-2-1 meeting to explore what areas the assessor is struggling with, whether it’s time management, specific assessment techniques, or engaging learners. Example: “I’ve noticed some difficulties with meeting KPIs. Let’s take a closer look at what might be causing the delays and how we can address them.” 2. Review the KPIs Together Clarify expectations: Ensure the assessor fully understands the Key Performance Indicators and how they relate to their work. Break down the targets into manageable tasks. Example: “Let’s revisit your KPIs and break them into smaller steps, so we can track progress and see where additional support might help.” 3. Offer Constructive, Specific Feedback Focus on areas for improvement: Provide specific examples of where performance is falling short, but frame it as an opportunity for growth. Example: “I’ve noticed that some of your learners are not meeting their expected progress. Maybe we could explore different strategies to support their learning.” 4. Create an Action Plan Set clear goals: Work together to create a step-by-step plan for improving performance, with concrete actions and timelines. This could include observing other assessors or attending training. Example: “Let’s set up a plan where we can focus on improving learner engagement in assessments over the next month. I can arrange some peer observations or mentoring sessions.” 5. Provide Resources and Support Offer practical help: Share tools, resources, or techniques that could help the assessor meet their KPIs. This could involve recommending professional development opportunities or pairing them with a peer mentor. Example: “I think attending this workshop on formative assessment techniques could be really helpful. I can also arrange some mentoring with another team member who excels in this area.” 6. Model Best Practices Demonstrate successful strategies: Offer to demonstrate key techniques, such as managing assessment schedules or delivering effective feedback, so they can observe and learn. Example: “I’d be happy to show you how I approach feedback with my learners. We can work through a sample together and see if that approach might work for you.” 7. Encourage Reflection Promote self-assessment: Ask the assessor to reflect on what’s working and what isn’t. Reflection helps them identify their own areas for improvement and promotes accountability. Example: “What do you think is the main challenge you’ve been facing with this group of learners? Let’s brainstorm together how we can tackle it.” 8. Focus on Strengths Build confidence: Highlight what they’re already doing well and build on their strengths. This reinforces positive behaviour and boosts morale. Example: “You’re really good at building rapport with learners—let’s see how we can use that strength to help guide them more effectively through their assessments.” 9. Monitor Progress and Provide Ongoing Feedback Check in regularly: Schedule regular follow-ups to track progress, offer further guidance, and adjust the plan if necessary. Consistency in support is key to long-term improvement. Example: “Let’s check back in two weeks to review how things are going and make adjustments to the action plan if needed.” 10. Stay Positive and Patient Be supportive: Improvement can take time, so be patient and offer encouragement along the way. Celebrate small wins to keep the assessor motivated. Example: “I can see you’re putting in a lot of effort. Don’t worry, we’ll get there step by step. You’re making great progress!” By offering practical, supportive guidance and creating a clear plan of action, as an Internal Quality Assessor you can help team members overcome challenges and improve their effectiveness, while maintaining a positive and professional working environment.