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Preparing for external verification

visits
A guide for Edexcel International Centres





























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January 2006
Guide for International Centres
delivered local ly, recognised global ly



Edexcel Limited is one of the leading examining and awarding bodies in the UK and
throughout the world. It incorporates all the qualifications previously awarded under
the Edexcel and BTEC brands. We provide a wide range of qualifications including
general (academic), vocational, occupational and specific programmes for employers.
Through a network of UK and overseas offices, our centres receive the support they
need to help them deliver their education and training programmes to learners.
For further information please call Customer Services on +44 1908 847750
(calls may be recorded for training purposes) or visit our website at
www.edexcel-international.org


















References to third-party material made in this specification are made in good faith.
Edexcel does not endorse, approve or accept responsibility for the content of
materials, which may be subject to change, or any opinions expressed therein.
(Material may include textbooks, journals, magazines and other publications and
websites.)


Authorised by Michael Swan
Prepared by John Caffyn
All the material in this publication is copyright
Edexcel Limited 2005



Contents

Introduction 1
Purpose of external verification 1
Planning the visit 2
The day of the visit 4
What the External Verifier will expect to do and see 5
What the centre can expect from its External Verifier 5
Reporting back to centres 6
Other matters 9
Sources of information 10





Preparing for external verification visits A guide for Edexcel International Centres Issue 1 January 2006
1
Introduction
This guide is designed to help centres prepare for the visits by an External Verifier. It
contains explanations of what should happen. It explains why and how things should
be done. It describes the purposes of external verification and what External
Verifiers need and expect. The guide describes what centres can do to make sure
that external verification runs smoothly and makes life less stressful.
Purpose of external verification
BTEC qualifications are vocational awards. They are designed for learners who are at
work, preparing to start work or to further their studies. Learners have to learn about
the industry in which they want to work so there are units that are taught and
assessed that focus on the different aspects of the subject.
There are no national examinations set by Edexcel for BTEC First, National, Higher
National or Customised awards in the UK or internationally. It is the responsibility of
the assessors and the Internal Verifiers who work in a centre to make sure that the
qualification guidelines are being followed and that assessments designed and used
by schools, colleges and training centres meet the requirements set out in the
qualification specifications. The External Verifier makes an independent judgement
about whether these things are happening in a centre.
The External Verifier is the person appointed by Edexcel to check these qualification
requirements are being met and that the learner work presented is of a suitable
standard. The External Verifier must make judgements about the work presented and
insist on changes if work does not meet the required standard.
The External Verifier normally visits a centre twice a year and will see only a small
proportion of all the work done so it is important to organise visits to make the best
use of the limited time available.
The main job of the External Verifier is to check:
the assignment briefs to make sure they allow the learners to meet the
assessment criteria and the outcomes
the learner work to see that learners have met the assessment criteria and the
outcomes
that assessors are assessing and grading work accurately
that the internal verification system exists and is being used to maintain the
quality of assessment practice in a centre
there are enough good quality resources to teach the programme.
Look at the qualification report form (QRF) to see what the External Verifier has to
report on.
Preparing for external verification visits A guide for Edexcel International Centres Issue 1 January 2006
2
Planning the visit
If a centre knows what an External Verifier has to do then this information helps in
the preparation for a visit. Check the International External Verifiers Handbook on
the website to see the full details of what an External Verifier has to do.
Before each visit the External Verifier must send a visit plan to the centre. The visit
plan may come directly to the centre but it is more likely to come through the
Regional Office. The Regional Office will want to make sure that all the practical
aspects of the visit will be in place. The external verification plan will list the things
the External Verifier wants to do on the day of the visit. Centres can plan for the visit
ahead of knowing the exact date because there are particular things that must
always happen. For example, are all the assignment briefs verified and is the master
file of assignments up to date? This file is needed at every visit.
Naturally staff will be anxious. Remember that almost everything that the External
Verifier will want should already exist. It is just a matter of gathering it all together
and letting everybody know what is expected of them on the day of the visit.
A planning schedule helps to make life easier. A typical visit planner is shown below.
The items in dark type are the most important items.


Preparing for external verification visits A guide for Edexcel International Centres Issue 1 January 2006
3
Planning the visit
Planning for the external verification visit
What is needed and what is to be done?
Who is
responsible?
Done
(Yes/No)
The External Verifiers plan. eg Programme
Manager to get
the EV plan

Assignment briefs that have been internally verified. eg internal
verifier

Internal verification records for the assignment briefs. and so on
All assessed learner work completed since the last visit.
Internal verification plan for sampling learner work.
Internal verification records for the learner work that has
been sampled.

Action plan from the last External Verifier visit with
responses to the plan.

Ensure assessment records are complete and up to date.
Requests from the Regional Office.
Check learner registration details.
Check administrative records are up to date.
Check the programme definitions.
Obtain the travel and accommodation arrangements of the
External Verifier.

Book transport to collect the External Verifier.
Arrange visit to see resources.
Organise the learner meeting.
Brief the staff.
Organise the staff meeting.
Brief the learners.
Book the rooms.
Notify the senior staff.
Arrange the refreshments/lunch.
Prepare the schedule for the day.
Send the schedule to the EV and the Regional Office.
Assemble and organise the materials in the room to be used
for the visit.

Collect the External Verifier.
Return the External Verifier.
Preparing for external verification visits A guide for Edexcel International Centres Issue 1 January 2006
4
The day of the visit
The day of the visit is an important day. Everyone will be anxious and will want the
visit to go well. After collecting the External Verifier and before arriving at the
centre, give the External Verifier the plan for the day and check that it is
acceptable. Last minute adjustments may be made to the plan.
Remember that the External Verifier is going to spend most of the time checking
assessment practice. It is not expected that all the senior staff will need to meet the
External Verifier and exchange greetings. The formal introductions should take no
more than 15 to 20 minutes and the real work of the day should begin within the first
half an hour.
Hosts are naturally attentive but that does not mean someone has to be with the
External Verifier all day long. External verification has to be undertaken partly in
private and all External Verifiers are happy to be left alone during sampling sessions
to get on with their work. Obviously check from time to time to see whether anything
is needed. External Verifiers will ask if they want something from the centre whether
it is information or another glass of water.
External Verifiers know staff have their regular jobs to do. Please do not cancel
classes and put staff on standby. It raises everybodys stress level unnecessarily.
Discussions with staff are conversations between equals. They are not inquisitions.
Those discussions can take place at break times and in the meeting with staff.
Lunch should be a low-key event. The first time a visit is made then perhaps it might
be a more formal occasion but lunch should not take more than an hour, otherwise it
begins to use up verification time.
Try not to be too eager to ask the External Verifier for information about how the
day is going. An innocent question like, Will we be getting a better grade based on
what you have seen so far? begins to put pressure on an External Verifier. Even at
the end of the day, the External Verifier will want to think about everything that has
been seen before making a final judgement.
Make sure meetings run to time and do not be afraid to keep the day on track by
tactfully reminding everyone when the next event is scheduled. The day may be
extended if extra discussion time is needed.
The feedback session is formal. The External Verifier will give spoken feedback at the
end of the visit and will include the action points that need to be agreed by staff in
the centre. These same points will be made in the written report (QRF). The External
Verifier will normally assure the centre that the two reports will be consistent and
that it is the written report which provides the point of reference for action.
Staff can, of course, correct any inaccuracies and can comment on what has been
said.

Preparing for external verification visits A guide for Edexcel International Centres Issue 1 January 2006
5
What the External Verifier will expect to do and
see
External Verifiers will be anticipating the visit with some of the same feelings as staff
in centres. They all know what it is like to be on the other side of the fence and to
be subjected to external verification. All verifiers have been chosen for their subject
experience, their knowledge of Edexcel systems and processes, their familiarity with
assessment and their personal qualities as professional educators.
External Verifiers want their plans to be fulfilled. They do recognise the need to
be flexible and will find practical solutions to practical problems on the day of
the visit if unexpected events occur. Everything identified in the plan should
happen.
External Verifiers want all the assessment and internal verification materials to
be available and to be organised so they can be worked through quickly and
accurately.
External Verifiers want staff in centres to be open about what is happening in the
centre.
External Verifiers want a comfortable environment in which to work during the
visit.
What the centre can expect from its External
Verifier
In return, centres can have expectations of their External Verifiers.
External Verifiers will be organised and prepared to do their job.
External Verifiers will behave professionally and courteously in their dealings with
all staff.
External Verifiers will make judgements about centres based only on the evidence
that is available.
External Verifiers will report accurately and quickly following the visit.
External Verifiers will respond to communication from the centre between visits.
External Verifiers will be supportive of centres and their work.
Preparing for external verification visits A guide for Edexcel International Centres Issue 1 January 2006
6
Reporting back to centres
Feedback is provided verbally at a meeting at the end of the visit. This will include
the action points that need to be completed before the next visit. The action points
are agreed with the centre staff.
External Verifiers will produce a written qualification report form (QRF) following the
visit. This will be emailed directly to the centre after the External Verifier has
returned home, so it may take 1020 days. The External Verifier will say when the
report will be in the centre. The centre should contact the External Verifier if the
report has not arrived by the agreed date. The report should have no surprises. The
comments in the report must agree with the comments made on the day.
The report also goes to the Edexcel Regional Office and to the international team in
London. Regional and central staff will liaise with the centre to check progress on
matters raised in the report. Centres should have regular contact with the regional
staff throughout the year.
Action points need to be worked on from the day following the visit.
External Verifiers will usually leave their email address with a centre. This will allow
direct communication to take place between visits. The External Verifier will be
happy to answer queries, but remember that you cannot ask for any further sampling
or any change to the External Verifiers decisions.
At the following visit the action points from any earlier reports will be followed up.
A possible schedule for a visit is shown below.




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Preparing for external verification visits A guide for Edexcel International Centres Issue 1 January 2006
9
Other matters
The External Verifier has a specific job to do. The best use must be made of the
limited time available.
Centres may want to arrange transport for External Verifiers by collecting them at
the start of the day and returning them at the end of the day. This is considerate and
acceptable. Some External Verifiers will be happy to make their own travel
arrangements to a centre and enjoy the local rush hour bus service.
When an External Verifier is newly appointed to a centre it is normal for there to be
time spent meeting senior staff and making formal introductions. Subsequent visits
require less time spent on these formal meetings. The External Verifier will not mind
when later visits begin with acquaintances being briefly re-established. However, if it
is the custom to be met by senior staff every time a visit is made then this is
acceptable.
Centres should provide somewhere comfortable for the External Verifier to work with
electrical power. Refreshments are always acceptable but these should be what
centre staff normally have during the day. Water, tea, coffee and biscuits are usual.
Lunch may be a formal occasion on the first visit. On subsequent visits, lunch can be
less formal although it is recognised that a centre may want to use lunch as an
opportunity for senior staff to talk to the External Verifier. Some External Verifiers
may be happy to make their own arrangements for lunch.
Gifts should not be given to External Verifiers. Nor are they expected. Sometimes
centres have friendship gifts such as inscribed pens or booklets about the centre and
an External Verifier will accept these if it is the custom to give them. Otherwise
transport and refreshments are more than acceptable tokens of a centres wish to be
courteous, friendly and hospitable and to have a good working relationship with its
External Verifier.
Planned visits should offer no surprises either to the External Verifier or to the
centre. If there are problems, tell the External Verifier and/or the Regional Office
rather than try to hide them and hope they are not discovered. Problems usually have
a habit of being discovered.
Preparing for external verification visits A guide for Edexcel International Centres Issue 1 January 2006
10
Sources of information
The following are useful sources of information when preparing for an external
verification visit. It helps to be familiar with what is available.
The External Verifiers visit plan
This will be sent before every visit and will list the main requirements for the day
of the visit. It may come directly from the External Verifier or through the
Regional Office. It is something a centre can discuss with an External Verifier
before a visit takes place.
The International External Verifiers Handbook
The International External Verifiers Handbook is available on the Edexcel
website. It is a useful document. It lists all the things an External Verifier is
expected to do. It will help a centre plan for the visit.
The Qualification Report Form (QRF)
New centres should look at the Qualification Report Form (QRF) available on the
Edexcel website. It shows a centre what the External Verifiers report on. It
sometimes changes so it is worth looking at every year to see if there have been
any changes. Existing centres need to have the last completed QRFs available to
discuss with the External Verifier on the day of the visit.
The Edexcel websites
Edexcels main website is www.edexcel.org.uk. There is a specific site, linked to
this, for international operations. Further websites are Edexcel Online, for
learner and programme information, and Edexcel Oncourse, detailed support for
individual BTEC qualifications.
The External Verifier
The External Verifier can have contact with centres between visits using email. It
may be useful to discuss topics that cannot be left until the day of the visit. An
External Verifier would look at a new assignment, for example before it was given
to learners. Get the EVs email address.
The staff in the Regional Office
The staff in the Regional Office will help with all day-to-day operational matters.
The Regional Office is normally the first place to go to get help if there are
problems. Have the contact names, numbers and addresses for the regional staff.
The BTEC International staff in London
The BTEC International staff in London manage international operations. A centre
would only contact London-based staff if advised to do so by regional staff.


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January 2006

For more information on Edexcel and BTEC qualifications please contact
Customer Services on 0870 240 9800
or http://enquiries.edexcel.org.uk
or visit our website: www.edexcel.org.uk

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Registered Office: One90 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BH

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