Centre Handbook 2018 19 - 2.2.4

RSL VOCATIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS
CENTRE HANDBOOK
2018/19
RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 1

Document Change History
This is version 2.2 of the RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook. This version
replaces all previous ones, and it is each centre’s responsibility to ensure that all staff
involved in the provision of RSL qualifications and/or assessments familiarise themselves
with this version of the document.
This document is subject to revision and is maintained electronically.
New sections are identified as NEW and updated sections are identified as UPDATED
Table of Contents
RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook ..........................................................................................................7
Purpose .................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
Centre Responsibilities .....................................................................................................................................................................7
Centre roles .......................................................................................................................................................................................................7
The Quality Representative NEW ................................................................................................................................................7
The Assessor ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
The Internal Verifier ........................................................................................................................................................................... 8
The Centre Approval Process UPDATED........................................................................................................................................ 9
Centre approval ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
What is a centre? .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
The approval process........................................................................................................................................................................ 9
Centres with Direct Claims Status or centre approval with another awarding
organisation ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
The Centre Approval Form ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
1. Centre Details ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10
2. Contact Details .................................................................................................................................................................... 10
3. Qualification Registration Details ........................................................................................................................ 11
4. Approval with other Awarding Organisations ......................................................................................... 11
6. Policies and Procedures............................................................................................................................................... 11
7. Centre Agreement ............................................................................................................................................................ 15
Centre Administration NEW................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Centre Agreement ............................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Finance ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Change of details ................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Staff members / system users ............................................................................................................................................... 16
Withdrawal................................................................................................................................................................................................ 17
Withdrawal by the Centre ..................................................................................................................................................... 17
Withdrawal by RSL ...................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Delivering RSL Qualifications UPDATED ....................................................................................................................................... 17
Registration of learners with RSL ........................................................................................................................................ 17
FAQs about Registration .............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Producing the Assessment and Internal Verification Plan...........................................................................18
What is an Assessment and Internal Verification Plan? ...........................................................................18
The assessment plan .................................................................................................................................................................18
Planning Internal Assessment................................................................................................................................................. 19
Preparing for internal assessment:............................................................................................................................. 20
Timetabling Assessment: ..................................................................................................................................................... 20
Levels of Control .......................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Creating an appropriate Quality Assurance Plan for a centre visit ....................................................... 21
Centre Monitoring UPDATED .................................................................................................................................................................. 21
The External Quality Assurance Process NEW............................................................................................................. 21
Term One RSL Quality Processes .................................................................................................................................. 21
Centre assignment brief monitoring ............................................................................................................................... 27
Accessibility ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 27
Validity .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 27
Reliability .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 28
Comparability ................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Reading the Assignment Brief Monitoring Form................................................................................................. 28
Agreement with the brief ..................................................................................................................................................... 28
Disagreement with the brief.............................................................................................................................................. 28
Internal Verification ......................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Where to find support and guidance......................................................................................................................... 29
External Quality Assurance ....................................................................................................................................................... 29
External Quality Assurance Processes ..................................................................................................................... 29
Where to find support and guidance......................................................................................................................... 33
Administrative Requirements .......................................................................................................................................... 34
Standards for the Submission of Work......................................................................................................................... 34
Internally Assessed Units ............................................................................................................................................................ 34
Externally Assessed Units .......................................................................................................................................................... 35
Sanctions ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 35
The investigation process for vocational qualifications ................................................................................ 35
What is investigated? ............................................................................................................................................................... 36
The outcomes of investigation ....................................................................................................................................... 36
Advice and Guidance NEW................................................................................................................................................................... 37

Internal Assessment NEW............................................................................................................................................................... 37
Creating an assignment brief ............................................................................................................................................ 37
What are assignment briefs?............................................................................................................................................ 37
Writing assignment briefs:................................................................................................................................................... 37
Verifying Assignment Briefs: ............................................................................................................................................. 38
Assessment best practice .......................................................................................................................................................... 39
Marking Learner Work.................................................................................................................................................................. 39
Setting and Using Deadlines ................................................................................................................................................... 40
Authenticating Learner Work ............................................................................................................................................... 40
Meeting the Assessment Criteria....................................................................................................................................... 40
Providing Feedback to your Learners.............................................................................................................................41
Common Issues in Grading ........................................................................................................................................................41
What to expect from External Quality Assurance ..............................................................................................42
Getting a Moderated Grade......................................................................................................................................................42
What do External Quality Assurers expect to see as internal verification evidence? ....... 43
What if there is no internal verification? ..................................................................................................................... 43
Controlled External Assessment NEW ...................................................................................................................................... 43
What is Controlled External Assessment? ................................................................................................................. 43
Which Units are Externally Assessed? .......................................................................................................................... 44
Music Practitioner Certificate Level 1 ...................................................................................................................... 44
Music Practitioner Certificate Level 2 ..................................................................................................................... 44
Music Practitioner Subsidiary Diploma Level 3............................................................................................... 44
Music Practitioner Extended Diploma Level 3................................................................................................. 44
Creative and Performing Arts Certificate Level 1 ......................................................................................... 44
Creative and Performing Arts Certificate Level 2 ........................................................................................ 44
Creative and Performing Arts Diploma Level 3 .............................................................................................. 44
Creative and Performing Arts Extended Diploma Level 3.................................................................... 44
Running External Assessment .............................................................................................................................................. 44
Preparing before the Controlled External Assessment: ......................................................................... 45
Timetabling Assessment: ...................................................................................................................................................... 45
Levels of Control ........................................................................................................................................................................... 45
Supporting learners prior to Controlled External Assessment:.............................................................. 46
During the Controlled External Assessment:............................................................................................................ 47
After Controlled External Assessment........................................................................................................................... 47
Submission of Learners’ work .......................................................................................................................................... 47
Special considerations: ................................................................................................................................................................ 48

Loss of work .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 48
https://www.rslawards.com/about-us/policies-regulations/ ......................................................................... 48
Absence from Controlled External Assessment ............................................................................................ 48
Illness during Controlled External Assessment ............................................................................................... 48
Learners unable to complete a task within a specified window ..................................................... 48
Malpractice ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 48
Resits ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 49
Retakes ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 49
Guidance and Support for Internal Verification NEW ................................................................................................ 49
Internal Verification Procedures ........................................................................................................................................ 49
The Allocation of Internal Assessors......................................................................................................................... 49
Who is involved in the delivery of the qualification(s)?........................................................................... 49
The Process of Verification: Learner’s Work NEW ..................................................................................................... 49
Planning, Tracking and Verifying Assessment ...................................................................................................... 49
Centre-Wide Sampling Strategy Guidance ...................................................................................................................... 51
Experienced Assessors: .......................................................................................................................................................... 52
Example Interim Sampling Strategy ................................................................................................................................ 52
Summative Sampling ..................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Centre Wide Sampling .................................................................................................................................................................. 53
Administrative Requirements ................................................................................................................................................ 54
Internal Verification Sampling Plan................................................................................................................................... 54
Internal Verifier’s Report ............................................................................................................................................................. 54
The Process of Verification: Monitoring and Development of Assessment Staff NEW .......... 54
Internal Verification Assessor Observation General Guidance ............................................................... 55
Developing and Supporting Assessors .......................................................................................................................... 55
Professional Updates ..................................................................................................................................................................... 56
The Process of Verification: Assignment Briefs NEW .............................................................................................. 57
Centre Visits NEW......................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
What is a centre visit?.................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Purpose of the Centre Visit ...................................................................................................................................................... 58
Length of the Centre Visit: ......................................................................................................................................................... 58
Structure of a Centre Visit ......................................................................................................................................................... 58
Sampling documentation: .......................................................................................................................................................... 58
Prior to the Visit ................................................................................................................................................................................... 58
Confirmation of the Visit ....................................................................................................................................................... 58
Preparation for the Visit ........................................................................................................................................................ 58

On the Day of the Visit................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Feedback on the day of the visit......................................................................................................................................... 60
Feedback following the day of the visit ....................................................................................................................... 60
Issuing Results NEW .................................................................................................................................................................................. 60
The RSL Assessment Board.................................................................................................................................................... 60
Resits and deadlines ....................................................................................................................................................................... 60
Certification............................................................................................................................................................................................ 60
Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations UPDATED ......................................................................... 61
Reasonable Adjustments ............................................................................................................................................................ 61
RSL Requirements for Policy/Procedure............................................................................................................... 61
RSL Requirements for Evidence of Reasonable Adjustments .......................................................... 61
Special Considerations .................................................................................................................................................................. 62
Appeals UPDATED ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 62
Complaints UPDATED .................................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Support for centres NEW ...................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Allocated External Quality Assurers.................................................................................................................................. 63
RSL Support Site (www.rslawards-education.com) ......................................................................................... 64
RSL ‘How to Guides’ ........................................................................................................................................................................ 64
Consultation and Training Events ...................................................................................................................................... 64
Appendix 1: Qualification fees ...................................................................................................................................................... 71
Appendix 2: Centre fees NEW.......................................................................................................................................................... 71
Appendix 3: Administration and additional fees NEW ................................................................................................ 72

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook
Purpose
This handbook is designed to act as a reference manual to support you in the delivery of
RSL Vocational Qualifications (VQ). It is intended to provide advice and guidance for
centres starting to deliver RSL qualifications and throughout delivery. It will support the
administration and delivery of assessment and internal verification.
Centre Responsibilities
A centre is defined as an organisation undertaking the delivery of an assessment (and
potentially other activities) to learners on behalf of an awarding organisation. Centres are
typically educational institutions, training providers or employers.
RSL Vocational Centres carry out a number of assessment activities within the centre and
RSL externally quality assures these to ensure that standards are met. Some Vocational
Centres also put on external assessment activities on behalf of RSL as part of their
provision.
All centres are required to gain centre approval and have in place a signed contract prior
to the delivery of any teaching or assessment of the RSL qualification specifications.
All centres are required to abide by the centre agreement issued at the point at which
they have been granted approval.
Centre roles
Centres are required to have a number of staff within the centre who undertake specific
roles in the delivery of RSL qualifications:
The Quality Representative NEW

This is the person who has responsibility for managing the assessment and quality
assurance processes at the centre. As the main centre contact for RSL, he or she acts as
the centre co-ordinator with responsibility for centre management and administration,
including the control of learner evidence and records, requests for the certification of
learners and liaison with centre staff.
The Quality Representative:
• Oversees the quality assurance activities and adherence to RSL policies and
procedures.
• Liaises with RSL on all issues, including registration, certification, assessment,
quality assurance and the external quality assurance of work.
• Co-ordinates assessment arrangements for both internally and externally
assessed units, including allocation of tutors and internal verifiers.
• Monitors progress of all candidates on the award.
• Maintains up-to-date records of sampling activity and ensures that these are
available for the purposes of External Quality Assurance.
• Ensures that any remedial actions required by RSL are implemented within agreed
timescales.

• Takes responsibility for overall monitoring of internal verification and assessment
practice in the centre.
• Supply RSL with the signed Statement of Quality Assurance, signed by the most
senior member of the centre’s academic management team.
The Assessor
An assessor designs, adapts and delivers assessment materials such as assignment briefs.
An assessor makes judgements about a learner’s performance in relation to the
assessment and grading criteria in accordance with the centre’s delivery plan.
An assessor:
• Maintains an appropriate audit trail for the delivery, judgement and feedback in
relation to RSL standards.
• Maintains an accurate record of learner achievement.
• Manages the resubmission and resits in relation to their learners.
Assessors and learners must confirm in writing that the evidence presented is authentic
and that the assessment was conducted in accordance with the assessment
requirements of the qualification. This could be a signed candidate statement.
Centres are required to ensure that assessors have subject expertise and are suitably
qualified and that they attend periodic standardisation meetings convened by the centre
to improve practice and discuss standardisation of judgements.
The Internal Verifier

The role of the Internal Verifier is to:
• Supply all documentary evidence required for assuring RSL’s requirements for
academic governance as stated in the RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre
Handbook.
• Regularly sample evidence of assessment decisions made by all assessors across
all aspects of VQ assessment in order to monitor and ensure consistency in the
interpretation and application of standards within the centre – sampling includes
direct observation of assessment practice.
• Maintain up-to-date records of sampling activity and ensure that these are
available for the purposes of External Quality Assurance.
• Establish procedures to develop a common interpretation of the assessment and
grading criteria between assessors.
• Monitor and support the work of assessors within the centre.
• Facilitate appropriate staff development and training for assessors.
• Provide feedback to RSL External Quality Assurers on the effectiveness of
assessment.
• Ensure that any remedial actions required by RSL are implemented within agreed
timescales.

Internal verifiers may not internally verify evidence they have assessed and must be
familiar with the content of RSL vocational qualifications and their delivery as well as
subject specific knowledge.
If a centre has more than four assessors or more than one delivery site, it may prove
advantageous to have a lead internal verifier.
The Centre Approval Process UPDATED

Centre approval
RSL vocational qualifications are only delivered by authorised centres. These centres
deliver training and carry out a number of assessment activities themselves, which RSL
monitors and externally quality assures to ensure that accurate grading is made by the
centre assessors assessing to the correct standards.
What is a centre?
A centre is defined as “an organisation undertaking the delivery of vocational training and
assessment (and potentially other activities) to learners on behalf of an awarding
organisation. Centres are typically educational institutions, training providers or
employers”. 1
The approval process

Any centre wishing to be approved by RSL must complete a Centre Approval Application
Form and submit this to RSL for consideration, along with all required supporting
documentation.
On receipt of the application RSL will endeavour to process and respond within 28 days
and may request further documentation to evidence the pre-requisite conditions detailed
in the RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook. Centres that are new to vocational
education may require a mandatory centre visit.
Centres with Direct Claims Status or centre approval with another awarding
organisation
If a centre wishing to apply to RSL already has approval or Direct Claims Status with
another awarding organisation recognised by Ofqual, and their Approval Form and
policies satisfy RSL’s requirements, they will not require a visit prior to approval.
Any centre wishing to be approved by RSL with no evidence of delivering regulated
qualifications will receive a mandatory site visit prior to approval being granted.
Additionally, any centre failing to satisfy any of RSL’s requirements to become a centre
will require a site visit prior to approval.
1
Conditions of Recognition (published by Ofqual, June 2016)

Once the form has been checked, where necessary, RSL will contact the centre to set up
a site visit.
The purpose of this the site visit is to ensure that the centre has appropriate resources to
deliver a high-quality learner experience, has the appropriate staffing to carry out the
assessment of its qualifications and systems in place to comply with RSL’s quality
assurance requirements.
After the site visit, the RSL representative will report on whether they feel the centre
should be approved or not. RSL will let the centre know within 10 working days of the site
visit whether it has been approved.
The Centre Approval Form

RSL staff will check the application form to confirm that the following information is
present:
1. Centre Details
This section needs to be completed with your centre’s name, address and a contact
telephone number.
If your centre is a registered company, the company number and the country in which
the centre is registered should be given.
Type of centre – If your centre is a University, College, School, Training Provider,

Company or another type of organisation.
Satellite centres – If assessment takes place over more than one site – for example if
there are separate campuses or locations where learners are being assessed.
Third parties – If your centre is going to be working with partner organisations who will
be undertaking some of the delivery, assessment or quality assurance. Disclosure of sub-
contracting must be explicit and will be subject to RSL Quality Assurance checks. We will
need to know what type of arrangement is in place and who has responsibility for
assessment and quality assurance. Any such party must be equally bound by RSL’s terms
of academic governance as stated in the Centre Approval Application form and RSL
Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook.
2. Contact Details
Main contact – Your centre must nominate a Quality Representative as the single named
point of accountability for the quality assurance and management of the units and
qualifications. This person is responsible for liaising with RSL during the recognition
process and will be the main point of contact with RSL once approved.

3. Qualification Registration Details
Name all of the qualifications from our vocational qualifications suite that you intend to
deliver at your centre. These qualifications should wherever possible be named with their
official titles (for example 601/7691/X RSL Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma for Music
Practitioners (RQF)). You may change the qualifications you wish to deliver once you have
been approved as a centre but only once having notified RSL of these proposed changes
in advance of delivery. RSL also need to confirm if you intend to deliver qualifications on
Performance Tables to ensure that external assessment can be correctly administered.
Please list the number of learners you wish to register on our qualification and the start
date of delivery for each qualification type.
4. Approval with other Awarding Organisations

If your centre is approved by any other recognised awarding organisation they need to
have evidence of a track record of approval.
If they are approved by multiple awarding organisations they will need to list all
organisations who can provide evidence of approval.
5. Staffing
Your centre will need to demonstrate that there are appropriate staffing levels available
within the centre which will include at least one assessor and one internal verifier. If the
centre is a one-person department, an appropriately qualified Internal Verifier could be
found within another department within the centre. If this is not possible, then an
arrangement could be created with a local centre also delivering RSL qualifications.
6. Policies and Procedures

Centres must send copies of their policies as outlined in the Centre Approval Application
Form and this Handbook to allow RSL to assess the risk and inform the approval decision.
Please see below for guidance on how to respond to this section:

Centre approval requirement (to Explanation
comply with Condition C2.1 of the
Conditions of Recognition June 2016)
A centre:
Has the staff, resources and systems Evidence required to show that the centre
necessary to support the assessment of has adequate numbers of trained
units and the award, accumulation and assessors and processes to standardise
transfer of credits and, where necessary, them as well as the supporting
the recording of exemptions. administrative systems and resources to
deliver a programme that supports learner
achievement. This includes evidence of
an Internal Verification (IV) process.
Evidence required to show that the centre
has specialist equipment and resources
for learners where this is required.
Has arrangements that allow for Centres should provide evidence that they
recognition of prior learning (RPL). have a policy and systems in place to
recognise achievements or learning that
could contribute to the achievement of a
qualification.
To assist RSL in carrying out any This includes:

reasonable monitoring activities and in Taking part in External Quality Assurance
any regulatory investigations. activities as directed by RSL.
Providing evidence of the resources,
systems and staffing at the point of centre
approval and annually during registration.
To contribute to any investigations
undertaken by RSL into malpractice
and/or maladministration.
To provide a sufficient audit trail of
assessment and quality assurance for
each individual learner in order to gain
certification.
Can deliver the qualification in accordance Equalities Law refers to legislation in

with Equalities Law. England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Centres offering RSL qualifications in
these countries should provide evidence
to show that they can comply with
Equalities Law requirements.
Centres are required to have sufficient
evidence of policy and procedure in place
to ensure that this requirement is met.

Has a complaints handling and/or an Evidence should be provided that the
appeals procedure for the benefit of Centre is able to undertake initial
learners. investigations into any complaints or
appeals made by learners and to inform
RSL of these. Policy and procedure need
to be in place for the following:
• Complaints
• Appeals
• Reasonable Adjustments for
external assessment
Policy on external assessment practice
which includes how the centre intends to
ensure supervised conditions for all RSL
externally assessed units.
Comply with RSL requirements for A confirmation that the centre will inform
withdrawing their status as a centre and RSL of any intention to withdraw as an
protect the interests of learners in doing approved centre and follow the
so. procedures set out in the RSL Vocational
Qualifications Centre Handbook .
In the light of the Ofqual requirements mentioned above, RSL requires centres to present
current, relevant documents where evidence is required. This must include:
Requirement for gaining and Reason

maintaining Centre Approval
1. Equal opportunities policy or A direct requirement both of law and of
statement Ofqual. Ensures that RSL are confident
in the equality practice of the centre.
2. Evidence of sufficient staff expertise RSL requires evidence that there are
in assessment (qualifications, TAQA sufficient staff with the required subject
Enrolment, Experience and roles) and assessment expertise to prevent
learners being disadvantaged. RSL also
requires evidence that there are
sufficient staff with internal verification
expertise. We require that centres have
at least one assessor and one internal
verifier in order to meet the standards,
however centres may enter into
arrangements with other RSL approved
centres to provide internal verification.
3. Safeguarding policy A direct requirement of centres by law.
It also demonstrates to RSL that the
centre poses minimal risk to vulnerable
learners.
4. Procedures for dealing with A direct requirement placed upon
complaints and appeals within the centres by Ofqual. This will be reviewed
centre through the External Quality Assurance
process.

5. Assessment Policy RSL need, prior to approval, to
understand how the centre intends to
assess its learners.
6. Quality Assurance policy including the RSL needs to ensure that all its centres
standardisation and internal have adequate internal verification and
verification of assignment briefs and quality assurance processes and
assessment practice. (If you are procedures in place. The majority of
delivering performance tables RSL vocational qualifications are
qualifications you will also need to assessed through the centre and
demonstrate your policy for ensuring adequate policy and procedure are
and recording employer involvement required to ensure that the quality of
for EVERY learner) assessment can be maintained and
improved over time. All centres
delivering RSL technical qualifications
are required to demonstrate how they
have facilitated employer involvement
for every learner. This is a requirement
of the DfE.
7. Organisational chart showing lines of This provides RSL External Quality
responsibility within the centre Assurers with information on who is
involved in programme delivery,
assessment and internal verification and
will play an integral part of the centre
visit process and support given to the
centre.
8. Policies and procedures for checking This is a direct requirement from Ofqual.
and confirming any prior RPL benefits learners who have already
achievements gained by learners that undertaken some study, however, it
could count towards achievement of a should be noted that RPL between
qualification. different types of vocational
qualification requires considerable
evidence to demonstrate how the
learner met the standard. Please refer
to the RSL How to Guide No 10
Recognising Prior Learning.
9. Details of any partnership This is a direct requirement from Ofqual.
arrangements with third parties RSL needs to minimise the risk posed by
RSL centres subcontracting to other
providers. Further scrutiny will be
undertaken by RSL of any partners
identified.
10. Signed Centre Agreement This is a formal contract which confirms
approval for centres to be able to deliver
RSL qualifications under specific
conditions.
11. Resources This demonstrates that there is access
to sufficient resources for all learners, a
requirement placed upon centres by RSL

to ensure that learners are not
disadvantaged by centres. Resources
refer for example to computers with
appropriate software, venues for
performance etc. This does not refer to
teaching materials.
12. Proposed Assessment and Internal Your assessment and Internal
Verification plan Verification plan provides a roadmap for
delivery throughout the year and needs
to include when units/subjects are to be
delivered, when assessment (both
internal and external) take place and the
points for internal verification and
standardisation. These documents also
provide an overview of qualification
delivery and are required by RSL to
assist in the planning of External Quality
Assurance, centre visits and other
external interventions as and when
required. In this regard it is an Ofqual
requirement and ensures that centres do
not disadvantage their learners. A
template for these plans and other
planning support is available from
www.rslawards-education.com. Further
guidance is available on page 7 of this
handbook.
Once approved, centres will be asked to submit an annual statement of compliance to

demonstrate continuing compliance:
o Updated Assessment and Internal Verification plans for each academic
year
o Changes in resourcing, staffing, partnerships or policies and procedures
o Plan for employer involvement for EVERY learner (where applicable)
Further advice and guidance can be found in the RSL How to Guide No 1: Gaining and
Maintaining Centre Approval.
7. Centre Agreement
The main contact should sign and date the form, confirming their name and job title. In
signing the agreement, the centre confirms:
• That it will take all reasonable steps to ensure that RSL is able to comply with the
Conditions of Recognition, as set out by Ofqual and RSL’s Vocational Qualifications
Centre Handbook.
• That it will return an Annual Statement of Compliance as intention to deliver RSL
qualifications prior to each academic year.
• That it acknowledges failure to comply with RSL requirements will result in action
as listed in RSL’s Sanctions Policy

Centre Administration NEW
Centre Agreement
Delivering RSL Vocational Qualifications is subject to the RSL Centre Agreement. Upon
approval, the Centre Agreement is issued to new centres. The Centre Agreement is to be
signed by an Authorised Representative of the Centre and to be returned to RSL. Failure
to do so does not imply that the Centre is not bound by the terms of the Centre
Agreement: Delivering RSL Vocational Qualifications and engaging with RSL’s systems
and processes is subject to the terms of the Centre Agreement and is interpreted as
Acceptance by Conduct.
Finance
Approval as a Centre and delivering RSL Vocational Qualifications is subject to the
following categories of fees:
• Centre approval fees
• Annual centre fees
• Learner registration (qualification) fees
• Administration and additional fees
Please refer to Appendix 1: Qualification fees , Appendix 2: Centre fees and Appendix 3:
Administration and additional fees for details of all fees.
We will invoice learner registration fees and annual centre fees when centres have
registered learners. Administration and additional fees will be invoiced when they are
incurred.
Invoices are generated through the RSL administration system and the Quality
Representative will receive an email notification when a new invoice has been raised. In
order to ensure that only the most up to date version of an invoice is accessed, it will need
to be downloaded as a PDF from the system. The Quality Representative is responsible
for ensuring that the person or department within the centre responsible for accounts
payable receives the invoice and actions the payment. RSL reserve the right to charge
late payment interest at 8% plus the Bank of England base rate if payment is not settled
within 30 days.
Change of details
To advise any change of centre details, for example centre address, please contact the
RSL Vocational Qualifications team via vocational@rslawards.com .
In particular, any change which materially affects the way in which the centre operates
needs to be notified in writing.
Staff members / system users

The Quality Representative is responsible for ensuring that the centre’s appropriate staff
members have access to RSL’s administration system to carry out their duties. The

system enables the Quality Representative to add and manage users for their centre.
Please see separate system guidance for further details.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal by the Centre
If a Centre wishes to no longer deliver RSL Vocational Qualifications and surrender the
Centre Approval, it is required to notify RSL by submitting the completed Withdrawal
Notification Form. The form is available on request from RSL. For further details please
refer to RSL’s Centre Withdrawal Policy published at
https://www.rslawards.com/vocational/deliver-qualifications/ .
Withdrawal by RSL
RSL reserves the right to withdraw Centre Approval and/or qualification approval as set
out in the Centre Agreement. Following such a withdrawal the centre can only resume
delivery RSL qualifications subject to a new centre approval application and after new
approval has been granted.
Delivering RSL Qualifications UPDATED

Registration of learners with RSL
Once approved, centres can register learners for the approved qualification(s). Learners
must be registered on the chosen qualification as soon as possible at the start of a
learning programme. The Key Dates Calendar, available at www.rslawards-
education.com and on the main website at www.rslawards.com indicates the latest dates
for registration. RSL cannot moderate or assess learners who have not been registered.
Failure to register learners will lead to disadvantaging learners and centres will be
potentially subject to formal investigation and sanctions. The RSL Sanctions Policy is
available at www.rslawards.com.
Learners are registered at cloud.rslawards.com. As part of centre approval, your Quality

Representative will have been given a login for the system. The Quality Representative is
able to add other staff members as users.
The Learner Registration process supports both single learner registrations as well as bulk
registrations. There is a 3-step wizard to guide centre staff through the registration
process. For step-by-step instructions for registering learners please refer to the
technical guidance provided at www.rslawards-education.com.
FAQs about Registration
Can I withdraw learners?

Yes, they can be withdrawn. However, if this is done after the date indicated in the Key
Dates Calendar then the centre will not receive a refund. If you are planning to withdraw
a whole cohort, we need written confirmation that the centre has put appropriate
provision in place for those learners so that they are not disadvantaged. This would be in
the form of a VQ Change to Registration Confirmation Form which can be found on our
website here https://www.rslawards.com/about-us/policies-regulations/
How do I change optional units for a learner?
These are changes that need to be carried out by the vocational team at RSL. Please
contact us via vocational@rslawards.com with a change request.
Producing the Assessment and Internal Verification Plan

What is an Assessment and Internal Verification Plan?
An Assessment and Internal Verification Plan is a written plan of how you intend to deliver
RSL qualifications including choice of core units, optional units/pathways etc. It includes
assessment, internal verification and teaching. How you set this up is up to you as a
centre, but RSL will base the External Quality Assurance, centre visit and any formal
review of the practice of the centre on this information. It is strongly recommended
however that a timetable of assessment and quality assurance activities is also included.
The assessment plan

An assessment plan schedules when you both set your assignments and when they are
due.
RSL qualifications contain both internally assessed units and externally assessed units.
You will need to plan both into your Assessment and Internal Verification Plan. Internally
assessed units are those which the centre devises, delivers and for which it internally
verifies assessment. Controlled externally assessed units are those which are devised and
assessed by RSL. These are only part of RSL qualifications on the Performance Tables. If
you are unsure please contact RSL Head Office. The centre is responsible for ensuring
that the learners are able to sit these assessments within the centre during the correct
time and that learner work is submitted in line with regulations.
Internal assessment should be set by unit, however if you choose to deliver units
holistically you may deliver assessments together only if RSL has approved the
assignments. All assignments require that learners are able to demonstrate each
assessment criterion in each unit. Evidence must, in these cases, be presented for
External Quality Assurance unit by unit in line with the External Quality Assurance window
dates in the Key Dates Calendar.
RSL suggest that internal assignments are set throughout the full academic year
however, you are free to timetable your internal assessment at any time within the Key
Dates Calendar and this will obviously be dependent upon your teaching plan.
When planning Controlled External Assessment into your Assessment and Internal
Verification Plan you will need to consider issues such as:

• Do I need to timetable mock assessments?
• How much time will be needed for marking and further teaching prior to
Controlled External Assessment?
• How to ensure that learners understand the regulations for Controlled
External Assessments.
You will need time in the classroom to ensure that all learners understand:
• What ‘supervised conditions’ are and how they will be applied.
• What plagiarism is and the consequences of plagiarised work.
• RSL regulations for submission.
• How to use the assessment criteria and the grading criteria to ensure they
will be able to achieve the best mark.
• How to read an assignment brief.
For a two-year programme, how do you want to plan in the Controlled External
Assessment? Is it something that learners work towards? Or is it something you
feel they can do in their first year? Remember, when planning, Controlled External
Assessment is designed to draw on knowledge and competencies gained
throughout the qualification and will be marked accordingly.
Your External Quality Assurer can support you in your planning either at a centre visit or
through the remote sampling activities that RSL undertakes during the academic year.
Planning Internal Assessment

Each individual centre needs to define its strategy for the delivery of internal assessment.
RSL can provide advice and guidance on this. However, centre policy needs to include
the following:
• Policy on the creation of assignment briefs (content, deadlines, quality assurance

checks etc.) (see How to Guide on Writing Assignment Briefs). Remember that
RSL need to review a one internal assignment brief per qualification delivered
(with accompanying internal verification documentation) prior to any assessments
being undertaken by learners.
• Policy on how unit assessment will be undertaken (combined with other units or
singly) 2
• Rules on resubmissions (number, capping, late submissions etc.)
• The conditions under which internal assessment will be undertaken in the
classroom.
• The quality assurance of the internal assessment process.
2
If you intend to combine units in assessment, learners should be able to achieve all criteria in each unit.
However, evidence MUST be presented to RSL by unit and not by assignment.

Preparing for internal assessment:
Timetabling Assessment:
It is suggested that your assignments are set for the full academic year. This should be
included in your delivery plan. RSL has a Key Dates Calendar which outlines when
External Quality Assurance must take place. As a centre you are free to timetable your
internal assessment at any time within the time specified by RSL.
Levels of Control
There has to be a distinction between teaching/learning and assessment. Your learners
need to understand that internal assessment is subject to conditions
All internal assessment should be conducted as assessment not as part of teaching

and learning.: This means that:
• Learners complete their work within direct sight of the tutor(s) throughout the
assessment.
• Learners may complete their work collaboratively but they have to indicate their
own contribution and that contribution MUST meet ALL assessment criteria in the
specification.
• All work submitted must be attributable to the learner – i.e. video introductions
prior to performance.
• The centre must ensure that learners have access to materials and resources as
required.
• Feedback can be provided to the learner during completion of internal
assignments but must not constitute coaching or teaching in order to ensure that
the work can be authenticated.
• The assessment must be undertaken in the allocated time on the assignment brief.
Supporting learners prior to internal assessment:
Tutors are encouraged to teach to the assessment criteria, enabling learners’ ability to
achieve a Pass or above in each individual assessment. RSL expect that centres will add
stretch and challenge into their sessions to support learners to be able to achieve a
distinction in assessment. Tutors must also ensure that learners understand how
assessment will take place. RSL requires all centres to undertake assessment initially
against the assessment criteria. If these are all met then grading criteria can be applied to
confirm the level of practice/knowledge demonstrated (Pass, Merit, Distinction). Each
unit specification provides specific grading criteria to assist in the differentiation of the
grades. Any learners who have not met all the assessment criteria must be automatically
graded Unclassified.
Internal assessment can also be used for enabling learners to understand the skills and
techniques needed for controlled/external assessment:
• How to respond to a controlled assignment i.e. how to approach an answer

• Techniques of research and making the best use of the time given
• How to present research in a controlled assignment

• Skills of analysis and evaluation
Creating an appropriate Quality Assurance Plan for a centre visit

A quality assurance plan needs to contain all the points of quality assurance activity
throughout the academic year. This can include:
• Sampling points for learner work both formatively and summatively.
• Planned standardisation activities.
• CPD sessions and other forms of support for the assessment team (this can
include development activities on teaching or core subject knowledge and skills
development).
• Observations of assessment throughout the academic year. It should be noted
that this is about the observation of assessment practice not teaching practice.
Centre Monitoring UPDATED

All centres, following approval, are required to participate in monitoring activities
undertaken by RSL. This process is designed to support centres to meet the standards. It
is also closely linked to the RSL Sanctions Policy and centres who have had malpractice or
maladministration identified will be subject to sanctions in order to ensure that learners
are not disadvantaged by their centres.
The monitoring process is based on action planning and review. All activities with the
exception of external assessment are subject to short, medium and long-term action
planning. Centres are required to participate in this process and to disseminate good
practice and continuous improvement to assessment and quality assurance teams.
The External Quality Assurance Process NEW

Term One RSL Quality Processes
In term one, centres must complete the following:
Task How and Where
1 Complete an annual statement to demonstrate Template provided by RSL.
continuing compliance (This annual statement To be uploaded to
will also cover points 2 and 3) rslawards.com by the Quality
Representative.
2 Identify a key point of contact for RSL As point 1
communication (known as a Quality
Representative) and provide their contact details
to RSL
3 Identify an Internal Verifier for each qualification As point 1
being run in the centre.
4 Submit an Assessment and Internal Verification To be uploaded to
Plan rslawards.com by the Quality
Representative
5 Agree both a formative centre visit and Quality Representative with
summative dates for submission of External RSL External Quality Assurer

Quality Assurance with your RSL External Quality
Assurer.
6 Register learners on the qualification at By Exams Officer at
rslawards.com www.rslawards.com
7 To be uploaded to
Submit one assignment brief per qualification
rslawards.com by the Quality
delivered (with accompanying internal
Representative
verification documentation) for External Quality
Assurance.
Must be uploaded before the release of the brief
to learners
8 Plan and carry out one standardisation meeting Evidence to be uploaded to
rslawards.com by the Quality
Representative
The deadlines for these processes are specified in the Key Dates Calendar published via
www.rslawards-education.com and on the main website at www.rslawards.com.
1) Complete an annual statement to demonstrate continuing compliance

• To ensure that RSL have the correct information about centres and that centres
have clarity on the requirements from RSL, the Quality Representative will be
required to complete an annual statement to demonstrate their continuing
compliance with RSL’s rules and regulations. This also provides RSL with a sense
check on staffing and resources for each qualification delivered.
• This will be submitted via rslawards.com, uploaded under the heading ‘Internal
Verification/Quality Assurance Evidence.’ Please ensure the document is titled
‘Annual Statement 1819’ followed by the name of your centre.’
2) Identify a key point of contact for RSL communication (known as a Quality

Representative) and provide their contact details to RSL.
• In order to ensure that communication between centres and RSL is clear and
reaches the appropriate person, a Quality Representative for each centre must
be identified and contact details provided to RSL.
• This role is being introduced to ensure:
 RSL have a main point of contact in each centre
 All communication is received by the centre
 Information is sent only to the people who need it i.e. the Exams Officer does
not receive information about curriculum discussions that are not relevant to
them.
• The choice for Quality Representative is best determined by the centre. In a large
FE college, the most appropriate person may be the Director of Quality. In a small
school, the Head of Music may be the most appropriate. The Quality
Representative has overall responsibility for the quality of the delivery of the
qualification.
• All communication from RSL will be sent to the Quality Representative in the first
instance.

• It is then the responsibility of the Quality Representative to disseminate to the
appropriate operational staff accordingly.
• It is the responsibility of the centre to ensure that if the Quality Representative
changes or if the member of staff leaves, that they update their records with RSL
to ensure that all communication is still received by the centre. Please follow the
below steps in this instance:
 Go to https://www.rslawards.com/create-account and create an account.
 You will be sent a verification email and you need to click the link to complete
the registration process.
 Please then email vocational@rslawards.com with the details of the new
Quality Representative using the subject line ‘New Quality Representative’
followed by your centre name.
 RSL will then link your user account to the Centre Representative for your
centre.
 If you already have a user account, you will not need to set a new one up.
Please just follow the steps from emailing RSL.
• The Quality Representative will be identified within the annual statement (point 1),
uploaded to rslawards.com
3) Identify an internal verifier for the qualification

• Internal verification is an integral part of vocational qualifications and the centre
must provide details on an appropriate Internal Verifier for each qualification you
intend to deliver.
• If the centre is a one-person department, an appropriately qualified Internal
Verifier could be found within another department within the centre. If this is not
possible, then an arrangement could be created with a local centre also delivering
RSL qualifications.
• RSL qualifications cannot be run without an Internal Verifier and centre approval
may be withdrawn if this is not resolved.
• In larger centres, there may be several Internal Verifiers. In this instance, we are
asking for the lead internal verifier to be identified.
• The Internal Verifier will be identified within the annual statement (point 1),
uploaded to rslawards.com
• For more information on internal verification, please see ‘Internal

Verification Support’ section of www.rslawards-education.com and the
How To Guides (HTG), available at www.rslawards-education.com. HTG 2
Conducting IV of VQ.
4) Submit an assessment and internal verification plan

• Centres are required to provide an assessment and internal verification plan at the
start of the academic year for all qualifications that they are delivering.
• The assessment and internal verification plan needs to include:
 When units/subjects are to be delivered.

 When assessment (both internal and external) is to take place. This should also
include plans for resubmissions.
 When internal verification for internally assessed units will take place.
 When standardisation is planned for.
• The plan needs to include specific dates rather than just months/terms/weeks to
allow External Quality Assurers to check that appropriate time is given to
assessment and internal verification and which factor in the key dates calendar as
published by RSL.
• As long as the above information is included, centres are free to use whichever
template they choose. However, if centres would like to use a template, there is
one available at www.rslawards-education.com.
• For more guidance on assessment and internal verification plans, please refer
to the following How To Guides (HTG), available at www.rslawards-
education.com. HTG 2 Conducting IV of VQ, HTG 4 Conducting External
Assessment, HTG 7 Conducting Internal Assessment, HTG 8 Put together a
delivery plan.
The external quality assurance process has 2 stages, each of which check for consistency
and reliability of internal assessor judgements. The process is designed to flag any
discrepancies or issues with a centre’s ability to maintain the standards required by RSL.
This is designed to be a supportive process and will predominantly be managed by your
allocated centre’s External Quality Assurer. External Quality Assurance is designed to help
support you to write and review appropriate assignment briefs, develop your
administration and quality assurance practice and your assessment practice as a team.
Information collected will be made available in accordance with the Key Dates Calendar
by External Quality Assurers.
Information collected throughout the External Quality Assurance process will also be
used as part of any formal investigations undertaken by RSL.
6) Agree both a formative centre visit date and summative date for submission
of External Quality Assurance with your RSL External Quality Assurer
• RSL’s sampling methodology and the way External Quality Assurance is conducted
has changed for 2018/19 to allow centres to schedule External Quality Assurance
around their assessment planning. Rather than two distinct External Quality
Assurance windows with one date for submission at the end of each, RSL will be
running one External Quality Assurance window, the dates of which can be found
in the Key Dates Calendar.
• There will be two key activities within the External Quality Assurance window:
1) Centres will have a centre visit from the External Quality Assurer who will
look at the following:
• Management of the centre including policy and procedure
• Quality assurance processes
• Assessment practice
2) Provide a summative sample for External Quality Assurance based on the
sampling methodology in the centre handbook

• Centres will liaise with their RSL External Quality Assurer to set the dates for a
centre visit and a summative External Quality Assurance sample.
• The Centre Visit date must be no later than the date outlined in the Key Dates
Calendar. A report will be written by the External Quality Assurer following the
centre visit and uploaded to rslawards.com.
• The Summative External Quality Assurance date must be no later than the date
indicated in the Key Dates Calendar.
• Please see the RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 2018/19 for more
detail about the sampling methodology and External Quality Assurance process.
The deadlines agreed must be adhered to. Deadlines will only be moved in
exceptional circumstances in agreement with both your External Quality Assurer
and RSL Head Office.
6) Register learners on the correct qualification at rslawards.com

• Previously, the RSL-ATM site was used to register learners. As of academic year
18/19 all learner registrations will be made through rslawards.com. The RSL-ATM
site is no longer in use for current learners.
• It is the responsibility of the centre to register their learners through the
rslawards.com site. RSL will not register learners on behalf of the centre.
• It is vital that centres register learners on the correct qualifications at the start of
the academic year and by the published date. Registrations made after the
published date will be subject to a fee.
• You must make sure that learners are registered on the correct version of the
qualification, especially if you are intending to deliver the performance tables
version of the qualification. When registering, the system will ask you whether if
the version you intend to run is correct based on the information you have
included.
• For performance tables versions of qualifications, any learners who are not
registered on the qualification by the time the Controlled External Assessment
window opens will not be eligible for the Controlled External Assessment and any
work submitted for Controlled External Assessment will not be marked.
7) Submit one assignment brief per qualification delivered (with accompanying

internal verification documentation) for External Quality Assurance
• Assignment briefs are integral to vocational education and ensuring learners have
clear guidance about what they need to do to achieve a unit. They should be
industry relevant and geographically appropriate to your centre. It is insufficient
to provide only a copy of the specification to your learners.
• In order to ensure assignment briefs are fit for purpose and for RSL to provide
appropriate support and guidance for centres, centres must:
 Submit one assignment brief per qualification for External Quality
Assurance before handing out the assignment brief to learners. (i.e. if a
centre delivers Level 2 and Level 3 qualification, they will submit one brief

per qualification.) The different disciplines (i.e. CAPA and MUSPRA) count
as separate qualifications.
 Upload the supporting internal verification documentation with the
assignment brief.
• Please upload both the assignment brief and the internal verification paperwork to
the site at rslawards.com under the heading ‘Assignment Briefs.’
• The brief must be provided at least 6 weeks before it is set. The brief and all
amendments must be signed off by an RSL External Quality Assurer before
delivery. The 6 weeks will allow:
 2 weeks for External Quality Assurance by RSL
 2 weeks for the centre to turnaround any amendments
 1 week for the External Quality Assurer to review
 1 week for any further amendments to be made.
• As long as the above information is included, centres are free to use whichever
templates they choose for both assignment briefs and internal verification of
assignment briefs. However, if centres would like to use a template, there is one
available at www.rslawards-education.com.
• The centre is free to choose which assignment briefs they would like to submit to
an External Quality Assurer, as long as one assignment brief per qualification is
submitted. Where there is more than one assessor within a centre, please try and
ensure a range of assessors are looked at.
• RSL recommend that assignment briefs for new units (i.e. units not previously
taught within the centre) are submitted for External Quality Assurance in order to
support the centre delivery of a new unit.
• A report for the assignment briefs will be uploaded to rslawards.com once they
have been externally quality assured and you will receive a notification to the email
addresses associated with the account. If you have actions, there will be a
deadline set for you to make the changes and upload the amended brief to be
signed off. If there are no actions and the brief is approved, you are free to set the
assignment brief to your students.
• If you have questions about the External Quality Assurance of your assignment
briefs, you can speak directly to your assigned External Quality Assurer who will be
able to provide you with specific guidance.
• For more guidance on assignment briefs, internal verification and uploading to the
site at rslawards.com, please refer to the following How To Guides (HTG), available
at www.rslawards-education.com. HTG 2 Conducting IV of VQ, HTG 3 Writing
Assignment Briefs, HTG 5 How to use the RSL Online Submission System, HTG 7
Conducting Internal Assessment.
8) Plan and carry out one standardisation meeting
• Each awarding organisation works differently. RSL requires that centres review
their assessment practice in the light of their experiences of internal assessment
(i.e. those assignments set and marked by the centre) and that this is driven by the
internal quality assurance process within the centre.

• RSL are looking at how assessment is standardised throughout the centre and this
will be based on:
• Feedback from the External Quality Assurer on:
• Internal assessments
• Assignment briefs
• Internal Verifier feedback on areas of strength and weakness and trends seen
throughout the centre.
• The assignment briefs and their accessibility, reliability and validity to deliver
objective and fair assessment.
• Evidence of the standardisation meeting must be uploaded to rslawards.com.
Evidence of standardisation could include minutes of meetings, completed
standardisation exercises, records of CPD etc.
• The standardisation activities must be completed by all staff assessing and
internally verifying on the programme and be relevant to the assessment practice
related to the qualifications being delivered.
• Please upload under the heading ‘‘Internal Verification/Quality Assurance
Evidence’ as this is evidence of Quality Assurance procedures.
• For further information on running standardisation, please read How to Guide No
15 ‘Run Standardisation’, available at www.rslawards-education.com.
Centre assignment brief monitoring

Briefs will be checked against the following criteria:
Accessibility
• Is the brief written in Plain English and clear and accessible for learners?
• Is the brief accessible for all learners (i.e. there are no barriers to access for particular
groups of learners)?
• Does the brief require only the knowledge and understanding required for
achievement of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria?
Validity
• Are the requirements of the brief clear and unambiguous?
• Does the brief allow learners to demonstrate all of the learning outcomes and
assessment criteria for the unit?
• Does the brief allow learners to demonstrate all levels of attainment (i.e. pass, merit,
distinction)?
• Does the brief allow learners to generate sufficient evidence to meet the
requirements of the unit?
• Is the brief consistent with the method of assessment chosen (e.g. written
assignment, practical assignment etc.)

Reliability
• Does the brief allow the assessor to differentiate accurately and consistently between
the range of attainments?
• Does the brief allow each learner to generate evidence that can be authenticated?
Comparability
• Has the brief been standardised with other briefs at the centre?
• Is the brief comparable with other briefs provided by the centre? I.e. does the level at
which the assignment brief is written reflect the level of the unit and compare
consistently with other briefs both at the same level and at different levels.
• Is the brief comparable with briefs provided by other centres? I.e. does the level at
which the assignment brief is written reflect the level of the unit and compare
consistently with other briefs both at the same level and at different levels across all
centres approved by RSL. This would be reviewed by the External Quality Assurer.
Reading the Assignment Brief Monitoring Form

Agreement with the brief
Where the External Quality Assurer declares that a brief meets all the criteria, RSL will
inform the centre in writing, providing confirmation that the brief can be delivered. This
will be uploaded on www.rslawards.com.
Disagreement with the brief

Where an External Quality Assurer declares that a brief does not meet all the criteria, RSL
will contact the centre in writing and provide written feedback on the reasons why the
brief does not meet the criteria. This will be uploaded on rslawards.com.
For individual instances RSL will require the centre to confirm the actions it will take to
ensure that the brief meets the criteria. RSL will request the amended brief to be
submitted to check that the amendments meet requirements, in line with the timescales
outlined above.
For instances where a number of briefs fail to meet the criteria RSL will contact the
centre through the allocated External Quality Assurer for clarification of any systemic
issues which may have resulted in the briefs not meeting the criteria. RSL will provide
written feedback on the reasons why the briefs do not meet the criteria.
Centres will be required to resubmit briefs for RSL approval prior to delivery.
Internal Verification
The purpose of a check on IV processes is to confirm that there are processes in
place to ensure adequate academic governance to include:
• Training, monitoring and standardisation of brief authors.
• Training, monitoring and standardisation of assessment markers.

RSL will require documentary evidence of the centre’s process for assuring
academic governance as stated above, the validity of which is to be declared by
the most senior member of the academic management team via the signed
Statement of Compliance. Examples of this include: internal verification policy
and procedure, standardisation dates, minutes of standardisation meetings,
internal verification sampling plan, internal verification paperwork of assignment
briefs, assessments etc.
Further information may be requested should RSL deem there to be insufficient

evidence supplied.
Where RSL did not feel that there was sufficient evidence to confirm that
assessors had been trained and standardised it would:
• Require further information from that centre

• Schedule an additional centre visit if deemed necessary
• Apply sanctions as detailed in the RSL Sanctions Policy if deemed necessary
RSL reserves the right to request further information from centres prior to
External Quality Assurance. This may involve:
• An additional centre visit

• Reviewing a sample of assessed learners’ work
Where to find support and guidance

If you need support in creating and managing an appropriate internal verification strategy
you will find support and guidance from:
1. Your allocated External Quality Assurer
2. The RSL Moodle support site: www.rslawards-education.com (Internal
Verification section)
External Quality Assurance

External Quality Assurance Processes
As well as the Quality processes which must be undertaken in the first academic term
(please see page 21), there will be one External Quality Assurance window (specific dates
as per the Key Dates Calendar). This External Quality Assurance window is concerned
with how internal assessment and internal verification are conducted within the centre
and is separate to external assessment.
There will be two key activities within the External Quality Assurance window, which are
explained in further detail below:
1) A centre visit from your RSL External Quality Assurer
2) A summative sample of internally assessed learner work and internal verification

documentation for External Quality Assurance based on the sampling
methodology in the RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook.

1) Centre Visit
Your centre will have a centre visit from your allocated RSL External Quality Assurer. This
date will be agreed in consultation with your RSL External Quality Assurer and must be
prior to the date stipulated in the Key Dates Calendar. During the centre visit, the External
Quality Assurer will look at the following:
• Management of your centre including policy and procedure
• Quality assurance processes
• Assessment practice
A report will be written by the External Quality Assurer following the centre visit and
uploaded to rslawards.com within 5 working days of the visit.
If there are any actions following the centre visit, these will be stipulated within the action
plan in the centre visit report and the actions will be monitored by the External Quality
Assurer in consultation with the centre.
For more information on Centre Visits, please see the ‘Centre Visits’ section.
2) Summative Sample
Centres will submit a summative sample of internally assessed units for External Quality
Assurance based on the sampling methodology described within this Handbook. The
sample size is based on the size of the qualification and the number of learners.
The sample must be summative (i.e. complete units) and include any resubmission
attempts. The External Quality Assurer will review your Assessment and Internal
Verification plan to see which units are being delivered and when. Centres need to ensure
when planning delivery that there will be sufficient completed units available for External
Quality Assurance by the deadline date as highlighted in the Key Dates Calendar.
You will negotiate a date with your External Quality Assurer for the submission of the
sample. This date must be agreed by the date set out in the Key Dates Calendar.
Grades must be entered into rslawards.com in order for the External Quality Assurer to be
able to select the sample.
The sample will be selected by the External Quality Assurer and the centre will be notified
via rslawards.com which learners have been selected for the sample.
For the units selected, the sample will consist of the following:
• Assignment brief and internal verification documentation for that brief (if this was
not externally quality assured at the start of the year)
• Learner work and accompanying feedback sheet
• A signed candidate statement of authenticity per learner in the sample
• Internal verification of assessment decisions paperwork
The complete sample must be uploaded to rslawards.com. All work must be clearly
labelled with the learner name, centre name, unit number and assignment title.

Please provide adequate identification documentation to ensure that your External
Quality Assurer is able to clearly identify the learners in video footage. Photos are useful
but please remember that students can look very different in their school or college ID to
how they look under stage lights and in costume. Good practice would be to provide a
photo of the learner along with specific identifying factors in the video (i.e. what they are
wearing, what colour hair they have, what hairstyle they have) and specific times that
they appear in the video, where they are stood on stage etc. The easier you make it for
the External Quality Assurer to identify the learners, the easier they will find it to quality
assure the work.
If the first sample is not agreed by the External Quality Assurer, then they will select a
second sample (please see sampling methodology for specific details). This will include
the original sample amended following the report plus additional learners and/or units
depending on the size of the qualification.
Sample Selection
Your External Quality Assurer will select the units for External Quality Assurance in a way
that allows a comprehensive overview of how internal assessment and internal
verification are conducted within the centre. There will be a discussion with your External
Quality Assurer about the units selected for External Quality Assurance but the final
decision rests with the External Quality Assurer.
All units selected for External Quality Assurance must be summative assessment
including any resubmission attempts. Internal verification of a sample of these
assessment decisions must have been completed prior to External Quality Assurance.
The sample size (number of units and number of learners) is dependent upon the size of
qualification being delivered and the number of learners enrolled on the qualification.
The sampling methodology can be found within this Handbook. Please note, different
pathways count as different qualifications. For example, if you are running the Level 2
Certificate in Performance for Music Practitioners and the Level 2 Certificate in
Technology for Music Practitioners, these will be treated as two separate qualifications
and a separate sample taken from each qualification.
The selection of units and learners for sample is based on a number of factors which
include, but are not restricted to:
1) Range of assessors
2) All bands of attainment that are achieved (i.e. a range of pass, merit and distinction
learners)
3) A range of learners across the qualification
4) Range of types of assessment (i.e. practical based units, theoretical units)
The External Quality Assurance process will run as follows:
1) By agreed deadline with the External Quality Assurer, the centre need to input
grades and identify internally verified learners on rslawards.com.
2) The External Quality Assurer will select the sample as per the sampling
methodology
3) The centre will upload the sample as requested by the agreed deadline

The process is outlined as below.
First Sample
There are three possible outcomes for your first sample:
1) Certification released
2) Certification not released
3) Partial sample
• The External Quality Assurer is confident that your centre is

assessing learners to the national standard and that adequate quality
assurance procedures are in place.
Certification • There may be non-essential actions within the report which will
Released need to be applied for the next academic year but this does not impact
upon certification for this year.
• Certification is released for this academic year (subject to external
assessment results where relevant and any subsequent deadlines) and a
second sample is not required.
• The External Quality Assurer cannot be confident that learners are

being assessed to the national standard and/or appropriate quality
procedures are in place based on the sample provided.
Certification • Certification cannot be released yet and a second sample will be
Not requested (see next page) The deadline for this will be negotiated with
Released your External Quality Assurer but will be no later than the date identified
in the Key Dates Calendar.
• If the External Quality Assurer judges that the learners have been
disadvantaged based on practice within the centre, they can authorise a
further resubmission on the basis that the original assessment decisions
were invalid. This will be clearly stated on the report.
• If your External Quality Assurer is unable to see a full sample and

none of your learners are completing the qualification in the current
academic year, they can begin the process by reviewing the parts of the
sample that are ready. This could mean looking at fewer units of
Partial
learners’ work or just looking at the assignment briefs, depending on
Sample
what is available.
• A report based on an incomplete sample does not release
certification. You should read the comments and complete any
essential actions as soon as you can.
• No second sample is possible until first sampling is completed the
following year.

Second Sample
If your External Quality Assurer has judged that there are incorrect assessment decisions
or quality assurance procedures do not meet the requirements, your centre will be
required to produce a second sample.
Certification will not be released at this stage.
The Second Sample will include the following:
• The original sample with amendments made as per the External Quality Assurer’s
report
• Additional learners for the affected unit (amount as per the sampling
methodology) chosen by the External Quality Assurer.
• Additional unit and learners (amount as per the sampling methodology) chosen by
the External Quality Assurer.
The Second Sample must show that the centre has reviewed all learner work in light of
the feedback from the External Quality Assurer, not just the initial sample.
If the centre has already allowed a resubmission attempt and the External Quality Assurer
judges the learners have been disadvantaged by assessment practice within the centre,
the External Quality Assurer can authorise a further resubmission attempt.
• If the External Quality Assurer can be confident that the appropriate

actions have been taken by the centre based on the action plan from
first sample, they will be able to release certification for this cohort
Certification based on the second sample . This will be reflected in their report.
Released There may still be actions which will need to be applied for the next
academic year.
• Certification is released for this academic year (subject to external
assessment results where relevant and any subsequent deadlines) and
no further action is required.
• If the External Quality Assurer is still not confident that the centre is
appropriately assessing and/or internally verifying learner work in line
with the national standards, then certification will still not be released at
Certification this stage.
Not • If certification is not released at this stage, an RSL representative
Released will conduct a centre visit to endeavour to resolve the issues and ensure
learners are not disadvantaged.
• There may be low level sanctions imposed and an action plan will be
created which links to the sanctions policy. This will be monitored by
RSL.
Where to find support and guidance

If you need support in conducting internal assessment you will find support and
guidance from:
1. Your allocated External Quality Assurer

2. The RSL Moodle support site: www.rslawards-education.com (Internal
Assessment Practice section)
3. Appendix 1 highlights how External Quality Assurance activity takes place for
RSL centres.
Administrative Requirements
All approved centres are required to have sufficient administrative support to be
able to deliver RSL qualifications to the required standard.
All learner work and centre documentation must be uploaded onto the RSL
Administration system and information on this can be found on the
www.rslawards-education.com site.
You will receive an automated email confirmation of successful upload when work
has been received. Please note: If you do not receive this, the work has not been
saved and RSL will not have received it, please ensure that you check that work
has been received.
All External Quality Assurance reports will be uploaded onto this site and you will
receive an automated email to alert you that this has been done.
Work submitted by centres must be done so in accordance with the Key Dates
Calendar. The Key Dates Calendar is available on the RSL website and on
rslawards-education.com and indicates:
• Dates for submission of internally assessed units for External Quality
Assurance.
• Dates for submission of externally assessed student work.
• Dates results will be published and reports issued.
• Deadlines for registrations, refunds and withdrawals
• Dates for certificate issue
Standards for the Submission of Work

Internally Assessed Units
• All work must be clearly labelled and dated to ensure that work can be
attributed directly to the learner. Any additional authentication
paperwork/video/audio can also be submitted to support authenticity.
• All assessment paperwork must be submitted with the learner work and
must show: assessment grades and learner feedback relating to the
grading criteria. This must not be done in ‘Review’ mode in Word.
• All internal verification paperwork which must include an internal
verification sampling plan and the internal verification report for those
individuals that have had their work sampled.
• All folders etc. must be clearly labelled with the learner name, centre name,
unit number and assignment title.

Further advice can be found in the RSL How to Guide No. 7: Conducting Internal
Assessment as well as technical guidance which are available on the RSL Moodle
website.
Failure to submit internally assessed units within the published deadline will result
in late or no External Quality Assurance activity taking place. This will jeopardise
learner achievement.
Externally Assessed Units

Each learner has to have uploaded onto www.rslawards.com:
• A signed Learner Front Sheet for each externally assessed unit submitted.
• All work must include learner name/number, centre name/number, unit and task
number.
• All submissions must be in the formats stipulated.
• Reference all research sources as appropriate.
Work submitted later than the published deadlines will not be assessed and learners will
be graded unclassified.
Sanctions
RSL operates a system of sanctions linked to the Malpractice policy. All centres
are subject to quality assurance checks and instances of malpractice and
maladministration are subject to investigation by the quality assurance team.
The investigation process for vocational qualifications

Following identification of an incidence or incidences of
malpractice/maladministration, the Quality Assurance department will open a
formal investigation. This is conducted remotely by a member of the QA staff and
explores the following:
1. Centre history
2. Results of external assessment (if applicable) in the current academic year and
previous years if it is likely to provide a more accurate picture of trends. Any
resubmission work is also reviewed
3. Results of External Quality Assurance of internally assessed units in the current

academic year and previous years if it is likely to provide a more accurate
picture of trends.
4. Feedback from centre visits (Action Plans).
5. Assessment Board actions where they apply (increased samples, systemic

issues of concern, email communications etc)

Centres are notified of the QA investigation by email and logged on the
Malpractice Log and given an opportunity to respond to the issues identified
prior to completion of the remote investigation. This is done by email.
Further investigation may also be conducted by QA intervention centre
visits which acts to address pertaining issues and provide direct support and
guidance for centres who are seen to have systemic failings.
Each investigation, however, is customised to meet the immediate needs of
the learners, centre and RSL and may take slightly different forms.
Initial decisions on actions to be taken against the centre are made by the
QA department following receipt of all information. An action plan is
created and sent in a formal letter to the centre.
Investigation can take up to 6 weeks depending on the issues identified. Throughout this
time, centres where specific, serious issues have been identified are briefed regularly on
the progress of the investigation.
Centres need to be aware that in order to meet the Ofqual Conditions of Recognition, RSL
is required to report all instances of malpractice and maladministration to Ofqual and
other awarding organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What is investigated?
• Instances of plagiarism (however small) in internal and external assessment
• Trends in external assessment where a group of learners do not meet specific
criteria
• Excessive tutor input in submissions for both internal and external assessment
• Centres without any evidence of internal verification present in the sample
• Excessive number of appeals made by the centre
• Issues arising out of formal complaints made to RSL if these are deemed to
disadvantage learners
• Consistent inability to meet the standards as a result of 50%+ sampling of
internally assessed work in the centre.
• High incidence (>20%) of unclassified grades in externally assessed units.
• Issues reported with specific assessors in a centre
• Inability to provide RSL with the sample size requested by the deadline given.
• Late submissions for external assessments.
• Integrity of learner submissions in all formats (video, audio, documents,
presentations etc).
The outcomes of investigation

It is not the work of the investigation to identify and award individual learners’
certification. Investigations look to improve the systems and processes within
individual centres to improve delivery and work in conjunction with the Sanctions
Policy. Common outcomes of investigation look as follows:
1. Investigation closed. Investigations are concluded when:

a. No evidence of malpractice or maladministration is found.

b. Evidence found is small and can be dealt with effectively by the centre’s
allocated External Quality Assurer.
c. The centre has had sanctions applied and has achieved all actions set
out for it on the action plan.
2. Low Level Sanctions applied: Centre is kept under review when:

a. Further sampling of internal assessment decisions is being undertaken.
b. Evidence is sufficient to meet RSL’s standards but there remains a risk
that the centre has not entirely resolved the issues of malpractice or
maladministration.
3. Medium Level Sanctions applied: Investigations can remain open when:

a. The centre has failed to comply with the actions imposed by RSL.
b. The centre has failed to provide adequate sample for External Quality
Assurance or communicate with RSL.
c. The centre is in danger of failing due to systemic issues being identified.
d. The centre is disadvantaging the learners.
4. High Level Sanctions applied: Cessation of learner registrations

a. Withholding Certification
b. Withdrawing centre approval
More information and support can be found in the Malpractice Policy which is available
on the RSL website.
Advice and Guidance NEW

Internal Assessment NEW
Creating an assignment brief

What are assignment briefs?
Assignment briefs are assignment briefs written within the centre to provide a
summative assessment of an individual unit. They are formal assessment documents and
are therefore not part of the teaching/learning for any unit. They are an assessment of
the teaching and learning of that unit. It provides an opportunity for learners to
demonstrate their competence in new skills acquired and to conclude the unit and
evidence the learning outcomes authentically.
A sample of assignment briefs have to be externally quality assured by RSL prior to

delivery of the assignment brief. Centres need to submit one internal assignment brief
per qualification delivered (with accompanying internal verification documentation) for
External Quality Assurance prior to the date identified in the key dates calendar.
Writing assignment briefs:

Assignment briefs need to contain:

1. Qualification title, unit number and name: This needs to be accurate and reflect
the RSL unit specification documents. Learners work will include the briefs to give
the work context. These are therefore formal assessment materials.
2. The name of the centre and the tutor assessing the unit: This provides the
audit trail both for the centre and for RSL.
3. The date set and the deadline for submission: These are the formal dates of
assessment. Remember that the centre will need a policy to deal with late
submissions of work and accurate dates should be given.
4. The tasks – laid out in accessible way for your learners : Although the
specifications for each unit include ideas for activities and assessment, each
centre is encouraged to provide vocational context to these ideas in order to
engage their learners and make the tasks relevant.
5. The assessment criteria alongside each task : It is vital that learners understand
which assessment criteria each task relates to in order to support them to be able
to achieve. This will provide a useful reference for those seeking clarification of
what they need to demonstrate and should always be included.
6. Links to related resources (if appropriate): you may want to specify specific
websites or other resources to get your learners started with research or point
them in the right direction for the resources they will need to undertake their
assessment. Remember the assignment brief is a set assessment in which
learners are required to undertake specific tasks to produce evidence of their
ability to meet the assessment criteria.
7. Grading criteria : The assignment needs to provide learners with the opportunity
to achieve at all levels. In order to provide that opportunity learners need to be
aware of what is required to achieve at each level. This is the grading criteria.
8. Submission checklist: Learners need a clear idea of what is being asked of them.
What individual pieces of evidence are required for submission and a method of
ensuring authenticity.
9. How work is to be submitted: More information to give learners every

opportunity to achieve.
10. Evidence of quality assurance: This is evidence to show that the internal verifier
has seen the assignment brief and has agreed that it is fit for purpose.
Verifying Assignment Briefs:

100% of all the assignments produced in your centre need to be internally verified. They
will be subject to External Quality Assurance by RSL. One internal assignment brief per
qualification delivered (with accompanying internal verification documentation) must be
provided by the date identified in the key dates calendar.

Verification of assignment briefs needs to confirm:
1. The accuracy of the qualification and unit details

2. The deadlines are clear and realistic.
3. The clarity and accessibility of the language and layout used.
4. Inclusion of all assessment criteria in each task.
5. If the briefs allow the learner to demonstrate all learning outcomes of the unit.
6. If the briefs allow the learner to demonstrate all levels of attainment.
7. If the briefs allow the assessor to differentiate accurately and consistently
between a range of attainment?
8. If the briefs allow each learner to generate evidence that can be authenticated and
that is valid and sufficient.
9. That it is clear what evidence is required.
10. That the briefs are comparable 3 (throughout the centre)
All assignment briefs need to contain evidence that they have been internally verified.
The way in which this is recorded is at the centre’s discretion.
Further information on this can be found later in this handbook under internal verification.
Assessment best practice

Assessment best practice requires:
1. An assessment strategy is in place
2. Assignment briefs that meet all assessment criteria and allow learners to achieve
all grading criteria.
3. Assessment is appropriately timetabled.
4. Assessment is conducted separately to teaching.
5. Policies for resubmission are clearly understood.
6. Marking is conducted in line with requirements.
7. Feedback is recorded in line with centre requirements and provides sufficient
audit trail for External Quality Assurance and is related to how the assessment
criteria have been met and utilises the wording from the appropriate grading
criteria.
8. A robust appeals procedure is in place for internal assessment. (this is the centre’s
responsibility not RSL)
Marking Learner Work

When marking your learner's work, you need to consider the following:
1. Did the learner submit within the deadline given?
2. Is the learner's work authenticated and can this be seen by an independent third
party? (i.e. the External Quality Assurer)
3. Have all the assessment criteria been met by the evidence submitted?
4. Using the grading descriptors, what grade can justifiably be given?
3
Comparability refers to the consistency of assessment demands across a centre and across any level.

Setting and Using Deadlines
Your internal assessment strategy needs to define how your centre employs deadlines
for internally assessed units. RSL advises:
One re-submission for internal assessments.
Late resubmission is a matter for centre policy but it is recommended that it is capped.
Your internal assessment policy needs to be available to your External Quality Assurer for
the full academic year and this will ensure that External Quality Assurance can be as
accurate as possible.
Authenticating Learner Work

RSL advises that:
• Learner introduce themselves on video evidence.
• All video evidence showing learner collaboration, is such that every learner is
clearly seen and heard allowing them to achieve the assessment criteria.
• All written work is labelled with learner name, centre name, date of submission,
task and unit title on EVERY page.
Remember, if the External Quality Assurer cannot authenticate the work then they will
not agree the grading decision, irrespective of how good the work is.
Meeting the Assessment Criteria

You are required to assess against the assessment criteria first:
Grading Decisions
Does the evidence meet the

Does the evidence meet the assessment criteria?
assessment criteria?
Yes
No
The learner has achieved

The learner has achieved a minimum Pass Mark Unclassified.
Grading descriptors need to be applied to determine the

final grade.
Feedback given needs to reflect the grading criteria to
provide an adequate audit trail.

Providing Feedback to your Learners
This is a matter of centre policy, however, you need to provide an audit trail for the
assessment of work submitted by each individual learner for each unit they have
submitted. This may include both formative and summative assessment but needs to
include:
• Learner name and details set out in the relevant assignment brief.
• Date of assessment
• Type of assessment (formative or summative)
• Written feedback on the evidence seen which needs to be:
• against the assessment criteria
• using the grading descriptors
• motivational and developmental
• precise and easy to follow
• Grade given for the work
• Details of any resubmission required and the relevant deadline
• Evidence of internal verification and 'sign off'
You may want to devise your own assessment paperwork which covers these areas
allowing for both formative and summative submissions. Remember your paperwork will
need to reflect the way in which your assignment briefs are set out and your assessment
strategy as well as your centre's internal quality assurance procedures.
Common Issues in Grading

Not providing an adequate audit trail to justify the grading decision. Remember to
use the grading descriptors and the appropriate wording in your feedback, citing where
evidence can be found. This will justify the decisions you make and provide a clear audit
trail for the External Quality Assurer to follow. You also need to provide feedback against
the assessment criteria and the specifications will support you to do this.
Not including assessment decisions in your sample for External Quality Assurance.
All External Quality Assurers will need to see the assessment decisions and how these
have been arrived at. Failure to demonstrate this risks having all grades moderated.
Centres are advised that this could be a standardised sheet which records feedback to
learners.
Not providing proper authentication because the assessor is familiar with the
learner. It should be remembered that the External Quality Assurer will be undertaking
sampling at a distance and is not familiar with the learners. All work must be clearly
labelled and attributed to the learner. Failure to do so will result in moderated grades of
Unclassified and the request for a higher sample.
Excessive tutor input. Internal assessment is still assessment and needs to be conducted
as such.
Over grading. Whatever your grading decision, you need to be able to reinforce this with
assessment and grading criteria.

Plagiarism. All assessment needs to review the learner work for plagiarism. All
references need to be referenced . Harvard referencing is the best method to ensure
that work meets the standards. If a centre finds plagiarism by one or more learners it is
their responsibility, in accordance with their own policy, to resolve this issue prior to
External Quality Assurance. Plagiarism is taken seriously by RSL and will result in an
investigation into how work was assessed, graded and verified.
Assessing work with implied knowledge. All knowledge and skills have to demonstrate
explicitly that they meet the assessment criteria. Implied knowledge will not be accepted
i.e. “if I can do X then it follows that I know Y”
What to expect from External Quality Assurance

Learner work to meet the assessment criteria as follows:
Authenticated learner work . Centres are encouraged to ensure that learners introduce
themselves on video and that the individual contribution from each learner can be easily
identified. All work must be clearly labelled with the learners name, unit number etc..
Appropriately referenced sources to ensure that plagiarism is not present. If there is any
doubt over the authenticity of learner work then the External Quality Assurer cannot
agree the grades given.
A sufficient audit trail of feedback to demonstrate how assessment has taken place
and the final grading decision made. Centres are required to ensure that they mark
against the assessment criteria to ensure these have been met and they subsequently
decide on the grade. Feedback needs to employ the grading criteria to provide adequate
evidence of the grading decision.
Sufficient evidence of internal verification. This may include a sampling plan, but must
include Internal Verification Feedback forms for learners, identified in the sampling plan,
to confirm the grading decisions.
Grading decisions: External Quality Assurers are asked to confirm their agreement with
the grading decisions and internal verification decisions given. This is done on an
individual learner and unit basis and the content of the sample will be detailed on the
External Quality Assurer report form.
Getting a Moderated Grade

If your External Quality Assurer disagrees with any grading decision made by the assessor
for a learner and a specific unit, they are required to provide a moderated grade. The
moderated grade is final, although you may appeal if you wish to do so. A full explanation
of the following will be given in your External Quality Assurance report:
• Why the External Quality Assurer did not agree with the original grading decision.
• Why the moderated grade is correct.

What do External Quality Assurers expect to see as internal verification evidence?
Centres are required to sample the quality of the assessments and grading decisions
throughout the centre. Advice and guidance is provided in the Internal Verification
Support section which can be found on page 49.
However, when sampling learner work, centres are advised to submit copies of the
internal verification sampling plan. Not every unit from every learner will have been
sampled by the internal verifier, however, your External Quality Assurer will want to
sample a considerable amount of the work that has. This will provide a good overview of
how the centre is functioning.
Your External Quality Assurer will need information on your quality assurance/internal
verification strategies which is discussed elsewhere in this handbook in order to fully
understand how you have applied them to the sample that they scrutinise. If they cannot
find evidence of adequate quality assurance/internal verification, the sample requested
for External Quality Assurance will be increased.
As a basic minimum, centres are required to sample every level, every qualification and
every unit. As a guide every learner needs to be part of the QA process at some point,
however, this need not be sampling.
What if there is no internal verification?

Should your External Quality Assurer be unable to find any evidence of internal
verification across the sample, they will, in the first instance, consult your IV process
documentation. If no internal verification has been undertaken then the sample
moderated is automatically increased to ensure that learners are not being disadvantaged
by the centre and you will be advised on what else you will need to submit as part of this
process.
Controlled External Assessment NEW

What is Controlled External Assessment?
Controlled External assessment is a form of assessment in which question papers,
assignments and tasks are specified by RSL in assignment briefs, then taken under
specified controlled conditions. The marking of these are undertaken by RSL.
It does not include External Quality Assurance or verification of centre based assessment
undertaken by RSL.
RSL sets tasks in which learners are asked to respond to a brief over a specified period of
time to test their newly acquired knowledge and skills. Most briefs have a performance
task within them to provide suitable evidence and scope to inform the grading
considerations. Briefs will only be issued to centres who have registered learners for
external assessment.

Which Units are Externally Assessed?
Music Practitioner Certificate Level 1
• Unit 102: Composing Music (Ideas)
• Unit 119: Live Sound Recording
• Unit 121: Live Music Performance
Music Practitioner Certificate Level 2

• Unit 203: Composing Music (Solo)
• Unit 223: Live Sound Recording
• Unit 230: Live Music Performance
Music Practitioner Subsidiary Diploma Level 3

• Unit 387: Rehearsal Skills and Live Music Performance
• Unit 388: Live Sound Recording and Sound Reinforcement
• Unit 389: Music Promotion and Event Management
• Unit 390: Composing Styles and Music Sequencing
Music Practitioner Extended Diploma Level 3

• Unit 391: Composing Collaboration and Recorded Music Performance
• Unit 392: Studio Sound Recording and Mixing
• Unit 393: Setting Up a Music Business and Selling Music
• Unit 394: Composing Music Solo and Remixing and Production
Creative and Performing Arts Certificate Level 1

• Unit 101: Live Performance (Dance/Acting)
Creative and Performing Arts Certificate Level 2

• Unit 201: Live Performance (Dance/Acting)
Creative and Performing Arts Diploma Level 3

• Unit 304: Performance Preparation (Dance/Acting/Musical Theatre)
Creative and Performing Arts Extended Diploma Level 3

• Unit 304: Performance Preparation (Dance/Acting/Musical Theatre)
• Unit 305: Final Production (Dance/Acting/Musical Theatre)
Running External Assessment

For the purpose of running Controlled External Assessment a centre needs to have a
responsible, named member of staff. This is usually the Quality Representative but you
may choose your Exams Officer who effectively supervises the controlled period of

assessment and validates all the evidence submitted to the RSL Online Submission
System.
Preparing before the Controlled External Assessment:

Controlled External Assessment is a form of assessment in which question papers,
assignments and tasks are specified by RSL in assignment briefs, then taken under
specified controlled conditions. The marking of these are undertaken by RSL.
RSL sets tasks in which learners are asked to respond to a brief over a specified period of
time to test their newly acquired knowledge and skills. Most briefs have a performance
task within them to provide suitable evidence and scope to inform the grading
considerations.
The Controlled External Assessment briefs will be uploaded to the centre’s site at
rslawards.com on the published date.
The sharing of confidential assessment materials with anyone but the centre that the
Controlled External Assessment brief has been issued to is a breach of the Ofqual
Conditions of Recognition and will result in an investigation into the centre who has
received the brief and the centre who has shared the materials with them. The
sharing of confidential assessment materials also breaches the centre agreement and
RSL Policy and Procedure.
Centres who are registered on the performance tables version of the qualification and
identified the current assessment year as the year of taking the Controlled External
Assessment will receive the brief on the published date. If you do not receive it, please
check your registrations in the first instance before contacting RSL.
Please note, for reasons of compliance RSL are unable to provide individual responses to
questions about Controlled External Assessment. Part of the purpose of Controlled
External Assessment is the ability of the student to interpret the brief. In the same way that
you would not be able to ask questions mid-way through a GCSE English exam paper, RSL
cannot answer questions about the Controlled External Assessment.
Timetabling Assessment:
Set tasks and performances have both a timetabled period during which the task must be
completed and a deadline for the submission of work which can be seen on the Key
Dates Calendar. As a centre you are free to timetable your Controlled External
Assessment at any time within the time specified by RSL as long as it is submitted within
the deadline date.
Levels of Control
The level of control depends upon the different sections of the Controlled External
Assessment. The sample assessment material that RSL issues will give you information
on this, however, as guidance it is recommended that:

• During the preparation time: This is conducted under non-supervised
conditions:
• There needs to be sufficient supervision to ensure that the work can
ultimately be authenticated as the learner’s own.
• Use of resources including the internet is permitted however, this must be
referenced.
• Interaction with other learners is permitted but the work must be
authenticated as the learner’s own.
• Time is restricted to the allocated period stated in the Controlled External
Assessment.
• Teaching staff may provide direction and general advice as required.
• During the Controlled External Assessment: This is conducted under supervised

conditions. Supervised conditions are:
• Learners complete their work within direct sight of the supervisor(s)
throughout the assessment.
• Learners have a limited amount of time as specified in the Controlled
External Assessment.
• Learners complete their work independently. There is interaction with
other learners only for the purposes indicated in the assignment. All work
submitted must be attributable to the learner.
• No access to email, the internet or mobile phones unless expressly stated
by the Controlled External Assessment. If the assignment brief mentions
blogs this can be completed offline using a blog format with a view to
uploading at a later point.
• The centre must ensure that learners have access to materials and
resources as defined in the Controlled External Assessment and they are
permitted to provide this within the preparation time. Any other materials
which may provide assistance are removed or covered.
• No feedback can be provided to the learner throughout the Controlled
External Assessment period.
Tasks are issued by RSL at the times/dates given in the Key Dates Calendar.
Supporting learners prior to Controlled External Assessment:

Learners can be supported to ‘revise’ for their Controlled External Assessment. Some
centres explore areas such as:
 How to respond to a Controlled External Assessment i.e. how to approach an

answer
 Techniques of research and making the best use of the time given
 How to present research in a Controlled External Assessment
 Skills of analysis and evaluation
Some centres use ‘mock’ assessments prior to the Controlled External Assessment
window to prepare their learners for what they are likely to see, however, this is not a
requirement.

Prior to and during the preparation time of the Controlled External Assessment,
teaching/assessment staff must not provide model answers or writing frames specific to
the task (such as outlines, paragraph headings or section headings). No advice or
guidance can be given on the following:
 Errors or omissions made by the learner in the research/preparation.
 Detailed feedback in relation to the assessment criteria.
REMEMBER: All learner’s work must be authentic and therefore staff cannot intervene to
change anything.
If you are in any doubt, please refer to the specification and the Controlled External
Assessment Brief.
During the Controlled External Assessment:

Learners are under supervised conditions. You do not need external invigilators,
however, learners do need to be monitored by a member of teaching staff and in their
sight at all times.
Ensure that you have a clock on display at all times during assessment. All learners must
be told when the assessment time starts and how long they have.
All learners work must be stored securely between assessment sessions. All
supervisors/teaching staff have to keep a log of the time spent on each assessment.
Ensure that you have cleared any charts, diagrams etc. from the walls.
All learners must understand:

 That their work needs to be authentic and the penalties of plagiarism.
 That they must reference any research that they have undertaken in their final
submission.
 That they must work independently unless otherwise stated by the Controlled
External Assessment brief.
After Controlled External Assessment

Submission of Learners’ work
All learners’ work will be submitted on the RSL Online Submission System by the date
given in the Key Dates Calendar.
REMEMBER: Each learner has to submit:
1. A signed Learner Front Sheet for each externally assessed unit submitted.
2. All work must include learner name/number, centre name/number, unit and task
number.
3. All submissions must be in the formats stipulated.
4. Reference all research sources as appropriate.

The centre also need to supply a Controlled External Assessment log of the hours spent
on each task.
Learner work will be marked in line with the Key Dates Calendar and learner results will be
released on the RSL Administration system and External Assessment Report Forms will
be uploaded to the same system.
Special considerations:
Loss of work
Learners who have lost work may be eligible for special considerations:
If learners’ work has been lost due to reasons outside their control (i.e. not their own
negligence) then they will be eligible for special considerations. The policy for special
considerations can be found here and more information can be found later in this
handbook:
https://www.rslawards.com/about-us/policies-regulations/
Absence from Controlled External Assessment

Illness during Controlled External Assessment
Learners who fall ill during the Controlled External Assessment can return to complete
the remaining time left on the task when they have recovered provided that is within the
Controlled External Assessment Window.
Learners unable to complete a task within a specified window
Learners unable to complete the given tasks within the Controlled External Assessment
window will need to apply for special considerations.
Malpractice
Any centre suspected of malpractice will be rigorously investigated by RSL and may be
subject to sanctions.
Malpractice in Controlled External Assessment is:
 Plagiarism of any nature by learners.

 Collusion of examiners with learners
 Disclosure of confidential information by centres or examiners to learners
 Breaches of confidentiality and security of Controlled External Assessment
materials
 Submission of false information to gain a proxy or a qualification
 Disruptive behaviour by learners
 Failure to adhere to the requirements of our Reasonable Adjustments and Special
Considerations Policy.

 Maladministration: any activity or practice which results in non-compliance with
regulations.
Resits
Learners undertaking an RSL qualification which contains Controlled External
Assessment who have not achieved a Pass grade for any learning outcome within a unit
are permitted to resit the ungraded outcomes in their Controlled External Assessment.
Resits are subject to RSL’s VQ Resit Policy published on www.rslawards.com .
Retakes
In the past the Department for Education (DfE) issued guidance regarding retakes for
learners undertaking level 3 qualifications. RSL may offer a retake window if such
guidance is issued. Retakes are subject to a Retake Policy published on
www.rslawards.com .
Guidance and Support for Internal Verification NEW

Internal Verification Procedures
The role of the internal verifier is to:
 Plan, track and verify assessment to ensure an adequate audit trail.

 Develop and support assessors in both their assessment practice and their career.
 Manage and improve the quality of vocational qualification delivery, including
standardising assessment practice within the centre.
 Keep and maintain records of quality assurance activities which are available for
auditing by the awarding body.
The Allocation of Internal Assessors

This should be fair and consistent– how do you allocate internal verifiers to assessors?
This could be based on experience, time, the curriculum etc.…
Who is involved in the delivery of the qualification(s)?

 Centre Manager/Principal/Head of Department?
 Internal verifiers?
 Assessors/teachers?
What are their roles? These need to be explained in any internal verification handbook
and need to be available to the awarding body.
The Process of Verification: Learner’s Work NEW

Planning, Tracking and Verifying Assessment
This process is primarily concerned with the sampling of assessment practice. This is
fundamental to the quality assurance of assessment in the Centre. This includes:

 reviewing all aspects of assessment planning:
o Assessment and Internal Verification Plans / schemes of work
o standard of assignment briefs
 monitoring and review of progress of learners (formative sampling)
 assessment decisions (summative sampling)
 identification of trends which indicate that the learner and/or assessor may be
having difficulty in achieving their qualification(s)
 trends in the standard of written assignment briefs .
Overall, it ensures that an audit trail exists to demonstrate the progress of assessment.
The Internal Verifier acts as an auditor and reviews the audit trail from assessment
planning to the final assessment decision on each unit. They are concerned with checking
that the assessor has tested the validity, reliability, currency, sufficiency and authenticity
of the evidence presented against the standards.
In this way the Internal Verifier can highlight assessor’s need for support and identify
good and bad assessment practice which can be used in subsequent standardisation
procedures, professional development, further visits or professional discussion. It should
also be noted that this process needs to identify other possible issues which may arise
such as plagiarism, slow progress etc...
Without a sampling strategy there is a risk of:
 Lack of standardisation across the Centre

 Assessors not receiving timely support
 Learners being reassessed by the IV
 No clear end to the assessment process
 Poor assessment practice going unnoticed
Without sampling assessments, there is a risk of
 Inappropriate assessor practice

 Unequal learner access to assessment
 Poor standard of assignment briefs
 Over/under-evidencing by learners
 Problem units’ not being addressed
 ‘End loaded’ sampling
 Fixed date sampling (regardless of throughput)
 Flat rate (percentage) sampling (regardless of circumstances)
 Second assessing
 Unsatisfactory/inadequate records/reports
Any Internal Verifier Handbook and/or strategy needs to explain these points.

Centre-Wide Sampling Strategy Guidance
You need to explain the sampling strategy (i.e. what percentage of assignments will be
sampled and when.)
This needs to ensure that sampling plans cover ALL of the following:
Assessors – experience, workload, qualifications and occupational expertise.
Methods of assessment – as appropriate to the qualification.
Learning Outcomes/Units/Levels – across units, problem areas, and special

requirements. The centre will need to review all sampling plans to ensure that
consistent practice is taking place throughout the Centre.
Records of assessment/evidence – learner assessment records, portfolios,

reports.
Assessment Sites (if appropriate) – learner numbers on site, geographical spread.
Internal verification activities (and this includes standardisation and development

activities) should, ideally also cover:
All Learners – gender, vocational assessment experience, particular assessment

requirements.
The Sampling Strategy should decide upon the type of sampling as follows:
Vertical: Sampling one unit or learning outcome across assessors. This will assist in
identification of issues involved in the assessment of particular units/learning
outcomes.
Theme-based: sampling related to a particular activity. This can help develop

assessors practice with any particular areas of weakness identified throughout the
Centre.
Horizontal: sampling something of all units or learning outcomes over a period of

time. This will give an ongoing view of the practice of each individual assessor
across each qualification.
The Internal Verification Sampling Plan should show, at a glance, that all
learners’ work is being sampled, all assessors, all methods of assessment, all units
and all assessment records.
For guidance, sampling strategies can be developed from the following:

(it should be noted that these are for guidance only and percentages are used for illustrative purposes. Each Internal
Verifier should set up their own sampling strategy dependent upon the needs of each individual assessor).

Experienced Assessors:
All Levels: One standardisation unit and at least 2 other units (1 mandatory and 1 optional).
No more than 20% of all units unless specific issues have been identified.
Assessors New to the centre:
For all qualifications: 30% of all units for an initial period of 6 months after which point it
will be reviewed on an individual basis.
Newly Qualified Assessors:
For all qualifications: 30% of all units for an initial period of 6 months after which point it
will be reviewed on an individual basis.
Example Interim Sampling Strategy

This should occur at 2 points throughout each unit/assignment chosen for sampling:
1. Formatively: when the assignments have been completed for one or more units
but all units are not complete:
a. Learners ‘at risk’
b. SEND needs
c. Robustness of the assignment brief writing
2. Summatively: to identify achievement or likely achievement target.
If concerns over learner progress have been identified, Internal Verifiers may wish to
adopt a more frequent approach to ensure that learners and assessors are on track.
Whatever is decided for a particular assessor needs to be fully documented an Internal

Verification Sampling Plan. Examples are available at www.rslawards-education.com.
Summative Sampling
This will be done when the learner has completed all internally assessed units of their
qualification. When this is complete a final check should be completed by the Internal
Verifier prior to application for certification (depending on the results of external
assessment). If at any time a unit is found to be not yet complete, the assessor will be
required to re-submit the unit for verification and it will be sampled again. If the
Accreditation Manager has sampled the portfolio and identified gaps, the portfolio will be
returned to the assessor for further work. The Internal Verifier will be notified of any
advice or guidance given to the assessor at this point.
As a point of good practice, the Internal Verifier should briefly check all presented
evidence whether allocated for sampling . All RPL (Recognised Prior Learning) must be
countersigned by the Internal Verifier and all witness testimonies will be checked to
ensure that they meet evidence requirements.

Centre Wide Sampling
This is should be reviewed by the Centre’s Internal Verifier or Quality Representative to
decide if any sampling plans need amendment in order to fulfil awarding body
requirements for ensuring quality of assessment decisions throughout the Centre.

Administrative Requirements
All assessment and internal verification sampling plans must be completed and submitted
to RSL on www.rslawards.com by the date identified in the Key Dates Calendar. All Internal
Verifiers are required to keep up-to-date records of both planned and actual sampling
and these may be requested at centre visits.
If the Internal Verifier disagrees with any assessment criteria claimed then this needs to
appear in the report sent by the IV to the Assessor.
Internal Verification Sampling Plan

It should be policy to ensure that sampling strategies meet the needs of assessors
according to individual requirements. The Internal Verifier is responsible for devising and
completing a sampling plan for each individual assessor. The IV Sampling Plan identifies
the planned points at which verification will occur and which units and which assessment
methods are to be sampled and when verification has actually been done. The IV is
required to ensure that these are up-to-date at all times.
Internal Verifier’s Report

This is completed after review of each piece of evidence. In the action points/feedback
section, areas of good practice and areas for professional development should be
identified for the assessor and this can be fed back directly to the assessor. All feedback
should be constructive in nature and support to resolve issues will be provided to the
assessor.
This system identifies all evidence collection methods that are used to prove
competence and the range of these will be indicated by ticking the appropriate box. This
allows easy verification of the fact that a wide range of assessment methods is being
employed by the assessor as well as the validity, authenticity, sufficiency, reliability and
currency of all evidence presented.
Internal Verifiers should be encouraged to provide feedback to learners as well as

assessors on the progress of their portfolios in order to help maintain motivation and
commitment.
The Process of Verification: Monitoring and Development of

Assessment Staff NEW
The general aims of monitoring assessment practice are to ensure that the National
Standards of assessment as defined in the qualification specification are being adhered to
by all assessors, to identify problems or areas where assessors need advice and support
and to ensure that the learner is receiving the appropriate support from the centre and its
staff to enable them to achieve their qualification.
Monitoring assessment involves the Internal Verifier observing assessors in action and

meeting a selection of the assessor’s learners.
Internal Verification Assessor Observation General Guidance

This is good practice and ensures that teaching and learning activities support
assessment.
For guidance, strategies for observing assessors can be developed from the
following:
(It should be noted that these are for guidance only and timings are used for illustrative purposes. Each
Internal Verifier should set up their own strategy dependent upon the needs of each individual assessor).
Experienced assessors: on all qualifications: experienced assessors will be visited at 6

monthly intervals or at least once in any academic year.
Assessors New to Individual Qualifications or the Centre: on all qualifications: Within

the first month and then at least once in any academic year. This is subject to identified
risk with assessor and their responsibilities.
At each observation the Internal Verifier needs to observe the assessor interacting with
one or more of her/his learners. The content of this observation will vary according to the
Assessment and Internal Verification Plan but should cover assessment in some form. As
a minimum the Internal Verifier should aim to observe collection and judgment of
evidence and feedback to the learner(s) by the assessor during the course of a 12-month
period.
It is also good practice at some point in the academic year for the Internal Verifier to
meet a selection of learners to gauge performance.
Developing and Supporting Assessors

The Internal Verifier must ensure continual development and support of each
Assessor. Assessors should be allocated, where possible, to Internal Verifiers to allow a
supportive relationship in which the assessor can develop. Areas for development are
identified through sampling activities and assessor observation. Internal Verifiers are
required to keep an up-to-date record of the development activities of their assessors.
The centre needs to be able to provide evidence that their delivery staff have sufficient
experience, qualifications and continuous professional development to undertake their
roles within the centre.
Each Internal Verifier needs to keep an up-to-date set of records for each assessor which
includes:
• Dates of standardisation reviews

• Dates of professional updates
• Dates and details of professional development activities
• An individual development plan
The Internal Verifier must ensure that each assessor has:

• Copies of the national standards they are to assess
• Regulatory requirements as necessary
• A set of assessment tools, resources and guidance to support their work
• Copies of the Centre’s appeals, procedures, equal opportunities and health and
safety policies
• Information about available learner and assessor support resources, equipment
and facilities.
• Information about the Awarding Body and External Quality Assurer
• Information about their learners including:
• Existing achievement/accreditation
• Special learning or assessment needs
• Any other information
All new assessors need to undergo induction and be allocated an Internal Verifier to
provide the appropriate level of support for the continued development.
Professional Updates
It is important that assessors have a good working relationship with their Internal Verifier
and feel able to contact them for advice. The formal route for developing and supporting
assessors is professional update. The Internal Verifier should aim to professionally update
every assessor at least every 6 months.
Professional updates could also be triggered by identification of a development need

with the following:
• IV sampling
• Observation
• Standardisation
• External Quality Assurance visit
• Issue of new standards
• Issue of new assessment documentation
The assessor him/herself may also identify a need for professional development.
Professional updates should be recorded on a Continuous Professional
Development record. The assessor and Internal Verifier should keep copies of this.
The centre in conjunction with the Internal Verifier will ensure that they are able to
provide evidence that their delivery staff have sufficient experience, qualifications and
continuous professional development to undertake their roles within the centre. This may
include but is not limited to:
• Personal profile/comprehensive CV or other evidence which identifies

occupational competence in detail.
• Qualifications (i.e. PGCE etc...)
• Assessor Individual Development Plan

• Continuous Professional Development Records: Examples of those activities that
can be included in CPD are:
• Attendance at standardisation meetings.

• Formal training sessions related to assessment practice or vocational
competence.
• Informal meetings related to development of vocational competence.
• Meetings with Internal Verifier.
• Assessor networking meetings.
• Industry relevant activities
• Qualifications related to job performance.
• External Quality Assurance visits/feedback
• Delivery of workshops and/or training.
• Research of vocational relevance.
The Process of Verification: Assignment Briefs NEW

Assignments are designed by centres to enable the learners to meet the learning
outcomes/assessment criteria for internally assessed units. All assignments are
required to contain specific information to allow learners to undertake their
assessments fairly.
Sampling the assignments ensures that assignments are:

• fair
• comparable across the centre
• accessible (i.e. can be read and understood by all learners)
• allow learners to achieve all grades depending upon their individual ability
Ultimately, the internal verifier is stating that they are fit for purpose.
100% of all the assignment briefs produced in your centre need to be internally verified
on an annual basis. They will be subject to External Quality Assurance by RSL.
Centre Visits NEW

What is a centre visit?
Centre visits play a fundamental role in ensuring that centres continue to deliver quality
provision and RSL can support your staff to deliver high standard learning experiences.
Your allocated External Quality Assurer will visit your centre to review the way in which
you plan and deliver RSL qualifications. This will include reviewing your policies,
procedure, assessment and quality assurance activities.

Purpose of the Centre Visit
Centre Visits are part of the RSL commitment to developing it’s centres as well as
fundamental to the resolving issues of non-compliance. A centre visit is designed to be a
supportive activity in which we explore ways in which we can improve the way in which
qualifications are delivered and managed.
Length of the Centre Visit:

The length of a centre visit will vary dependent upon the size of your centre, however, on
average, you should plan for it to be around half a day.
Structure of a Centre Visit

Centre visits are designed to include the following:
 Meeting with centre staff:

• Quality Representative
• Administrators
• Assessors
• Internal Verifiers
Sampling documentation:
 Assignment Briefs
 IV/QA Processes and Procedures
 Learner Work
 Observation of teaching/assessment/verification practice where possible
Remember to ensure that all staff are fully briefed prior to the visit. Ideally, they should all
be involved in preparing the information/documentation for the visit.
Prior to the Visit

Confirmation of the Visit
RSL will inform the centre prior to the visit date and ask for the following to be available:
Staff involved in the delivery of RSL qualifications
 Evidence of quality assurance activities i.e. sampling plans, standardisation records,
observation of assessment, staff training etc..
 Learner work for the identified sample where appropriate
Preparation for the Visit

Ensure that you have up-to-date versions of the following available:
 Equal opportunities/Diversity policy
 Safeguarding policy
 Assessment and verification/quality assurance policy
 Appeals and complaints policy
 Confidentiality policy
 Procedure for registration and certifications

Ensure you are able to present evidence of your quality assurance activities, examples
may include*:
 Assessment and Internal Verification Plans
 Observation of teaching
 Assessment and internal verification plans/calendar
 Evidence of standardisation
 Staff Continuing Professional Development
 Internal verification of assignment briefs
 Internal verification of learner work
 Internal verification sampling strategy and sampling plans
 Statistics on registrations, withdrawals, complaints, appeals, reasonable
adjustments and special considerations.
Ensure you are able to present evidence of assessment practice such as:
 Delivery plans/scheme of work
 Assessment plans/calendar
 Assignment briefs
 Completed assignments (if these are unavailable, you may want to have
incomplete examples available)
You may also want to prepare questions for your External Quality Assurer.
Ensure that all staff are aware of all the relevant RSL policies and procedures.
On the Day of the Visit

Ensure the External Quality Assurer can have a private room away from the main
business of the centre in which they can review the documentation privately that you
have supplied and speak to relevant staff.
Ensure all the documentation that is likely to be needed is easily available. Your External
Quality Assurer may request copies of certain documents and you need to be prepared
for this.
Ensure that the staff required are available – the scheduling of these can be flexible to suit
the other commitments that your staff have but they will need to be available on the day
of the visit.
Ensure the External Quality Assurer can have access to learner and other relevant files
(online or paper-based) for the duration of their visit.
Ensure that, where possible, the External Quality Assurer will be able to observe either
teaching or assessment. (Remember, you will need to inform the relevant staff and adhere to
safeguarding policy and procedure)

Feedback on the day of the visit
You will receive informal feedback from your External Quality Assurer before they leave.
This will be supportive providing guidance on ways in which your centre can improve
together with the strengths that have been identified.
Feedback following the day of the visit

You should expect a formal record of the visit within 2 weeks. This will provide a record
of all learner work that has been sampled and feedback on your management systems,
assessment and verification practice.
A SMART action plan will be included to address any weaknesses identified during the
visit. Deadlines will be included for completion of these actions.
Issuing Results NEW

The RSL Assessment Board
RSL operates an assessment board to ensure the safety of certification The RSL
Assessment Board ratifies the results for all learners who have completed a vocational
qualification. The Assessment Board sits once in each academic year and ratifies
certification for individual learners. Learners will only be certificated following ratification
by the assessment board.
Resits and deadlines

All deadlines are published in the Key Dates Calendar and resits for external assessment
are published as part of the RSL Resit Policy. The policy is available from the Summer
prior to the academic year allowing centres plenty of time to plan. RSL will not add
additional resit opportunities for centres without significant reason to do so. Centres are
required to comply with the Key Dates Calendar and use the RSL policies such as Special
Considerations where required.
Certification
Certification will be issued following the assessment board ratification. Learners will be
certificated on their achievements following:
 External Quality Assurance of internally assessed units
 External Quality Assurance of internal verification and quality assurance practice
 Marking by RSL of externally assessed units where applicable.
If RSL cannot verify the audit trail to confirm achievement by the learner a certificate will
not be issued.
In the case of a learner achieving one or more individual units, a centre can apply for unit
certification. These will be issued in line with the Key Dates Calendar.

Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations UPDATED
Reasonable Adjustments
Reasonable adjustment is defined as an action that will reduce the effect of a disability or
difficulty that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage during assessment.
Reasonable adjustments must not affect the integrity of the assessment, but may
involve:
• Making changes for individuals to the standard assessment arrangements, for
example allowing learners extra time to complete the assessment
• Adapting assessment materials, such as providing materials in Braille for those
with visual impairments.
• Providing access facilitators during assessment, such as a sign language
interpreter or a reader.
• Re-organising the assessment room such as removing visual stimuli for an autistic
learner.
It is the centre’s responsibility to ensure that all learners are able to access assessment.
To this end centres are required to have a policy and procedure for reasonable
adjustments made for both internal assessment and external assessment.
Reasonable adjustments should be requested and approved internally before
assessment takes place. The use of a reasonable adjustments should not be taken into
consideration during the internal assessment and will not be taken into consideration in
RSL’s assessment of externally assessed work.
Every request for a reasonable adjustments should be considered on a case by case basis.
What is reasonable in terms of an adjustment to the assessment will depend on the
individual circumstances, cost implications and the practicality and effectiveness of the
adjustment.
RSL Requirements for Policy/Procedure

These are required at the point of centre approval. However, for guidance we
recommend that centres refer to the RSL policy for Reasonable Adjustments and Special
Considerations as guidance. The Joint Council for Qualifications also has guidance on
compiling a robust Reasonable Adjustments Policy and can be found here:
https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-
consideration/regulations-and-guidance
RSL Requirements for Evidence of Reasonable Adjustments

Confirmation of application for and/or application of reasonable adjustments in line with
the organisational policy must be supplied with internally assessed units submitted for
External Quality Assurance , and externally assessed units submitted to RSL for
assessment. The evidence supplied will be dependent upon the individual centre policy
and procedure and RSL requires the evidence that has been obtained in line with this
policy and procedure. As a minimum, a reasonable adjustment form and evidence of the
need for these adjustments (e.g. an Education, Health and Care Plan or Clinicians Report).
For external assessment, RSL require evidence submitted with the individual learner
work. Please ensure that the Controlled Assessment Log reflects the extra time
allocated under Reasonable Adjustments

Special Considerations
Special Considerations are different to reasonable adjustments as they apply to a
temporary illness or adverse circumstance that could affect the learners’ performance.
Special Considerations must be applied for and granted by RSL.
Special Considerations could be taken into account before, during or after the
assessment. RSL will consider applications for special considerations based on the
information provided on a case by case basis.
The RSL Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations policy and Special
Considerations Application Form can be downloaded from:
https://www.rslawards.com/about-us/policies-regulations/
Appeals UPDATED
Centres need to have in place their own policy and procedure to be able to deal with
appeals from learners against internal assessment, verification or standardisation. Should
an appeal be made about internal assessment or verification procedures this will be
referred by RSL back to the centre. Centres may appeal to RSL in the following cases:
1. Appeals against RSL’s decision on special considerations
2. Appeals against RSL’s decision on the outcome of a malpractice or

maladministration investigation.
3. Appeals against issues relating to external assessment:

a. Centres may appeal against the grades awarded for externally assessed
units. Appeals may be considered for individual learning outcomes within
units.
b. Centres may appeal in respect of resits where RSL has failed to meet
published timescales for the issue of results.
4. Appeals against issues relating to the External Quality Assurance of internal

assessment.
a. Centres may appeal against External Quality Assurer decisions.
b. Centres may appeal in cases where External Quality Assurers have not
followed procedure during centre visits.
c. Appeals will be considered if RSL fails to deliver External Quality Assurer
reports or other significant correspondence with centres by published
deadlines.
Please refer to the RSL Appeals Policy Vocational Qualifications which can be
downloaded from https://www.rslawards.com/about-us/policies-regulations/.
Further advice and guidance on centre appeals policy please contact a member of the
Quality Assurance team at RSL.

Complaints UPDATED
RSL takes all enquiries and complaints seriously. We are committed to continuous quality
improvement and in meeting the expectations of our centres and their learners as well as
the requirements set by our regulators. We investigate all complaints in line with the RSL
Complaints Policy which can be found at www.rslawards.com.
Support for centres NEW

RSL is committed to providing support for its centres from the point at which they
receive approval to offer RSL Vocational Qualifications.
The support offered includes:
• An allocated External Quality Assurer
• www.rslawards-education.com
• RSL ‘How to Guides’
• Ad hoc consultation and training events throughout the UK
Each internally assessed unit specification has advice and suggested ideas for delivery.
The syllabus document contains advice on pathways and overall planning.
Allocated External Quality Assurers

Once approved, you will have an External Quality Assurer allocated to your centre. This
allocation will last approximately 2 years after which you will receive a different External
Quality Assurer. External Quality Assurance is conducted by RSL as part of the quality
assurance process. RSL undertakes External Quality Assurance through its External
Quality Assurers in the following ways:
1. Sampling of internally assessed units
2. External Quality Assurance of assignment briefs, delivery plans and internal
verification process and procedure.
3. Centre Visits
Whilst these activities serve to appraise RSL of the progress/standards in a centre, they
are also designed to support the centre to meet the standards required. Centres have
one centre visit per academic year and may request an additional centre visit but this
must be done through the External Quality Assurer and cleared with RSL Head Office
who will organise it directly. There is also a fee attached to an additional centre visit.
In the first instance, if you have a query about any of the following, we recommend you
contact your centre’s External Quality Assurer:
• Queries in relation to the RSL Unit specifications or syllabus
• Advice on delivery planning
• Internal assessment practice

• Arrangements for Controlled External Assessments
• Internal verification policy, procedure or practice
Your External Quality Assurer will be able to provide you with advice and guidance on
these areas and many more. They will also be able to refer you on if it is not an area they
are able to answer.
Please note that all External Quality Assurers are subject to rigorous quality assurance
monitoring and support.
RSL Support Site (www.rslawards-education.com)

This site is designed to support all centres in their delivery of RSL qualifications. Sections
on internal verification, internal assessment practice and Controlled External Assessment
are currently available. More sections are currently under development. All centres, once
approved, will receive a log in to this site. All resources are free and available to download
in Word, Excel, pdf formats. Further detailed information is delivered through a series of
programmes, which aim to guide centres through step-by-step, all areas of delivery.
Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) are regularly posted on the

announcements section of the site and exemplar assignment briefs, delivery plans and
other documentation is available. A range of the RSL ‘How to Guides’ are also available on
this site. Exemplar materials are currently being co-ordinated and will be available on this
site when ready.
Any training events undertake by RSL will also be available either by a video or audio file
no more than 10 days after the event to ensure that all centres are able to access the
information delivered. If you have any suggestions for the development of this site
please email amandaannis@rslawards.com who will be happy to add different resources
over the coming months.
RSL ‘How to Guides’
These are concise information sheets on different aspects of RSL vocational qualification
delivery. They are designed to provide the essential information at a glance, rather than
having to wade through lengthy policy and procedure. All available guides can be
downloaded in pdf format from www.rslawards-education.com. Please note that these are
continually being added to and if you feel that a specific area needs to be covered we
would like to hear from you. Please email amandaannis@rslawards.com who will be
happy to increase the number of titles available.
Consultation and Training Events

Throughout 2018 and onwards, RSL will be organising consultation events across the UK
designed to provide a forum for centres to interact with RSL and provide advice and
guidance on the standards. These will be recorded, as stated above, for those unable to
attend.

Further training and advice sessions are being planned and centres will be notified of
these events via www.rslawards.com and www.rslawards-education.com.

External Quality Assurance Sampling Methodology: Performance Tables MUSPRA
Number of Number of Units x Number of Learners per unit Extra Requirement at Second Sampling
Registrations
Level 1 and 2 Certificates Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma Level 3 Extended Diploma All qualification sizes
1 – 3 learners 1 unit 2 optional units & 1 internal 2 optional units & 1 internal All learners for affected unit
x core unit core unit and
x x
all learners per unit 1 unit x all learners per unit (where there
all learners per unit all learners per unit are more than 1 unit being delivered)
4 – 40 1 unit 2 optional units & 1 internal 2 optional units & 1 internal Additional 4 learners per affected unit
learners x core unit core unit and
x x
4 learners per unit 1 further unit x 4 learners per unit
4 learners per unit 4 learners per unit
41 – 80 1 unit 2 optional units & 1 internal 2 optional units & 1 internal Additional 6 learners per affected unit
learners x core unit core unit
and
x x
80 + learners 1 unit 2 optional units & 1 internal 2 optional units & 1 internal Additional 10 learners per affected unit
x core unit core unit and
x x
10 learners per unit
1 further unit x 10 learners per unit
External Quality Assurance Sampling Methodology: Non Performance Tables MUSPRA

Registrations
Level 1, 2 and 3 Level 1, 2 and 3 Level 3 Subsidiary Level 3 Extended All qualification sizes
Awards and Extended Certificate Diploma Diploma
Certificate and Diploma
1 – 3 learners 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 2 optional units & 1 2 optional units & 1 All learners for affected unit
x internal core unit internal core unit internal core unit and
x x x
all learners per unit 1 unit x all learners per unit (where there are
all learners per unit all learners per unit all learners per unit more than 1 unit being delivered)
4 – 40 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 2 optional units & 1 2 optional units & 1 Additional 4 learners per affected unit
learners x internal core unit internal core unit internal core unit and
x x x
4 learners per unit 4 learners per unit 4 learners per unit
learners
x x x
80 + 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 2 optional units & 1 2 optional units & 1 Additional 10 learners per affected unit
x x x
External Quality Assurance Sampling Methodology: Performance Tables CAPA - Please note an internal unit is not asked for in External
Quality Assurance in the Level 3 Extended Diploma as there is only one internal core unit within CAPA qualifications and the assumption is that this

will be Externally Quality Assured in year one of the course. The internal core unit will be moderated either in the first or second year of the course,
dependent on how the centre is delivering.
Registrations
Level 1 and 2 Level 2 Diploma Level 3 Diploma Level 3 Extended All qualification sizes
Certificates (Technical Certificate) Diploma
1 – 3 learners 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 2 optional units & 1 3 optional units All learners for affected unit
x internal core unit internal core unit x and
x x
all learners per unit all learners per unit
all learners per unit 1 unit x all learners per unit (where there is
all learners per unit more than 1 unit being delivered)
4 – 40 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 2 optional units & 1 3 optional units Additional 4 learners per affected unit
learners x internal core unit internal core unit x and
x x
4 learners per unit 4 learners per unit 1 further unit x 4 learners per unit (where
4 learners per unit 4 learners per unit there is more than 1 unit being delivered)
41 – 80 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 2 optional units & 1 3 optional units Additional 6 learners per affected unit
learners
x x
6 learners per unit 6 learners per unit 1 further unit x 6 learners per unit (where
there is more than 1 unit being delivered)
80 + learners 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 2 optional units & 1 3 optional units Additional 10 learners per affected unit
x x 10 learners per unit further unit x 10 learners per unit (where
10 learners per unit 10 learners per unit there is more than 1 unit being delivered)
External Quality Assurance Sampling Methodology: Non Performance Tables CAPA

Registrations
Level 1, 2 and 3 Level 2 and 3 Level 3 Diploma Level 3 Extended All qualification sizes
Certificates Extended Certificate Diploma
and Diploma
1 – 3 learners 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 2 optional units & 1 2 optional units & 1 All learners for affected unit
x X x
all learners per unit 1 unit x all learners per unit (where there is
all learners per unit all learners per unit all learners per unit more than 1 unit being delivered)
x x x
4 learners per unit 1 further unit x 4 learners per unit (where
there is more than 1 unit being delivered)
x x x
6 learners per unit 1 further unit x 6 learners per unit (where
6 learners per unit 6 learners per unit 6 learners per unit there is more than 1 unit being delivered)
80 + learners 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 2 optional units & 1 2 optional units & 1 Additional 10 learners per affected unit
x x x
1 further unit x 10 learners per unit (where
10 learners per unit 10 learners per unit 10 learners per unit there is more than 1 unit being delivered)
External Quality Assurance Sampling Methodology: Level 4 Creative Practitioners

Registrations
Level 4 Certificate and Level 4 Diploma Level 4 Extended Diploma All qualification sizes
Extended Certificate
1 – 3 learners 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 internal core 2 optional units & 1 internal All learners for affected unit
x unit core unit and
x x
all learners per unit 1 unit x all learners per unit (where there
all learners per unit all learners per unit are more than 1 unit being delivered)
4 – 40 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 internal core 2 optional units & 1 internal Additional 4 learners per affected unit
learners x unit core unit and
x x
41 – 80 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 internal core 2 optional units & 1 internal Additional 6 learners per affected unit
learners x unit core unit and
x x
80 + learners 1 unit 1 optional unit & 1 internal core 2 optional units & 1 internal Additional 10 learners per affected unit
x unit core unit and
x x

Appendix 1: Qualification fees NEW
Please note: All fees are applicable for the UK only. For international fees please email us
at international@rslawards.com
Qualification Level UK fee 18/19 4

Award 1 to 3 £ 52
Certificate 1 to 4 £ 68
Certificate including external assessment 1&2 £ 73
Extended Certificate 1 to 4 £ 95
Subsidiary Diploma/Diploma 1 to 4 £ 158
Subsidiary Diploma/Diploma including external 1 to 3 £ 168
assessment
Diploma (120 Credits) 3 £ 173
Extended Diploma 3&4 £ 194
Extended Diploma including external 3 £ 205
assessment
Appendix 2: Centre fees NEW

Type of fee Centre type Learners UK fee 18/19

School £ 350
Approval
College £ 500
School up to 5 £ 100
School 6 to 15 £ 250
School 16 to 50 £ 350
School 51+ £ 750
Annual
College up to 10 £ 450
College 11 to 25 £ 650
College 26 to 75 £ 850
College 76 + £ 1,050
4
A top up fee of £15 is applicable for any learner moving between two Diploma qualifications at the same
level having completed the first, for example, learners moving between the Subsidiary Diploma and
Extended Diploma will be charged the difference between the qualification costs and a top up fee of £15.

Appendix 3: Administration and additional fees NEW
Late registration Individual £ 30

Change of qualification Individual £ 15
Training (1 trainer) half day £ 500

day £ 750
Additional support visits half day £ 350

day £ 500
remote half day £ 200
remote day £ 300
Enforced EQA visit half day £ 250

day £ 400
Standardisation 5 per delegate £ 75
Resits (externally assessed unit) Levels 1 & 2 £ 15

Level 3 £ 30
Appeal level Per learner

Enquiries about results Clerical check free
Marking check First Level free
Appeal Second Level 6 £ 30
Third Level 6 £ 60
Certificate replacement per certificate £ 30
Partial achievement certificates free
5
RSL run events for multiple centres (when scheduled)
6
Refunded if successful

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RSL VOCATIONAL

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 1

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 2

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 3

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 4

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 5

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 6

The Quality Representative NEW

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 7

The Internal Verifier

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 8

The Centre Approval Process UPDATED

The approval process

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 9

The Centre Approval Form

Type of centre – If your centre is a University, College, School, Training Provider,

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 10

4. Approval with other Awarding Organisations

6. Policies and Procedures

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 11

To assist RSL in carrying out any This includes:

Can deliver the qualification in accordance Equalities Law refers to legislation in

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 12

Requirement for gaining and Reason

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 13

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 14

Once approved, centres will be asked to submit an annual statement of compliance to

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 15

Staff members / system users

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 16

Delivering RSL Qualifications UPDATED

Learners are registered at cloud.rslawards.com. As part of centre approval, your Quality

FAQs about Registration

Can I withdraw learners?

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 17

How do I change optional units for a learner?

Producing the Assessment and Internal Verification Plan

The assessment plan

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 18

Planning Internal Assessment

• Policy on the creation of assignment briefs (content, deadlines, quality assurance

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 19

All internal assessment should be conducted as assessment not as part of teaching

Supporting learners prior to internal assessment:

• How to respond to a controlled assignment i.e. how to approach an answer

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 20

Creating an appropriate Quality Assurance Plan for a centre visit

Centre Monitoring UPDATED

The External Quality Assurance Process NEW

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 21

1) Complete an annual statement to demonstrate continuing compliance

2) Identify a key point of contact for RSL communication (known as a Quality

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 22

3) Identify an internal verifier for the qualification

• For more information on internal verification, please see ‘Internal

4) Submit an assessment and internal verification plan

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 23

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 24

6) Register learners on the correct qualification at rslawards.com

7) Submit one assignment brief per qualification delivered (with accompanying

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 25

RSL Vocational Qualifications Centre Handbook 26

Centre assignment brief monitoring