An academic year approach

Pearson’s processes for Entry Level Functional Skills are built around an academic year. While we understand not every provider operates in this way, the majority do. It, therefore, makes sense that the processes follow this calendar. With this in mind, here are the key dates that you need to be aware of:

• 1 September – new academic year registrations go live
• January – standard verifiers are allocated to centres
• 31 July – all SV visits need to be completed
• 31 August – all certificates need to be claimed

This is what the process up to the claiming of certificates looks like:

Setting up Entry Level Functional Skills in a centre

Internal verification

As Entry Level Functional Skills are controlled assessments that are internally marked and verified by each centre, an internal verification process needs to be set up by each centre. Within that there are a number of roles and responsibilities.

Roles and responsibilities

Lead internal verifier

The lead internal verifier is designated by the centre to standardise and verify the marking of internal verifiers and assessors. The lead internal verifier ensures that assessments across the centre consistently meet national standards. The lead internal verifier should be:

• someone with the authority to oversee assessment outcomes; ideally this is the programme leader, as this would normally be a key part of the role

The lead internal verifier is responsible for:

• retaining completed assessment
• making use of the exemplar videos to train the internal verifiers and assessors within the centre
• supporting the work of assessors within the centre to monitor and ensure consistency in the interpretation and application of standards
• arranging feedback to the assessor following internal verification
• ensuring all assessors and internal verifiers have access to a copy of assessment requirements as specified in the Assessment Record and Authentication Sheets (ARAS)
• ensuring that all centre sub-sites follow the internal verification procedures set by your centre
• maintaining up-to-date records of internal verification and sampling activity and ensuring that these are available for standards verification

Internal verifier

The internal verifier is a centre/team-based role. The internal verifier is responsible for reviewing the assessment decisions of the assessor to check for accuracy, fairness, and consistency of applying the correct standards across the programme. Anyone involved in the delivery and assessment of the programme can be an internal verifier, but they cannot internally verify their own assessments.

All assessors and internal verifiers must take part in a centre standardisation activity led by the lead internal verifier and an accurate record of this activity must be kept. This applies to all centres regardless of the number of staff involved with the delivery of the programme. If a centre has multiple sites, assessors and internal verifiers must be standardised across all locations. retaining completed assessment

Assessors

Assessors are responsible for:

• marking and recording assessment decisions using the Mark Scheme and Guidance for Assessors
• implementing assessments following the Instructions for the Conduct of Controlled Assessment document
• maintaining accurate and verifiable information on the Assessment Record Sheets.

In terms of responsibilities, the following table provides handy guidance.

Example structures

The following are example structures of how a centre can set up its processes for Entry Level Functional Skills.

This one is a typical structure within a larger centre with a larger cohort. With smaller cohort sizes, it is possible to remove one layer of this structure.

Standardisation

Standardisation must be carried out when there is more than one assessor delivering and marking the same programme. This should happen before any marking or internal verification takes place.

The standardisation process is designed to make sure that all assessors mark learner work consistently and accurately. It establishes a common standard of marking, which should ensure the quality of marking across the assessment team.

Assessors should reach a consensus after marking and discussing a sample of assessments. Once agreement has been reached, Assessors can individually mark learner work.

The simplest means of completing a standardisation review is to collate copies of completed assessments and ask each assessor to make a judgement on them.

Internal verification exercises should be repeated at regular intervals to ensure that messages are reinforced. If action to adjust marks is found necessary, a plan should be in place to ensure that this is completed before standards verification takes place. Procedures should be put in place to provide ongoing feedback to assessors.

What happens during the SV visit

SV visits are usually carried out virtually at a time convenient to yourselves. Before the visit, you will need to supply the SV with the paperwork they require, including scripts and recordings. The visit will then be carried out roughly ten days after this has been supplied and will be via telephone or a remote online meeting. The agenda for these visits will then usually cover the following topics:

• Confirmation of registrations
• Clarification of your processes and procedures
• The sampling outcome including actions required
• Certification processes

Frequently asked questions

How many scripts need to be seen by the SV?

A sample of five scripts per component and level make up the annual sample for each centre. These scripts should be sampled during the external verification. Within the centre, it is the lead internal verifier’s responsibility to provide evidence to demonstrate that all criteria are being met. Your SV reserves the right to request additional samples or increase the sample size at any time.

How many video recordings are needed for speaking, listening and communicating?

Entry Level 1

1 live assessment including the accompanying assessment record sheet, plus an extra 4 assessment record sheets from different candidates

OR 2 video recordings including the accompanying assessment records sheets, plus an extra 3 assessment record sheets from different candidates

Entry Level 2

1 live assessment including the accompanying assessment record sheet, plus an extra 4 assessment record sheets from different candidates

OR 1 video recordings including the accompanying assessment records sheets, plus an extra 4 assessment record sheets from different candidates

Entry Level 3

1 live assessment including the accompanying assessment record sheet, plus an extra 4 assessment record sheets from different candidates

OR 1 video recordings including the accompanying assessment records sheets, plus an extra 4 assessment record sheets from different candidates

When will the SV contact us?

In January, or soon after learners are registered (if registered after January).

Will I get a separate SV for maths and English?

No, you will have one SV for all entry level programmes.

Can I request an earlier visit than January?

Yes, you can, but you would need to contact us directly.

What judgements are available from the SV and what do they mean?

• Yes - all learners for the programme specified can be released this academic year.
• No - no learners can be released for the programme specified.
• Limited release - only learners listed in the report can be released.
• N/A - no assessments were sampled for the programme specified.

What does limited release mean?

The centre has not met the minimum sample requirement. Only the learners specified in the standards verification report are released. A follow-up postal visit may be required. Please discuss with your SV.

What is a postal visit?

The components and levels available during the external verification will be sampled and released for certification if appropriate. All remaining components and levels are sampled through postal sampling at a later stage during the year.

The date for submitting the postal sample is agreed between you and the SV. You should provide original assessments to the SV. You must keep copies of the original assessments. These copies must be stored securely.

When do I need to arrange an SV visit?

External cerification must take place before 31 July 2024. External verification requests after this date will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Certificates must be claimed for before 31 August 2024 and will not be released without external verification.

When do I need to claim certificates?

For all ELFS units, marks are to be submitted once standards verification is complete and the centre has been released for certification. If the external verification has not taken place, centre marks for learners will still be accepted by us, however, learners will not receive certificates until external verification has been completed. The deadline is 31 August.

For guidance on how to submit marks on Edexcel Online, please refer to this video: Reporting Entry Level Functional Skills achievement.

By Chris Briggs - Product Manager - Post 16 English, Maths and Digital Skills.