Centre Structure

Roles and responsibilities

Head of Centre

Responsible for:

Business Plan.
Marketing Strategy.
Liaison between Centre – Technology Team – External Consultant.
Contract Management / Recruitment.
Sales Strategy.
Day-to-day running of the Centre.
Ensure there are sufficient qualified and occupationally competent assessors.
Ensure that documentation meets Awarding Body requirements.
Liaison with awarding organisation – accounts and administration.
Sales / Client / Account Management.
Internal and external reporting.
Ensure that training needs of centre staff are identified and that provision is made to meet those needs.

Centre Administrator

Responsible for:

Set up of learner user accounts / induction packs.
Management of individual learner contracts.
Help desk support (technical / usability level).
Maintain centre records about assessors’ details and learners’ progress.
Assessor / Internal Verifier task assignment.
Inform the awarding organisation of changes to Centre staff.

Internal Quality Assurance (IQA)

The co-ordinating IQA will be the main point of contact for the company and will have overall responsibility for the qualification Delivery Team and internal quality assurance. They will be a highly experienced member of staff, with substantial experience of Centre administration, and a management qualification.

In addition, the Co-ordinating IQA will be a qualified Assessor, an experienced and qualified IQA, and will have a care/ child care vocational qualification appropriate to the level and role at which they will be working.

The Co-ordinating IQA will have sufficient standing within the Company to gain access to and request financial and human resources, thereby maintaining the quality assurance of the qualification.

Manages staff within their occupational area.
Conducts Standardisation meetings and reviews with staff.
Liaises with Centre Manager for the initial recruitment of potential new Assessors.
Complete Complaints and Appeals process as indicated by Centre Manager.
Continuously improves provision in line with national standards.
Ensures that all completions are administered correctly.
Ensure effective operation of the appeals process.
Ensure that the Equal Opportunities and Access policy is applied to all aspects of centre ordination.
Ensuring that assessors are competent in the theory and practice of competency-based vocational qualifications.
Ensuring continuous professional development records are maintained by the team.
Providing feedback to the External Verifier, via Centre Manager on the effectiveness of assessments.
Ensuring that action points agreed with the Awarding Body External Verifier are implemented.
Evaluate and develop all centre systems, materials and documentation in conjunction with Centre Manager.
Ensuring that all appropriate assessment and quality assurance documentation, records and personnel are available for the External Verifier visit.
Maintain good communication links with centre staff.
Keep information confidential and secure.
Providing support and advice to assessors and other staff involved with the learner’s development.
Ensuring assessors are applying the qualification requirements by observing practice, sampling assessment and internally verifying assessment decisions.
Providing prompt feedback to assessors.
Taking part in standardisation exercises to ensure consistency of own practice and judgements with other IQA.
Contributing to the evaluation of assessment and quality assurance procedures, incorporating feedback from “Learner voice” and learner reviews.
Monitoring and reviewing learners’ achievements in relation to access to a fair assessment.
Arranging the checking and countersigning process.
Completing and signing the Certification Record Forms before submission to the Awarding Body.
Ensuring that the Centre’s Quality Assurance Policy and Procedures are consistently implemented.
Managing and sampling online assessments for knowledge only units.

Technology Team

Responsible for:

Development of initial technology / content.
Review of technical processes / procedures to support centre requirements.
Data Management / Back up process.
Development of new features based on centre feedback.

External Consultant / QA

Responsible for the independent checking of QA of the following functions:

Administration.
Contract Management.
Assessor / IQA functions.

Assessors

Follow observation assessment procedures.
Provide consistent and accurate statements, planning and feedback to assessors in a timely manner.
Maintain their occupational competence and update knowledge / skills to ensure robust delivery of qualifications.
Liaise with the IQA to ensure high standards are maintained.
Respond to feedback from assessor and IQA reviews.
Where AI-supported tools are used, review and amend all AI-generated feedback or suggestions before issuing outcomes to learners.

OCPAs (Occupationally Competent Proxy Assessors)

Follow observation assessment procedures.
Provide consistent and accurate statements, planning and feedback to assessors in a timely manner.
Maintain their occupational competence and update knowledge/skills to ensure robust delivery of qualifications.
Liaise with the assessor to ensure high standards are maintained.
Respond to feedback from assessor and IQA reviews.

Learners

Sign and agree with learner contract.
Agree to a completion programme with the Centre and their Manager.
Carry out all actions agreed with their assessor / tutor / IQA within agreed timescales.
Keep their own copies of submitted assessment methods (this will be done electronically for knowledge assessments).
Take overall responsibility for the successful completion of the award.

Qualifications for centre staff

Assessors – D32/D33 or A1 (Learning Disability Qualification optional not mandatory) or level 3 assessing qualification.
IQAs – D32/D33 and D34 or A1 and V1 or level 4 quality assurance qualification.
OCPAs – Will be approved by AO before assigning assessments. CV and CPD required.