The Assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE)

An example of a completed critical reflection log

This fictitious example of a completed critical reflection log (CRL)has been designed to illustrate the journey of an NQSW, Katherine, through the ASYE.

At the beginning of the ASYE Katherine demonstrates that she still has much to learn to meet the standard.Throughout the year however, we see her practice and her ability to reflect improve to the extent that the final critical reflection provides an example of what can be regarded as a ’secure pass’ at the end of the ASYE.

Thecompleted reviews and professional development plansare accompanied by adetailedcommentary from a fictitious assessor.This will be useful for the assessors and NQSWsto recognise the levels of professional practice and critical reflection that are ideally expected.

Before reading and using the example please note:

  1. Throughout the example CRL, observations and feedbackfrom the assessor are provided as annotated comments for guidance and illustration only. It is not an expectation that the assessor comments on a “real” CRL in this way, the record of support and progressive assessment (RSPA)should beused for this purpose.
  1. To be consistent with her level of ability at the endof her qualifying course, Katherine would probably have struggled more with things like grammar and punctuation, e.g. commas and apostrophes wrongly used.In this example her written English has been ‘improved’, making it easier to read and avoids the need for more comments from the assessor. It is important to bear in mind that, if students struggle with written English, they will need support and guidance to reach the standard required by their employing organisation.
  1. Although some NQSWs annotate their work throughout with reference to the Knowledge and Skills Statement (KSS) and the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF),care should be taken so that it doesn’t become a tick box exercise. For the purposes of this example we have removed the references to the KSS / PCF in the NQSW’s commentary, andadded them within the assessor’s comments instead. This helps to emphasise the importance of discussion around the NQSW’s progress against the KSS and PCF as well as the holistic assessment outcomes at each stage. This approach is for guidance only and it is not assumed that assessors will record the information like this in the critical reflection log.
  1. Where numerical references are use in relation to the KSS and the PCF these are the numbered thematic section of the KSS and the PCF domains.
  1. This completed CRL includes the critical reflection log and PDP for parts 1-4 but does not have completed examples of the templates for Direct observation and feedback.

Some suggestions for use

In recognition of the fact that the overarching aim of the ASYE is to raise standards of professional practice, the commentary and assessor feedback included in this example reflects a level of completion which is aspirational. With this in mind it is anticipated that the example will:

  • provide a catalyst for discussion about standards in a 1:1 or a group situation with both NQSWs and assessors
  • help NQSWs to understand and articulate what they should be reflecting on in terms of their learning and development
  • assist assessors in their scrutiny of the evidence presented and provide some pointers about the ways in which they can guide the NQSW through the year.
  1. This examplemay be used to reflect upon some cross-cutting themes such as:
  • Katherine’s learning journey and her progressive development over the course of the ASYE
  • the expected level of professional activity and critical reflection that should be undertaken by the NQSW by the end of the ASYE, including a balance between practice based decision making and academic reflections
  • the integration of the holistic assessment outcomes, theKSS and the PCF
  • the use of the professional development plan
  • the inter relationship of the CRL and the RSPA.
  1. NQSWs could be given one of Katherine’s critical reflections, at a corresponding point to their own development, and asked to comment on it. They could then compare and contrast their comments with the assessor’s comments on the example.
  1. NQSWs could be asked to look at the CRL and the assessor’s comments, again at a corresponding stage to their own development. Do they agree/disagree with the assessor’s comments? What resonates for them with their own practice?
  1. The example could also be used in similar ways to two and three as part of the assessors’ training.
  1. Assessors could comment on whether they agree or disagree with this assessor’s evaluation of Katherine’s development against the KSS and PCF at each stage.

Acknowledgement

Special thanks must go to the following individuals for their hard work in developing and commenting on this example:

  • Tineke March (ASYE Co-ordinator, Oxfordshire County Council)
  • Dr Kaeren Harrison (previously of Southampton Solent University)
  • Dr Karen Postle(Registered Social Worker, freelance Practice Educator and ASYE assessor/supervisor)
  • Hilary Hubbard (Workforce Development Adviser, Hampshire County Council Adult Services)