Voluntary Action Coventry

Internal Moderation Policy

Internal moderation ensures that the decisions of all assessors are consistent and fair to all learners. This is particularly important for ASDAN qualifications, which are internally assessed and externally moderated. Internal moderation procedures include the sampling and checking of candidate work, the standardisation and recording of assessors’ decisions, and the mechanism for the internal moderator to feed back to assessors in order to improve practice (this includes both internal and external moderation feedback).

Voluntary Action Coventry are committed to ensuring fairness and consistency within the internal moderation process.

Internal Moderation Principles

1. It is essential that assessment decisions are in line with the qualification standards. The internal and external moderation process is in place to ensure that all assessments are applied consistently for all candidates and that the final judgement is accurate, reliable and recorded.

2. Internal moderation should be on-going throughout the course, with feedback being given to the assessors. There should be evidence of feedback being actioned where necessary.

3. Summative internal moderation must be carried out prior to candidates being entered for external moderation. Only those assessors whose candidates have fully met the standards can be entered for external moderation. Entering those who have not met the standards will jeopardise the success of those who have met the standards. If a tutor is found to be entering candidates for moderation who have not met the standards, disciplinary procedures may be implemented.

4. It is the responsibility of all staff to participate in the moderation process by keeping the necessary records, attending relevant meetings and submitting marked student work as requested.

5. All assessment evidence, which has been internally moderated, must be kept onsite until after the external moderation. The work remains the property of the candidate and can be returned to the candidate according to the requirements of the relevant awarding body.

Internal Moderation Process

Before Start of Training Programme

  1. Establish cohort numbers
  2. Establish level of training to be delivered
  3. Develop a timetable for delivery
  4. Establish tutors for each relevant part of delivery
  5. Have a meeting between tutors to identify standards and moderation process. Ensure all members are aware of the standards required.
  6. Allocate relevant assessors and internal moderators to each programme/ course being delivered.

After start of Training Programme Delivery

  1. Register candidates with relevant accreditation body; ie ASDAN
  2. All tutors/assessors to meet and ensure standardisation of work being achieved.
  3. A preliminary internal moderation undergone
  4. Feedback on moderation recorded and feedback to tutors/assessors.

End of Programme

  1. Internal moderation undergone
  2. Feedback to tutors and candidates
  3. Any further support to students undergone
  4. Internal moderation finalised and recorded.
  5. External moderation requested.

Before start of another Training Programme

  1. Meeting to be held between tutors, assessors and internal moderator to discuss upcoming programme and to implement any recommendations given by the external moderator.

Reviewed March 2018 (next Review date March 2020)