CENTRE RISK ASSESSMENT 20008-09

1. CENTRE RISK ASSESSMENT 20008-09 NQF BTEC Levels 2 & 3 (including Short Courses at Levels 1-3)

2. CRA 2008-09 • Ensures approval obligations continue to be met • Drives up quality of provision of BTEC programmes • CRA measures a centre’s identification and control of known risks • CRA confirms centre quality management against defined risk assessment criteria • CRA: • Will involve ALL live BTEC centres • 700 visit assessments • All other centres will undertake self assessment

3. The CRA Report • 15 identified risk areas • Grouped into three Assessment Sections: • Managing Assessment Risks • Managing Learning Risks • Managing Resource Risks • Each section is characterised by a specific risk type • Identified risks are managed by appropriate Risk Controls • These provide the basis for judging centre quality systems • Plan Centre Development (PCD): monitored actions and recommendations

4. Risk Controls • Risk Controls = standardisation tool to aid consistent judgements • Risk Controls are general, standardised statements which set out ways to manage identified risk • Risk Controls are applied to centre systems in order to make judgements • Risk Controls are prescriptive • Risk Controls requirements apply to each Risk Area

5. Risk Controls • Enables effective assessment against each Risk Area • Centre only meets Risk Controls for each Risk Area if Risk Control is adequate: (1) Exists (2) Enforced (3) Effective • Adequacy of controls judged on a three point scale • Only if all controls in place will no action be required • Actions are mandatory and assure BTEC centre systems • Recommendations are advisory and help provide centre support

6. Visit Assessment • Centres selected for a visit will be informed Summer 2008 • Risk Assessor will make contact by end September 2008 to confirm: • Visit date • What is assessed • Documentation required • CRA visit window = 01/11/2008 – 28/02/2009

7. Visit Assessment • Risk Assessors view centre systems and programme team practice • Risk Assessors draw a big picture: Don’t get bogged down in detail • Risk Assessors make judgements on evidence and what seen on visit, but… • Advocate good practice – encourage centre development

8. Visit Assessment • Focus – one day assessment visit: some variation • Assessment of centre systems and two Programme Area Titles (PATs) • PATs to be assessed identified by Edexcel • CRA report will be available on Edexcel Online – automated email alerts Quality Nominee when report is submitted • Centre undertakes actions and recommendations in PCD • Managing Assessment Risk actions monitored within three months • All other actions monitored at next CRA

9. Introduction of Self Assessment 2008-09 • Self Assessment introduced to lessen bureaucracy • Variable pattern of visit and SA for centres over time • Operates on same Risks and Controls as visit assessments • Programme areas selected by centre • Quality Nominee carries out risk assessment and completes report online • Action plans are monitored as required • Edexcel Quality Manager may provide support as required • CRA self assessment window = 01/11/2008 – 28/02/2009