Read Our Fantastic Pearson Standards Verification Report 2019

 

Standards Verification Report – Centre Visit

Each year Peregrinate School undergo a strict and thorough audit of all processes, policies and procedures to ensure we offer our students the best possible standards of education and examination. These inspections are carried out by Pearson who are our examination awarding body. Peregrinate Schools processes are put under intense scrutiny and ahead of the visit by the verifier there is a large amount of paperwork to complete and check to ensure all policies and procedures take into account the latest guidelines and requirements. Pearson assess each subject we teach to ensure these exacting standards are met. We were delighted to receive the 2019 report as not only did we meet all requirements across all aspects of the report but we received a no further action required status highlighting that there are no concerns as our process is accurate and provides an excellent opportunity to our students.

Entry Level Functional Skills 2018-19

Centre Overview

Peregrinate is an independent registered school serving the Merseyside area. It became an alternative provider in 2014 to meet the needs of learners who find it difficult to engage in learning in main stream education. Learners are taken from years 9 to 11. The curriculum on offer is tailored to meet individual needs and includes English, mathematics and a range of vocational courses. Learners are referred to the Centre directly by local schools or by the ‘Liverpool City Council Alternative Provision Team’.

Learner Management and Development

Admissions policy and initial assessment process and names of initial material/tool    Met

Delivery model is appropriate   Met

Centre processes for learners exiting the programme and progress routes for learners are defined   Met

Named person is responsible for learner reviews, eg via ILP, Tutorials or formal review   Met

Comments:

Before learners enter this course they initially meet with the Managing Director who explains what the Centre can provide and what is expected of the learner. Each learner is assessed during induction using the ‘Basic Skills Agency Initial and Diagnostic Assessment’. All stakeholders then work together to devise a bespoke programme to give the individual learner the best chance of success. Learners then negotiate an Individual Learning Plan which is explained in detail and then monitored throughout the time the learner is with Peregrinate School

Learners are taught by specialist staff using appropriate materials. Staff use a mix of in- house produced worksheets and online programmes to cover the functional skills curriculum and functional skills are also embedded in the vocational courses.

All learners’ progress is reviewed daily with weekly updates being recorded. A report is sent out to key stakeholders at the base schools. Peregrinate staff then formally review progress three times a year with learners and parents/ carers.

Learners have access to careers advice and generally progress on to Further Education programmes at level 1 and apprenticeship training providers if able or required.

Staff Management:

All staff have the appropriate qualifications or are working towards them   Met

The ratio of Assessors to learners is appropriate   Met

Comments:

All staff have appropriate qualifications to deliver the courses on offer. Staff who teach functional skills have QTS or are Level 3 teaching assistants.

The ratio of learners to staff is 9:5 approximately. This is a good ratio and it is hoped that the Centre can maintain this in future if numbers rise.

Internal Verification:

An active internal verification strategy covers all Assessors, qualifications, levels & locations   Met

Internal verification strategy is appropriate to staff experience   Met

Internal verification sampling undertaken in line with the sampling strategy and records maintained   Met

Internal Verifier successfully identifies incorrect application of the mark scheme by Assessors   Met

Assessors are standardised and provided with feedback   Met

Comments:

There is a suitable internal verification strategy in place with a general written policy to cover functional skills and BTEC examinations. As numbers are small 100% of papers are internally verified and the Lead Internal Verifier keeps written records of the IV process. This may change in the future as more candidates are entered.

It is clear from the assessments that internal verification has taken place as assessors and internal verifiers had marked in different coloured inks and had signed marks and annotations.

Informal standardisation meetings take place after the learners’ papers are assessed. If in the future there are larger numbers entering for ELFS, moderation meetings will be held formally in line with the Centre’s policy on Assessment and Moderation. At that time the Lead Internal Verifier will present the standardisation report at a meeting.

Minutes of these meetings will be kept.

The Centre should consider using the Pearson pro-forma for formal feedback to assessors from the Lead Internal Verifier. The pro-forma gives a permanent written record and staff can be given action points that are time related if necessary. The staff at this Centre however have shown a good level of accuracy and it has not been

necessary to implement these measures as yet.

Resources:

Appropriate resources are utilised to establish correct level of learners   Met

Appropriate teaching and learner resources used   Met

Comments:

The Centre uses resources from: – The Basic Skills Agency

Pearson ELFS materials In-house materials

Functional Skills tutorial and revision guides Appropriate websites e.g. Skillswise.

All materials used were appropriate to the learners and style of teaching.

Test Security & Administration:

Centre is following procedures as set out in the ‘Instructions for Conducting Controlled Assessments’ document   Met

Rooms used for tests are set up appropriately   Met

Assessment facilities/venue are appropriate to learner ratio   Met

There is a safe and robust process, and log is kept of who has access assessment materials   Met

Centre is using current assessment material by printing from secure website   Met

There are secure storage facilities for tests   Met

Learners are correctly registered with Pearson prior to taking an assessment   Met

There is a process for accurately recording learner attendance during assessment   Met

There is a clearly defined, executed and compliant invigilation procedure   Met

There is a log of unusual incidents that have occurred during tests   Met

Learner matrix kept to log which tests from which SETS were taken   Met

Malpractice policy is implemented during a test if required   Met

Special requirements and arrangements policy is followed and additional support given during an assessment is specified on the front cover of assessment papers    Met

Comments:

This Centre has a well organised exams administration which follows all proscribed procedure. The Centre policy is outlined in the ‘Quality Assurance Procedure’ and has recently been updated to cover the requirements for ELFS.

This Centre does not take papers off-site and therefore does not require a documented audit trail. If however papers are taken off site in future a simple recording spreadsheet will be devised.

Registers are prepared when tests take place which are signed by the invigilator. Copies of these registers are kept by the Centre until results are confirmed.

Sampling Outcome:

Mark schemes are consistently and correctly applied   Met

Marks are correctly totalled   Met

All learners sampled who are awarded a pass have met the required standard   Met

Comments:

The assessment of papers was accurate and mark schemes had been applied consistently. All the administration was completed correctly and the authentication sheets had been signed by the learners and the assessors. Marks had been correctly totalled on all papers.

 There was good annotation of the papers (largely the English writing papers) to indicate where marks were given which made it very clear for standards verifying. If there is a question over whether marks should be awarded annotation by all concerned is essential. The papers had been internally verified and it was easy to see where the internal verifiers had disagreed or concurred with marks because of the use of different coloured inks. The marks had all been entered on the record sheet and were accurate.

 For ease of totalling marks it is helpful to keep a running total at the bottom of each page. Please award a ‘0’ when a student has failed to get any marks for a question.

 All learners that had been awarded a pass had met the required standard.