Purpose of the policy
This policy and associated procedures outline Albury College International’s approach to ensure that high quality training and assessment is provided.
Scope
This policy and associated procedures meet the requirements of Standard 1 and associated clauses of the Standards for RTOs 2015, as well as Standard 11 of the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018.
Policy statements
Development of training and assessment strategies
Albury College will ensure:
Training and assessment strategies are in place for all training products on scope.
Training and assessment strategies are developed:
- to meet the requirements of training packages and VET accredited courses;
- based on industry needs;
- to enable students to meet the requirements of each unit of competency; and
- to ensure that an appropriate amount of training is provided.
- to ensure the students’ knowledge and skills are developed for the intended vocational outcomes
Training and assessment strategies and practices are regularly reviewed as outlined in Albury College’s Quality Assurance Policy and Associated Practices.
Industry consultation
Albury College ensures that its training and assessment practices and strategies are informed by industry engagement.
Albury College implements a range of strategies for industry engagement to ensure that its practices and strategies are relevant to industry.
Albury College uses the outcome of industry engagement to inform its training and assessment strategies and practices.
Resourcing
Albury College ensures that it is sufficiently resourced through:
- ensuring sufficient and qualified trainers and assessors to provide training and assessment to students
- ensuring sufficient student support is in place through its Student Support Policy and Associated Procedures
- identifying and procuring quality learning and assessment resources for the delivery of training and assessment
- identifying and procuring the required facilities and equipment to deliver training and assessment.
Assessment
Albury College implements an assessment system that ensures that assessment (including RPL):
- meets the requirements of the relevant training package and VET accredited course
- is conducted in accordance with the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.
Albury College conducts assessment validation to meet the requirements of the Standards for RTOs 2015, including developing a plan for assessment validation.
Assessment evidence is retained to meet ASQA’s General Direction on retention requirements for completed student assessment items.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Albury College offers RPL to all learners.
Albury College uses an RPL Tool Assessor Guide and an RPL Tool Candidate Guide for each unit of competency to conduct RPL.
Transition of training products
Albury College ensures that:
- Where a training product on its scope of registration is superseded, all training and assessment for students is completed and the relevant AQF certification documentation is issued or that students are transferred into its replacement, within a period of one year from the date the replacement training product was released on training.gov.au.
- Where an AQF qualification is no longer current and has not been superseded, students’ training and assessment is completed and the relevant AQF certification documentation issued within a period of two years from the date the AQF qualification was removed or deleted from training.gov.au.
- Where a skill set, unit of competency, accredited short course or module is no longer current and has been superseded, students’ training and assessment is completed and the relevant AQF certification documentation issued within a period of one year from the date the skill set, unit of competency, accredited short course or module was released on training.gov.au.
- Where a skill set, unit of competency, accredited short course or module is no longer current and has not been superseded, students’ training and assessment is completed and the relevant AQF certification documentation issued within a period of one year from the date the skill set, unit of competency, accredited short course or module was removed or deleted from training.gov.au.
- A new learner does not commence training and assessment in a training product that has been removed or deleted from the National Register.
It is noted that the requirements above do not apply where a training package requires the delivery of a superseded unit of competency.
Third parties
- All third parties who deliver training and assessment on behalf of Albury College will be required to enter into a third-party agreement with Albury College.
- Albury College will monitor the provision of services by third parties to ensure services comply with the Standards for RTOs 2015.
- Education agent arrangements are addressed by the Education Agent Policy and Associated Procedures.
Procedures
| 1 | Develop training and assessment strategies (TAS) |
| 1.1 | Identify suitable training products for inclusion on Albury College’s scope through research of workforce/target client needs. Document research as a form of industry engagement. |
| 1.2 | Develop a training and assessment strategy using the Training and Assessment Strategy template. Follow the prompts in each section of the Training and Assessment Strategy template to develop a comprehensive, compliant TAS. |
| 1.3 | Use and complete the Training and Assessment Strategy Quality Review Tool to check that the Training and Assessment Strategy meets the requirements of the Training Product and ensures an appropriate amount of training (as per the requirements of Clauses 1.1,1.2). |
| 1.4 | Procure all the resources required for the implementation of the TAS. |
| 1.5 | Identify suitable strategies for industry engagement. |
| 1.6 | Complete industry engagement as per strategies identified. |
| 1.7 | Review the feedback from industry engagement and document in the Industry Consultation Register. |
| 1.8 | Update TAS and other associated documentation accordingly. |
| 1.9 | Organise scheduling of all training products. |
| 1.10 | As relevant, submit an application for change of scope through RTO/CRICOS registration on ASQAnet following the instructions within ASQAnet and providing required evidence. |
| 1.11 | Regularly review TAS as per Albury College’s Quality Assurance Policy and Associated Procedures. |
| 2 | Manage assessment system |
| 2.1 | Quality review assessments using the Assessment Quality Review Tool prior to use to ensure they meet the requirements of the unit of competency and the principles of assessment and rules of evidence. |
| 2.2 | Conduct assessment using provided assessment tools and following the instructions included in the assessment tools. |
| 2.3 | Mark completed student work following the instructions in the assessment tools. |
| 2.4 | Complete checks of sample student files to check marking is correct and all associated documentation is signed and dated. Use the sample assessment review checklist to record findings. |
| 2.5 | File completed student assessment items for at least six months following completion. |
| 2.6 | Archive or delete/shred completed student assessment items after six months following completion. |
| 3 | Conduct Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) |
| 3.1 | Provide RPL Tool – Candidate to those seeking RPL. |
| 3.2 | Conduct RPL of submitted student evidence using the RPL Tool – Assessor. |
| 3.3 | File completed student assessment items for at least six months following completion. |
| 3.4 | Archive or delete/shred completed RPL assessment items after six months following completion. |
| 4 | Conduct assessment validation |
| 4.1 | Develop a validation plan using Validation Schedule and following the prompts to ensure that validation occurs to meet the requirements of Clauses 1.9, 1.10 and 1.11 of the SRTOs 2015. |
| 4.2 | Organise the validation team as per the Validation Schedule requirements. |
| 4.3 | Make arrangements for the validation and notify validation team members. |
| 4.4 | Conduct validation as per the Validation Schedule and using Albury College’s Validation Tool. |
| 4.5 | Update assessments/reassess students based on validation findings. |
| 4.6 | Record findings on the Continuous Improvement Register. |
| 5 | Manage transition of training products |
| 5.1 | Develop a transition plan using the Transition Plan template for superseded training products to include:
● identification of students who can and can’t complete within one year of the date of the training product being superseded ● a plan for transitioning relevant students to the new qualification ● identification of new resource requirements ● procurement of new resources requirements ● submission of an application for change of scope where the training product is not equivalent ● communication plan developed and disseminated across to all students and staff. |
| 5.2 | Implement the transition plan. |
| 6 | Manage third parties responsible for delivery and assessment |
| 6.1 | Conduct due diligence of any third party that may be suitable for a third-party agreement. This should also include checking that the third party is suitable as per the General Direction – third party arrangements. |
| 6.2 | Provide third party agreement for signing to any third party deemed suitable following due diligence. |
| 6.3 | Conduct third party induction following signing of agreement. |
| 6.4 | Advise ASQA within 30 days of the agreement being signed via ASQAnet. |
| 6.5 | Monitor third parties at agreed intervals using the Third-Party Monitoring Form. |
| 6.6 | Monitor third parties using the Third-Party Monitoring Form. |
| 6.7 | Where the Third-Party Monitoring Form or feedback from students indicates that the third party may not be meeting the terms of their agreement, immediately investigate the issue. |
| 6.8 | Where the investigation confirms that the provider has not complied with their responsibilities as per the Third-Party Agreement (except in the case of where the third party has engaged in false or misleading practices – see the following section), contact the third party in writing to advise the corrective actions that are required. |
| 6.9 | Implement relevant corrective actions. |
| 6.10 | Monitor corrective actions as required to ensure they are implemented. |
| 6.11 | File all documentation associated with monitoring. |
| 7 | Terminate third party contracts |
| 7.1 | Where third party monitoring or any other intelligence demonstrates that the third party has engaged in false or misleading practices, immediately send a notice in writing to the agent advising them that their contract is terminated and giving the reasons why. |
| 7.2 | Advise ASQA via ASQAnet of termination of the agreement and within 30 days of the agreement ending. |
Responsibilities
The RTO Manager is responsible for:
- identifying training needs and developing training and assessment strategies
- organising and conducting industry engagement
- organising all physical and human resources
- organising scheduling
- assessment file checks
- managing transition of training products
- managing third party arrangements.
The Administration and Student Support Officer is responsible for:
- entering assessment results on the SMS
- filing and archiving student assessments.
Trainers and assessors are responsible for training and conducting assessment and RPL.