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Glossary of Terms |
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GLOSSARY - NVQ & QUALIFICATIONS
ACCREDITATION
Ensuring that a qualification meets national requirements. Also that an awarding body is competent to award a qualification and that a candidate's achievements are recognised.
ACCREDITATION OF PRIOR LEARNING (APL)
The assessment and accreditation of existing learning, knowledge, skills and achievements. APL can be used to credit candidates with some of the requirements of their NVQ standards.
ASSESSMENT
The process by which a candidates' underpinning knowledge, understanding and work-based performance is measured (assessed) and judged against occupational standards to demonstrate competence in the workplace and to gain evidence towards an NVQ/SVQ. This should take place within the candidate's own workplace / practice area.
ASSESSMENT CENTRE
An organisation approved (by the awarding body) to provide an NVQ or SVQ.
Only approved centres are able to register candidates with the awarding body to work towards the NVQ/SVQ qualifications.
ASSESSMENT RECORD
This document is completed and signed off by the assessor once the evidence provided by the candidate is sufficient to prove competence.
ASSESSOR
The individual trained and qualified (D32/33 / A1 / A2) to carry out the formal assessment of candidate's performance against the occupational standard. Assessors must be competent in the areas they are assessing and be qualified and registered with an Approved Centre. Assessors judge the candidate's performance against the national NVQ standards and guides them through the NVQ programme.
AWARDING BODY
Awarding Bodies work with Sector Skills Councils to develop NVQ/SVQs. Approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Awarding Bodies award specific qualifications and also approve assessment centres, manage the external verification process and award certificates to candidates.
CANDIDATE
An individual seeking credit for their achievements through an NVQ/SVQ.
COMPETENCE
Proven ability to meet the national standards for your work / occupational area.
ELEMENT
The smallest part of an NVQ unit. A collection of two, three or four specified Elements together constitutes
A complete the unit.
CERTIFICATION
The process of registering candidates, assessing them, recording their results and filling in their documentation. It also covers applying for certificates for candidates.
COMPETENCE
The ability to use knowledge, understanding, practical and thinking skills to perform effectively to the national standards required in employment.
EXTERNAL VERIFIER
An individual, appointed by the Awarding Body to monitor the operation of the scheme and the assessment procedures to ensure that all appropriate procedures are adhered to. The external verifier is appointed by the awarding body and will carry out regular checks of Approved Centres.
INTERNAL VERIFIER
An individual, qualified (D32/33 or A1 and D34 / V1) and approved by the Awarding Body but working for the Approved Centre, who monitors and supervises the operation of the scheme and to ensure that all appropriate procedures are adhered to. The IV monitors the assessment procedures and ensures that they meet the national standards. The internal verifier is appointed by the candidate's assessment centre and works closely with their assessor.
SECTOR SKILLS COUNCIL
A Government recognised, industry-focused body established to support the development of skills and training within that industry. SSCs are the recognised voice of employers on the skills and people development needs of UK industry and employment sectors. SSCs work to enhance the competitiveness and prosperity of the UK by improving the skills and competence of people in all sectors of the economy.
NVQ
National Vocational Qualification, work related nationally recognised qualifications.
OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS
An occupational standard is a statement of what someone is expected to achieve at work. The standards are developed by representatives of each occupational area and form the basis of the NVQ/SVQ. The Occupational Standard is described in terms of units and elements of competence and the evidence required to support the assessment of competence.
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Performance standards are written statements of performance which an assessor uses to judge whether an individual can perform an activity described by the element. All of the performance standards for a particular element must be assessed.
PORTFOLIO OF EVIDENCE
A collection of evidence produced by a candidate to prove his/her competence. Comprising such items as direct workbased observations of practice, examples of work products, written / reflective accounts, questions and answers, third party witness testimonies etc. linked directly to the Performance Criteria.
QCA
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, accreditation Body for England, Wales and Northern Ireland formed as a merger of the former National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) and the Schools Curriculum Assessment Authority (SCAA)
SQA
Scottish Qualifications Authority, Responsible for developing, awarding and accrediting Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) in Scotland. The SQA is an accrediting and an awarding body, although the two functions are clearly separated.
STANDARDS SETTING BODY
Responsible for formulating standards of competence and occupational standards and ensuring that they reflect employers needs within an industry or sector.
SVQ
Scottish Vocational Qualification, Vocational qualifications developed alongside NVQs, but taking into account differences in Scotland.
UNIT
A unit of competence is the smallest individual component of the qualification which can be accredited and awarded. Each unit is made up of elements of competence.
STANDARD
The basis for assessment of a candidate's evidence. This explains what has to be assessed.
UNDERPINNING KNOWLEDGE
The basic, fundamental things that a candidate must know and be able to explain in order to do their job and meet the requirements of the NVQ standards.
MISCELLANEOUS
ACPC - Area Child Protection Committee. An inter agency forum to monitor and manage child protection services.
CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
CAPSS - Children and Parents Support Service
CCP - Child Care Panel
CHILDREN IN NEED - A concept introduced by The Children Act to cover all children who need services to secure a reasonable standard of health and development, including those with disabilities.
CMHT - Community Mental Health Team
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT - A method of assessment based on selected pieces of work done during the course rather than a final assessment.
CO - Care Order
CP - Child Protection
CPP - Child Protection Procedures
CPD - Continuing Professional (Personal) Development
CPR - Child Protection Register
CRO - Children's Rights Officer.
COP - Code of Practice.
DFEE - Department for Education and Employment. The central government department responsible for national education and employment policy, planning and finance.
DISABLED CHILDREN'S REGISTER - A register of children with disabilities required by The Children Act.
DOH - Department of Health.
EAZ - Education Action Zone. Local clusters of schools working in partnership with the LEA, parents, businesses and others to encourage innovative approaches to tackling disaffection and raising attainment in schools.
EBD - Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties.
E&LLS - Education & Lifelong Learning Service. Local authority education department.
EP - Educational Psychologist.
EPM - Education Planning Meeting.
EPO - Emergency Protection Order.
EYDCP - Early Years Development and Child Care Plan.
EWO - Education Welfare Officer.
EWS - Education Welfare Service.
FC - Foster Carer
G-a-L - Guardian-ad-Litem.
HAZ - Health Action Zone.
HIGHER EDUCATION (HE) - Part-time or full-time education at Universities and Colleges.
HMI - Her Majesty's Inspectors.
HOME-SCHOOL AGREEMENT - School contract drawn up with parents/carers and the child. Includes expectations about standards of education, attendance, behaviour, homework etc.
ICO - Interim Care Order.
IEP - Individual Education Plan.
IIP - Investors in People
IPM - Initial Planning Meeting.
IT or ICT - Information Technology/ Information Communications Technology.
JOINT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT GROUP (JIMG) - A multi-agency panel of professional from Education, Social Services and Health who decide upon joint funding of placements for children with special/complex needs.
LAC DOCUMENTS - the 'Looked After Children' (LAC) or Children in Public Care documents for care plans, assessment and action records.
LEA - Local Education Authority.
LEARNING & SKILLS COUNCILS - Replaced Training & Enterprise Councils in 2001.
LEARNING MENTORS - Adults working on a one to one basis with specific pupils to support and engage them in the learning process.
LIFELONG LEARNING - The term applied to the idea that individuals need to learn continuously throughout their lives.
LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN ACCOMMODATION PANEL - A group of managers from Social Services Department who meet weekly to decide on what Residential Services should be provided for a particular person.
LSU - Learning Support Unit.
MENTORING - A system whereby a peer of adult offers additional personal support.
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulties.
NATIONAL NUMERACY STRATEGY (NNS) - Framework produced by the Government to assist and guide teachers when teaching numeracy in primary schools.
NEW DEAL - Government initiative to re-engage young people into education and training.
NVQ - National Vocational Qualification.
OFSTED - Office for Standards in Education. Responsible for carrying out regular inspections of all schools.
PPM - Placement Planning Meeting.
PPO - Police Protection Order.
PR - Parental Responsibility.
PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT (PRU) - An establishment for pupils who would otherwise be attending school.
PSHE - Personal, Social and Health Education.
PSR - Pre-sentencing Report.
QCA - Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
QUALITY PROTECTS - Government initiative launched by the Department of Health in 1998 with aim of improving standards of care for children known to Social Services. Specific objectives relate to the education of children in public care.
QPMAP - Quality Protects Management Action Plan.
RM - Registered manager.
RO - Reviewing Officer.
RSW - Residential Social Worker.
SEN - Special Educational Needs. Defined in 1993 Education Act as a child with a learning difficulty for which special educational provision has to be made. This may be because they have much greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of that age or has a physical disability.
SOCIAL EXCLUSION UNIT (SEU) - Unit set up to report directly to the Prime Minister on issues of social exclusion.
SOCIAL INCLUSION - A shorthand name for strategies designed to assist individuals, tackle disaffection within groups or areas to overcome the linked problems of deprivation including unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime rates, bad health and family breakdown. exclusions and truancy.
SSD - Social Services Department.
SSI - Social Services Inspectorate.
STATEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS - Written description of a child's special educational needs and the provision that should be made to meet them. Incorporates advice from teachers, educational psychologists, parents and other professionals. The process itself is known as "statementing".
SURE START - Strategy to improve services for young children and families. It is targeted at children under fours and their families in areas of need.
YOT - Youth Offending Teams.
YOUNG CARERS - Young people under the age of 18 years who have responsibility of caring for an adult.
YP - Young Person.
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