Internal Verification: Assessment Decisions

Internal verification is a quality control mechanism that ensures internally assessed units/components:

• are assessed accurately to national standards against the unit/component criteria
• are consistently assessed and graded across the programme/all assessors

Yes. During the lifetime of a programme, internal verification of assessment decisions must cover the following as a minimum:

• every Assessor
• every unit/component
• learner work from every assignment
• learner work from every assessment site (for multi-site and consortia centres)

There is no prescribed sample size, but a well-constructed sample should consider the following and use a risk-based approach:

• the full range of assessment decisions made (Pass, Merit, Distinction and Not Yet Achieved)
• the experience of the Assessor
• whether it is a new BTEC programme
• the size of the group of learners
• known issues arising from previous internal verification or standards verification activity

There is no requirement that all learners must be internally verified during the lifetime of a programme.

Whilst all learners are eligible for a resubmission, it is not automatic, and they must meet the following criteria:

• the learner has met the initial deadline, or agreed deadline extension
• the learner has correctly authenticated the evidence
• the Assessor judges that the learner will be able to produce improved evidence without further guidance
• the Assessor has authenticated the evidence submitted for assessment

No, the learner is not required to have attempted the missing criteria. The decision to authorise a resubmission should be based on whether they have the capability to achieve the assessment criteria without further input from the Assessor and have met the other eligibility criteria listed in the question above.

To support centres with internal verification of assessment decisions and resubmission opportunities, please refer to the following Centre Guides:

• BTEC Centre Guide to Internal Assessment
• BTEC Centre Guide to Internal Verification
• BTEC Centre Guide for the Lead Internal Verifier

On the BTEC forms and guides webpage, you will find templates, forms and guides to help you save time and fulfil your part in the BTEC assessment and verification process with ease.

We have a range of on-demand Continuing Professional Development (CPD) packages to support internal verification processes such as:

• Roles and Responsibilities of the Internal Verifier
• Planning for Internal Verification

Please subscribe to our YouTube channel Pearson – Vocational Quality Assurance where you will find useful bitesize videos and our Quality Assurance - Resources webpage has a useful Checklist for Lead Internal Verifier Activity within the 'Internal Assessment and Verification' drop down option.

For additional help and support for Quality Nominees and BTEC delivery teams, we have created dedicated quality assurance webpages that can be accessed via the Home of Quality Assurance. These webpages provide easy access to quality assurance guides, videos and resources, FAQs, regular updates, training events, live chat with an expert and much more.

We recommend Quality Nominees and BTEC staff join our Quality Nominees Group, here you can ask questions directly to the Vocational Quality Assurance Management team, browse posts/updates and share ideas and good practice with colleagues.