You will gain your NVQ by demonstrating your ability to perform the tasks specified in each Unit and Element. You will be asked to prove you are competent by providing evidence that shows you:
o Can perform all the specified tasks consistently to the required standard Understand why you are doing things (knowledge and understanding) Can apply the required skills in different ways (range).
o Assessment is flexible and you can be awarded a certificate for each unit you achieve, even if you do not complete the full NVQ. There is no set period of time in which you need to complete a unit or NVQ (other than the lifetime of the qualification).
Knowledge and Understanding.
You will be asked to demonstrate you knowledge and understanding of the detail within the subjects you have chosen. This can be by personal statements, assignments, questioning, or by professional discussion.
What is integration of assessment?
It is not necessary for you to have each evidence component assessed separately – doing so could result in assessment that takes too long and that makes it harder for you to achieve and your assessor to make judgements.
There will be times when you will be able to use one piece of evidence to prove your competence across several different elements, outcomes, performance criteria or units. You may find that evidence is relevant for different units – this is called integration of assessment.
When you begin your NVQ, you and your assessor will spend time looking at the standards, planning how much time you are both able to devote to the qualification and drawing up an action plan.
At this stage you should, with your assessor, identify any activities that relate to more than one unit or outcome and arrange for the best way to collect a single piece of evidence that satisfactorily covers all the evidence components.
If you are going to integrate assessments, make sure that your evidence is cross-referenced to the relevant units.
