Approved Training Centre: An approved training centre is an organisation that has been granted permission by the Awarding Body to register and assess candidates for CVQs. These are referred to as ATCs.

Assessment: This is the process of judging performance. It will involve generating evidence of performance at work, or through simulation or role play, or from previous activities that have been documented by a competent witness. For assessing knowledge and understanding, there will normally be a question and answer session with an assessor, but it may also involve taking a written test, writing a report or doing some research.

Assessment Instrument: The tools that may be used to collect evidence of competency based on a unit standard.

Assessment Materials: Any resources that assist in any part of the assessment process. These may include information for the candidate or assessor, assessment tools or resources for the quality assurance arrangements of the assessment system.

Assessment Method: Assessment method means the particular technique used to gather different types of evidence. This may include methods such as questioning, observation, third party reports, interviews, simulations and portfolios.

Assessment Plan: An assessment plan is a document which outlines the units of competency to be assessed, when and how the assessment will occur, the assessment methods to be used and an overview of instructions for the candidate(s). Both the assessor and candidate agree to the plan which may be revised if circumstances change.

Assessment Process: The assessment process is the agreed series of steps that the candidate undertakes within the enrolment, assessment, recording and reporting cycle. The process must be simple, cost effective and suit the needs of the stakeholders.

Assessment Strategy: An assessment strategy is the set of recommendations and specifications made by the Industry Lead Body (ILB) about the approach to the assessment arrangements associated with a CVQ to meet the established criteria. The strategy may be applied to a single CVQ or to a group of CVQs. The strategy is likely to include:

• recommendations on how external quality control of assessment will be achieved
• those aspects of the occupational standards that must always be assessed through performance in the workplace . the extent to which simulated working conditions may be used to assess competence, any characteristics that simulation should have, and definitions of a realistic working environment consultation with awarding bodies in defining the occupational expertise of assessors and verifiers

Assessment Tool:An Assessment tool contains both the instrument and the instructions for gathering and interpreting evidence:

• Instrument—the specific questions or activity developed from the selected assessment method/s to be used for the assessment. - Instructions -the information given to the candidates and assessor regarding conditions under which the assessment should be conducted and recorded

Assessor: This is someone chosen by an organisation to judge the performance of candidates against the occupational standards. The assessor will be someone who is sufficiently experienced and competent to assess what the candidate does.

Authenticity: This is the term given to a process of establishing the ownership of evidence presented as evidence of competency, and involves investigation of the material to prove that it is either the sole work of the candidate, or the candidate's contribution to the evidence is clearly identified.

Candidate: When an application for a CVQ has been made and the registration has been accepted by the Awarding Body, the applicant is then described by the Awarding Body, and by those assessing and verifying his/her work, as a candidate for the award for which he or she is enrolled.

Certification: This is the process by which an approved centre requests, and the Awarding Body provides, a certificate for each candidate on completion of:

• the entire set of units required for the award of the CVQ
• one or more units of a CVQ (for those candidates not enrolled for a full CVQ)

Core units: This is a term that is sometimes used to describe mandatory units i.e. those that must be taken for the award of the CVQ, as opposed to optional units (electives) which allow a choice to be made from a selection of units.

Criteria: A set of established guidelines, rules, characteristics, or conditions which, when used to evaluate an activity, performance or achievement, will determine its value or quality.

Evidence: Evidence is information or material, collected or provided by a candidate for a CVO unit that can be used to assess his or her skills, knowledge and understanding of the elements of that unit. Type of evidence is a category within which material required to demonstrate competence would be placed, such as:

• outcome of observation of performance
• witness testimony of previous attainment
• results of oral or written examination

External Verifier (EV): An External Verifier is a person contracted or employed by the Awarding Body to carry out a quality assurance audit of the CVQ provision in an approved centre (including equal opportunities, access, and health and safety) to ensure that centres approved to offer CVQs are consistently judging candidates equally, fairly and to the regional occupational standards. The EV will audit the assessment system, including arrangements for the selection, recruitment and training of assessors, records of evidence and assessments, and will sample assessment in action where possible to monitor the working relationships between assessors and candidates. The EV will be an experienced senior practitioner in the field. Fairness The provision of assessment conditions which will offer an even playing field for all participants and promote confidence in the instruments and its results.

Internal Verifier (IV): An Internal Verifier (IV) is a person with direct responsibility for the quality assurance of the assessment process in an approved centre and in any of its satellite sites in which candidates are assessed. The IV will be sufficiently experienced in assessment in the occupational area. Even where a centre has only one Assessor, an IV must be appointed to discharge the above duties. A large centre may appoint an IV Coordinator, or lead IV, where more than one IV is involved within that centre.

Level: Each CVQ is assigned to one (1) of five (5) levels in the qualifications framework. The level determines the award of the certification received.

Occupational Standards: These are the written descriptions of the industry-agreed standards for the competent performance in occupational roles. The standards which include knowledge, skills and understanding of each role, are presented as a number of units containing unit descriptors, elements, performance criteria, range statements, evidence guide and critical employability skills.

Optional units: Optional units are units which may be chosen or omitted for the award of a CVQ, provided that the required number of optional units has been achieved within the qualifications structure for a particular CVQ. They are also known as elective units.

Oral examination: An assessment through a face-to-face dialogue between the learner/candidate and assessor which examines levels of knowledge and attitudes as they relate to the achievement of competencies defined in the qualification.

Performance assessment: A method used to assess how well learner/candidate demonstrates knowledge and skills in order to determine the achievement of competencies as defined by the performance criteria within a qualification. Performance Criterion/Performance Criteria A performance criterion is a statement of the level to which candidates must perform to demonstrate competence in an element of the regional occupational standards.

Portfolio: This is the name given to the collection of material that candidates assemble and present as evidence to an Assessor that they have performed to the standards required for competence. The aim is to keep only as much material as is required to establish competence.

Portfolio Assessment: A portfolio becomes a portfolio assessment when the assessment purpose is defined, the criteria or methods are made clear for determining what is put into the portfolio, by whom, and when and the criteria for assessing either the collection or individual pieces of work are identified and used to make judgments about performance.

Practicability: Practicability refers to the feasibility of the application of specific assessment instruments in a particular context.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition: This is the assessment of uncertified learning gained through work, community or leisure time activities. Prior learning assessment involves recognizing a student's previous certified and uncertified learning in order to facilitate access to a programme of study, receive exemptions from elements of a programme or ascertain their level of competence/qualification based on the national/regional qualifications framework.

Qualifications Structure: This is one of a set of qualifications designs that lays out the number and type of units (mandatory or optional) and lists the units in each category for the award of a particular CVQ.