Practising Certificates
Specialist teachers
must hold a current practising certificate in assessing specific learning difficulties issued by their relevant professional association, for example, PATOSS (the Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties), Dyslexia Guild or the British Dyslexia Association.
Psychologists
must be registered with the Health Care and Professions Council [HCPC, mandatory from July 2012]. Before July 2012 psychologists were required to hold a current practising certificate issued by their relevant professional association, for example, the British Psychological Association. [The British Psychological Society has now ceased issuing practising certificates.] See news item on this site: http://www.sasc.org.uk/NewsItem.aspx?id=33
A Practising Certificate is one which recognises not only professional achievement but also a commitment to continuing professional development (CPD). Practising Certificates have to be renewed on a regular basis. Therefore those wishing to hold or renew a Practising Certificate will be required to demonstrate this commitment by showing how they have regularly updated their professional skills and competence through study, professional discussion, training and practice. The Practising Certificate for Specialist Teachers should not be confused with the Practising Certificate issued by the British Psychological Society to Chartered Psychologists or Health Professions Council Registration.
In recent years the demand for diagnostic assessments of specific learning difficulties has grown considerably. Assessments are increasingly needed for specific purposes such as determining the right to Access Arrangements in examinations and the eligibility for the Disabled Student Allowances. As the demand for assessments has grown, more professionals with qualifications in assessment of specific learning difficulties either as psychologists or as specialist teachers have become involved in this field. As a result of this, pressure for effective monitoring of standards in assessment has grown – both from those bodies such as the DfES or the Joint Council who use assessment reports to make important decisions and from within the professions themselves.
The DfES was responsible for setting up a working group to consider the whole question of assessments for eligibility for the Disabled Student Allowances and as many specialist teachers and psychologists are aware this working group has produced useful guidance, for example, on procedures, the choice of tests and the format of assessment reports for this particular purpose. In addition the working group recognised and emphasised in its report the need for some means of monitoring the quality of assessments, not on a case-by-case basis, but by ensuring that assessments were carried out by people who possessed requisite knowledge and skills to do the job to the highest professional standards. The quality of an assessment and subsequent report depends primarily on the knowledge and skills of the assessor rather than the selection of tests used. It is from this set of circumstances that the impetus has come for a Practising Certificate in Assessment which:
- encourages continuing professional development in the skills of assessment
- recognises and awards these skills
- is valid for a set period of time only and then will need to be renewed
Guidance on Continuing Professional Development
Continuing Professional Development is an
essential ingredient to maintaining and extending your professional knowledge
and skills. The CPD you undertake helps to keep you abreast of current research
fields, changes in practice and new developments.
SASC has issued the guidance to encourage the development of assessment and reporting skills.
To count towards meeting CPD requirements, the activity should be at an appropriate level and contribute to an SpLD assessor's general professional skill and knowledge. Time claimed for each activity should be realistic; time attributed to attendance at courses should not include the organised breaks (e.g. lunch hours); routine work is not considered to be CPD. Full details of requirements and the range of CPD activities that could contribute to your relevant CPD can be found in 'SASC Guidelines on Continuing Professional Development' in the downloads area of the website.
CPD Requirements for First time Holders of an SpLD APC [applies to all new APCs issued from 1st September 2018]
The requirement for additional SASC authorised CPD
detailed below is aimed at better supporting those holding an APC for the first
time:
-
Holders of an APC for the first time should participate in at least 5 hours of authorised CPD each year before their first renewal. This
CPD would be authorised by SASC and listed through the SASC website. and
-
5
hours CPD, which may not have an assessed element,
each year.
SASC recommends some of this be mentoring so new assessors can have an opportunity for focused work relating to developing their individual assessment and reflective practice.
For 1st time renewals, 10 hours of the SASC authorised
element of this CPD should be other than updates on Access Arrangements.
All CPD logs should cover the full range of themes:
-
Principles of psychometrics, statistics, assessment and underlying
theory (C1)
- SpLD testing methods, interpretation and test materials (C2)
- Changes in regulations and legislation relating to SpLDs (S1)
- Developments in SpLD research (S2)
- Approaches to teaching and support for SpLD (S3)
For full guidance see
Downloads
page
Guidance on Practitioners Conducting Tests used in Diagnostic Assessments
SASC has issued guidance for practitioners conducting tests used in diagnostic assessments. These relate to the following:- A third party conducting tests
- Assessors collaborating in conducting assessments
- Trainees carrying out assessments.
- Declarations to be applied to reports
1)
A third
party conducting tests A diagnostic assessment is based on more than just scores to
tests. It is important that the assessor writing the report conducts all the
assessments since the observation of strategies used, the effort required and
the approach to the tasks inform the analysis of strengths and weaknesses to be
addressed. SASC guidance is that assessors must not sign-off reports based on
assessments conducted by another professional. [Similar guidance also reflected
in JCQ AA regulations 2018-19 section 7.6.6].2)
Assessors
Collaborating in Conducting AssessmentsIn the unusual circumstances where two qualified assessors
collaborate in carrying out an assessment and the production of the diagnostic
report, both should sign the report
and state their qualifications. Contact details of the assessors' organisation(s) must also be
clearly stated.
3)
Trainees
carrying out assessments.
See specific guidance covering
both trainee psychologists and trainee specialist teacher assessors. See below
and downloads Trainees Writing Reports-SASC Guidance Jan 2020 4) Declarations to be applied to reports The declarations affirming
that SASC guidelines have been followed is strengthened as noted in the New Report
Formats and Trainee Guidance and must be completed. Trainees Writing Diagnostic Assessment Reports for Specific Learning
DifficultiesUpdated guidance
issued January 2020. [The implementation for this guidance applies to all
reports produced after 31 March 2020] This policy clarifies the
circumstances
in which trainees on
accredited courses
can gain experience within their training
environment in writing diagnostic assessments for those with
possible specific learning difficulties
(SpLDs). Individuals are
recognised as trainees only when they are on a formal accredited course leading to either HCPC registration or a SpLD
Assessment Practising
Certificate. Graduates, e.g. individuals
with a level 5 psychology degree or SpLD teaching qualification, must not carry
out diagnostic assessments for students with possible specific learning difficulties
unless they are currently undergoing formal accredited training leading to either
HCPC registration or a SpLD Assessment Practising Certificate. ·
A trainee carrying out an assessment while on a training course, where the report produced could later be submitted for application for the
DSA,
must
supervised by the
course or workplace supervising tutor.
Psychologists undergoing formal
accredited training leading to HCPC registration
can conduct assessments without direct observation, provided their HCPC
registered supervisor is able to take responsibility for the for the quality of
the assessment process, the accuracy of the diagnostic conclusions and the
written report. ·
Under no circumstances must assessment reports written for application for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) or other application be signed
solely as the work of trainee
assessors or graduates prior to their achievement of HCPC registration or SpLD assessment
practising certificate (APC) unless
it is written within the accredited training course and signed by the
supervisor taking responsibility for the report, as in the wording below. ·
Reports must
never be signed by a trainee assessor with ‘registration pending' or ‘APC
pending', nor can reports written before the assessor has been awarded the HCPC
registration or APC number have this registration or award information added to
the report after the event. A trainee assessor's full diagnostic assessment report can ONLY
be accepted if the following conditions have been met: 1. The qualified supervising
tutor
or work
placement supervisor has
reviewed the report
and ensured that the report meets the appropriate standards set by SASC. 2. The qualified supervising tutor or placement supervisor signs the report, giving their APC number or HCPC registration and contact details.
The trainee assessor's name is required on
the
report but the qualified supervising
tutor/placement supervisor takes full responsibility for the report and its
diagnostic outcome. 3. The details are provided of the course on which the
trainee is enrolled, including title, start date and duration at the time the
assessment was conducted. The supervisor will be registered with the HCPC and takes legal
responsibility for the quality of the assessment, report and conclusions. Both psychologist trainee and supervisor are responsible for adhering to
the British Psychological Society Code of Ethics and Conduct which expects
psychologists to practice within their own area of competence. In terms of delivering SpLD assessments, both
must have undertaken relevant training and research to acquire this skill. Where a trainee has contributed to or produced a report:For the avoidance of doubt, SASC is now requiring the specific wording
to
be used to confirm trainees' reports are used only where the trainee is actively
enrolled on an authorised course
leading to an Assessment Practising
Certificate or HCPC certification.
See Trainees
Writing Reports – SASC Guidance Jan 2020 Assessing Assessors
A Guide for consistency across issuing bodies for
evaluation of reports for Assessment Practising Certificate renewal
applications
From January 2020 this new structure with its accompanying marking
guide will be used for the review of submitted reports.
The
APC renewal process offers an opportunity both for individual professional
development through feedback on assessment reports and for issuing bodies to
support the overall aim of the review to underpin and improve assessment
practice standards. These criteria should be used by assessors, by training
providers and also apply where a report may be required in the initial
application for an Assessment Practising Certificate.
SASC
has looked at simplifying the approach to review of assessment practice and feel
that a move to a proforma used by all APC issuing bodies, while supporting one
set of core criteria, will add clarity to the feedback assessors receive. It is
felt that a move away from the current ‘3 levels' to one set of core criteria
will be clearer and promote greater consistency.
These
criteria with their accompanying feedback pro forma will be used by all APC
issuing bodies for all reports received from 1 January 2020.
The
full criteria and marking scheme can be found in the downloads section of this
website or using the links below.
Criteria
Pro
forma
The revised structure for review sets out the following criteria
considered to be essential for all "effective" assessment reports
All reports should demonstrate that: 1. Confidentiality is maintained throughout the report.
2.
The assessor has a thorough understanding of how
cognitive processing contributes to the identification of the SpLD/s under
consideration.
3.
A range of background
information has been gathered from a variety of sources and that this has been
used to inform the assessment and the diagnostic decision.
4.
Age appropriate assessment
materials have been chosen to cover all core components as relevant to the
SpLD(s) under consideration (note that where adults are over 25, and no
appropriate adult-normed test is available, tests can be used diagnostically,
without quoting standard scores or level descriptors).
5.
Information in the report reflects that tests have been
administered correctly and all scores are calculated, converted and
reported with 100% accuracy.
6.
There is a thorough
understanding of statistical terms and of different scoring systems used by
different tests and subtests.
7.
Judicious and accurate use
is made of relevant statistical data within test manuals (for example
prevalence).
8.
Scores are related to the average with consistency and
unexpected differences in performance are acknowledged and discussed.
9.
Scores are accompanied by relevant qualitative analysis,
observation and evaluation of performance, noting the possible effect on test
performance of any compensatory strategies that might have been used.
10. All information is drawn together to provide a clear interpretation and synthesis of the assessment evidence.
11.
The diagnostic decision is clearly stated and
supported by evidence contained within the report, including the background
information.
12.
The diagnostic decision is
mapped to an up to date and recognised definition of the SpLD(s) under
consideration.
13.
The impact of the
identified SpLD(s) on the individual is recognised and outlined.
14.
Recommendations are clear
and individually tailored.
15.
Accessibility has been
considered for the non-specialist in terms of sensitive and professional
language, format and length.
Possible outcomes following review of report submitted for evaluation
|
A
|
Criteria met
|
·
APC Issued
·
If a minor scoring error is identified an amendment of the
inaccurate scores identified is requested.
Once received and approved, APC issued
|
Any supporting document the reviewer feels necessary can be
requested at any stage
|
|
B
|
Criteria not met
|
·
Feedback supplied
·
Second report requested
|
|
Each
criterion can attract marks as follows:
Criterion met – 2
marks; Criterion met in
part – 1 mark; Criterion not met - 0
The successful outcome of the review will then be
based on two premises:
-
There are no
marks of zero
-
The total
score does not fall below the agreed base standard of 23 marks out of 30
[77%]
Please Note
:
Any second submitted report is evaluated using same criteria. If this report
also fails to meet the standard the APC will not be awarded. The candidate
will have to submit new assessment evidence to complete the process in full.
Response when APC
application is not successful
-
Assessor's listing on SASC website indicates, on expiry, APC
not current
-
Assessors advised to undertake individual mentoring from an experienced colleague,
or other further training
-
Assessors asked to provide evidence of mentoring or other additional training when
re-applying for APC
-
Re-applications
not to be considered within 2 months
|
|