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Recognising achievement in work-related learning

Purpose of this guidance

This guidance is to help managers, teachers, Connexions advisers and others to support young people in gaining recognition for their work-related learning and achievements.

Why assess work-related learning?

Both assessment for learning (formative) and assessment of learning (summative) can be useful in:

• monitoring and evaluating the extent to which work-related provision leads to learning
• motivating and assisting students to recognise and value what they are learning
• informing the design of work-related activities to suit learner needs
• ensuring appropriate progression.

There is no statutory requirement for certification or summative assessment of what students have learnt from their work-related programmes. However, using qualifications and awards can raise the profile of work-related learning. It may also help the school and others, such as business/community partners, feel confident that young people have acquired relevant skills and knowledge to prepare them for adult and working life.

How can work-related learning and achievements be recognised?

• through informal methods
• through national qualifications and awards
• through local awards/events
• through Progress File

There are various ways of recognising learning and achievements, ranging from informal, in-house assessment to more formal, external recognition.

Assessment during and at the end of activities can involve teachers, personal advisers, parents/carers, business/other community partners. As part of effective teaching and learning, learners themselves also need to be actively engaged in the assessment process, identifying what it is they need to learn and develop, as well as learning outcomes .

The national standards for the key skill of improving own learning and performance, which support the experiential learning cycle, can be used to help students:

• clearly focus on what they want to achieve
• work towards targets that will improve the quality of their own learning and performance
• review and provide evidence of their achievements.

For further information see the publications: The key skills qualifications specifications and guidance and Key skills for developing employability (see link below).

Providing evidence of learning and achievements

Evidence - proof of what students have learnt - can range from simple logging of achievements, dated and perhaps endorsed by an appropriate adult, to the development of portfolios of work (hard copy or electronic) that may be submitted for external certification. Evidence can take a variety of written, visual, aural, physical and multi-media forms gathered through a range of work-related experiences. For example:

• diaries, journals, logs, notes, review sheets or reports written by learners
• individual learning plans or career plans
• application forms, CVs
• reports or witness statements from others who have worked with and/or observed the learner, such as peers or business/other community partners
• photographs, artwork, displays, video clips of role plays or work simulations
• PowerPoint shows or web pages, using text, sound, video and/or graphics
• tape/CD recordings of interviews, talks or performances
• examples of work/products made by learners
• print-outs of self-assessment and other test results
• certificates.

Advice on evidence required for qualifications and ways of presenting this is available from awarding bodies.

Recognising learning and achievements through informal methods

Evidence of learning does not always need to be assessed in a formal way. Informal recognition can involve a range of adults such as teachers, parents/carers and business/community partners as well as other students.

This type of assessment will be carried out through discussion, questioning, looking at reports or products, observation of activities or presentations and will include constructive feedback to acknowledge what has been achieved.

Examples of informal assessment include:

• discussion by students, during progress reviews or debriefing activities, on what their evidence shows about their preferred learning style(s), and their strengths and development needs in different aspects of work-related learning, and use of this information to plan further activities
• personal recognition by students of what has been learnt and achieved, involving self-assessment using ICT-based programmes, skill checklists, quizzes or practical tasks, with outcomes recorded in a diary or Progress File and shared with others such as personal advisers and teachers
• peer assessment, through observation, paired/group discussions or tasks
• use of assessment criteria contained in awards or qualifications as a formative tool for identifying learning objectives and outcomes. For example, the key skills standards can be used to measure ‘distance travelled’ in becoming an independent learner, effective team member, problem-solver and communicator, without necessarily leading to certification.

It is not always necessary to record outcomes of assessment, although this can assist reflection and subsequent reviews of progress. Video recordings of activities can be a particularly useful resource for assessment purposes.

Recognising achievements through national qualifications and awards

Evidence of achievements in work-related learning can be recognised through students’ main programmes of learning for qualifications such as GCSEs, and enhanced through opportunities to gain additional qualifications or units. For example:

• there are an increasing number of national qualifications and awards in vocational subjects that aim specifically to recognise students’ general learning about work, careers and working practices, and their skills for employability. These include Entry level qualifications, GCSEs and GCEs
• schools are increasingly providing opportunities, often in collaboration with colleges or training providers, for their students to work towards National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs). These competence-based qualifications reflect the skills and knowledge required to do a job effectively in a particular area of work and therefore students generally need a work placement or part-time job
• key skills qualifications are now available in all six key skills, at levels 1-4. Comprising single units, these qualifications can be used flexibly to recognise skills developed through a variety of work-related activities and contexts.

National qualifications and awards may require particular forms of internal and external assessment, for example:

• teacher-assessed coursework or portfolios of work
• observation of competence in the workplace, supported by questions
• examinations or externally-set and marked tests, perhaps online.

Finding qualifications or awards that are appropriate

When looking to certificate achievements in aspects of work-related learning through national qualifications or awards, it is important to ensure that the accreditation is fit for purpose, approved for the age group of  learners, and manageable in terms of available resources and opportunities for learning and assessment.

The QCA website OpenQUALS contains a searchable database of all accredited qualifications and awarding bodies. See also the websites of individual awarding bodies for details of qualifications and to obtain copies of specifications and advice. The support programmes for careers education and increased flexibility/vocational learning offer further information and resources to support the use of qualifications and awards.

The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) sets out the levels of qualifications available.

Recognising achievements through local awards/events

Local certification is possible by a school, college or education business link organisation. These certificates are sometimes endorsed by a range of local organisations. They can be used to recognise participation in events or activities, such as work experience or industry days, describing tasks undertaken and the kinds of general learning outcomes expected. Some certificates may recognise specific skills and achievements of individuals, as demonstrated, for example, on work placement.

A variety of events can be used, for example, school assemblies or presentation evenings, exhibitions, displays in the school, workplace or other community settings, to celebrate individual or group achievements. Competitions are available to showcase innovation and creativity, sometimes with a national or international dimension, including online versions; prizes are awarded for the ‘winners’ of social or business enterprise projects, problem-solving challenges, financial trading exercises and so on. These can all serve to raise the profile of work-related learning, as well as recognise individual and team skills. For more information, contact education-business link organisations (see link below).

Recognising learning and achievement through Progress File

Progress File is a nationally recognised resource that can be used along with a variety of informal or formal assessment methods. Produced by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to replace the National Record of Achievement (NRA), Progress File aims to develop reflective and independent learners capable of playing an active role in their communities. It offers a common language and process that can support coherence and continuity for the learner in drawing on all the elements of their work-related experiences. Staff can also be encouraged to use it, for their personal and professional development, and to act as role models for students.

Progress File materials are designed to prompt learners to:

• identify their prior knowledge and skills
• clarify their learning objectives for work-related learning
• reflect on and review their activities
• record learning and evidence of their achievements, where appropriate.

The materials reinforce the experiential learning cycle that underpins effective work-related learning, encouraging learners to draw out lessons from their experiences, discover new insights and go on to apply what they have learnt in other contexts.

Information, examples and tasks are provided in guides to support learners in:

• self-assessment, using feedback from others to inform their decisions
• preparing for, managing and reviewing their experiences of work
• career planning and making applications to support transition to the next stage of their education.

A working file can be used to keep records, including 14-19 individual learning plans, and evidence of achievements, such as certificates. At certain points, for example when discussing option and/or career choices or going for interviews, learners can select information such as a personal statement, a CV or example of their work and use it as they wish.

Users may present evidence gathered for their Progress File to gain recognition of their achievements through local or national certification. For example, the key skill qualification of improving own learning and performance can be used to certificate skills. The skills covered in this qualification include reviewing, target setting, planning and reflection, and ability to apply these skills to personal, learning and career development.
For further information and details of how to order materials on Progress File visit the DCSF website. Specific information and resources for using Progress File in a careers education and guidance context is provided on the CEGNET website.

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Page updated: 12 June 2008
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