Hello, welcome to this short webinar on Learning mentor dispensations. My name is Sue Tyers,
EPA Assessor Manager. Chris Oley, is the Assessment Leader for Learning Mentor. So the background
to the temporary flexibilities ofqula and Ifate have identified a range of standards
whereby EPA components cannot be safely undertaken. Health and medical standards were first in
the scope. Observation was the component, whereby assessment could not safely be undertaking
during COVID, as we work undertaking any face-to-face assessments. Task force was set up to address
the issue and ofqual and IFATE have now confirmed changes to these standards and today we're
looking at learning mentor. So our EPA process is trying to provide the upload gateway evidence
to ACE360, which is the system we use for EPA. The independent end point assessor confirms
gateway requirements have been met and then changes from Gateway to EPA approved. The
booking tool is then completed by the training provider with the required date of the EPA.
But please consider a little bit of additional time because the two observations have to
be conducted before we can do the question and answer session. The clinical educator
can then undertake two observations by completing the observation document, and upload into
ACE360 in the shaded area. And we request a minimum of five working days prior to the
assessment befor the Q and A takes place. So then that gives time for our end point
Assessor to be able to review the two observation documents. Once the question and answer session
has been completed, allow five working days then for the results to be uploaded into ACE360.
So what is the flexibility? So Learning mentor end-point Assessment, it's a temporary, relaxation
of observation of practice, so the learning mentor observations can be conducted by a
clinical educational lead. Witness Testimony from apprentice’s line manager, and a question
and answer session with an independent end point assessor, which lasts around 40 minutes.
So this is only for NHS based assessments. However this approach is not mandatory and
the apprentice retains the right to choose to wait until on-site assessments, face-to-face
can take place. If that is the case, then you need to put your apprentice onto a break
in learning. Resits and retakes can be undertaken via the alternative methods and all paused
to await the original observation method. There's no change to grading outcomes for
those detailed in the current published assessment plan for the observation method. So, learning
mentor observation, so it's conducted post gateway by a qualified teacher within the
clinical education team. And qualified is identified as someone who has a qualification
in teaching such as postgraduate certificate in education a PGCE or certificate in education
or equivalent. The observer must be independent to the apprentice and must not have been involved
in their on-program learning. And evidence must include observation of practice, mentoring,
so observation or apprentice mentoring, a minimum of two different learners totaling
120 minutes. So one could be 80 minutes, one might be 40 minutes, it just as long as it
makes up to 120 minutes, observations will be genuine, mentoring sessions, no simulated
sessions. So it must be actually what they're doing within their job role. It's likely to
be 1 to 1, but could also include a group session, and the observations will focus on
the 11 knowledge and skills criteria and five professional behaviors that are mapped in
the Learning mentor observation assessment detailed within the published Assessment Plan.
Observation of those will be recorded within the assessment record, or observation template
produced by Pearson for consistency. The completed Observation Record will be submitted to Pearson
by the training provider, five working days, in advance of the question and answer session
being conducted. This allows time for the independent endpoint assessor to review the
observations and identify questions they need to clarify what's the information within.
As required, Pearson can support the clinical education Team with training and support in
conducting the observation. And if this is something you feel you need further training
with, then please e-mail epadelivery@pearson.com, and then we can organize that for you. The
observer will not score individually KSBs, which are knowledge, skills and behaviors.
Or provide an overall grade or provide formal feedback to the apprentice of these observations
to indicate an assessment outcome. Whilst the observer will not grade the observations
assessments. Should they observe practice which calm compromises the safety or infringes
other codes of practice. They should terminate the assessment. And inform Pearson. In such
instances, the independent end point assessor will review the evidence and potentially record
a fail grade. The observer is not expected to be involved in the Q and A session. So
witness testimony requirements. The witness testimony is completed on a declaration form,
which we have a template available in ACE360 knowledge base. Or can be supplied by the
training provider. The witness testimonies to be written once the observation has been
conducted, soon, to support the KSBs, which were unable to be observed fully due to lack
of naturally occurring evidence. There are no word count requirements or restrictions,
So rather, the focus of the witness testimony is uncovering the relevant KSBs, as outlined
above. As authentic evidence, the witness testimony must include, date of when specific
activities were witnessed. These do not need to be specific dates. They can be approximate
dates, such as month, rather than the actual day. An audio or video recording will be accepted
in place for written testimony, and in line with Pearson's declaration and other associated
requirements. The training provider will submit the completed witness testimony to Pearson
five working days in advance of the question and answer session and the witness is also
not expected to be involved in the question and answer session. So the requirements for
a witness; the witness must work in the role equivalent to first line management of the
apprentice or a level above. The witness must have worked with the apprentice for a minimum
of three months during the course of their apprenticeship and the witness is to provide
name, job role, signature and sign a declaration provided by Pearson. The question and answer
session will be conducted between the independent end-point assessor and the apprentice only,
the session will last up to 40 minutes with a 10% extra permitted at the discretion of
the independent endpoints assessor. So if an apprentice is just starting to answer a
question, we will allow them to complete the answer before we stop the session. Questions
will be used by the IEA to clarify any sector specialist practices arising from the Observation
Record or witness testimony. Validate evidence submitted within the Observation Record and
Witness Testimony. Follow up on criteria pass or distinction where they believe the apprentice
has not been given the opportunity to demonstrate they have achieved them. So who will, sorry,
What will the observation focus on? So it's actual mentoring sessions. So nothing simulated,
minimum of two observations with two different mentees and we ask that you do a separate
form for each one and the total time for both of the observations is 120 minutes. Covering
all KSBs, so 11 knowledge and skills criteria, five behavior criteria. Please personalize
the report so you're using the person's name throughout. This is the employer assessor
declaration. So the document is asking for the apprentice name, training provider’s
name, the standard and the EPA components. So the standard is Learning Mentor and the
component is the observation and then identify the name of the person doing the observation,
their job role, signature, and date. And then the next five questions, we just require you
to put a tick in the box or across in the box if it doesn't relate. So you have a good
understanding of the apprenticeship standard including relevant, grade and evidence requirements,
conducted post Gateway by a qualified teacher within a clinical education team. Confirm
that you've worked within a role equivalent to first line management of the apprentice
or above. And confirm that you've worked with the apprentice for a minimum of three months.
And confirm that this is a true reflection of the apprentice's ability that you've observed
in practice. There's then a box that you can put any further comments that you wish to
put in and just a quick clarification on what qualified means in regards to the person doing
the observation. The actual observation document will look similar to this. You have 11 knowledge
and skills criteria, so you will have the criteria. It will show you what is partly
demonstrated, and what is well demonstrated. Snd then the end box is where we ask you to
put your commentary of what you've observed. So, the more detail you can put, please do.
Please don't bullet point, because that doesn't give us enough information, to be able to
get a clear picture of what the person has been observed doing. And then the other parts
will be the behaviors and criteria. Very similar to the knowledge and skills is just that this
is just for the five behaviors. And again, write your comments in the end with as much
detail as you possibly can. So, where can you find all this documentation? The documentation
is stored within ACE360 and your training provider will have access to this within the
Knowledge Base section and the three documents are here. So, you have information about the
dispensation, and then you have a Word document for the observation and you have a PDF editable
document for the observation. So those are the three documents that you can download,
and all you do is click on the blue arrow and that will download the document. So how
do you organize the assessments? So, once a clinical educator has completed their observation
document, this needs to be uploaded to the shared area with ACE360 and that will be done
by the training provider. Planning will occur between your independent end point assessor
and key contact and possibly the apprentice to arrange the suitable time and date to do
the question and answer session, and then results will be available within five working
days of the final part of the assessment being completed. Any questions you might have if
you'd like to e-mail epadelivery@pearson.com and then, we'll get back to you with answers
to your questions. Or if you would require a bit more training on completing the documentation.
Again, e-mail epadelivery@pearson.com, and we can get that arrange for you. Thank you
for your time. Thank you. Bye-bye.