Peer assessment tutorial

Introduction Rubric: Format Rubric: Reflection Rubric: Criteria Rubric: Links to policy Rubric: Enagement Observe an assessment Your turn Results

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Rubric: Links to policy

The next thing you will check an evidence submission for is whether the learner has made any connections between their learning and existing policies, frameworks, standards or legislation. The video below explains what to look for. Read the text and complete the practice assessments activity once you finish watching the video.

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Video transcript

Slide 1: Title slide

No narration.

Slide 2: Video

It is important people understand the influence policies, procedures and guidance have on their own practice - that is how they do their job. Ideally, they should be making connections to these influences within the evidence they submit for SSSC Open Badges.

This is what we assess through the Links to policy factor. Despite the name, it covers much more than just policy – it covers national guidance or standards, codes practice, legislation, inspection reports and workplace procedures.

By including these things within their evidence, a worker can demonstrate their understanding of how whatever they have just learned about applies in the context of their workplace. They can also demonstrate an understanding of their own responsibilities.

Slide 3: Links to policy

This is how the links to policy factor appears on our rubric.

Scoring zero points here will not automatically result in a submission being returned to the learner for further work. Unless the criteria specifically asks someone to write about a policy – the Health and Social Care Standards badges for example or the Making Better Decisions badges which ask people to consider the SSSC Codes of Practice and their organisations own policies – then it is not essential to meet this part of the rubric to achieve the badge, so long as the learner scores four or more points elsewhere.

Slide 4: Links to policy – needs work indicators

Obviously, not mentioning anything at all from this list should score needs work. If the learner has mentioned something that looks like a policy, for instance, they talk about 'my workplace health and safety', but don’t mention specifically that this is work place policy – then I would score needs work.

Also, if they just mention the words legislation or policy or codes, without saying specifically the name or title what they are talking, then I would score needs work.

Slide 5: Links to policy – satisfactory indicators

Mentioning the relevance of policy, legislation, strategies, standards, and other items from this list should score a point here.

However, it's important when a learner mentions these, they explain why it is relevant. It’s enough to just say "I will read the health and safety policy" or add a list of policies to the end of their evidence. They need to back this up with why it is relevant to what they just learned and their practice going forward.

Remember though, this is about their practice – not anyone else's.

For example, if they mention a recommendation from their last inspection report, they might back this up by explaining how what they learned helped them understand the role they will play in achieving this recommendation.

Slide 6: Links to policy – exceptional indicators

This is what we would consider as excellent for this factor.

Firstly, if the learner has gone into some detail on how they will use the policy mentioned to improve their practice and this makes up the bulk of the evidence they have submitted – maybe they have written paragraph or two instead of a couple of sentences, then I would tend to score excellent here.

If the evidence shows the learner is clear about what they need to do to realise the policy mentioned and they speak about specific actions they will take and understand how this will improve outcomes for people who use their service, then this should also score excellent.

And lastly, if they have identified standard practice or policy in their workplace that needs to change because of their learning, then this should score as excellent. However they will need to be clear on how they will change this – they don't need to be a manager, they could be a support worker who has clearly explained how they will raise this issue with senior staff and follow up on it.

Slide 7: Activity

Okay, you know what to do here.

I've prepared more examples of real submissions for you to look at. Instructions are below this video.

First, look at each of them and decide how you would score them for links to policy. Again, don’t worry about getting it right at this stage, this is just a practice activity. Once you've done this, you’ll see how an SSSC assessor scored the same submission along with their rationale for this and what feedback they'd give to the learner.

Consider how your scores compare to the SSSC assessor and take a short note of what you learned from this activity in the reflection box below.

Slide 8: Thank you

No narration.

The policy factor examines how well the learner understands the influence policies, procedures and guidance have on their practice and apply to what they have just learned about.

As assessors we are looking for learner to mention at least one policy, procedure, piece of legislation, code of practice, standard or even the last inspection report for their workplace. The important thing to look for is that they understand the connection between this and what they have just learned about.

You will be asked to choose between three options when assessing this factor; needs work, satisfactory and excellent. Below are a few indicators of what you should look for in making your decision.

Needs work indicators

In their evidence submission the learner makes no reference to any of the following:

their workplace polices or procedures
relevant legislation on the topic
national guidance or strategies
the SSSC Codes of Practice
the Health and Social Care Standards
the last inspection report for their workplace.

Satisfactory indicators

In their evidence submission the learner mentions at least one of the following and why it is relevant to what they have just learned about:

their workplace polices or procedures
relevant legislation on the topic
national guidance or strategies
the SSSC Codes of Practice
the Health and Social Care Standards
the last inspection report for their workplace.

Excellent indicators

Learner explains how they will use the policy mentioned to deliver significant improvements to their own practice.
Learner identifies something they can do to improve outcomes for people using their service and is clear about how they will achieve this.
Learner identifies improvements needed to their workplace policies and procedures because of what they have learned. They need to take responsibility for progressing these improvements.

Try assessing a few submissions and see how your scores compare to the original decision. Complete the activity below before moving on to the next factor.

Activity: Practice assessments

10 minutes

You are going to assess five examples of real submissions for the Informed about dementia badge. Read through each and select how you score them for links to policy. At the end of the activity your scores will be compared to those of an SSSC assessor.

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