Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny (CASS) Strategy

VTCT (Skillsfirst) are required to have a Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny (CASS) strategy in place to meet Ofqual’s General Condition of Recognition H2  Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny where an assessment is marked by a Centre. This is effective from 1st September 2021.   Our overall approach to CASS ensures that the standards and validity of our qualifications are maintained where assessments are marked by centres. Our strategy sets out our rigorous processes for centre recognition, qualification approval and external quality assurance monitoring, to ensure that any potential and / or existing centre has the necessary resources, systems, commitment and expertise to support the consistent delivery, assessment and quality assurance of our qualification(s) before, and following approval to offer them.   One significant change to Skillsfirst’s quality assurance strategy which customers need to be aware of, is that centres will be subject to an annual activity which will take place at short notice. We will give customers a maximum 5 working days notice, however the actual short notice timescale may differ across centres as this will be a risk-based decision. Please ensure your team are aware of this, it will impact your overall centre status if our External Verifier team are prevented from carrying out a short notice visit.   To support our CASS strategy, we will be contacting all Head of Centres asking them to sign an updated Centre Agreement. The Centre Agreement sets out how centres assist Skillsfirst in carrying out any reasonable monitoring and external quality assurance activities to the centre. As before, this is an enforceable agreement which must be signed by each Head of Centre, failure to do so, will affect your centre status.   Our CASS strategy can be located on the homepage and in the documents area of QMIS. If you do not have a user account for QMIS, please email [email protected] for support.   If you have any questions, please contact our Quality Assurance Advisors via [email protected]