Dear all
While my calculator confirms that it is possible to undertake 120
assessments averaging 9 hours per assessment (presumably on the premise
that some assessments take significantly less time, others taking
significantly more or requiring the expertise of other professionals)-
giving a total of 36 hours assessment related activity per week for one
person ...also leaving 52 - 30 weeks = 22 weeks of no direct assessment
related activity - presumably training, admin and general recuperation
in a retreat I shouldn't wonder!...I wonder about how effective such a
person could be as an assessor, how appropriate the recommendations are
and indeed how attractive a job it would be, even whaen colleagues are
involved in sharing some of the administration work related to the
assessment....
I'm surprised the model arrived at by DfES SEN Division / BECTA to
respond to the project brief of The Communication Aids Project (CAP) has
not been looked at in detail to see what parallels there may be between
assessment related service delivery practice in these two sectors. This
too is public money intended to benefit pupils with expressive
communication difficulties who may benefit from assistive technology
resources to assist with written and spoken communication in relation to
accessing curricula e.g. groups such as pupils with dyslexia, pupils
with hearing impairments, pupils with visual impairments, pupils with
mild recording difficulties and pupils with severe and complex
difficulties ...and involves the development of local expertise
(assessment and implementation services)under the guidance of "centres
of expertise" who also have responsibility for quality assurance
processes and procedures.
Common sense suggests to me that there must be similar issues faced by
assessment centres and assessors working in the statutory sector (CAP)
and the HEI/post 16 sector (DSA)and that we might learn something useful
from a closer examination of the way in which BECTA / DfES / CAP has
chosen to address them.
Simon Bloor
Access SUMMIT
St Peter's House
Precinct Centre
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9GH
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel: 01 61 275 0990
Fax: 0161 275 0991
Text: 0161 275 0992
> The figures suggested to maintain registration as an assessor are a
> minimum of 25 per year or 40 over 2 years but 40 to 60 a year is not a
> lot for full time assessors. (35 hours per week, billing 9 hours per
> assessment gives 3 to 4 assessments per week (or 120 + per year) and
> allows time for training, updating skills, admin etc.
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