VARCS in the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA)

Criteria in the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement

As an assessor there are other criteria beyond sufficiency, authenticity and currency. In the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA), you will hear of the terms VARCS. And let’s have a lot to ensure that assessment decisions are made against specified criteria. So basically, as an assessor you can only assess against what the assessment criteria states. In the qualification specification, you can only assess what is stated in the qualification specification and nothing else. This keeps assessment fair from any bias.  

Validity in the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement

Valid or validity is about ensuring the decision was based on the requirements of the qualifications or standards being assessed only.  

Reliable or reliability is about consistency, would the same decision be made by other assessors or would the same decision be made with similar learners producing similar work. This is why standardisation is important so your assessments will be marked the same by different tutors and learners will receive the same grade for similar work which encourages openness and transparency. 

Fairness in the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement

Lastly, we have fair. This is ensuring that the methods used are appropriate to all learners taking into account any particular needs. This is not saying all learners are treated the same but more that learners have the same opportunities of an accurate assessment decision. If for example you were dyslexic, you would have the same opportunities as other dyslexic learner.  

So, the acronym VARCS takes into account: 

• Validity, 
• Authenticity, 
• Reliability, 
• Currency and  
• Sufficiency. 

I can only assume fairness and made against certain criteria is not in the acronym VARCS as they could make a word for it, but these are ways that you should base your assessment decisions on, and these are the methods our team use when assessing the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA).