What does ‘VARCS’ mean?
We’ve broken down the acronym ‘VARCS’ letter by letter below.
V alid
A uthentic
R eliable
C urrent
S ufficient
But what does each word mean? Find out more below.
Valid – Is the learner's work relevant to learning outcomes and assessment criteria? Remember, it’s important to show how evidence is relevant. If you use a photograph, for example, it should be annotated to explain what and who it shows.
Authentic – Is the learner’s work their own? It is good practice to have a statement from the learner confirming the work presented is theirs. An assessor should be aware of how each learner writes and the language they use, as this can indicate if a learner’s work is authentic.
If learners choose to use direct quotes from websites or books, these should be clearly indicated using quotation marks. We don’t expect learners to use a recognised referencing system, such as Harvard, only an explanation as to where the quote came from. It is good practice for learners to discuss what they have read in their own words.
Ideally, the learner’s signature should also be included. However, electronic work or remote teaching may make this difficult. Where this is the case, we have a few suggestions to authenticate the learner’s work.
- A copy of the learner’s secure email used to send evidence to the assessor
- An individual learner’s login on their e-portfolio system
- A learner’s declaration that confirms the contents of the portfolio are all their own
- A recording (either video or audio) of the learner confirming the work is their own, or of them undertaking an assessment such as a reflective discussion
Reliable – Does the learner’s work truly reflect their level of knowledge and performance? If you are assessing knowledge, consider whether the learner has written it themselves. As mentioned above, references can be used but the learner should be encouraged to write what they have read in their own words to demonstrate understanding. If competence is being assessed, consider if there is further evidence to support observation or witness testimony. Evidence could be in the form of photographs, video recordings or even redacted work that the learner produced while performing the task.
Current – Does the learner’s work meet current legislation and processes? Also consider how long ago it was produced and if it’s up to date. In general, unless legislation or regulations have changed, 12 months is acceptable. If the evidence presented is over 12 months old, then support this with information relating to the learner’s CPD.
Sufficient - Is there enough content in either knowledge or through performance to meet the learning outcomes? Does it meet command verbs, for example, 'describe’, ‘explain’, ‘list’? Does it meet the requirements or amplification as required, for example, if 3 examples are needed, are there 3 examples? If workplace evidence is asked for, does the evidence come from the learner at work?
What should a portfolio of evidence contain?
This is crucial information to know. It will be dependent on the size and make up of a qualification.
Some of our qualifications are internally-assessed short courses where assessment paperwork has been provided for centres to show how learners have met criteria. Using the paperwork supplied by us will sufficiently support you in delivery, assessment and IQA.
However, for larger portfolios of evidence we would typically expect to see the following:
- Individual Learner Plan (ILP) – this is a document that an assessor starts at the beginning of the learner’s qualification. It tracks the learner’s journey including initial discussions concerning the learner’s prior achievements, goals, current role and how the assessor can support them through the qualification. The assessor will then use this information to provide a timeframe for the qualification and map out assessment milestones, such as when a unit or certain assessment criterion should be met or when an observation should take place.
- The Evidence Matrix/Evidence Tracking Sheet – this document outlines the units the learner is undertaking, as well as specifying the learning outcomes and assessment criteria. It is formatted as a grid so that the assessor can review the learner’s evidence, decide if it meets criteria and then reference this with a number or letter within the portfolio, which is then identified in the Evidence Matrix. Essentially, the Evidence Matrix is like a table of contents which shows the assessor that evidence has been met and through what methods. It also shows the IQA and EQS teams where the evidence is for sampling purposes. An example Evidence Matrix can be found within our Assessment Packs, which you can locate within the download area of the members’ area.
- Assessor feedback – for internally-assessed qualifications, it is important that learners are supported throughout the duration of their learner journey. This includes formative and summative assessor feedback.
- Formative – this gives the learner support during their qualification. It could be provided verbally in meetings or written on the learner’s work, but it should always be supportive and developmental.
- Summative – this is a final piece of feedback at the end of the learner’s qualification on what they have achieved. It also provides final rationale for the IQA on the learner’s completion of the qualification.
- SPaG – this stands for Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar. An assessor must ensure that the learner is supported throughout their qualification in not only producing evidence that meets criteria, but also by identifying areas for improvement in their written English.