NVQ Units

NVQs are made up of Units of Competence. Units can be brought together to make a full NVQ or achieved individually, as a Unit Award, or in small groups to make Mini Awards, i.e. the Assessor Award has two Units, A1 and A2. Below is not a finite list of all the Units used in NVQs, but a representation of the most commonly used or required by business or individuals.

Learning and Development Units:
- A1;
- A2;
- L8;
- L20;
- V1;

NVQ Assessor Award

Additional information on Achieving the NVQ Assessor Award;

About the NVQ Assessor Award

In 2002, the standards for NVQ Assessors were revised. Prior to this, the requirement was for NVQ Assessors to obtain units of competence D32 and/or D33 from the Training and Development Lead Body Standards.

Following the revision, these 2 units have been simplified and the revisions are now:

A1 - Assess Candidates Using a Range of Methods
- For those Assessors who will assess NVQ candidates, using a variety of different methods. THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE UNIT FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF ASSESSORS;
A2 - Assess Candidates' Performance through Observation
- For those Assessors who will ONLY use observation as a method.

One important revision is that the language has been simplified and the confusion removed for those Assessors who achieve A1. However, the rigour and assessment requirements us to assess Unit A1 have been strengthened.

Units D32 and D33 were virtually identical and candidate assessors struggled to come to terms with the requirements, making the award (and, indeed, the assessment process, inaccessible for many would-be assessors).

Award Overview

This award is appropriate for you if you are going to assess National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).

There are 2 options available to you:

Unit A1 (Assess Candidates Using a Range of Methods), if you are going to assess people using a whole range of methods;
Unit A2 (Assess candidates Performance through observation), if you are going to assess people using only observation and questioning.

The standards were revised in 2001 from the original NVQ Assessor Award Units D32 and D33:

A1 replaces D32 and D33;
A2 replaces D32.

It is not necessary for you to achieve both units.

Please also note that those people that have D32 and D33 do not need to achieve unit A1 or A2. However, during the External Verification process, it will be expected that Assessors are working to these standards.

What should you do if you are assessing and assuring the quality of in-house systems?
Units A1, A2 and V1 are not appropriate for in-house systems. Instead, the following units are appropriate:

For Assessors: Work Based Assessor Award - Unit L20 - Support Competence Achieved in the Workplace;
For the person responsible for internal quality: Unit L8 - Manage the Contribution of Other People to the Learning;

Programme Duration:
No set time line. Qualification and development can fit around the delegate.

Maximum number of Delegates:
There is no minimum or maximum as the NVQ Assessor Award programme can work around an individual or individuals working as a close support group.

Use our contact form to request more information on the process, costs, what needs to be in place, etc.