A guide to the first external moderator visit

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As we approach February and March, it’s an important time for CAVA members with the arrival of their first external moderator (EM) visit. This is more than a routine check-in; it’s a key step in assuring and enhancing the quality of the course. It is also an excellent opportunity for EMs to engage with staff and students, immerse themselves in the learning environment, and review various work samples.

These visits last a few hours and need to be comprehensive, involving several aspects of the Access to HE quality assurance process. To assist our EMs in making the most of their time, we’ve developed a guide based on our recommendations and input from CAVA EMs at the 2023-24 external moderation briefings.

CAVA have a wide range of documents which are useful for EM visits including, The Red Book (guidelines for external moderators), CAVA database user guide for external moderators and the EM report template.

Before the visit

You will find information required to support your visit on the provider’s site, including; Diploma Quality Review with course stats from previous years, moderation and validation reports, details of any modifications made to the programme, etc.

Preparation is key. Initiating early communication with the college or course leader is essential. This conversation is the ideal time to introduce yourself, finalise visit details such as the date, parking arrangements, and meeting points. It’s also beneficial to review the institution’s last EM report to understand specific focus areas. Planning your day in advance, including arranging meetings with staff and students, can significantly contribute to a smooth visit.

During the visit

The visit itself is a critical time for in-depth engagement. It provides an opportunity to meet with students and the course team, discuss findings, and assess progress on prior recommendations. These discussions are not just informative but also serve to reassure everyone about the supportive nature of the visit and acknowledge positive practices observed.

A thorough review of the institution’s policies and procedures, particularly in areas like referrals and resubmissions, is vital. Bringing the EM report can help ensure that all aspects are covered. Additionally, sampling and reviewing the quality assurance processes, ie, extenuating circumstances, are important tasks. If there’s additional time, a tour of the college can be insightful, offering a chance to discuss future course changes and start thinking about the next visit, particularly in terms of gathering student feedback.

After the visit

Following the visit, there are a few crucial steps to complete. The EM report should be submitted to CAVA within two working days to maintain momentum. Planning the next visit promptly is also important to accommodate everyone’s schedule.

These visits are integral to fostering a strong relationship between CAVA and our member institutions, and we look forward to their successful implementation.

Access to HE Diploma – Regional Network Meetings

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  • City College Plymouth – Wednesday 29 January
  • Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge – Friday 31 January 
  • Bournemouth and Poole College – Wednesday 12 February
  • Barnsley College – Wednesday 26 February
  • Nottingham College – Wednesday 4 March

Please email admin@cava.ac.uk for a booking form or further information

Access to HE Diploma results

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On behalf of CAVA, congratulations for finishing your Access to HE course.

Today you will receive a statement of results from your college for your Access to HE Diploma course. Please note, this is not your official certificate or transcript. You will receive a printed certificate and transcript from your college as soon as possible in August. 

Results will be shared throughout the day, so please do not worry if you have not heard first thing in the morning. If you have any questions about how you will receive your results, please contact your college directly. 

We hope that the Access to HE Diploma provides you with a valuable stepping stone to your future study and chosen career.

Access to HE Provider Forums hosted by the QAA

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The QAA have announced dates for upcoming Access to HE provider forums. The online sessions will explain the arrangements for the award of QAA-recognised Access to HE Diplomas in 2020-21. It will provide an opportunity for tutors and course leaders to:

  • understand the key priorities relating to the arrangements for awards in 2020-21
  • get clarification about the principles for the Extraordinary Regulatory Framework 2020-21
  • share lessons learned and best practice for adapting delivering of the Diploma this academic year.


To find out more and to book your space, please click on the date you would like to attend below:

Access to Higher Education Diploma 2020-21: Results, UCAS, Appeals and Feedback

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Congratulations class of 2020-21


On behalf of everyone at CAVA we would like to congratulate all those who have completed their Access to Higher Education Diploma. CAVA will be issuing your certificates and transcripts to your colleges on 26 July, which will then be forwarded to you. CAVA will also share your final grades with UCAS to support your progression into higher education. We wish you the very best with your next steps. 

 


Below you will find more information about how to share your feedback, how to appeal, the UCAS tariff, and how to stay in touch.

 

Feedback


CAVA strives to ensure that our Access to HE courses meet student needs, which is why we are seeking feedback from all those who have completed their course this year. When you receive your certificate and transcript, you will also receive a letter which will include a link to complete our student survey. Your input will inform our work with our colleges to improve the student experience. Everyone who completes the survey and leaves their contact details will be entered into a draw for a prize of £50.

 

Appeal of grades


When you receive your grades, if you believe that you have grounds for an appeal then please contact your course leader. They will support you in identifying the grounds for your appeal, gathering the relevant information and they can submit an appeals form to CAVA on your behalf. This will be considered by a CAVA appeals panel and your college will inform you of the outcome.

 


The grounds for appeal about grades are restricted to:

  • evidence of administrative error in the assessment process
  • extenuating circumstances that, for good reason, could not be notified prior to the awards board.

 


CAVA will hold four grade appeals boards as follows:

  • 20 July 2021
  • 9 August 2021
  • 23 August 2021
  • 1 September 2021


UCAS Tariff


There is a tariff calculator on the UCAS website to enable students to calculate any combination of Access to HE grades: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator

 


UCAS have a useful video which explains how the tariff works on their website: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/entry-requirements/ucas-undergraduate-tariff-points
 

 


The table below gives a few examples of grade combinations achievable on the Access to HE Diploma and the equivalent UCAS points.  The full table for all qualifications is available for download on the UCAS website.  The Access to HE table is on page 153. 

Pass 

credits

 Merit credits Distinction credits Tariff points A Level tariff point example
45 0 0 48 EEE (or single A grade A-level)
30 15 0 64 DDE (or two grade C A-levels)
15 15 15 96 CCC
0 45 0 96 CCC
0 30 15 112 BBC
0 15 30 128 ABB
0 0 45 144 AAA

 

Stay in touch

We have a CAVA alumni group on LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13884871/> where you can keep in touch with classmates and network with other CAVA Access to HE Diploma students. We really encourage you to use this space to share stories about your progression to higher education, and your career aspirations.

Access to Higher Education Diploma appeals process 2019-20

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On 13 July, CAVA students will receive a statement of results from your college for your Access to HE course. Please note, this is not your official certificate or transcript. You will receive a printed certificate and transcript from your college as soon as possible in August. 

If you would like to appeal your results, then please follow the processes outlined below.

Appeal of actual grades – achieved prior to 20 March 2020

The grounds for appeal about grades achieved prior to 20 March 2020 are restricted to:

  • evidence of administrative error in the assessment process
  • extenuating circumstances that, for good reason, could not be notified prior to the awards board.

If you believe that you have grounds for an appeal, please contact your course leader. They will support you in identifying the grounds for your appeal, gathering the relevant information and they can submit an appeals form to CAVA on your behalf. This will be considered by a CAVA appeals panel and your college will inform you of the outcome. Appeals of actual grades must be submitted to CAVA by 27 July, 21 August or 4 September. 

Appeal of calculated grades – for units completed after 20 March 2020

As you are aware, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) announced on 3 April 2020 that students who were due to complete their Access to HE Diploma by 31 July 2020 would receive calculated grades for all assessments with submission dates after 20 March 2020. 

The grounds for appeal about calculated grades are restricted to: 

  • evidence of administrative error
  • evidence of procedural error.

Appeals will not be accepted against the professional judgments of Course Tutors, or the efficacy of the evidence presented to support such professional judgments. You can find full QAA guidance about the appeals process for calculated grades here: https://www.accesstohe.ac.uk/news-events/support-and-information-covid-19

If you believe that you have grounds for an appeal, you can download the CAVA appeals form here: http://www.cava.ac.uk/access-to-he-diploma-calculated-grades-appeals-form-2019-20/

All appeals will be acknowledged within 10 working days. A CAVA investigating officer will conduct an assessment and review of the appeal. You will be informed of the outcome of the appeal within 20 working days. Please email your appeals form to admin@cava.ac.uk. All appeals of calculated grades must be submitted to CAVA by 27 July.

Additional guidance for students due to complete their Access to HE Diplomas after 31 July 2020

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Dear CAVA students

We hope you are staying safe and well.

The QAA has released additional guidance for students due to complete their Access to HE Diplomas after 31 July 2020. You can find the guidance here. The QAA are also running webinars on 14 and 21 May for students on this latest guidance. You can sign up for these webinars here. 

Students due to complete after 31 July will be supported to continue your studies through changes to the delivery of teaching and assessment of your course. If you have any concerns regarding your specific circumstances, please speak to your college. You may be able to apply for extensions, extenuating circumstances, a short pause in your learning, and/or a formal break in learning. 

CAVA will continue to work closely with our colleges, to support them in implementing this latest guidance in a fair and consistent way. We hope this update brings you some clarity with regards to the future of your Access to HE course. Please stay in touch with your tutors as they will be able to answer any questions you have and continue to share updates. 

AI tools for Educators

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Since ChatGPT was released in November 2022, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a buzzword throughout not only education, but the world. It appears each week different tools are being released or improved and it is almost impossible to keep up. Due to the amount of tools and sites available, we find it can be overwhelming to know which ones are useful and specifically how you can use them.

 

Below we share a few of our favourite tools which we have identified to be useful to educators, especially those who work in further or higher education.

 

  1. Chat GPT: Even though ChatGPT was not the first AI tool, it certainly was the one which drew attention to AI for most people in 2022. It is a large language model that can engage in conversations following simple prompts and questions. For educators, it can be a valuable tool in several ways including assistance in lesson planning, answering student queries, content creation and generic administrative tasks.

  2. Canva: Canva is a design tool that was launched in 2013 and seems to be everywhere! On Canva you can create visuals, create documents and design presentations. They have been working on their AI platform – Canva Magic – which has been released recently and contains tools which can create photos and videos, transfer documents to different formats, convert a document into a different language and much more.

  3. Classpoint: This educational AI tool is an extension for Powerpoint which enables educators to engage students by adding quizzes, polls, and other interactive elements to their presentations. This fosters active participation and real-time assessment, making lessons more engaging and informative.

  4. Supernormal: Supernormal is a Google extension, which offers an AI personal assistant to take minutes from any Google Meet call. It records the general overview of the meeting, writes a brief summary as well as making note of what actions were agreed upon and who is responsible for them.

  5. AI Educator Tools: Dan Fitzpatrick is the AI Educator. He has released a useful guide called the AI Educator Tools which is a ‘repository of AI tools for teachers’. Dan is constantly sharing useful tools and remains up to date on AI within education and different ways it can be used. He also has a Facebook group – The AI Classroom – filled with teachers sharing good practice of how they are incorporating AI into their classroom.

AI can be an incredible tool which supports educators in creating content, reducing how long it takes them to complete a task and creating personalised resources easily. Like anything, AI should be used carefully and always requires a human to sense-check what has been made.

 

If you are an Access to HE provider, check out our CAVA AI guidance for more information about how to use it with the qualification.

Alice Glover

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Access to HE (Business) at Cambridge Regional College

Alice took her GCSE at Comberton Village College, and later tried A levels at Long Road Sixth Form. She left the course in search of employment. Since leaving school she has had part-time and full-time jobs at Tesco, Eurocamp and Newnham Bakery. Last year she made a decision to study Artisan Food Production at Nottingham Trent University at Foundation Level. In order to apply for the course, she had to have gain 64 UCAS points. She then decided to enrol on our full-time Access course starting in January and finishing in July. She was accepted and started her course on January 7th.