What is the D32/33 Assessor Course?

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We often receive enquiries from potential learners with regards to the D32/33 qualifications and whether they still exist or not. The short answer is no they don’t. But, an Assessor qualification does exist – it’s just changed a lot since D32/33. There is lots of old information out there which hasn’t been updated for some time, so we want to make it clear exactly how the D32/33 has evolved over the years. Let’s have a look into this in further detail.

How It Started

So back in the day, it all began with D32/33 which were two units that enabled you to gain an Assessor qualification.

D32 – Assessing Candidate Performance

This unit covered assessment planning, judging performance and knowledge, making assessment decisions and providing constructive feedback. Then the assessment skills that needed to be demonstrated were around natural performance, simulation and questioning.

D33 – Assessing Candidate Using Different Sources of Evidence

This was the larger unit which covered everything that was within D32 and more. When assessing candidates, the trainee Assessors had to demonstrate all of the following assessment methods:

  • Assessment of natural performance, simulation, questioning, candidate and peer reports, projects and assessments.
  • Assessment of prior achievement and learning.

These units were the very first Assessor qualifications, and they were replaced with the A1 Award.

A1 Award

The A1 Award was all about assessing candidates using a range of assessment methods. This award was specifically designed for assessing learners taking National Vocational Qualifications.

It was a single unit divided into four separate parts, and included a programme of training in skills, techniques and principles of assessing competency. It went into detail about how different assessment methods could be used to grade the level of competency the learner had.

The Latest Assessor Qualification

In December 2010 there was another change to the Assessor qualification and CAVA was introduced. CAVA is the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement and comprises of three units:

  1. Unit 1 – Understanding the principles and practices of assessment
  2. Unit 2 – Assessing occupational competence in the work environment
  3. and finally, Unit 3 – Assessing vocational skills, knowledge and understanding

There have been some intermediate Assessor courses released alongside this, including the Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment & the Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement.

Neither of these qualifications would allow you to become a fully qualified Assessor that can assess learners in a variety of environments though. Whereas CAVA allows you to assess learners in all environments (classrooms, virtual learning environments and workshops).

Summary

So we hope that has helped to clear up a bit of a confusing topic! In essence the D32/33 does still exist in the form of CAVA, but of course the units had to be updated to stay relevant to the current times.

If you would like any further information on CAVA or any of the other Assessor qualifications that we have mentioned, please feel free to call us on 01205 805155.