How to prepare for an RQF external quality assurance visit

An external quality assurance (EQA) visit gives an awarding organisation confidence that a training centre is delivering, assessing and internally assuring qualifications consistently. For a centre offering regulated health and social care programmes, the visit is also an opportunity to demonstrate that learners receive valid support and that assessment decisions meet the required standard.

Preparation should begin well before the quality assurer arrives. A successful visit depends on accurate records, current staff knowledge, well-organised learner evidence and clear links between centre procedures and the qualification specification. Treating the process as routine quality management, rather than a last-minute inspection, makes the experience more productive for everyone.

The move from the QCF to the RQF has reinforced the importance of meeting defined assessment requirements and maintaining reliable evidence. Centres should therefore check the current qualification documents, monitor updates from their awarding organisation and make sure assessors and internal quality assurers understand any changes affecting delivery.

Start with the qualification requirements

Begin by reviewing the current qualification specification, assessment guidance, unit requirements and centre handbook. Confirm that the qualification code, title and version used by the centre match the approval and registration records. This basic check can identify outdated paperwork before it creates confusion during the visit.

Pay particular attention to assessment criteria, learning outcomes, knowledge requirements and any rules about practical performance. Changes to adult care diplomas may affect how evidence is planned, collected and judged, so review the awarding organisation’s guidance on adult care assessment changes with the assessment team.

Create a short compliance summary for each qualification. It should show the units being delivered, the assessment methods used, the people responsible for assessment and internal quality assurance, and the documents that support each decision. This summary helps staff answer questions consistently and allows the external quality assurer to follow the centre’s approach quickly.

Check learner evidence and assessment decisions

An EQA visit usually involves sampling learner work across different stages of achievement. Select a representative sample that includes completed learners, current learners, different assessors, different assessment methods and, where relevant, a range of sites or delivery settings. The sample should reflect normal practice rather than being assembled only from the strongest portfolios.

Review each portfolio for authenticity, sufficiency, validity and currency. Evidence should show that the learner has met the full assessment requirement, not simply that a task was completed. In adult care and healthcare qualifications, workplace observation, professional discussion, written work, witness testimony and records of performance may all have a role, provided they are permitted and appropriately authenticated.

Check that assessor feedback explains how the evidence meets the criteria. Comments such as “good work” or “achieved” are rarely enough to demonstrate a clear assessment rationale. Feedback should identify what was assessed, where the requirement was met and what the learner needs to do next when evidence is incomplete.

Also review assessment timing. Learners should have sufficient opportunities to receive feedback, improve their work and complete outstanding requirements. A quality assurer may examine whether assessment decisions were made consistently and whether the centre avoided both over-assessment and gaps in evidence.

Strengthen internal quality assurance

Internal quality assurance (IQA) should be planned, risk-based and recorded. A sampling plan can identify which assessors, units, learners and assessment methods will be reviewed during the academic or delivery year. It should explain the rationale for the sample rather than listing checks without context.

Look for evidence that IQAs have reviewed assessment decisions before certification. Records might include sampling plans, feedback forms, standardisation notes, assessor support records and action plans. Where an issue has been found, the centre should be able to show what was changed, who completed the action and how the IQA confirmed that the issue was resolved.

Standardisation is especially important when several assessors deliver the same qualification. Schedule discussions around assessment interpretation, evidence requirements, reasonable adjustments, authenticity and borderline decisions. Keep concise minutes that record the examples considered and any agreed approach.

The following preparation check can help managers organise the main evidence areas before the visit:

Area	Evidence to organise	What to verify
Qualification compliance	Current specification, centre handbook and assessment guidance	Documents and procedures reflect the approved qualification
Learner records	Registration details, portfolios, progress reviews and achievement records	Information is accurate, complete and securely stored
Assessment	Assessor records, feedback, observations and professional discussions	Decisions are valid, fair, sufficient and consistent
Internal quality assurance	Sampling plans, reports, standardisation and action logs	IQA activity is planned, effective and followed up
Staff competence	CVs, certificates, CPD and role descriptions	Staff are occupationally and assessment competent
Centre governance	Policies, complaints, appeals, malpractice and safeguarding procedures	Processes are current, accessible and used in practice

Prepare assessors and internal quality assurers

Staff should know the qualification requirements and be able to explain how they apply them in real assessment situations. Arrange a preparation meeting before the visit to review common questions, recent changes and any areas where assessors have requested guidance.

Check competence records for assessors and IQAs. These should demonstrate relevant occupational experience, appropriate assessor or quality assurance qualifications, and continuing professional development. Competence is more than holding a certificate; staff should remain current in the health, social care or healthcare practice relevant to the units they assess.

Make sure roles are clearly separated where required. An assessor should not quality assure their own assessment decisions, and conflicts of interest should be identified and managed. If staff work across several centres or qualifications, maintain clear records showing which responsibilities they hold in each setting.

It is useful to rehearse how staff will discuss assessment decisions. They should be able to explain why a particular method was selected, how authenticity was confirmed, how reasonable adjustments were managed and how feedback supported learner progress. A calm, evidence-based explanation is more valuable than trying to memorise answers.

Organise records and centre systems

Create a secure, clearly labelled evidence area for the visit. This may be digital, paper-based or a combination of both, but access permissions and version control should be checked in advance. The quality assurer should be able to move from the qualification specification to learner evidence and then to IQA records without encountering missing or contradictory documents.

Review registration and certification records against the centre’s own learner management system. Check spelling, dates of birth, qualification codes, unit achievements and withdrawal information. Errors in administrative records can create avoidable delays and may raise questions about the reliability of wider centre controls.

Policies should be current and actively used. Give particular attention to malpractice, maladministration, appeals, complaints, safeguarding, equality, data protection, reasonable adjustments and learner support. Staff should know where to find each policy and understand the process for reporting or escalating an issue.

If the centre has received actions from a previous EQA visit, prepare a clear progress record. Include the original finding, the corrective action, supporting evidence, the responsible person and the date of completion. Open actions should be acknowledged honestly, with a realistic plan and evidence of progress rather than an attempt to conceal them.

Manage the visit professionally

Before the visit, confirm the date, format, timetable, attendees and sampling arrangements with the awarding organisation. Provide requested documents within the agreed timescale and identify a main contact who can coordinate access to learners, assessors, managers and records.

On the day, offer a short overview of the centre, its learner profile and the qualifications being delivered. Explain any relevant changes since the previous visit, such as new staff, new delivery locations, revised assessment methods or changes in learner numbers. This context helps the quality assurer interpret the evidence accurately.

Make relevant staff available without disrupting assessment or care delivery. If the centre operates in a workplace setting, protect learner and service-user confidentiality. Remove unnecessary personal information from sample documents and use secure channels for sharing records.

During discussions, answer the question asked and refer to evidence. If a document is unavailable or a process has not worked as intended, record the issue and explain the corrective action. Quality assurance visits are designed to test systems and improve consistency; defensiveness can make a manageable issue more difficult to resolve.

Turn findings into continuous improvement

At the end of the visit, listen carefully to feedback and distinguish between recommendations, required actions and areas of good practice. Ask for clarification where the wording or evidence requirement is unclear, while keeping the conversation focused on the qualification and the centre’s responsibilities.

Share the outcome with assessors, IQAs, managers and relevant employers. A finding that affects assessment practice should not remain with one centre contact. Use team meetings, standardisation sessions and CPD activities to make sure improvements are understood and applied consistently.

Track every action through a central improvement log. Set practical deadlines, assign ownership and define the evidence that will demonstrate completion. Follow-up sampling is important: updating a policy does not prove that staff are applying it, while revised portfolios, observation records or standardisation outcomes may provide stronger confirmation.

Build these checks into normal centre operations. A quarterly review of qualification updates, learner evidence, staff competence and IQA activity is often more effective than an annual rush before an EQA visit.

Use a practical readiness checklist

• Confirm that qualification specifications, assessment guidance and centre procedures are current.
• Select a representative learner sample and check evidence against every relevant assessment criterion.
• Review assessor and IQA competence, CPD records, sampling plans and standardisation activity.
• Reconcile learner registration, progress, achievement and certification records.
• Prepare previous action plans, policy documents and secure access to all requested evidence.

A well-prepared centre does not need to create a special version of its practice for external quality assurance. Its everyday systems should already show how learners are supported, how assessment decisions are made and how quality is monitored. Preparation simply makes that evidence visible, coherent and easy to verify.

Use the next scheduled team meeting to assign responsibilities, review the current RQF requirements and begin checking a representative sample of portfolios. By building the work into routine quality improvement, your centre can approach the visit with reliable evidence and a clear commitment to consistent outcomes for learners, employers and the health and social care sector.