A fully portfolio building course
The NVQ qualification is a portfolio-building course based upon the National Language Standards 2005. There are no exams. There are 6 levels of the standards from Entry to Level 5. In the 14 to 19 setting, levels 1 to 3 are most commonly delivered. Each level has four units (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing) and it is possible to achieve a certificate in any number of skills. A portfolio may also contain skills at different levels. 

The Assessment Process
The chart below shows the roles of each person in the assessment process.

The NVQ requires teaching staff to train as assessors to achieve the A1 assessor award. This enables them to assess their own students or other students' portfolios.

Teachers within a department can teach the NVQ course as language experts. However work carried out by a language expert must be countersigned by a fully qualified A1 assessor and to be cost effective this needs to be done by someone ideally within the school or as part of a partnership system with other schools.

Visit the A1 assessor award page for detailed information about the requirements of the A1 assessor award and documents related to the award. This information will assist teachers who are working towards the award to understand each part of the evidence requirements for the award. 

An Internal Verifier (V1) is responsible for the quality assurance of the assessment process within the centre.  As part of this, they will select portfolios to sample.  They will need to document this process.  For examples of IV documentation. An External Verifier will visit the centre to monitor quality assurance, and if everything is in order, they will enable certification to take place.

Joint awarding body guidance on internal verification (pdf 654 KB)

Information on gaining centre approval to deliver NVQ

Watch a video clip and download documents to help gain an understanding of assessing speaking at NVQ Level 2.