Internal Quality Assurance Policy

1. PURPOSE

This policy explains how DTMK Limited manages Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) of regulated qualifications, beginning with First Aid. It ensures assessment decisions are valid, reliable, authentic, current, and sufficient, and that our processes meet or exceed sector and regulatory expectations.

2. SCOPE

This policy applies to all DTMK staff involved in training, assessment, quality assurance, and administration. It covers delivery in England and Scotland, including at client premises, hired venues, and community sites.

3. PRINCIPLES

DTMK Limited will:

Meet all relevant regulatory and awarding requirements for qualifications delivered
Apply a structured IQA system that is documented, risk based, and regularly reviewed
Use official awarding paperwork for regulated courses and DTMK paperwork for non-regulated activity
Maintain professional standards of conduct including fairness, integrity, and confidentiality
Manage conflicts of interest openly and fairly
Collect and act upon feedback from learners, trainers, and IQAs to support continuous improvement

4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Head of Centre / Director

Signs off the annual IQA strategy and sampling plan
Ensures sufficient qualified staff and time are allocated for IQA
Responds to external quality assurance findings
Holds ultimate accountability for compliance

IQA Lead

Designs the IQA sampling plan before delivery each year
Allocates sampling tasks to IQAs and monitors completion
Observes trainers at least once every twelve months and provides written feedback
Reviews conflict of interest declarations and decides what action is required
Reports IQA findings to the Director, including action plans

Internal Quality Assurers (IQAs)

Carry out sampling as directed by the plan, checking assessment records, learner evidence, and assessor decisions
Observe assessments in real time and complete an IQA observation record
Review trainer CPD portfolios and reflections against sector guidance
Provide written feedback to trainers within ten working days, with clear actions where improvements are needed
Must not verify their own assessment decisions

Trainers and Assessors

Attend induction and annual standardisation sessions
Keep a delivery log showing training delivered within the last three years
Maintain occupational competence in First Aid
Record CPD, including at least three reflective practice entries per year, retained for three years
Submit an annual conflict of interest declaration and notify the IQA Lead immediately if circumstances change
Use the correct assessment paperwork for the course type and complete it in full

Administrators

Register learners in accordance with awarding and regulatory requirements
Store assessment records and IQA samples in a secure digital system with restricted access
Maintain version control of forms, ensuring current versions are used
Archive records for three years before secure disposal

5. STAFF COMPETENCE AND CPD

All staff must provide verified copies of qualifications and, where applicable, professional registration details (securely stored and monitored for expiry)
Trainers and Assessors must submit an annual delivery log, checked at appraisal
IQA staff must demonstrate competence either by attending sector-recognised IQA CPD/standardisation sessions, or by holding/working towards a recognised IQA qualification
Attendance at CPD sessions is recorded in individual portfolios and checked during annual sampling
CPD logs must include experiential learning, training, webinars, mentoring, reflective practice, and sector updates
CPD logs are reviewed annually by the IQA Lead
Trainers/assessors who do not maintain CPD will be suspended from delivery until corrective action is taken

6. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

Trainers, Assessors, and IQAs must maintain fairness, impartiality, and integrity
Learner confidentiality must be respected, and personal data handled securely
Staff must present themselves professionally, maintain appropriate boundaries, and comply with all DTMK policies

7. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

All staff complete a conflict-of-interest declaration on induction and annually
Declarations are submitted to the IQA Lead, stored in staff files, and reviewed at standardisation meetings
New conflicts must be reported immediately
The IQA Lead decides whether a conflict can be avoided, mitigated, or escalated to the Director
Mitigation actions (e.g. second sampling, reallocation) are recorded on the conflict register

8. ASSESSMENT RECORDS AND EVIDENCE

Trainers are briefed at induction on completing assessment paperwork
For regulated qualifications, only awarding organisation paperwork may be used and must not be altered
For non-regulated training, internal DTMK IQA paperwork will be used
After each course, administrators check paperwork for completeness/version and store securely
Assessment records are retained for three years (digitally with back-up or in locked storage)
IQAs sample paperwork against pass criteria and provide feedback to trainers on errors

9. SAMPLING AND OBSERVATION

The IQA Lead writes a sampling plan annually, covering new trainers, higher-risk qualifications, referred learners, and routine courses
New trainers are sampled 100% until competence is confirmed
Routine trainers are sampled at least twice per year (mix of paperwork reviews and live observations)
Each trainer is observed at least once every twelve months with written feedback
Sampling records are logged and retained for three years

10. VENUE, EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES

Training venues must be suitable, safe, and adequately equipped (lighting, ventilation, facilities)
Resources must meet regulatory standards (e.g. correct manikin ratios, AED trainers, airway devices, hygiene supplies for First Aid)
Equipment is inspected before each course, with maintenance/replacement records retained

11. COURSE NOTIFICATION AND STAFFING

DTMK notifies awarding/regulatory bodies of planned regulated courses as required
Each regulated qualification must be staffed with at least one Trainer/Assessor and one Internal Quality Assurer, ensuring separation of roles

12. STANDARDISATION

At least one standardisation meeting held per year
Agenda includes IQA findings, paperwork review, trainer decision comparisons, CPD, and sector updates
Attendance is mandatory for all assessors and IQAs
Minutes and action points recorded and retained

13. RECORD KEEPING AND RETENTION

DTMK Limited will securely retain for at least three years:

Assessment records, sampling plans, and IQA feedback
Staff qualification evidence and CPD logs
Conflict of interest declarations and registers
Standardisation meeting minutes
Quality assurance reports and evidence of actions taken

Records will be kept digitally (password protected) or in locked storage. Secure disposal will be by cross-cut shredding or certified data deletion.

14. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

IQA findings are collated quarterly and reported to the Director
Action plans created where weaknesses are identified and monitored at the next sampling cycle
Trainer performance discussed at annual appraisals
Learner feedback forms collected after every course and analysed termly
Lessons learned shared at standardisation meetings

15. EXTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE

DTMK provides external quality assurers with full access to staff, records, premises, and learners when requested
All recommendations actioned within agreed timescales
Evidence of corrective actions stored and reviewed at the next IQA cycle