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Continuing Professional Development

Continuing Professional Development

SASC Guidance for Continuing Professional Development

SASC considers Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to be an essential ingredient to maintaining and extending your professional knowledge and skills as a specialist teacher assessor. SASC provides regularly updated guidance for APC professionals and a listing of SASC Authorised CPD Events and Course details.

The CPD you undertake helps to keep you abreast of current research fields, changes in practice and new developments. To meet SASC guidelines for maintaining your Assessment Practising Certificate your CPD should cover the following five areas:

  • Core 1 (C1) principles of psychometrics, statistics, assessment and underlying theory
  • Core 2 (C2) SpLD testing methods, interpretation and test materials
  • Supplementary 1 (S1) changes in regulations and legislation relating to SpLDs
  • Supplementary 2 (S2) developments in SpLD research
  • Supplementary 3 (S3) approaches to teaching and support for SpLD

To count towards meeting CPD requirements, the activity should be at an appropriate level and contribute to an SpLD assessor's general professional skill and knowledge. 

SASC Authorised CPD

Must address these Core Themes:

  1. principles of psychometrics, statistics, assessment and underlying theory
  2. SpLD testing methods, interpretation and test materials

You should maintain a log of your CPD activity which provides evidence of each area.Time claimed for each activity should be realistic; time attributed to attendance at courses should not include the organised breaks (e.g. lunch hours); routine work is not considered to be CPD.

Any SASC approved CPD entry (Core themes 1 and 2) must be accompanied by the correct date of the course, its title and the relevant SASC reference. (The SASC reference can be found on the certificate of attendance and / or the SASC website listing of CPD Events.)

Holders of an APC renewing for the first time

Should participate in a minimum of thirty hours of CPD during the 3 years before their first renewal comprising at least:

  • 5 hours of SASC Authorised CPD each year before their first renewal. This CPD must be authorised by SASC and listed through the SASC website and;
  • 5 hours CPD, which may not have an assessed element, each year.

Mentoring is strongly recommended. Mentoring could be SASC authorised and meet some of the above required core authorised hours. Mentoring could also be informal and be counted as fulfilling some of the rest of the CPD minimum requirements.

 
Holders of an APC issued before 1st September 2018

Are required to have a minimum of twenty hours CPD over the last three years of which a minimum of five hours must be SASC Authorised CPD. 

 

 

SASC Guidance on CPD for 4th or subsequent renewals

Assessors who are renewing their Assessment Practising Certificates for the 4th or subsequent time will have reduced requirements for their renewal.  Having demonstrated commitment to, and evidenced, their professional practice by three successful renewals of their APC, on their fourth or subsequent renewal assessors will no longer be required to submit a diagnostic assessment report.

It is expected that assessors will continue to maintain their commitment to CPD and adherence to the codes of practice of their professional bodies.  Therefore, they will continue to submit a CPD log meeting SASC guidelines and pay the renewal fee.

Assessors will be notified by their APC awarding body when they meet these conditions.

Guidance on CPD for 4th or subsequent renewals:

SASC sees it as important that:

  1. a) assessors continue to pursue professional development in assessment and report writing and,
  2. b) their CPD logs should include sufficient reflection and impact.

CPD covered in the period should address all 5 areas:

  • Core 1 (C1) principles of psychometrics, statistics, assessment and underlying theory
  • Core 2 (C2) SpLD testing methods, interpretation and test materials
  • Supplementary 1 (S1) changes in regulations and legislation relating to SpLDs
  • Supplementary 2 (S2) developments in SpLD research
  • Supplementary 3 (S3) approaches to teaching and support for SpLD
  • The SASC authorised element of this CPD for the 4th or subsequent APC renewal should be other than on Access Arrangements.

The Assessment Practising Certificate is a licence to practise in this important area and, within the profession and beyond, the letters APC confirm the quality of professional practice.  Therefore, there is the expectation that those holding an APC maintain their commitment to and remain current in diagnostic assessment and reporting skills through relevant continuing professional development and practice.  Evidence of this commitment must be demonstrated in the submitted CPD.

SASC Guidelines on Continuing Professional Development

The full SASC Guidelines on required CPD can be accessed here.

CPD Requirements for all new APCs

CPD requirements for all new APCs (issued after 1st Sept 2018).

SASC Membership Application Form

Qualified individuals who demonstrate support of the objectives of SASC through their professional activities, as determined by the SASC board.

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