How to Write an IQA Sampling Plan (with the CAMERA Model)
A good IQA sampling plan is risk-based, spread across the learner journey and easy for an external quality assurer to follow. A practical guide to building one with the CAMERA model, with a worked example for a small training provider.
In short
An IQA sampling plan sets out which assessment decisions an internal quality assurer will check, when and how. A good plan is risk-based rather than a fixed percentage, covers the whole learner journey through interim as well as summative sampling, and uses the CAMERA model to make sure the sample covers Candidates, Assessors, Methods, Evidence, Records and Assessment sites. It also schedules observations of assessors, learner discussions and standardisation, and is reviewed as risks change.
Key takeaways
- Sample according to risk, not a fixed percentage
- Use CAMERA to make sure your sample covers learners, assessors, methods, evidence, records and sites
- Sample throughout the programme, not just at the end
- Include assessor observations and learner discussions in the plan, not just portfolio checks
- Review and adjust the plan whenever risks change
Every internal quality assurer has to answer the same question: out of everything your assessors have assessed, what are you going to check? Check too little and problems slip through to certification. Check too much and you spend your time re-assessing work that was never at risk, while the areas that needed attention get the same light touch as everything else.
A sampling plan is how you answer that question in a way that is reasoned, recorded and defensible to an external quality assurer. This guide explains how to build one using the CAMERA model, how to risk-rate assessors, and how a plan looks in practice for a small provider.
Related: IQA Qualifications Explained
What sampling is for
Sampling is the IQA's main way of checking that assessment decisions are sound. A sample is a selection of assessed work that the IQA reviews to check that:
- the evidence meets the standards — that it is valid, authentic, current, sufficient and reliable
- the assessor's decision is correct and clearly linked to the criteria
- records are complete, signed and dated
- learners have received useful feedback
- assessment practice is consistent across assessors, sites and learners
The point is not to re-assess every learner. It is to gather enough evidence to be confident that the centre's assessment decisions as a whole are sound — and to find and fix problems early.
Sample by risk, not by percentage
Many people starting out ask what percentage they should sample. There is no single correct figure. Awarding organisations generally expect sampling to be risk-based: more attention where the risk of a wrong decision is higher, less where it is lower.
Common factors that raise risk include:
- Assessor experience — newly qualified or trainee assessors, or experienced assessors new to a qualification
- Previous sampling outcomes — assessors whose recent decisions needed actions
- New or changed qualifications — where standards or assessment requirements have changed
- Caseload — assessors with unusually heavy workloads
- Assessment methods — heavy reliance on witness testimony, recognition of prior learning, simulation or remote assessment
- Sites — new employers or locations, or sites where learners are rarely observed by the assessor
- Learner factors — learners with reasonable adjustments, or learners progressing unusually quickly or slowly
A trainee assessor whose decisions are countersigned by a qualified assessor is a different matter: countersignature is part of the assessment process, not sampling. The IQA still samples the countersigned decisions.
The CAMERA model
CAMERA is a widely used way of checking that a sample is balanced, so you do not end up sampling the same kind of work again and again. Over the course of the plan, your sample should cover:
| Letter | Stands for | What to check your sample includes |
|---|---|---|
| C | Candidates | A spread of learners — different ages, backgrounds, needs and starting points, including learners with reasonable adjustments |
| A | Assessors | Every assessor, weighted by their risk rating |
| M | Methods | Every assessment method in use — observation, questioning, products, witness testimony, professional discussion, RPL |
| E | Evidence | Different types of evidence and different units, not just the same unit each time |
| R | Records | Assessment plans, observation records, feedback, tracking and decisions |
| A | Assessment sites | Every workplace, centre or location where assessment takes place |
A useful habit is to check your sample against each letter at the end of each quarter. If one assessor, method or site has not appeared, adjust the next quarter's plan.
Interim and summative sampling
Sampling should happen throughout the learner's programme, not only when a portfolio is complete.
- Interim sampling checks work in progress — an early assessment plan, the first few observations, a unit part-way through. It catches problems while they can still be fixed, before they are repeated across the whole portfolio.
- Summative sampling checks completed units or whole portfolios before certification is claimed.
A plan that relies only on summative sampling tends to find problems too late, when putting them right means going back to learners who may have finished or left.
Ways to structure the sample
- Vertical sampling — all units for one learner, which shows how the assessor manages a learner's whole journey
- Horizontal sampling — one unit or criterion across several learners, which shows whether decisions are consistent
- Themed sampling — one method or issue across assessors, such as all witness testimony accepted in a quarter
Most plans use a mix of all three.
More than portfolio checks
A complete IQA plan covers more than reviewing assessed work. Schedule these too:
- Observations of assessors carrying out assessments, at least annually for experienced assessors and more often for new or higher-risk assessors
- Learner discussions, to check learners understand the process, that their evidence is their own and that they have been treated fairly
- Standardisation activities, so assessors interpret the standards consistently
- Assessor support and CPD, following up any actions from sampling
Related: Observation Records That Stand Up to Quality Assurance
A worked example for a small provider
The figures below are illustrative. Your own plan should reflect your centre's risks and your awarding organisation's requirements.
The setting: a small training provider delivering a Level 2 qualification with six units. There are 40 learners across two employer sites and three assessors.
| Assessor | Profile | Risk rating |
|---|---|---|
| Assessor A | Eight years' experience, consistently positive sampling outcomes | Low |
| Assessor B | Experienced, but new to this qualification | Medium |
| Assessor C | Trainee assessor, decisions countersigned by Assessor A | High |
The plan for the year:
| Activity | Assessor A (low) | Assessor B (medium) | Assessor C (high) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interim sampling | Early work for 2 learners, then quarterly | Early work for every learner in their first 3 months, then quarterly | Every learner's early work, then monthly |
| Summative sampling | Smaller sample of completed units, rotated by unit | Larger sample, including at least one full portfolio | Larger sample, including all units for several learners |
| Observations of assessor | 1 a year | 2 a year | Quarterly until qualified |
| Learner discussions | 2 learners a year | 3 learners a year | 4 learners a year |
Across all assessors:
- Themed sampling: all witness testimony accepted in Q2; all RPL decisions in Q4
- Standardisation: a quarterly meeting for all three assessors, with one topic agreed from sampling findings
CAMERA check at the end of each quarter: have all three assessors, both sites, every assessment method in use and a spread of units and learners appeared in the sample? If not, adjust the next quarter.
Review triggers: the plan is reviewed if Assessor B's early sampling shows issues, when Assessor C qualifies, if a new employer site is added, or if the awarding organisation changes the qualification.
Recording sampling decisions
Each sample needs a record. A sampling record typically includes:
- learner, assessor, unit and the evidence sampled
- interim or summative, and the type of sample
- the IQA's judgement on each aspect — evidence, decision, records, feedback
- the outcome: agreed, agreed with developmental feedback, or not agreed with actions required
- feedback given to the assessor
- any actions, who is responsible and the deadline
- follow-up: when the actions were checked and closed
Track the overall plan alongside the individual records — planned samples, completed samples, outcomes and open actions. Whether this sits in a spreadsheet, your e-portfolio or a learner management system, the external quality assurer will want to see that the plan was followed and that actions were closed.
Related: Implementing Learner Management Information Systems for Effective Data-Driven Decision Making
When a decision is not agreed
If sampling shows a decision should not stand:
- Discuss it with the assessor first, explaining the issue with reference to the standards
- Agree the action — usually further evidence or reassessment, never the IQA simply changing the decision
- Check whether the issue is isolated — if it could affect other learners, increase the sample for that assessor, unit or method
- Record everything — the issue, the discussion, the action and the outcome
- Feed it into standardisation, so other assessors learn from it
The IQA's role is to support assessors to make sound decisions, not to quietly correct them.
Related: Assessment functions contributing to quality assurance and best practice
Frequently asked questions
What does CAMERA stand for in IQA?
CAMERA stands for Candidates, Assessors, Methods, Evidence, Records and Assessment sites. It is a checklist for making sure an IQA sample covers all the main areas where assessment could go wrong.
What percentage should an IQA sample?
There is no single required percentage. Sampling should be risk-based, with more sampled for new, trainee or higher-risk assessors and less for experienced assessors with consistently sound decisions. Check whether your awarding organisation sets any minimum requirements.
How often should an IQA observe assessors?
Commonly at least once a year for experienced assessors, and more often for new, trainee or higher-risk assessors. Your centre's IQA strategy and the awarding organisation's requirements should set the minimum.
Should I sample every assessor?
Yes. Every assessor should be included in the sampling plan, even the most experienced. The amount sampled will vary with risk.
Does sampling replace standardisation?
No. Sampling checks individual decisions. Standardisation checks that assessors are interpreting the standards in the same way. Findings from sampling often provide the best topics for standardisation.
This article describes widely used internal quality assurance practice in general terms. Always follow your centre's IQA strategy and the requirements of the awarding organisation for each qualification.
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