7 replies to this topic

[SandraM]

hi everyone i was wondering if anyone had any advice about being an assessor.Although i am currently ploughing my way through nvq3 i have been asked to consider training to become an assessor i would be grateful for all your advice.

[trea]

Hi sandra
I really loved my job as an assessor. I was working at a local training centre and I got to visit some lovely nurseries (and some not so nice!) I inevitably cried along with the students when i told them the news that they had passed, on of the best feelings in the world!

I put in long hours, ploughing through assignments dragging every last bit of evidence out of it!

i had to travel a lot, and not driving this was sometimes a pain! especially dragging 4 folders on the tube to Wimbledon from Barking station! (long boring journey )

I would go for it if you have been given the opportunity.

Cherry x

[Sue R]

Hi Sandra,

Not spoken before, welcome!

I absolutely agree with trea/cherry! It's hard work getting there, and can be arduous ploughing through candidate's work, at least until you get to know them, but enjoyable. You get to meet lots of different folks with different ideas and ways of going on - all useful for your own professional development and you get to be able to give some of your own professionalism and joy in the job to someone else. And as trea says, when your candidates finish, it can be a real share the tissues moment!

One thing I would say, give yourself a bit of a break before you embark on your training, especially if you have a family - it's not worth burn-out or relationship damage! Also, how much experience do you have? If you are being encouraged to go for it, I would guess you've been working in early years for some time, but it's unwise to go for an assessor's qualification if you are yourself fairly new, as so much 'expertise' relies as much on experience as knowledge.

That notwithstanding, I would echo trea!

Good luck,

Sue :D

[Linda McDowell]

Hi Sandra
One thing I would add is what sort of commitments do you have regarding the job you are already doing? Are you a supervisor or leader? I started the assessors course but as owner/manager of my own pre-school I found it difficult to juggle both. And, being able to go out of my own group was difficult at times. Most of the candidates I was assessing were in pre-schools that were only open in the morning so that meant I had to find cover for myself to go in to their groups to assess them. I have to say I was disappointed that I had to give it up but with other commitments I had besides work it was just too much. It is worth considering though.
Linda

[hali]

Hi

I have been asked also if i would like to train to be an assessor..
but fel as Linda says i couldnt cope with all the extra workload without it disruping my family life.
i would love to do the job..but hey maybe in the future. :)

[Jean Webb]

I am currently doing the assessor course, to assess within my setting. I will still need cover, as the candidate needs your complete attention. The theory behind my application was that as I am getting older, I may be able to sit back and not be quite so 'hands on' !
Don't know if it will work.
From a settings, and the candidates point of view, I'm sure it can be an advantage to have an in- house assessor, who will fit assessment into the normal timetable. I have memories of someone going round the garden, asking if the children needed the toilet, as she needed to be seen doing this by her assessor! None of the children were keen!
This way of working is so false, when this would be something the candidate does routinely day by day.
Jean

[SandraM]

Thank you everyone who has taken the time to offer their advice.I think i will need time to think long and hard about taking another course,because as im sure you will all agree the family tends to get pushed aside occassionly.Once again thank you everyone. :)

[trea]

Hi Sandra
I wish you good luck in whatever you decide to do :)

Cherry :D