Most of the work that goes into assessment quality happens behind the scenes. Learners see the assessment and employers see the qualification, but neither sees the decisions about what should be assessed, how competence is demonstrated, how marking remains consistent and how learners are supported, all of which influence the trust people place in a qualification and the organisation awarding it.
We brought Nicola Mellor from the Chartered Insurance Institute, Rebecca Bradley from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, Caroline Murray from the Chartered Banker Institute, and Richard Hankins from Kaplan Professional Assessments together to explore ‘What is the cost of ensuring assessment quality process?’ at The Professional Assessment Conference 2025.
Building trust in assessment
Professional qualifications often represent years of learning, practical experience and professional development. Learners need to know they’re being assessed fairly against a clear and consistent standard, while employers need confidence that someone awarded a qualification today has met the same standard as someone who qualified last year, or elsewhere in the world.
Rebecca described this as “trusting the journey”. Each assessment should reflect the knowledge, skills and judgement expected at that stage of a learner’s development, while building on what came before and preparing them for professional practice.
Learners need to understand what an assessment is asking them to demonstrate and how their work will be judged. Assessment organisations don’t need to explain every decision they make, but they do need to be clear about the assessment’s purpose and the standard being applied.
Caroline shared that consistent learning outcomes, clear marking criteria and regular benchmarking between markers help ensure learners are assessed fairly, regardless of who marks their work or when they sit the assessment.
Start with the purpose of the assessment
Assessment teams are often introduced to new platforms before they’ve agreed what needs improving, but there needs to be a clear understanding of what learners are expected to demonstrate before choosing a format or introducing new technology.
Rebecca reminds us that once the problem is clear, it becomes much easier to decide whether the answer is a different process, a different assessment method or a new technology.
Multiple choice questions, simulations, assignments, OSCEs and open-book assessments all have their place when they’re matched to the knowledge, skills or professional judgement being assessed.
Caroline shared an example of a time that her team redesigned a traditional assignment into a 24-hour hybrid assessment. The assessment still reflected how professional bankers work in practice, while reducing opportunities for collusion and removing the cost of running exam centres.
Professional judgement protects consistency
Policies, frameworks and quality assurance processes all play an important role, but they can’t anticipate every situation. Assessment leaders must still make daily decisions about how those frameworks are applied, how much learner feedback supports the assessment without compromising it, where barriers can be removed without changing the competence being assessed, and whether a new technology genuinely improves the assessment experience.
Strong governance provides the framework, while professional judgement ensures those principles can be applied consistently.
When things don’t go to plan
Of course, no assessment process is risk-free. Unexpected situations like technology failures, venue mishaps or learner adjustments are inevitable, so assessment quality depends as much on preparation as on design.
Learners need to know someone is taking responsibility. Rebecca spoke about the reassurance that comes from clear, visible leadership when something unexpected happens, helping people feel supported throughout the wider assessment process.
Richard spoke about how preparation makes that possible: agreeing likely scenarios in advance, identifying decision-makers and preparing communications before they’re needed, so teams can respond quickly and consistently.
Maintaining standards while supporting learners
Every request for a reasonable adjustment requires assessment organisations to decide whether it removes a barrier or changes the competence being assessed.
Evidence, professional judgement and clear communication all play a part in reaching that decision.
Explaining how it was reached, and what alternatives were considered where appropriate, helps learners understand the outcome, even when the adjustment can’t be made.
Read more: What is a ‘reasonable’ adjustment in high-stakes assessment?
The value behind assessment quality
Increasing assessment fees often prompt questions about cost, particularly when much of the work behind a high-quality assessment isn’t visible to the learner.
Everything the panel discussed – assessment design, quality assurance, reasonable adjustments and maintaining consistent standards and more – requires investment. Technology can change where some of those costs sit, but the wider investment in a credible assessment remains.
Learners may never see much of the work behind their assessment, but they should leave confident in what they’ve achieved, and employers should have confidence in the standard behind it.
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Kristina Preston is our Director of Awarding and Skills Appointments. With extensive recruitment experience at every level across education and skills sectors, Kristina uses her expertise to proudly support our partners in recruiting brilliant candidates in this niche area of the UK and worldwide education system. She also works closely with the Federation of Awarding Bodies on our strategic relationship as their Platinum Supplier of executive search, recruitment and board development services.
