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Assessment – Retention
Standards: Clause 8.1
8.1. The RTO cooperates with the VET Regulator:
f) in the retention, archiving, retrieval and transfer of records.
Records – Definition in Standards Glossary
Record means a written, printed, or electronic document providing evidence that activities have been performed.
Related documents/links
ASQA General Direction – Retention of Assessment
ASQA website: Retention requirements for completed student assessment items
Definition: Completed student assessment items
‘The actual piece(s) of work completed by a student or evidence of that work, including evidence collected for an RPL process. An assessor’s completed marking guide, criteria, and observation checklist for each student may be sufficient where it is not possible to retain the student’s actual work. However, the retained evidence must have enough detail to demonstrate the assessor’s judgement of the student’s performance against the standard required’.
From: ASQA General Direction – Retention of Assessment
Definition: Securely retain
To retain records in a manner that safeguards them against unauthorised access, fire, flood, termites or any other pests, and which ensures that copies of records can be produced if the originals are destroyed or inaccessible. Records may be in hard copy or electronic format.
From: General Direction – Retention of Assessment
QCI consideration
- Does your RTO have a process to ensure that assessment is retained in accordance with ASQA’s General Direction?
- How does your RTO ensure that records are securely and safely retained?
- If records are retained in a paper format, how does your RTO ensure they are not lost or damaged because of fire, theft or vermin?
- If records are retained electronically, how does your RTO ensure they are not lost or damaged because of human error, malpractice such as hacking, or technical failure?
Contracts and licencing requirements
How does your RTO ensure that specific records retention requirements in contracts or licencing outcomes are retained in accordance with those requirements?
Scenario 1
The last time XYZ RTO had assessed any candidates in BSBPEF402 Develop personal work priorities was twelve months prior to the audit date, so they had those materials ready to show at audit time.
Question
Will the ASQA auditor ask to see this evidence?
No. An ASQA auditor will not ask to see evidence of a candidate’s assessment work that is older than six months prior to the audit date.
Scenario 2
XYZ RTO keeps all evidence of a candidate’s assessment work in paper format, which is kept in filing cabinets on the RTO premises.
Question
Is this appropriate?
Yes, if the filing cabinets are kept locked and access is restricted to authorized RTO personnel only.