The course assessment strategy is closely aligned to the teaching and learning strategy which is designed to have: immediate relevance to practice; draw on expertise-by-experience; foster active learning and be leaner-centred in approach. A distinct feature of the course is the range of assessment tasks, including those that allow you to undertake workplace relevant assessments that can have an immediate impact in practice. Examples include: written assignments ranging from reflective pieces to academic essays, assessed practice within the student’s workplace; computer-based examinations and oral presentations.

Your use of professional and theoretical literature will increase in complexity, depth and breadth as you progress through the course. In the first year, you will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the evidence-based literature and apply this to practice. In contrast, the second year will demand deeper analysis and evaluation of the literature and its applications. For example, you will develop your ability to study and practice more independently. You will be expected to identify a subject that particularly interests you based upon the NHS values, and conduct an audit on your workplace that could potentially develop into a service improvement project.

Assessments of your clinical skills will begin with observation of the care you provide to patients/service users during work-based learning experiences. Expectations of the levels of skill demonstrated by students will increase over time and by the final assessments you will be expected to manage more complex and challenging encounters in a non-judgemental, empathic manner in accordance with NHS values.

Formative assessment is used within units to enable you to gain feedback from your lecturer, and on occasion peers, to support and enhance your development and progress towards the summative assessments. A variety of strategies at the formative stage will be employed, tailored to best suit the summative assessment. An example of a formative assessment used within the course includes a discussion in class with peers and lecturer based on an anonymised case study which will be developed later within an essay for the summative assessment. In another unit you will engage in a formative in-class reflection on the communication methods you have employed within your workplace. The reflective model or framework used during this exercise is relevant to the summative assessment.