Level 4 IQA Common Course Questions

Who is the awarding body? - Highfield Qualifications

How many course credits? 12 Credits.

Is it an accredited course? Yes, it is an Ofqual Regulated Qualification (RQF), fully accredited course.

Is it recognised outside of the UK? It is a U.K based qualification, however U.K qualifications are highly sought-after internationally.

Does the qualification expire? No, the qualification is yours for life and does not need to be renewed once achieved.

How many guided learning hours? 90 Guided Learning Hours (GLC).

How long does the average learner take to complete the qualification? Most learners take 3-4 months to complete the course. There are no official deadlines with our courses and you can take as long as required to complete the qualification.

How long does the certificate take to process after I have completed the course? The certificate takes up to 10 working days to process and will be emailed to the booker of the course, following the I.V process.

Will I receive a hard-copy of my certificate? No, all certificates are electronic (pdf). Certificates can be downloaded and printed once received. The certificate will be emailed to the booker of the course.

What are the two course units?  To complete the qualification, there is one written assignment followed by a portfolio of practical evidence.

Unit 1- Understanding the principles and practices of internally assuring the quality of assessment (6 Credits)
Unit 2- Internally assure the quality of assessment (6 Credits)

How long is the unit 1 theoretical assignment? – The suggested word count is 3,000 words- however there is no official word count, you can write as much information as required. Assignments can be written in the first or third person. Most candidates pass the assignment on the first or second submission. 

What does the Unit 1 assignment involve? The assignment investigates: The functions, roles and responsibilities of an IQA. You will also understand key IQA documents such as an IQA sample plan, observation and meeting plan.

How many references or sources of information do I need to include within the assignments? You only need to reference the Ann Gravells’ Level 4 IQA textbook which you will receive when joining the course. You can include other sources of information such as websites, journals and other text books if required. 

What support will I have available? Support available over the phone, the office hours are Monday-Friday (9.00am-5.00pm). Office contact number: 01737 237590 and course enquiries info@train-aid.co.uk. Our dedicated marking team iqa@train-aid.co.uk work to 5 working days to review and turn around assignment marking. You can submit as many assignment resubmissions required in order to meet the pass criteria- there are no additional resubmission fees on our courses. The Train Aid YouTube Channel contains the latest support videos to assist you with your qualification.   

What are the entry requirements? Candidates must be 19 years old to begin the course. Basic I.T skills are an advantage when completing the assignment and portfolio. You are also required to have access to two people or colleagues who work within a teaching or assessing role who have access to learners.     

Can I get funding for this course? – No we do not arrange for funding, however we do offer flexible monthly payment plans to support our learners on our courses.

What does the Unit 2 IQA portfolio contain?

The Unit 2 IQA portfolio requires you to demonstrate that you are an active and functioning IQA within your organisation. You will be required to produce and submit completed documents such as: An observation plan, meeting plan, standardisation plan, IQA of assessment documentation report, IQA of learner work, IQA Observation of both assessors, professional discussions, minutes of meetings, standardisation activities, policies and a self-evaluation. You need to monitor a minimum of two assessors, teachers or trainers who are currently working within their role. The two candidates can be working within the same or different organisations.

What if I am new to the IQA role and my organisation does not have documents such as sample plans? If you are new to the IQA role, you can create your own IQA documents to submit for your portfolio of evidence. As part of the course joining instructions, you will be provided with blank IQA templates and completed examples to assist you with the unit 2 process.   

Can I submit my own paper work and templates? If your organisation already has its own templates, sample plans and paperwork you can submit these documents as part of your unit 2 evidence. Our IQA marking team iqa@train-aid.co.uk will review your own organisation’s systems and update your portfolio. 


Do I have to complete the CAVA (Assessing) Qualification before I enrol onto the IQA course? You do not have to complete the CAVA qualification prior to the IQA course, however it is advisable that you could consider completing either CAVA or a teaching qualification in the future in order to best support your assessors. 

What career opportunities are available after the Level 4 IQA course? There are many career opportunities once you have achieved the Level 4 IQA course such as an in-house or freelance IQA. If you are looking to become a freelance IQA, we advise that you contact your nominated awarding body.     

Can I set up my own training company with this qualification? Yes, this qualification can assist you with setting up your own training company.  We also recommend that you gain the CAVA, a teaching qualification and join an awarding body within your chosen area. 

What are the 2 different IQA course formats and do you receive different certificates? There are two course formats to select from - either online/self-paced or the two-day classroom course. Regardless of the course format, you will receive the same qualification and the course format will not show on your final certificate.

Online/self-paced course
Classroom IQA course (2 days)

What happens if I need to take a break from my studies? You can take as long as required to complete the qualification, there are no expiry dates with the Level 4 IQA qualification.   

What are the progression areas after the Level 4 IQA qualification? After completing the IQA qualification, you could consider the Lead IQA course. This is a bolt-on unit where you must demonstrate you can monitor and sample the work of two qualified IQAs.

Level 4 Certificate in Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Lead IQA)

Do I need to be observed by a qualified IQA? To complete the IQA qualification, you will need to observe each teacher/assessor within their live teaching or assessing role and write an observation report on their practice. One of these observations must be observed by a fully qualified IQA who will provide you with constructive feedback on your communication style and how you provided support to your assessor/teacher. 

What if I do not know a qualified IQA? You can arrange for a Train Aid team member to observe a recording or live zoom observation. This observation costs £30 inc vat, you will need to contact the head office to arrange this.

What will need to be observed? A typical IQA observation includes you, the IQA: 1) Briefing the assessor about the assessment (what you are going to be observing) 2) Observing the assessor briefing the learner 3) Observing the assessor conducting an assessment 4) The assessor debriefing the learner after the assessment. 5 The IQA (you) providing feedback to the assessor on their assessment and signing any relevant paperwork.