CPD for Assessors and IQAs: What It Is and Why It Matters
Author:
Katie Gray
CPD for Assessors and IQAs (Continuing Professional Development) refers to any learning or development activity that helps you maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge you need to do your job well.
If you work in assessment or quality assurance, you’ve almost certainly come across the term ‘CPD’. It appears in job descriptions, professional standards, and awarding body policies. So beyond ticking a compliance box, why does it matter?
Why Does CPD Matter for Assessors and IQAs?
CPD is an ongoing commitment to growing as a professional throughout your career. In fact, it is not something you do once and forget about. Research by the CPD Standards Office found that 90% of professionals reported career development as a direct result of their CPD activity.
Assessor and IQA roles are not static. Over time, awarding body requirements change, qualification standards are updated, and expectations around best practice shift over time. An Assessor who stops engaging with their own development will find their practice falling behind. As a result, that has real consequences for the learners they support.
For IQAs, CPD carries an added dimension. The IQA’s role is to maintain and improve the quality of assessment across their team. That’s only possible if the IQA is keeping themself up to date. After all, you can’t effectively support others’ development if your own has stalled.
From a career perspective, demonstrating an active commitment to professional development shows employers that you take your role seriously. It strengthens your credibility and tends to open doors to more senior positions.
Types of CPD for Assessors: Formal VS Informal
First, one of the most common misconceptions about CPD is that it only counts if you’re working through a formal, accredited qualification. In reality, this isn’t the case.
Of course there are formal ways of completing CPD activities – structured courses, webinars and workshops spring to mind. These tend to have clear learning objectives and, more often than not, come with a certificate.
As for informal ways, these can be a broader range of activities that happen in your average working day. Think reading a sector report, discussing a tricky assessment decision with a colleague, even attending a team meeting where new processes are introduced. Ultimately, if it develops your practice, it counts.
In our opinion, however, the most effective approach combines both. Some Assessors and IQAs prefer structured learning; others find that reflective practice suits them better. The honest answer is that neither works as well on its own.
Examples of CPD Activities for Assessors and IQAs
Not sure what to log? To help, here are some examples of CPD for assessors and IQAs. These activities are recognised by most awarding bodies and employers.
Completing an online course or attending a webinar related to assessment practice
Reading awarding body updates, qualification handbooks, or sector guidance
Attending standardisation meetings or team briefings on new processes
Shadowing a colleague or observing another Assessor’s practice
Reflecting on a challenging assessment decision and noting what you’d do differently
Reviewing feedback from an EQA visit and acting on it
Writing up a case study or sharing learning with your team
Above all, what matters most is that the activity is relevant to your role, and that you’re genuinely reflecting on what you’ve learned and how it applies to your practice.
Maintaining a CPD Record
Most awarding bodies and many employers will ask you to maintain a CPD record. Fortunately, this doesn’t need to be complicated. A good CPD record captures what you did, when you did it, what you’ve learned, and how you’ve applied – or plan to apply – that in your work.
If you’re new to recording CPD formally, the best starting point is to look back over the last few months. What have you learned? What challenged you? Importantly, what would you do differently? Many professionals find they were doing CPD long before they started calling it that – it just wasn’t being written down. Alternatively, use the BIAP CPD Log Manager. The CPD Log Manager is a powerful CPD tracking system for assessors, IQAs and EQAs. It helps you record, organise and export your continuing professional development in one place. As a result, you spend less time on admin and more time on your career.
That said, if you’re more experienced and want to be more deliberate about your development, think about which areas of your practice you most want to strengthen, and look for learning (whether formal or informal) that addresses those gaps.
CPD for Assessors and IQAs with a BIAP Membership
The British Institute of Assessment Professionals (BIAP) is the UK’s dedicated professional body for assessors, IQAs, and vocational education professionals.
A BIAP membership gives Assessors and IQAs access to CPD resources, courses, and a professional community committed to raising standards in assessment. On top of that, you’ll get access to a dynamic CPD log that automatically populates with activity you complete through us, with space to add your own independent learning alongside it.
So whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your expertise, BIAP membership gives you a structured framework for CPD for assessors, IQAs, and other vocational education professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CPD have to be formal to count?
No. Informal activities – reading, discussions with colleagues, reflecting on your practice – all count as CPD. Provided they’re relevant to your role and you’re able to reflect on what you’ve learned, you’re good to go.
What counts as CPD for Assessors and IQAs specifically?
Simply put, anything that develops your assessment practice. This could be a structured course, an awarding body update, a standardisation meeting, or self-directed reading. See the examples above for a fuller list.
How many CPD hours do Assessors and IQAs need?
In short, requirements vary by awarding body and employer. Therefore, it’s worth checking your specific awarding body’s guidance. But, most expect evidence of ongoing, relevant activity, rather than a fixed number of hours.
Do I need to keep a record of my CPD?
Yes. In most cases, awarding bodies and employers will expect you to. Generally, a simple log capturing what you did, when, what you’ve learned and how you’ve applied it is usually sufficient.
CPD for Assessors and IQAs: What It Is and Why It Matters
CPD for Assessors and IQAs (Continuing Professional Development) refers to any learning or development activity that helps you maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge you need to do your job well.
If you work in assessment or quality assurance, you’ve almost certainly come across the term ‘CPD’. It appears in job descriptions, professional standards, and awarding body policies. So beyond ticking a compliance box, why does it matter?
Why Does CPD Matter for Assessors and IQAs?
CPD is an ongoing commitment to growing as a professional throughout your career. In fact, it is not something you do once and forget about. Research by the CPD Standards Office found that 90% of professionals reported career development as a direct result of their CPD activity.
Assessor and IQA roles are not static. Over time, awarding body requirements change, qualification standards are updated, and expectations around best practice shift over time. An Assessor who stops engaging with their own development will find their practice falling behind. As a result, that has real consequences for the learners they support.
For IQAs, CPD carries an added dimension. The IQA’s role is to maintain and improve the quality of assessment across their team. That’s only possible if the IQA is keeping themself up to date. After all, you can’t effectively support others’ development if your own has stalled.
From a career perspective, demonstrating an active commitment to professional development shows employers that you take your role seriously. It strengthens your credibility and tends to open doors to more senior positions.
Types of CPD for Assessors: Formal VS Informal
First, one of the most common misconceptions about CPD is that it only counts if you’re working through a formal, accredited qualification. In reality, this isn’t the case.
Of course there are formal ways of completing CPD activities – structured courses, webinars and workshops spring to mind. These tend to have clear learning objectives and, more often than not, come with a certificate.
As for informal ways, these can be a broader range of activities that happen in your average working day. Think reading a sector report, discussing a tricky assessment decision with a colleague, even attending a team meeting where new processes are introduced. Ultimately, if it develops your practice, it counts.
In our opinion, however, the most effective approach combines both. Some Assessors and IQAs prefer structured learning; others find that reflective practice suits them better. The honest answer is that neither works as well on its own.
Examples of CPD Activities for Assessors and IQAs
Not sure what to log? To help, here are some examples of CPD for assessors and IQAs. These activities are recognised by most awarding bodies and employers.
Above all, what matters most is that the activity is relevant to your role, and that you’re genuinely reflecting on what you’ve learned and how it applies to your practice.
Maintaining a CPD Record
Most awarding bodies and many employers will ask you to maintain a CPD record. Fortunately, this doesn’t need to be complicated. A good CPD record captures what you did, when you did it, what you’ve learned, and how you’ve applied – or plan to apply – that in your work.
If you’re new to recording CPD formally, the best starting point is to look back over the last few months. What have you learned? What challenged you? Importantly, what would you do differently? Many professionals find they were doing CPD long before they started calling it that – it just wasn’t being written down. Alternatively, use the BIAP CPD Log Manager. The CPD Log Manager is a powerful CPD tracking system for assessors, IQAs and EQAs. It helps you record, organise and export your continuing professional development in one place. As a result, you spend less time on admin and more time on your career.
That said, if you’re more experienced and want to be more deliberate about your development, think about which areas of your practice you most want to strengthen, and look for learning (whether formal or informal) that addresses those gaps.
CPD for Assessors and IQAs with a BIAP Membership
The British Institute of Assessment Professionals (BIAP) is the UK’s dedicated professional body for assessors, IQAs, and vocational education professionals.
A BIAP membership gives Assessors and IQAs access to CPD resources, courses, and a professional community committed to raising standards in assessment. On top of that, you’ll get access to a dynamic CPD log that automatically populates with activity you complete through us, with space to add your own independent learning alongside it.
So whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your expertise, BIAP membership gives you a structured framework for CPD for assessors, IQAs, and other vocational education professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CPD have to be formal to count?
No. Informal activities – reading, discussions with colleagues, reflecting on your practice – all count as CPD. Provided they’re relevant to your role and you’re able to reflect on what you’ve learned, you’re good to go.
What counts as CPD for Assessors and IQAs specifically?
Simply put, anything that develops your assessment practice. This could be a structured course, an awarding body update, a standardisation meeting, or self-directed reading. See the examples above for a fuller list.
How many CPD hours do Assessors and IQAs need?
In short, requirements vary by awarding body and employer. Therefore, it’s worth checking your specific awarding body’s guidance. But, most expect evidence of ongoing, relevant activity, rather than a fixed number of hours.
Do I need to keep a record of my CPD?
Yes. In most cases, awarding bodies and employers will expect you to. Generally, a simple log capturing what you did, when, what you’ve learned and how you’ve applied it is usually sufficient.
Katie Gray
Table of Contents