Assess and verify the quality of your tools
Our pre-use validation services help Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and compliance personnel accurately, efficiently and effectively assess the quality of VET assessment tools
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Results from our validation activities provide clear, easy-to-understand and easy-to-action guidance on how to address any identified gaps.
The expertise of our validation team is trusted by public and private RTOs seeking confirmation that the tools for use in their courses are fit-for-purpose, will cover all of the unit of competency evidence requirements and are designed to collect sufficient, valid evidence.
New Compliance Requirement 2025
The Standards for RTOs 2015 have been revised
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On 14.3.25 the revisions were released onto the Federal Register of Legislation. ​
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As part of the new requirements for ongoing RTO registration, the Outcome Standards list at Standard 1.3.2(b) the requirement that: "all RTOs demonstrate that all of their assessment tools are reviewed prior to use to ensure assessment can be conducted in a way that is consistent with the principles of assessment and rules of evidence."
This is pre-use validation.
Pre-use validation is now a mandatory compliance requirement.
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The new Standards for RTOs come into full regulatory effect for ASQA-regulated RTOs from 1.7.25.
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Does your RTO need help to review all of its assessment tools before use?
Order a validation service
Try our hassle-free 'Load and Go' validation service.
Load your assessment marking guide and mapping document and while you go about your business, our validation experts will review the instruments against the unit of competency.
We'll email you the results and report when done.
Trusted by RTOs across Australia to give accurate, reliable analysis (by humans who understand all of the complexities involved!)
Ask us about...
Pre-use validation services for:
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Quality Assurance
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Gap Analysis
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Confirmation of Compliance
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Continuous Improvement
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Assessment Review
Validation services for:
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Compliance with the requirements of the Standards for RTOs and the TAE Training Package
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Validation of assessment judgements
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Meeting your RTO's 5-year validation plan
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Quality Review
Pre-use validation is a best-practice activity that - when done correctly - will determine how well an assessment tool will meet it specific criteria, including full coverage of the unit of competency evidence requirements and the Principles of Assessment. The process can also verify how well an assessment tool has been designed to collect evidence that will meet the Rules of Evidence. Activities within a pre-use validation may include a validation of the assessment mapping document and analysis of the tool to review the clarity of instructions for users, benchmark responses and other critical elements for quality assessment.
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The purpose of conducting pre-use validation exercises is to ensure only tools that are fit-for-purpose are used by RTOs and that those tools can support consistently valid assessment judgements. Positive results from validation of assessment judgements - carried out as part of the RTO's mandatory 5 year validation schedule - relies on having and using tools that meet all requirements. Pre-use validation is the first step in meeting these compliance obligations.
We offer all types of validation services:
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Assessment reviews
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Mapping of assessments to the unit of competency
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Validation of:
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Mapping
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Assessment tools pre-use
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Recently purchased materials to confirm compliance and/or suitability for use
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Pre-use validation as required by the 2025 Outcome Standards
Did you know...?
Sound pre-use validation is required for good outcomes when it comes time to conduct validation of assessment practices and judgements?
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We can:
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Conduct all types of validation services listed above
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Offer independent, unbiased review of assessment tools and processes
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Produce Gap Reports which show the results of gap analyses
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Make recommendations for 'next steps'
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Provide an independent validation report giving feedback on assessment tools, their likelihood of collecting valid, reliable evidence as required by the unit of competency, their usability, and overall quality of content; great to keep on file for compliance purposes!
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Make the rectifications where/if required
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Write gap assessments
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Calculate the statistically valid sample size for you
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Assist you to write - or write for you - the validation plan for your RTO
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Be an ad-hoc or ongoing contributor to your RTO's validation schedule
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Help your RTO meet its compliance obligations; including those in the Standards for RTOs
We work to the requirements of the Standards for RTOs and to those of the National VET Regulator, ASQA.