RARPA Toolkit

Introduction to the RARPA Toolkit

The application of RARPA promotes good practice in teaching and learning, puts learners at the centre of the learning process, encourages professional development and enables effective quality assurance and quality improvement by learning providers.

The RARPA staged process consists of five elements. These are:

  1. Aims: appropriate to an individual learner or groups of learners
  2. Initial Assessment: to establish the learner's starting point
  3. Challenging Learning Objectives/Outcomes: Identification of appropriate objectives for the learner
  4. Formative Assessment: Recognition and recording of progress and achievement during programme
  5. Summative Assessment: End of programme learner self-assessment; tutor review of overall progress and achievement

The staged process has been designed to:

  • Focus on and promote the needs and interests of learners;
  • Take account of learners' diverse and sometimes multiple purposes in learning;
  • Allow for negotiation of the content and outcomes of learning programmes
  • Encourage learners to reflect on and recognise their own progress and achievement, thus increasing their confidence;
  • Promote and support informed learner self-assessment, peer assessment and dialogue about learning and achievement between learners and tutors/trainers;
  • Enable both the achievement of planned learning objectives and learning outcomes not specified at the outset to be recognised and valued;
  • Promote good practice in teaching, learning and assessment
  • Enhance providers' quality assurance and improvement practices.

Presentation explaining RARPA
A presentation explaining RARPA and linking it to Estyn's Common Inspection Framework in Wales.

Evaluation of RARPA Pilots 2003-4
This report captures the major outcomes of the RARPA project in England. It analyses the effectiveness of the Staged Process, a tool devised by the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) and NIACE for recognising and recording progress and achievement in non-accredited provision.

Implementing RARPA

Tools for Assessing and Evidencing Achievement and Progress

Case Studies