Hints and Tips for Programme Committee discussion moderation planning and tracking  

It is preferred that early in the year, the Programme Committee (PC) must approve the Moderation Planning and Tracking Tool (MP&TT) for the year. The MP&TT is both a plan for the current year and a tracking tool for the previous year. The MP&TT must be tabled for approval. As a Programme Committee, you could ask questions such as: 

• Is an Annual Moderation Plan available? 
• Has the MP&TT been filled out completely and correctly (i.e., for the next 3 years and starting from the current year)? 
• Has tracking from last year been included in the MP&TT? 
• Were any assessments due for moderation in the previous year that were not completed, and has this been accounted for in this year’s plan? 

If answer to any of the questions above is a ‘No’, you must insist on fixing this problem before you can approve moderation plans for the year. 

Note: The PC must approve the MP&TT in a motion, not just tabled. 

Regular follow-ups 

In further meetings throughout the year, regularly, but not necessarily every meeting, you can check up on the following; 

• Is moderation still on track according to the MP&TT? 
• Which courses/assessments need moderating this occurrence/semester/quarter? 
• Is there any upcoming external moderation required? (Working Development Councils (WDCs) request external moderation throughout the year). The MP&TT may need updating to include new requests. 

The PC should then discuss upcoming items, due dates, and whether any items are overdue. Ask about these things, don’t leave it to someone else.  

Note: PC members should look at Moderation, Programme Committee and me for their role as a PC members 

Moderation Discussions 

• Under the agenda item ‘Moderation’, make sure all discussion is minuted, not as part of the Academic Lead (Quality) report.  
• The Academic Lead Quality will know all about moderation and how it’s progressing. Some parts of their regular report may be minuted under Moderation (copy and paste) and then these comments should create discussion in the meeting which is also minuted. The Chair/Secretary of the PC must ensure that moderation discussion is minuted under Moderation. 
• If the MP&TT needs more than just a date change such asadding a request for external moderation, you have the authority to approve the change. 

Tabling Reports 

You must check that all reports/associated assessments listed below are available for tabling at PC for all moderation items. That is, you cannot approve/table something without paperwork! 

• Check-marking 
• Pre-moderation 
• Post-moderation 
• External moderation 
• Assessment Standards 
• Subcontracted delivery 

Some questions the PC could ask are: 

• Since the last PC meeting, which items are expected? Has it been completed and tabled at this meeting, with all relevant paperwork? 
• Are there any issues? 
• What follow up action is needed? 

When should moderation be discussed during the PC year? 

Moderation has natural peaks and troughs throughout the year. Your Annual Workplan for tabling moderation should reflect these cycles. When you approve the MP&TT at the beginning of the year, bear this in mind. 

In some Programme Committee meetings, you will have more moderation to discuss than others. You are not expected to discuss every aspect of moderation at every PC meeting. Instead, you are expected to ensure that moderation activities are on track and that the PC is aware of their status of moderation in every meeting. Knowing how moderation is progressing enables PCs to act and follow-up in a timely manner and keeps your programme delivery compliant.