The Common Placement Assessment Form

Let’s explore why there’s a shared purpose to standardise practice-based learning assessment across the physiotherapy profession.

The Common Placement Assessment Form (CPAF) has been developed collaboratively between the CSP and university, practice education and student representatives from across the UK.

1. Widens access to a broader range of practice placement settings

The form is applicable in a wide range of practice settings, reflecting the diversity in placements that the profession is striving for. The learning outcomes focus on the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are fundamental to physiotherapy practice irrespective of the setting. They aim to be as applicable in a placement delivered remotely, for example, as they would be in a leadership or in person placement, enabling placements to happen anywhere where a physiotherapist practices.

2. Facilitates emerging models of placement and supervision structures

CPAF aspires to make it easier for practice educators to be innovative in their placement design, to create practice- based learning that works in their setting and with their team. Whether the placement involves elements of clinical, research, leadership, educational practice, or a combination of these, CPAF offers flexibility, capturing all aspects of the learning experience.     

3. Makes it easier to take students from more than one university 

Having one consistent approach to assessment means there’s just one form for practice educators to become used to. With over 50 universities in the UK having physiotherapy programmes, and more coming on board to meet workforce demand, CPAF aims to make it easier to take students on placement from different universities.         

4. Empowers students to take ownership of their learning 

Physiotherapists grow, learn and develop throughout their careers, but these skills do not come easy. They require reflection, questioning and importantly, an ownership of learning. CPAF aims to develop this through its student-led learning agreement, encouragement of reflective practice and practical guidance document.

5. Standardises assessment for students   

Regardless of which university a student attends or whether their placement is assessed as ‘pass/fail’ or ‘graded’, CPAF offers cohesion in the assessment process with one marking matrix encompassing both approaches.

Next steps

We are working closely with practice educators, universities and students to ensure a successful roll out of CPAF. This includes centralised resources in accessible formats to support completion as well as a series of webinars to talk you through the form. You can access the 'Common Placement Assessment Form' here. The CPAF will be launched in September.