Quick answer
Sign off a specific task only after someone competent has watched the starter perform it under suitable conditions. Record the task version, what was observed and any remaining restriction. Reading an instruction or answering a quiz can support training, but neither shows that the person can carry out the work.
Define the task narrowly enough to observe
'Trained on the till' could mean recognising buttons or completing refunds without help. Break broad roles into observable tasks. 'Enter a standard purchase and verify the payment outcome' is a clearer assessment than 'understands customer service'.
Choose the standard before the demonstration. List the steps that must be correct, where the person must stop and who has authority to approve independent work. A routine service skill and a hazardous equipment task need different assessment arrangements.
Use stages instead of a single tick
A starter may have watched a task, practised with prompts or completed it under observation without help. Those are useful differences. HSE identifies supervision as a way to check whether training has been effective. The stages below are an example of an internal record, not an official qualification framework.
| Stage | What the record means |
|---|---|
| Shown | Trainer demonstrated; learner has not yet completed the task. |
| Supported practice | Learner performed the work with prompts or intervention. |
| Observed | Learner completed the defined task to the agreed standard. |
| Authorised scope | Named manager recorded which work may now be done independently. |
Further reading: HSE: supervising workers
Include an exception, safely
A perfect practice example may hide the point where a starter needs help. For a shop collection order, ask what they would do if the customer's name does not match the order record. Use a practice scenario rather than exposing real customer information or creating a false transaction.
The correct answer may be to pause and find the supervisor. Do not design every assessment around independent problem-solving. Knowing the limit of one's authority is part of competence, particularly for payments, allergies and equipment faults.
Keep the assessment conditions honest. If the trainer quietly prepares every item and supplies each answer, the observation may show supported practice rather than independent performance. Record that support instead of changing the standard after the event.
Record evidence that the next manager can use
Keep the observation brief and factual. 'Correctly checked item code and collection reference; needed a reminder to record collection time' tells the next trainer more than 'nearly there'. Record restrictions in the place where the next supervisor will actually see them.
Store personal performance notes with suitable access controls. A public staff noticeboard is not the right place for a list of people who struggled. The shared procedure can remain visible while the individual's assessment record stays restricted.
Practical skill record Worker and role: Task and instruction version: Date and observer: Conditions observed: Steps completed without prompting: Support or correction needed: Authorised scope and restrictions: Next observation:
Review after conditions change
A sign-off for one till setup does not automatically cover a replacement till or a new returns process. Revisit the specific skill when the method changes or when an observed problem suggests the person needs support.
Equally, avoid retesting everything because one small step changed. Show the change, let the person practise it and update the relevant record. This keeps assessment focused on actual work rather than accumulating signatures that nobody can interpret.
Unpickle can hold the procedure and supporting photos. Keep competency decisions in your appropriate training record; task completion alone is not a skills assessment. Keep task instructions easy to find.