This rubric supports work-integrated marking: learners submit a live site plus an evidence pack. Your job is to verify competence, not to find reasons to fail.
Learner template: Capstone assessment · PDF evidence pack · Filled exemplar
Marking philosophy
- S (Satisfactory) means the learner can demonstrate the competency at Diploma level — not perfection.
- NS (Not Satisfactory) means a mandatory requirement is not yet met. It is a not yet, not a character judgement. Point to the specific gap and what evidence would close it.
- Judge the artefact and evidence pack, not essay prose.
- If Part B proof lines are vague, ask the learner to clarify before marking NS — they may simply need coaching on specificity.
Five-minute verification path
- Open Part A URL in a fresh browser session (incognito is fine).
- Confirm 1–3 pages, working nav, readable on mobile width.
- Tab through interactive elements — focus visible?
- Cross-check Part B lines against what you see (headings, nav, contrast at a glance).
- Compare Part C brief to the site — scope match, not identical wording.
- Record S/NS per row. Overall S only if all rows are S.
Lighthouse ≥ 90% on the deployed URL is required for Accessibility S. Re-run Lighthouse yourself if the screenshot looks stale or the site changed after the claim.
Row-by-row guide
Structure / UX
Look for: Clear purpose on first scroll; consistent nav across pages; one main topic per page (h1); layout readable on phone and desktop.
| S | NS |
|---|---|
| Nav works on live site; hierarchy makes sense; purpose obvious | Broken links, confusing structure, or unreadable layout |
Part B examples
| Verdict | Example proof line |
|---|---|
| S | “/ and /about.html — <nav> links work; one h1 per page; contact in footer” |
| NS | “Looks good” / “Nice site” / empty field |
Accessibility
Look for: Semantic landmarks; logical headings; keyboard path; contrast that does not obviously fail; Lighthouse ≥ 90% on deployed URL.
| S | NS |
|---|---|
| Meets threshold + no major manual barriers | Below 90%, no focus, wrong heading order, or major barriers |
Part B examples
| Verdict | Example proof line |
|---|---|
| S | “Lighthouse 92% mobile on URL; Tab order: logo → nav → main → footer; focus ring on links” |
| NS | “I think it’s accessible” / Lighthouse 78% with no fix noted |
Do not penalise alone for: minor Lighthouse items the learner is actively fixing if your provider allows resubmission and the site is otherwise strong — follow provider policy.
Visual design
Look for: Intentional palette (not random hex); readable body text; links distinguishable.
| S | NS |
|---|---|
| Coherent colours; accent used with purpose | Random colours or unreadable contrast |
Part B examples
| Verdict | Example proof line |
|---|---|
| S | “styles.css — dark navy #1a2a4a on off-white #f5f5f0; accent #2d6a4f on buttons” |
| NS | “Blue theme” with grey-on-grey body text |
Deployment
Look for: URL loads without login; matches what the learner described.
| S | NS |
|---|---|
| Site reachable and stable at submitted URL | Missing URL, 404, or placeholder host |
Content
Look for: Original, appropriate copy for 1–3 pages; images credited or clearly theirs; aligns with brief.
| S | NS |
|---|---|
| On-topic, professional tone, not empty lorem | Copied without attribution, off-brief, or placeholder-only |
Part C — Brief check
Quick alignment only:
- Page count in brief ≤ 3?
- Must-haves visible on live site (or reasonably attempted)?
- Non-goals respected (no half-built shop/login)?
Mismatch between brief and site is coaching first unless the gap is substantial.
Part D — Work claims
| Field | Accept if |
|---|---|
| Hosting | Named plausibly (Netlify, Vercel, own server, etc.) |
| Why this host | One line tied to static files, cost, HTTPS, or policy |
| AI used? | Honest yes/no |
| Verified by hand | If yes to AI: names concrete checks (structure, alt, links, contrast) |
Do not require a specific tool brand.
Overall judgement
| Result | When |
|---|---|
| S | All five rows S at acceptable Diploma standard |
| NS | Any mandatory row NS |
Feedback for NS (supportive): Name one row, one observable gap, one action — e.g. “Accessibility — Lighthouse 84% on live URL; fix contrast on footer links and re-run; resubmit Part A + B.”
Outcomes mapping (for records)
| Outcome | Primary evidence |
|---|---|
| CO-03 | Live site structure + a11y + Part B accessibility line |
| CO-04 | Part C brief + site matches intent |
| CO-05 | Part D hosting choice |
What we are not testing
- Framework choice (plain HTML/CSS is the requirement)
- Designer-level visual polish
- Long reflective essays
- Specific AI vendor loyalty
- Perfect Lighthouse 100%
The capstone celebrates shipping real work learners can show colleagues.