Malpractice and Maladministration Policy

POLICY STATEMENT

STA Excel operates a robust internal quality assurance (IQA)policy which aims to prevent any such occurrences of malpractice or maladministration, however there may be times when an individual wants to report a case. This policy incorporates all involved with the approved training centre (ATC) including centres, learners, tutors, assessors and quality assurance.

Purpose

It is our intention to work closely with Learners, Tutors, Assessors, and Internal Quality Assurers (IQA) to ensure that:

• Any potential malpractice and/or maladministration is identified promptly
• All allegations of malpractice are investigated methodically and equitably in line with Safety Training Awards requirements
• If malpractice and/or maladministration is proven, it is promptly corrected or the effects on users of qualifications mitigated in order to uphold the validity of qualifications issued by the awarding organisation
• Procedures are kept under review to ensure cases of malpractice and/or maladministration are prevented wherever possible.

What is Malpractice?

Malpractice is defined as any deliberate activity, neglect, default, or other practice that compromises the integrity of the internal or external assessment process and/or validity of achievement and certification of a qualification awarded by Safety Training Awards (STA). It covers the deliberate actions, neglect, default, or other practice that may compromise the following:

• The assessment processes
• Integrity of a regulated qualification
• The validity of results or a certificate
• The reputation and credibility of regulated qualifications or of the wider qualifications community.

Examples of malpractice could include, but are not limited to:

Listed below are examples of centre and learner malpractice. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and is only intended as guidance on our definition of malpractice:

• Plagiarism: taking or copying someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own
• Collusion, or permitting collusion: co-operation with another Learner, Tutor, Assessor or IQA for a dishonest purpose, for example when completing assessment tasks
• Impersonating another learner or providing forged identification documentation
• Submission of false information, including authenticity statements
• Deliberate failure to carry out delivery, assessment, and internal quality assurance in accordance with Safety Training Awards requirements
• Deliberate failure to adhere to learner registration and certification procedures
• Deliberate failure to adhere to the Approved Training Centre (ATC) agreement, including Tutor, Assessor and IQA agreements
• Deliberate failure to adhere to record keeping requirements
• Fraudulent certificate claims
• Persistent instances of maladministration
• Unauthorised use of equipment and materials in assessments
• Intentionally withholding information from Safety Training Awards
• A loss, theft of, or breach of confidential assessment materials
• Defacing, amending or falsifying assessment records
• Deliberate failure to adhere to reasonable adjustment, or inappropriately assisting a learner
• A deliberate act or omission of withholding or delaying information which is required to assure Safety Training Awards of the centres ability to deliver and assess qualifications appropriately
• Misuse of Safety Training Awards logo or misrepresentation of a centre relationship with Safety Training Awards qualifications and/or its recognition and approval status with us.

What is Maladministration?

Maladministration is defined as any activity, neglect, default, or other practice that results in the centre, Tutor, Assessor, IQA or Learner not complying with Safety Training Awards requirements, Safety Training Awards Tutor, Assessor and/or IQA agreement and the general conditions of recognition, or regulatory principles.

Maladministration is in effect any activity or practice which results to non-compliance with administrative requirements and regulations, this includes the application of persistent mistakes or poor administration within the centre including inappropriate learner records.

Examples of maladministration could include, but are not limited to:

Listed below are examples of centre and learner maladministration. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and is only intended as guidance on our definition of maladministration:

• Persistent failure to adhere to our certification procedures
• Inaccurate certificate claims
• Persistent failure to adhere to our Approved Training Centre recognition and/or qualification requirements and/or associated actions assigned to that ATC
• Failure to keep auditable records in accordance with Safety Training Awards requirements
• Failure to adhere to delivery, assessment, and certification requirements
• Failure to adhere to register learners in accordance with Safety Training Awards procedures
• Unreasonable delays in responding to requests and/or communications from Safety Training Awards.

Policy

The ATC named above are responsible for establishing correct procedures to deal with any potential and/or actual cases of malpractice and/or maladministration and for ensuring that any cases are escalated to Safety Training Awards, in line with the current policy on the website.

Reasonable actions must have been taken to prevent instances of malpractice and/or maladministration. All staff, tutors, assessors, IQAs or learners must be made aware of this policies contents and the procedures relating to this topic.

ATC compliance with this policy and how they take reasonable actions to prevent and/or investigate instances of malpractice and/or maladministration, will be monitored through external quality assurance procedures.

Failure to co-operate may lead to certificates not being issued to learners and future course registrations not being accepted.

A failure to comply and to report any suspected or actual malpractice and/or maladministration cases or have in place effective arrangements to prevent such cases may lead to sanctions being imposed on the ATC.

Reporting suspected instances of malpractice and/or maladministration

If malpractice and/or maladministration is suspected or there has been an actual case, Safety Training Awards must be informed immediately, in writing / email and enclose appropriate supporting evidence.

Please refer to the Safety Training Awards website to find further information on how to escalate a case of Malpractice and / or Maladministration.

If an ATC has conducted an initial investigation prior to notifying Safety Training Awards they must ensure that all personnel involved in the initial investigation are competent and have no personal interest in the outcome of the investigation.

Where cases have been identified by ATC staff, Tutors, Assessors, IQAs or Learners, the ATC Co-ordinator must be notified of any suspicion of malpractice and/or maladministration, so they can apply their own procedures where appropriate.

Alternatively reports can be made by ATC staff, Tutors, Assessors, IQAs or Learners via the Safety Training Awards Whistleblowing policy, please refer to the website for more information.