Assessment Appeal Policy

TSYP aims to ensure that all assessments and work submitted by students in fulfilment of their qualification is marked fairly and transparently.  Any student may therefore appeal a decision they believe to be incorrect or unfair. To this end a copy of this policy will be made available to all students on or before submission of their first formal assessment. 

This policy should only be used where a student wishes to contest the result which they have been awarded in a course assessment or for the overall course.  It should not be used where a student is dissatisfied with any other aspect of the course (where the Complaints Policy should be used ).

  1. Informal Assessment Appeals Procedure
    1. In the first instance any student who has concerns about an assessment decision relating to their work should discuss it informally with the course director.  
    2. A record of these discussions will be kept by the course director and communicated in writing or by email to the Head of Education and Training. 
    3. Only where it is not possible to resolve matters in this way should the formal appeals procedure, as set out below, be used.
  1. Formal Assessment Appeals Procedure
    1. Where a student wishes to formally appeal an assessment decision, they should do so in writing either by email or by letter to the course director.  
    2. This should be received by the course director within 10 working days of the student having received the assessment decision.
    3. The appeal must be formally acknowledged by the course director within 48 hours of receipt of the appeal.
    4. The course director will also notify the Head of Education and Training and the External Quality Assessor (EQA) for externally accredited courses, within 48 hours of receipt of the appeal.
  1. Criteria for Appeal 
    1. Any appeal must be based on one or more of the following criteria:
  1. An assessor clearly demonstrated prejudice or bias; 
  2. the assessment criteria as set out in the assessment sheet were applied inconsistently or unfairly; or that;
  3. due process was not followed within the assessment. 
  4. The Appeal should clearly set out the reasons for which the student believes that the assessment result does not fairly reflect the assessment.
  1. Remedies 
    1. Having reviewed the appeal, the Head of Education and Training and where relevant, in conjunction with the EQA the Head of Education and Training may; 
  1. meet with all parties to discuss the matter and reach a mutually agreed outcome;
  2. endorse the original assessment decision; 
  3. make a revised recommendation;
  4. make a revised recommendation in line with student’s preferred outcome as stated in the appeal;
  5. arrange for the work to be reassessed by another assessor.
  1. Where the decision is in line with the student’s preferred outcome as stated in the appeal the appeal process will come to an end. However, if the student is not in agreement with this outcome the student has the option of accepting the reviewed recommendation and ending the appeal process or continuing with the appeal process.   
  2. Where the student continues with the appeal process but the appeal is subsequently rejected the Head of Education and Training’s revised recommendation will stand. 
  3. The decision taken by the EQA must be taken within 20 working days of receipt of the appeal.  Any decision must be communicated by email or in writing to the student and the course director. 
  1. Final Appeal 
    1. Where the matter cannot be resolved to the student’s satisfaction by following the steps outlined above the student may appeal to the Quality Assurance Officer (‘QAO’) of the external accrediting body.  
    2. Any final appeal in line with 5.1 above will then be governed by the policy for that organisation.
    3. Any decision will be final. 
  1. General 

Where a course is externally accredited the Head of Education and Training and course director must also comply with any procedures required by that organisation. 

VersionFinal
AuthorMichelle Tarling
Ratified byTSYP Education Committee
Date RatifiedSeptember 2020
Date issuedSeptember 2020
Date to be reviewedSeptember 2023