Definition of Malpractice
This list is not exhaustive:
1. Plagiarism – presenting material from secondary sources as original, e.g. unacknowledged copying and pasting from the internet, copying. Students should be taught an appropriate format of referencing to ensure they do not inadvertently commit plagiarism.
2. copying others’ work
3. deliberate destruction of another’s work
4. false declaration of authenticity, e.g. claiming work of another learner, declaring collaboratively produced work as own etc.
Aim:
• To identify and minimise the risk of malpractice by staff or students.
• To respond to any incident of alleged malpractice promptly and objectively.
• To standardise and record any investigation of malpractice to ensure openness and fairness. To impose appropriate penalties and/or sanctions on students or staff where Incidents (or attempted incidents) of malpractice are proven.
• To protect the integrity of the College.
In order to do this, the college will:
1. seek to avoid potential malpractice by informing staff and students of the college’s policy on malpractice and the penalties for attempted and actual incidents of malpractice. Pupils should be made aware of what constitutes plagiarism.
2. show students the appropriate formats to record cited texts and other materials or information sources (please refer to our online video ‘How to study’)
3. ask students to declare that their work is their own. Students should sign declarations for each assignment submitted.
4. ask students to provide evidence that they have interpreted and synthesised appropriate information and acknowledged any sources used
5. Ensure that staff members are aware of what constitutes assessment malpractice.
6. conduct an investigation in a form commensurate with the nature of any malpractice allegation.
7. Such an investigation will be supported by the Academic Director and all personnel linked to the allegation.
Malpractice procedure
Minor concerns about authenticity, e.g. work which has been poorly referenced through neglect (not deliberate deception) should be dealt with by the assessor in the first instance.
Where an assessor has serious concerns about the authenticity or validity of a piece of work (e.g. deliberate deception, repeat offence) he/she should immediately inform the Academic Support team.
Student Malpractice procedure
To be led by the Academic Support team:
1) Inform the learner of the alleged malpractice
2) give the individual the opportunity to respond to the allegations made via writing
3) inform the individual of the avenues for appealing against any judgment made
4) document all stages of any investigation.
5) Where malpractice is proven, the college will apply an appropriate consequence, which may include:
a) Application of school code of conduct (where applicable)
b) Informing the examination body e.g. ABE of the findings
c) Ejection from the course should only be considered in extreme cases. All such decisions would be subject to the existing school procedures, including approval from the Academic Director.
Definition of Malpractice by Staff
This list is not exhaustive:
• improper assistance to candidates
• inventing or changing marks for internally assessed work (coursework or portfolio evidence)
• where there is insufficient evidence of the candidates’ achievement to justify the marks given or assessment decisions made
• failure to keep candidate coursework/portfolios of evidence secure
• inappropriate retention of certificates
• assisting students in the production of work for assessment, where the support has the potential to influence the outcomes of assessment, for example where the assistance involves college staff producing work for the learner
• producing falsified witness statements, for example for evidence the learner has not generated
• allowing evidence, which is known by the staff member not to be the learner’s own, to be
• included in a learner’s assignment/task/portfolio/coursework
• facilitating and allowing impersonation
• misusing the conditions for special learner requirements, up to the point where the support has the potential to influence the outcome of the assessment
• falsifying records/certificates, for example by alteration, substitution, or by fraud
• fraudulent certificate claims, that is claiming for a certificate prior to the learner completing all the requirements of assessment.
Where staff malpractice is suspected, you must:
• Inform the staff member’s line manager and the Academic Director
• The alleged malpractice will then follow the school procedure
• Any malpractice or attempted malpractice must be recorded
Where staff malpractice is confirmed, the college will apply an appropriate consequence, which may include:
• Application of school code of conduct (where applicable)
• Informing the examination body e.g. ABE of the findings if misconduct is serious
• Possible removal from role or even the organization.
• Fully comply with the examining body and any regulatory authorities during any investigation
Effective January 1st, 2019
