Learners Appeals Policy
Section 1 Overview and scope of the policy
1.1 Scope
The Learner Appeals Policy and Procedure applies to all learners. The policy sets out our commitment to ensuring adherence to legislation and regulation requirements and being open to receiving feedback on any aspect of the company’s activities.
1.2 What is an appeal / enquiry?
An enquiry is when one of the following decisions is queried:
- Examination results for multiple choice examinations
- Qualification status
- The accreditation body qualifications assessed by the centre
- The accreditation body assessment delivery services
- Examination of tests.
- A complaint submitted more than 30 working days after the key date
- A complaint that took place before the learner’s registration date or after the learner’s registration period has expired
- A complaint that is or should be dealt with under an employer’s disciplinary or grievance procedure
- A complaint that involves another centre
- A complaint that involves points of law.
1.3 The appeal process – aims and purpose
- Making an appeal straight forward
- Ensure reviews are fair, reasonable and legal and unbiased
- Ensure process is prompt, polite and confidential as far as is possible
- The company responds in the right way, for example, by giving the learner an explanation or an apology where things have gone wrong, and letting the learner know what action we’ve taken
- This policy provides a formal route for dealing with a decision with which a learner disagrees.
- If an appeal is received on an assessment provided by a trainer or coach the appeal will be passed to the accountable person for internal quality assurance
- The appeal should be in writing (either by letter or email) within ten (10) working days of the assessment
- The appeal will be acknowledged by the accountable person within three (3) working days
- The investigator will be an accountable person.
1.4 Appeal outcomes
The outcome will be judged considering the full facts and circumstances, applying the concept of reasonableness (i.e. on the balance of probabilities), the performance levels of the delegate or person being coached and ensuring that the decision complies with all processes of the company and the awarding body.Likely outcomes include:
- upholding the decisions
- overruling the decision
- asking for a further assessment.
- Definitions and examples of enquiries and appeals
- A description of the relevant processes
- How to obtain a review of an appeal should an internal appeal to the company fail.
Section 2 The Policy - Internal Appeals Policy and Procedure
2.1 The company’s appeals policy states the following:
- To whom at the company (designation), the person wanting to appeal should refer their issue;
- What form the appeal should be in, e.g. letter, email, etc.;
- Any time limits for lodging an appeal and the timescale for the company to respond;
- The objective and independent process the company will use to investigate and respond to the appeal
- Support or representation to support the appellant that is permitted
- How the company notifies the appellant of the outcome;
- The written records and evidence the company should keep and for how long;
- A note that any appeal can be escalated to the accreditation body and, in the case of assessment of a regulated qualification, can subsequently be escalated to the appropriate regulator.
2.2 The stages in the company Internal Appeals Procedure
2.2.1 Stage 1: Lodging the appeal
All appeals must be emailed to: Head of Customer Service at GDP Global and include:
- Learner’s name, address and registration number (if applicable)
- Date, nature of service and decision in question and, if relevant, title and (if applicable) number of the the accreditation body programme in question
- A concise statement of the appeal and supportive reasoning
- All evidence needed for an investigator to reach a judgement
- The appellant’s name, position and signature.
2.2.2 Stage 2: Conduct of review
A reviewer who was not involved in the decision in question will be appointed by the company and he/she will consult as appropriate with all parties involved as required and necessary.
2.2.3 Stage 3: Reviewer’s findings
Following the review, the reviewer will report the findings to the Head of Training of the company. A decision will be made by the Head of Training.
2.2.4 Stage 4: Communicating the decision
The decision will be communicated to the appellant. The company will normally provide a response to the learner within 30 working days of receipt of the appeal fee. If it needs to take longer we will keep the learner informed.
- If the company finds in favour of the appellant all necessary remedial actions will be taken; for example issuing certificates and correcting records.
- The appellant shall have 15 days to confirm their agreement to the appeals outcome
- If the learner considers that the company has not followed its own published process for appeals, then the learner may escalate the appeal to the accreditation body.
2.2.5 Appealing to the accrediting body/regulator
If following the Internal Appeals procedure the appellant is unsatisfied and has exhausted all available options, she/he may appeal to the accreditation body for the qualification.
The appellant may submit any documentary support he/she considers relevant and in support of his appeal to the appeal.
Full records (all written records and evidence) relating to the appeal, investigations and actions taken to resolve the issue will be kept by GDP for five years.
To appeal to the accrediting body please request further information from GDP Global.
Section 3 Policy review
This policy is reviewed regularly and revisions are made in response to changes in legislation, changes in our practices, actions from our regulatory or external agencies, and / or in response to customer and stakeholder feedback.
Section 4 GDP contact and feedback
If you have any feedback or queries regarding this policy, please contact GDP’s Internal Quality Assessor by email at iqa@gdpglobal.com.
About GDP Global Development Ltd. Policy Documents
As an accredited training centre, GDP Global Ltd (GDP) has policies and procedures in place to fulfil Approval and Regulatory requirements and to provide a route map for GDP staff members, associates and learners.
The policies reflect the internal practice(s) of GDP, the purpose of which is to ensure that the staff and associates of GDP are familiar with their content and the processes involved.
The policies, procedures and guidelines are updated regularly. As an accredited learner Centre, the policy documents of GDP Global are subject to an annual review by accreditation bodies. The purpose of the review is to ascertain whether the policies, procedures and internal procedures are up-to-date and aligned to changes that have been made throughout the year.
This Policy also applies to GDP KnowHow which is a division of GDP Global Development Ltd.
Last reviewed: July 2022
