Learning and Development (Customer) Policy

Introduction

Through this policy we aim to:

Continue to be a high-quality learning organisation.
Provide business relevant opportunities for learning and development.
Develop the Academy, giving local opportunities for employment, apprenticeships, work placements, training, mentoring and continuous professional development.
Provide opportunities for personal development, growth and wellbeing.

If you require this policy in an alternative format, please email [email protected]

Policy Updates

The following changes have been made since version 2025.1 of the Learning and Development (Customer) Policy:

Addition of Enquiries / Contact Details section
Amendments to Appendix 5, Detecting Plagiarism or AI Use and change to heading to Artificial Intelligence Use
Complete review of content and minor adjustments to wording throughout
Complete update of the Examinations and Assessment section
Quality Assurance and Complaints reinstated into policy

Who Does this Policy Apply to and When?
Definitions
Related Documents
Everybody Academy
Responsibilities
Equal Opportunities
Aspiring Programmes
Course Administration
Recruitment of Learners
Learner Induction
Initial Assessment
Learner Progress
Examination & Assessment
Quality Assurance
Appeals
Retention of Records
Feedback
Complaints
Enquiries / Contact Details
Monitoring & Review
Appendices
- Reasonable Adjustments & Special Considerations
- Recognition of Prior Learning
- Conflict of Interest
- Malpractice, Plagiarism & Maladministration
- Artificial Intelligence Use
- Course & Assessment Fees

Who Does This Policy Apply To & When?

This policy applies to all customers of Everybody and the Everybody Academy who are enrolled on, or have taken qualifications, courses, ongoing training, or other learning activities, assessments delivered or facilitated by Everybody.

Employees, apprentices, volunteers and trustees should refer to the Learning & Development Policy (Internal).

Definitions

AI – Artificial Intelligence – the ability for a digital computer or computer-controlled device to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent-beings.
Appeals – An appeal is the communication from either internal or external parties in relation to dissatisfaction of the outcome of assessments and qualifications.
Assessment – The process of establishing knowledge and competence through written submissions, verbal questioning or demonstration
Assessor – The suitably qualified person or persons with the responsibility for assessing the appropriate elements of the syllabus in an approved and appropriate method meeting all requirements of the Everybody Academy and the awarding organisation.
Awarding – Organisation An organisation that designs, develops and awards the recognition of learning outcomes (knowledge, skills and/or competences) of an individual.
Benchmarking – A process structured to enable those engaging in a process to find a point of reference that may be measured against
Centre Review – An awarding organisation review, often on an annual basis, establishing that correct practices and procedures are in place and are being followed and that accurate records are maintained.
Certified Learning – Formal learning activity that resulted in the award of an accredited qualification through a recognised awarding organisation.
Customers – Refers to non-employees of Everybody who are paying full or part course and/or assessment fees.
Enquiries – Queries from either internal or external parties in relation to training and assessment activities
Equal Opportunities – Ensuring that discrimination does not occur in respect of any protected characteristic either directly, indirectly or as a pressure from other bodies.
Everybody – Short name for Everybody Health & Leisure
Everybody Academy – The learning and development department of Everybody Health & Leisure who may be the facilitator, organiser or training delivery organisation
Examination – The process of demonstrating knowledge and competence through a formal written or verbal assessment
Experiential Learning – Learning, through life or work experience which may contribute to skills, knowledge and competencies.
External Quality Assurance – Any quality assurance system or process that is undertaken by, or on behalf of, the awarding organisation also known as External Verification
Feedback – Evaluation from either internal or external parties in relation to the delivery of training and assessment activities
Head of Centre – The nominated person within the Everybody Academy responsible for ensuring compliance with awarding organisation and Everybody policies and practices. Also known as Centre Contact and Lead Contact
Internal Quality Assurance – Any quality assurance system or process that is undertaken by, or on behalf of, Everybody Academy also known as Internal Verification
Invigilator – The nominated person who supervises an assessment process to ensure compliance with awarding organisation requirements
Non-Certified Learning – Any non-formal learning activity that did not result in the award of a recognised qualification e.g., workplace or community learning.
Protected Characteristics – Defined by the Equality Act 2010 as Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage & Civil Partnership, Pregnancy & Maternity, Race, Religion & Belief, Sex, Sexual Orientation
Quality Assurance – A system or process to monitor and evaluate the training and assessment function designed to identify and recommend measures to make improvements to standards and performance and to ensure that awarding body requirements are met and, wherever possible, exceeded.
Reasonable Adjustments – A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment situation. Reasonable adjustments must not affect the integrity of the assessment.
RPL – Recognition of Prior Learning – Certified, non-certified or experiential learning that has been assessed as qualifying as recognised prior learning for the specific qualification.
Special Considerations – Applied after an assessment if there was a reason the learner may have been disadvantaged during the assessment. Special considerations should not give the learner an unfair advantage.
Standardisation – A process which ensures that all trainers, assessors, moderators and quality assurers follow and interpret the requirements of the programme or qualification in the same way to ensure consistent delivery and assessment for all learners.
Stripe – Payment processing system used in conjunction with Ticket Tailor.
Ticket Tailor – Third-party application that enables bookings and payments to be made for courses and other activities.
Trainer – The suitably qualified person or persons with the responsibility for delivering the syllabus in an approved and appropriate way meeting all requirements of the Everybody Academy and the awarding organisation. May also be referred to as a tutor.
Training Organisation – An external organisation that delivers training and, in some cases, assessments on behalf of Everybody and to the requirements of an Awarding Organisation (where relevant)

Everybody Academy

The Everybody Academy offers opportunities for employment, apprenticeships, work placements, training and learning and development.

The Everybody Academy’s mission is to:

“Provide learning opportunities and environments that inspire and equip people to realise their potential”.

The Vision and Strategic Aims of the Everybody Academy are:

Contribute to the Everybody vision & strategic aims.
Develop our quality apprenticeship programme.
Provide excellent learning opportunities for staff, volunteers & customers.
Develop our strong partnerships.

Responsibilities

Everybody Academy will ensure that:

training delivered is fit for purpose, of high-quality and provides value for money.
candidates who may require reasonable adjustments and/or special considerations are treated fairly and are made aware of their rights and options
we develop Academy Trainers to ensure that they maintain required qualifications and identify areas for development to improve standard or range of delivery.
learners are aware of what constitutes plagiarism and the acceptable use of AI.
we report any suspected conflicts of interest, malpractice, maladministration or plagiarism to the relevant authority immediately upon identification.
all paperwork is administered according to the awarding organisations regulations and internal best practice.
assessment and verification activities are undertaken in an independent, robust, effective and appropriate manner.
all monitoring and evaluation feedback provided by internal and external verifications, candidates, trainers and assessors is utilised to ensure that a culture of continuous improvement is prevalent in all activities of the Everybody Academy.
we comply with Data Protection requirements and policies to ensure the appropriate and safe use and storage of all relevant information in physical and digital forms.
all appeals, complaints, allegations or requests are dealt with efficiently in line with Everybody and awarding organisation policies and procedures.
all parties affected by this, and related policies are notified of the policy documents and have access to them.

The Head of Centre will ensure that:

all trainers, assessors, invigilators and quality assurance personnel are suitably qualified and experienced to undertake their role to the highest standards. The recruitment process will include a minimum of:
- Interview – either formal or informal
- Examining and storing copies of relevant qualifications and CPD documentation including Safeguarding
- Obtaining suitable references
- Completion of suitable agreement form
- Uploading of all documents to relevant awarding organisation systems (where required),
all trainers and assessors continue to hold the minimum qualifications, ongoing training and/or experience as stipulated by the relevant awarding organisation and qualification,
we identify and make available suitable training and CPD opportunities for trainers, assessors (where appropriate) and internal quality assessors to ensure continuing high standards and development of skills, knowledge and experience,
all trainers, assessors, examiners and invigilators are informed of all relevant policies and procedures,
all requirements for internal and external verifications are undertaken as per awarding body and/or individual qualification requirements including meeting all minimum qualification and/or experience requirements,
we provide suitable facilities and materials for assessments and examinations,
any procedural, qualification, policy or delivery changes are communicated effectively to all affected persons,
we provide suitable training facilities and materials for the delivery of activities through the Academy,
any procedural, qualification, policy or delivery changes are communicated effectively to all affected persons,
we arrange regular meetings, briefings and/or documents to ensure, effective delivery, assessment and quality assurance of Academy activities and to identify suitable areas and methods of improvement,
where appropriate, regular standardisation training and assessments are carried out to ensure consistent assessment,
we implement a sampling strategy that meets and wherever possible exceeds the requirements of the awarding organisation and/or the individual qualification,
we embrace opportunities outside of the organisation to help identify best practice and suitable improvements to the delivery, assessment and quality assurance of activities within the Academy,
we undertake a risk rating (see Appendices) on all Trainers and Assessors to establish level of IQA required (where required by awarding organisation)
we develop an IQA strategy.

Trainers, Assessors and Invigilators will ensure that:

they maintain all required memberships and qualifications,
they deliver qualification or training as agreed with Everybody Academy, training provider and or awarding organisation (where applicable) meeting all set criteria, standards, policies and procedures at all times,
they act professionally at all times striving for excellent customer service,
they handle personal details carefully and sensitively, in line with the Data Protection Act and the Everybody Privacy Policy,
candidates who may require reasonable adjustments and/or special considerations are treated fairly and are made aware of their rights and options – see Everybody Learning & Development Policy,
they treat all learners with respect, ensuring that learning environments are appropriate to the requirements of all learners,
consistent standards are undertaken for all candidates,
all assessments and examinations are undertaken to the highest quality, meeting the requirements of awarding bodies and Everybody policies,
all paperwork is administered according to the awarding bodies regulations and Everybody best practice,
learners are aware of the requirements of them during assessments and examinations,
learners are aware of what constitutes plagiarism and the acceptable use of AI,
they notify the Everybody Academy immediately if any possible conflicts of interests, malpractice, maladministration or plagiarism are identified including those that occur following changes in circumstance,
are available during any investigations carried out by Everybody and/or the awarding organisation,
all requirements for internal and external verifications are undertaken,
learners are aware that internal and/or external verification may take place.

Learners will:

ensure that they make the Everybody Academy aware of any additional requirements especially additional learning needs, medical conditions and disabilities at the time of enquiry / booking,
notify us of all requests for Recognition of Prior Learning at least 30 days before the start of training activities,
notify the Everybody Academy immediately if any possible conflicts of interests, malpractice, maladministration or plagiarism are identified including those that occur following changes in circumstance,
ensure that they abide by all relevant Everybody, awarding organisation and training provider policy, procedures and guidelines,
ensure that payment for all activities provided is made in a timely manner,
treat all trainers, assessors, invigilators and other learners with respect,
ensure all work is original or, where appropriate, cited and referenced to the original author or source,
commit to completing all training and assessments to set timescales and deadlines,
complete evaluation forms when requested either during course delivery or via the LMS,
be aware that internal and external verifications will take place and may require access to training and assessment areas, materials and paperwork.

Training Providers will:

ensure that they deliver a robust, effective programme aligned to the syllabus and assessment requirements for the qualification or agreed course programme,
provide additional support to learners where required to ensure effective learning,
provide regular account manager meetings to discuss:
- Progress of learners
- Partnership agreements
- Assessment procedures
report any concerns regarding learners without delay to the Academy.

External Assessors and Assessing Organisations will:

follow assessment guidelines as set out in the course programme, qualification or apprenticeship framework or standard to ensure consistent, high quality, robust assessment decisions are made,
treat all candidates equally and without prejudice,
follow all Everybody and awarding organisation policies and procedures.

Equal Opportunities

Everybody is committed to the principals and practice of equality and diversity in all aspects of its operations and encourage people irrespective of any protected characteristics to take part in our training activities.

We are committed to ensuring that all learning and qualifications are delivered to learners in line with all applicable equalities law and regulations.

There may, however, be occasions, particularly during practical activities, where we need to take health and safety considerations, both to the learner themselves and others, into account. In such cases we will implement an individual risk assessment to establish if there are practical adjustments that can be made.

There may be circumstances where we are unable to make adjustments due to the nature of the course and/or awarding organisation requirements.

Aspiring Programmes

To enable us to develop people in key business areas we will run aspiring programmes to identify and train people to meet those needs.

Aspiring programmes will generally consist of:

application through the Everybody career portal,
assessment centre / interview to identify suitable candidates,
formal agreement that may include minimum working hours, part-payment of fees etc in lieu of full course payment (which may need to be paid if agreed areas are not completed),
completion of qualification course / learning plan.

Recruitment of Learners

Courses and training opportunities will be advertised through the Everybody website, social media, newsletters and any other appropriate channels, depending on target audience.

We will provide opportunities for advice and guidance in areas relevant to our provision to ensure that prospective learners can choose the most appropriate development opportunities for themselves.

For all accredited courses we will require the following information as a minimum requirement as part of the application process:

Full Name
Age and/or date of birth
Valid email address
Contact telephone number
Additional learning needs
Medical conditions or disabilities

The following information may also be required depending on the specific course:

Gender
Emergency contact name and contact details.
Confirmation of meeting course skill and/or qualification pre-requisites, including where appropriate copies of relevant certificates (pre-course assessments may be required for some training activities).
Details of relevant experience
Expiry dates of relevant qualifications
Details of any claim for Recognition of Prior Learning (additional correspondence is likely to be required where there are claims for RPL or where additional support is required due to learning requirements, medical conditions or disabilities).
Membership number and expiry date of professional organisations
Awarding organisation learner number
Unique Learner Number (ULN)
Photographic consent
Marketing consent
Confirmation of agreement to all terms and conditions and policies.

All information will be collected and stored following the Everybody Privacy Policy and relevant third-party data protection policies.

Learner Induction

Learners on all accredited courses will receive an appropriate induction to the course content, trainers/assessors and assessment procedures (where applicable). This will include all, or some, of the following. either in person, via email prior to the start of the course or a combination of the two:

Attendance requirements and procedures including timetable for all sessions
Available learner support and resources
The scope and amount of work required outside of delivery sessions • What constitutes plagiarism and acceptable AI use.
Introduction to course trainers and assessors
Leaner, trainer and assessor responsibilities
Course aims, learning outcomes and assessment procedures
Relevant venue Health & Safety procedures including evacuation procedures

Initial Assessment

Where required and/or appropriate we will ensure that we will undertake an initial assessment procedure to ensure that candidates meet entry-level qualifications, knowledge, skills, experience and/or fitness levels for the individual qualification.

Pre-requisite elements and additional learning requirements may be requested during the registration/enrolment process. Where pre-requisite elements cannot be met, we reserve the right to remove candidates from the course.

The assessment procedure may also look at additional learning needs and learning styles to ensure effective delivery.

We may also need proof of identity. Example forms of acceptable identification include:

Passport
Driving License
ID card or other form of National ID
Photographic security pass for current place of employment
Armed Forces service ID

Learner Progress

On multi-day qualification courses, learner progress reviews may be appropriate.

Learner review is designed to highlight any areas for improvement and note areas of good performance and, unless stated in the qualification specification, does not constitute part of the assessment process.

Learners will be provided the opportunity to request an informal review of progress at any point during the course from the trainer. Informal reviews will also be conducted as required by the course trainer.

Some courses may require a more formal review process. Where this is required, trainers will note the content of the review and any actions required within the course paperwork and ensure that learners are provided with a copy.

Examination and Assessment

All invigilators and assessors will be trained, and, where applicable, qualified, to carry out the role and have access to awarding organisation and Everybody policies and procedures.

Candidates should:

arrive at the examination/assessment location in good time;
ensure that invigilators / assessors are aware of any special arrangements that have been approved by the awarding organisation;
provide evidence of any claim for assessment exemptions – only original copies of qualifications can be accepted as proof
provide evidence of existing qualifications, ongoing training or CPD if required;
provide evidence of identify (if required). The following are allowable forms of proof of identity:
- valid passport (any nationality);
- signed UK photo card driving licence;
- valid warrant card issued by HM Forces, Police;
- other photographic ID card, e.g. employee ID card (must be current employer), student ID card, travel card.
- Everybody photographic identity card
follow all directions of the invigilator / assessor
abide by the assessment/examination requirements

Learners who arrive after the starting time for an examination / assessment may only enter the room and sit the examination / assessment at the discretion of the Invigilator, providing that they do not disturb the other learners. They must, however, finish the examination at the same time as the other learners.

Learners who need to leave examination rooms will be accompanied by an Invigilator, who must ensure that they do not speak to anyone else, make a telephone call or refer to any notes.

Any learners wishing to leave the examination room early must hand in their answer sheet and examination paper and will not be readmitted to the room under any circumstances.

Quality Assurance

Internal (IQA) and External (EQA) Verification and Sampling may take place during any course, examination or assessment and/or following the completion of the course and prior to certification.

These processes will all follow awarding organisation and Everybody policies and procedures.

Internal verification is designed to support course delivery and assessment and aid improvement.

External verification is generally completed at course level and includes sampling of assessment activities, assessment decisions and internal verification on specific courses. It focuses on the:

accuracy and effectiveness of assessment activities.
accuracy and effectiveness of assessment decisions made.
effectiveness of internal verification completed.

The internal verification process may include sampling to ensure that effective and appropriate practices are taking place to ensure compliance with awarding organisation requirements and to support continuous improvement. All sampling will be random to assist in guarding against malpractice.

Appeals

If you wish to raise an appeal against an assessment decision, you will normally have a time-limited period in which to do so.

This period will likely vary depending on the awarding organisation and/or qualification; information will be available either from the Everybody Academy or the awarding organisation. We recommend that appeals are made as soon as possible and usually within 10 days of the assessment decision.

We will require the following information in writing as a minimum:

Learners’ name
Contact details including, wherever possible, a daytime contact number
Learners’ registration number (if known)
Name of course
Course venue
Date course started.
Date of assessment
Full description of the appeal
Any supporting evidence, papers or letters
Names of any people who have already been involved in the process.
Any other factors for consideration such as any extenuating circumstances that the learner either did not address at the time or believes that were raised but were not taken into consideration when the decision was made.

Appeals must be made in writing (see Enquiries / Contact Details below).

We will confirm receipt of the appeal within 2 working days of receipt. We recommend that appeals are sent by email to ensure rapid delivery. If you wish to post your appeal, we recommend using secure, signed for delivery, as we cannot be held responsible for appeals that are not received.

We will investigate the appeal internally based on the written evidence provided in support of the appeal. We will speak to as many parties concerned as possible as part of our appeals process prior to making a decision. In some circumstances we may form a review panel in order to reach a decision. We will notify you of our decision within 10 working days of receiving the application to appeal.

If we believe that there is a case to appeal, then we may need to appeal directly to the awarding body. If we require further information from you, or this needs to be made directly by you, we will contact you with further details. You will normally be required to have exercised our appeals process before appealing with the Awarding Organisation.

This is the final route of escalation within Everybody Health & Leisure. If you disagree with the decision you will need to contact the Awarding Organisation directly. We will provide contact details of the relevant Awarding Organisation on request. There may be time constraints for this process dependant on the Awarding Organisation.

If you are still unhappy with the outcome you may then raise your appeal to the relevant qualification regulator. Either a representative of the Everybody Academy or the Awarding Organisation will be able to offer you guidance on the appropriate qualification regulator in each instance and provide contact details.

Retention of Records

We are required to retain data on learners by awarding organisations. We will only retain data deemed necessary by the individual awarding organisation, unless employee data is required by internal policy and procedures. We will follow all current data protection legislation in doing this. Information retained in regards to learning and development may include:

Name
Unique Learner Number (ULN) / Society number
Date of Birth
Learner contact details
Evidence of learner eligibility and pre-requisites
Key learner / course dates
Learner outcomes.

Learning and development data for awarding organisations will be retained as follows:

Highfield – 3 years unless specifically stated in qualification.
RLSS – 7 years (regulated awards) & 2 years (non-regulated awards).
Swim England – 6 years following registration.

Please note that awarding organisations may retain data for longer periods and any queries should be sent to the appropriate organisation.

Please refer to our Privacy Policy for further information.

Feedback

We strive to always provide an excellent service, and we take our commitment to continual improvement seriously. Any feedback regarding our service is very helpful – be that a fantastic experience that we can continue and build on, suggestions for change and improvement, or a complaint regarding facilities or service provided.

In Person: The quickest way to let us know your thoughts is to tell us at the time. Whether it is at a leisure facility, on a training course or at an event in the community, simply let a member of the Everybody team know there and then so they can resolve any concerns you may have.

However, if this fails to resolve the issue, or you believe that it is not appropriate to raise your complaint directly with them, please contact us in one of the following ways:

Website: Using the form at www.everybody.org.uk/comments/

Email: [email protected] – QR codes are on display and at reception at our facilities

In Writing: Everybody Health & Leisure, Customer Feedback, Holmes Chapel Community Centre, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4 8AA

To enable us to investigate fully please ensure that you make your complaint as soon as possible and provide the following information:

Full name
Contact details including, wherever possible, a daytime telephone number
Full description of your feedback or complaint (including the subject matter and dates and times if known)
The names of any people you have dealt with so far.
Copies of any supporting documents relating to the feedback or complaint.

Once we have received your comments we will:

Acknowledge – We aim to acknowledge your comments within two working days, and for simple enquiries we’ll send you our response.
Investigate – Some issues are a little more complicates and we’ll need to investigate further. We aim to respond to these in detail within seven working days where possible. If it’s going to take longer, we’ll let you know.
Escalate – If for any reason you are not satisfied with the response you have received, then please let us know and we will investigate further.

All feedback will be recorded electronically to allow us to monitor any trends and continue to improve our service to you.

We will record all feedback electronically to allow us to monitor any trends and continue to improve our service to you.

Please see our Customer Policy for more details.

Complaints

To enable us to investigate fully please ensure that you make your complaint as soon as possible and provide the following information:

Full name
Contact details including, wherever possible, a daytime telephone number
Full description of your complaint (including the subject matter and dates and times if known)
The names of any people you have dealt with so far.
Copies of any supporting documents relating to the complaint.

Once we’ve received your complaint, we will acknowledge receipt within two working days and will respond more fully within 10 working days.
All feedback will be recorded electronically to allow us to monitor any trends and continue to improve our service to you.

In the unlikely event that you remain unhappy then you may escalate your complaint to the Head of People & OD. Please include any further items for consideration and state clearly why you remain unhappy with the decision taken so far. The Head of People & OD will investigate in full and respond to you within 10 working days.

The Head of People & OD can be contacted as follows:

In Writing: Head of People & OD, Everybody Health & Leisure, Manor House, Holmes Chapel Business Centre, Manor Lane, Holmes Chapel CW4 8AF
Email: [email protected]

This is the final route of escalation within Everybody Health & Leisure. If you remain unhappy and your complaint refers to services you have received relating to a course, assessment and/or achieving a qualification governed by an external awarding organisation, then please contact the awarding organisation directly. We will provide contact details of the relevant body on request.

If you remain unhappy after contacting the awarding organisation you may then raise your complaint to the relevant qualification regulator. Either a representative of the Everybody Academy or the awarding organisation will be able to offer you guidance on the appropriate qualification regulator in each instance and provide contact details.

Enquiries / Contact Details

Details regarding the courses and training are available on our website. Additional information or queries regarding courses, training or assessments not shown on the website can be obtained by contacting us in one of the following ways:

Website: Using the form at www.everybody.org.uk/comments/
Email: [email protected]
In Writing: Everybody Academy, Everybody Health & Leisure, Manor House, Holmes Chapel Business Centre, Manor Lane, Holmes Chapel CW4 8AF

All correspondence will be dealt with in complete confidence although we may be required to share details in cases that are referred to awarding organisations. We will endeavour to respond to all enquiries within 5 working days or receipt.

Monitoring & Review

We evaluate learning and development to ensure it meets objectives for all parties. We hope to achieve consistent high-quality and value for money and this enables us to keep improving what we do.

Learners will be issued links to evaluation forms at the conclusion of courses and training, normally prior to assessment results, to measure effectiveness from their perspective.

Everybody will regularly review this policy and all accompanying procedures and will include reports from internal verifications and awarding organisation recommendations and improvement plans. Course evaluations will also be examined to ensure no additional concerns are missed or not acted upon.

Appendices

Appendix 1 – Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations

We are committed to providing all our learners the support that they may legitimately require during training and assessments. However, due to the nature of some of the training that we deliver, we may not be able to grant all requests due to the requirements of either the qualification or of the awarding body.

If you would like to apply for a reasonable adjustment or special consideration you should contact us as soon as possible prior to the course or assessment. We may be able to consider and, if applicable, implement some reasonable adjustments or special considerations depending on the qualification or awarding body policies.

In making our decisions we will also refer to awarding bodies policies and, if necessary, contact them directly for guidance. Due to this, there may be external time constraints to allow for sufficient investigation time prior to a decision. Therefore, if you wish to apply for a reasonable adjustment, you should do so as soon as possible before the course or assessment. You should make the application in writing including all relevant supporting information and evidence (see Enquiries / Contact Details).

All applications will be reviewed by the Senior Manager, Learning and Development or their appointed deputy, who will contact the applicant to discuss the application.

You should also use these contact details if you want to be sent copies of the relevant awarding organisation policies.

Whether an adjustment will be considered reasonable will depend on a number of factors, often unique to the applicant, which may include:

The needs of the learner
The effectiveness of the adjustment
The cost of the adjustment
The likely impact of the adjustment on the leaner and other learners

Adjustments will not be approved, as they will not be reasonable, if it:

Involves unreasonable costs to either us or the awarding organisation
Involves unreasonable timeframes
Effects the integrity of the assessment

Any agreed considerations or adjustments will be recorded in the course documentation for reference by the trainer, assessor and ongoing course records.

If you wish to appeal against a decision to decline requests for reasonable adjustments or special considerations, you should refer to our Appeals Policy.

Appendix 2 – Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning is not a short cut to qualifications, the same standards of knowledge and assessment will apply to all candidates no matter what their route to qualification. We recommend that applications for Recognition of Prior Learning are only made by candidates with significant experience in the required field.

All applications for Recognition of Prior Learning must be made in writing at least 30 days prior to the start of learning activities as we may have to apply to an awarding organisation for confirmation of an approved decision.

All applications must include full details of the certified, non-certified or experiential learning, together with evidence to enable us or the awarding organisation to make a timely decision.

Learners must pay all required costs (including awarding organisation costs) in relation to the request. These costs are usually non-refundable and provide no guarantee of success.

Applications and supporting documents should be sent to the Everybody Academy (see Enquiries / Contact Details).

Any decisions made will fully comply with the awarding organisation policy and procedures. Where there is any doubt, the request will be referred to the appropriate organisation. Decisions may not be received until immediately prior to the start of the qualification and learners must be prepared for consequences of those decisions.
We will:

only accept applications in line with specified time limits from the individual awarding organisation
assess requests in line with awarding organisation policies and procedures.
notify learners of any associated costs related to their requests within 7 working days of receipt of the request.
ensure full documentation is kept for all requests in line with awarding organisation requirements.
notify the learner as soon as possible of the decision made and what areas of the qualification have been approved as recognised, if any
notify the customer of the appeals process in respect of the decision.

Please note that learners must complete all remaining areas of learning activity and assessment following successful agreement to a recognition of prior learning.

Appendix 3 – Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest may generally be defined as a conflict between the official responsibilities of any person employed by or acting on behalf of Everybody Health & Leisure who is involved in the delivery or assessment of any learning activity and any interests that individual may have that could compromise or appear to compromise their decisions.

A conflict of interest exists in relation to an awarding organisation, or an organisation acting on their behalf, where:

The organisations interest in any activity undertaken by it, on its behalf, or by a member of its group have the potential to lead it to act contrary to its interests in the development, delivery and award of qualifications in accordance with its Conditions of Recognition
A person who is connected to the development, delivery, or award of qualifications by the awarding organisation has interests in any other activity which have the potential to lead that person to act contrary to his or her interests in that development, delivery or award in accordance with the awarding organisations conditions of recognition.
A person in a position of trust has a direct or indirect financial interest.
An informed and reasonable observer would conclude that any of the above situations was the case.

Examples of a Conflict of Interest:

• On the first day of a course the trainer realises that one of the learners is a friend.
• Prior to the start of an assessment the assessor realises that a relative will be part of the assessment.

Everybody will, wherever possible, ensure that all persons and organisations involved in the delivery of all activities under the scope of this policy are independent prior to the commencement of that activity. Where appropriate trainers/assessors must report a potential conflict of interest immediately to the Everybody Learning Development Lead and the Senior Manager, Learning & Development. This must be done prior to the start of assessment.

Everybody will take all necessary steps to ensure that a Conflict of Interest does not occur as part of an assessment process for accredited courses.

All reported cases of actual or potential Conflict of Interest will be thoroughly investigated, taking expert advice and referring to awarding organisation policies and procedures where required, to ensure a satisfactory resolution is achieved in an appropriate timescale.

Where appropriate, Conflicts of Interest will be reported to awarding organisations following their policies and procedures.

Anyone who believes that there is a potential or actual conflict of interest relating to training, assignments or assessments involving Everybody should raise their concerns in writing (see Enquiries / Contact Details).

The Everybody Academy will monitor the assessment procedure to ensure consistent assessments are taking place.

Appendix 4 – Malpractice, Plagiarism & Maladministration

Malpractice is any activity, intentional or otherwise, that is likely to undermine the integrity of an assessment that could result in unearned or underserved credit for those committing it. It covers any actions, neglect or other practice that compromises or could compromise:

The assessment process.
The integrity of a regulated qualification
The validity of a result or certificate
The reputation of Everybody or any of our partner awarding organisations

Plagiarism is a form of malpractice and is the “wrongful appropriation” and “stealing and publication” of another author’s “language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions” and the representation of them as one’s own original work. AI can be used by learners to write content, that they may be assessed for, that is not produced using their own knowledge – this would constitute plagiarism.

Maladministration is any activity or practice, usually non-deliberate, which results in non-compliance with administrative regulations and requirements, including the application of persistent mistakes or poor administration.

The following examples of Malpractice and Maladministration are not meant to be exhaustive and are an indication of the type of situation that would fall under this policy.

Learner Malpractice

Collusion with others when an assessment must be completed by individual candidates.
Copying from another candidate (including using ICT to do so).
Impersonation, pretending to be someone else.
Physical possession of unauthorised materials (including mobile phones, MP3 players, notes etc.) during the assessment.
Inappropriate behaviour during an assessment that causes disruption to others. This includes shouting and/or aggressive behaviour or language.
Plagiarising, for example presenting another person’s work as if it were the learner’s own and/or failing to acknowledge sources properly.
Using AI to generate work not produced using their own knowledge
Work procured through a third-party, for example essay-mill or ghostwritten, submitted as their own work.

Everybody Academy Malpractice

Wrongful claiming of certification in full knowledge that the learner has not met the required standards of the qualification.
Deliberately falsifying records in order to claim certificates.
Deliberate failure to carry out required quality assurance processes and monitoring in line with awarding organisation requirements
Failing to provide secure storage of assessment materials and marking guidance to prevent unauthorised access.
Misusing assessments, including inappropriate adjustments to assessment decisions
Failing to comply with requirements for accurate and safe retention of candidate evidence, assessment and internal verification records.
Failing to comply with awarding organisation procedures for managing and transferring accurate candidate data.
Failure to put into place reasonable checks to protect against plagiarism

Everybody Academy staff Malpractice (including people working on behalf of Everybody):

Breaching security, for example failing to keep assessment material secure prior to the assessment, failing to maintain the security of the assessment papers after the assessment has taken place, or tampering with coursework.
Excessive direction from assessors to candidates on how to meet standards.
Breach of confidentiality
Deception, for example falsifying a learner’s assessment evidence, records, results or certification claims.
Providing improper assistance to learners, for example permitting the use of a reasonable adjustment over and above the extent permitted by the awarding organisation policy or assisting or prompting learners with producing answers or assessment evidence, beyond that permitted.
Failing to adhere to regulations/awarding organisation stated requirements.
Failing to declare conflicts of interest that may affect the integrity of the assessment.
Failure to undertake checks to protect against plagiarism
Trainers / assessors, internal and external verifiers must take appropriate steps to ensure that instances of malpractice and plagiarism do not take place.

Everybody Academy Maladministration

Spelling errors when registering learners
Errors and omissions in course paperwork (e.g. incorrect or incomplete assessment decisions, omission of feedback to learners, unsigned declarations, undated feedback etc.)
Failure to adhere to learner registration and certification procedures
Insufficient evidence and recording of candidate identity and eligibility
Failure to maintain appropriate and legible records for audit purposes and external monitoring
Presenting a learners work for assessment or moderation when it is not the work of the individual

Everybody has the following risk reduction procedures in place:

General

All Everybody Academy staff are aware of Everybody Training Policies and procedures and, where appropriate, receive training to ensure compliance including standardisation training.
Everybody Academy staff have clear roles and responsibilities.
Everybody has an established internal quality assurance procedure and policy in place that is subject to regular internal and, in some circumstances, external review. Malpractice
Learners have access to all relevant policies and are made aware of their responsibilities in respect of this policy to ensure compliance.
Where appropriate, learners are made aware of what constitutes plagiarism and acceptable AI use.
Learners are made aware of the consequences of producing inauthentic work.
Trainer / assessors are encouraged to utilise AI checking software as a tool to identify work that is not from the candidates own knowledge.
All assessment and internal verification are carried out and recorded in accordance with Everybody and awarding organisation procedures.
All registration, certification and internal verification documentation is internally reviewed prior to submission to the awarding organisation.
Examination rooms will be inspected to ensure that the accommodation is suitable, and seating is arranged in such way as to avoid malpractice. All learning aids that may assist learners will be removed or covered prior to examinations.
Everybody will ensure that all aids that may assist candidates, such as mobile phones, tablets etc. will be turned off or removed from use during examinations.
Where appropriate will ensure silence is maintained during examinations.
We also encourage learners to be vigilant against cases of Malpractice & Plagiarism and to report any suspected cases either to the course tutor, assessor or Centre Co-ordinator.

The following processes will take place If incidents of Malpractice including Plagiarism are identified:

If an invigilator/assessor observes or suspects a learner of cheating, the learner will be instructed to stop. If the action is considered serious enough the learner’s examination and/or answer sheet will be collected, and the candidate removed from the examination. The invigilator/assessor will then submit a written report to the Centre Contact or Co-ordinator who, in turn, will notify the awarding organisation – see Examination and Assessment.
Instigate an immediate investigation led by the Senior Manager, Learning & Development or an independent member of the Senior Management Team
Instigate an action and improvement plan to reduce the effects of the incident and put into place necessary improvements to prevent reoccurrence.
Carry out all required actions to manage and rectify any identified incidents.
Take appropriate and proportionate action against any individuals responsible for the incident to prevent re-occurrence.
Notify, without delay, the awarding organisation in line with their policies.
Provide any and all paperwork, supporting documentation and access to staff to the awarding organisation to ensure that they can carry out their investigation fully.
See Appendix C for more details on detecting Plagiarism and use of AI during assessments.

If incidents of Maladministration are identified Everybody will:

Instigate an immediate investigation led by the Senior Manager, Learning & Development or an independent member of the Senior Management Team
Instigate an action and improvement plan to reduce the effects of the incident and put into place necessary improvements to prevent reoccurrence.
Carry out all required actions to manage and rectify any identified incidents.
Take appropriate and proportionate action against any individuals responsible for the incident to prevent re-occurrence.
Notify, without delay, the awarding organisation in line with their policies.
Provide any and all paperwork, supporting documentation and access to staff to the awarding organisation to ensure that they can carry out their investigation fully.

Anyone who believes that there is a case of malpractice, maladministration or plagiarism relating to training, assignments or assessments involving Everybody should raise their concerns as soon as possible either through their tutor or assessor or in writing (see Enquiries / Contact Details).

Appendix 5 – Artificial Intelligence Use

Using Artificial Intelligence in the completion of work is generally not allowed through awarding organisation and Everybody policies and procedures.

We will monitor submitted work in a variety of methods to check for the use of AI which, if shown, may lead to learners being investigated under Malpractice & Plagiarism policy and procedures.
The use of AI may not always constitute malpractice or plagiarism. Text may be generated using set parameters by the user. Learners should speak to their trainer / assessor to confirm acceptable use of AI in any given context.

Appendix 6 -Course & Assessment Fees

Course bookings will normally be made through our third-party booking platform, with full course fees due at the time of booking. Payment may be made by invoice where required and will be due prior to the start of the course.

Everybody Academy Cancellation / Refund Policy

Full refunds will be issued for all cancellation requests received more than 4 weeks in advance of the start of the course or event.

Cancellation / refund requests received between 14 and 28 days prior to the start of the course / event will have the option of either a 50% refund or a voucher for 100% of the fee paid that can be used on an alternative Everybody Academy course / event. This must be used within 12 months of the date of issue.

Cancellation / refund requests received with less than 14 days’ notice prior to the start of the course/event will not be eligible for a refund/voucher

We reserve the right to consider claims of exceptional circumstances for cancellation/refund requests made in advance of the start of the course/event. Please note that you may need to provide evidence to support claims of exceptional circumstances.

All refunds will be made to the original payment method and will be subject to an administration fee.

We will not refund or provide vouchers for candidates who fail to meet the stated minimum requirements or prerequisites for any course/event.