Policies & Procedures

APP Procedures and Policies

Complaints and Appeals

Vinsanity School of Wine is dedicated to providing the highest level of service and education. Should you have a concern or complaint please email wset@vinsanity.ca We value your feedback and the opportunity to improve our service to our clients. All candidates and students have a right to give feedback and the process of issuing a complaint in no way prejudices the complainant. It is important that this information is readily available and that complaints can be made with the utmost confidentiality.

Informal Complaints:

Many complaints are of a nature that requires an immediate response and a swift resolution. An informal complaint is the most appropriate way to deal with the vast majority of complaints. This approach allows for speedy mediation, resolution and a resumption of service. In order to make an informal complaint we recommend sending us an email at wset@vinsanity.ca We will respond within 3 working days to resolve the issue as soon as possible, whether that be through an apology, immediate action or another desirable outcome.

Formal Complaints:

In the event a complaint cannot be resolved through informal means a formal complaint can be made. Please include your name, address, contact information and a fully detailed account of the complaint. Information should include, but is not limited to, dates, locations, witnesses and details regarding any previous attempts to resolve the issue. A response, including an explanation of our process and a proposed resolution, will be provided within 10 working days (provided further investigation of the situation is not required).

If the complainant is related to a WSET course and you consider the complaint still unresolved, the next step will be to submit a formal complaint. Formal complaints are submitted in writing and marked for the attention of the WSET’s Head of Quality and Compliance (HOQC) at qa@wsetglobal.com Please note that Vinsanity School of Wine must have received a formal written complaint and proposed resolution before a complaint can be referred to WSET.

Enquiries and Feedback Policy for Candidates Requesting Feedback, Enquiries and Appeals Against Examination Results

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust operates a thorough system of checks before the release of examination results in order to ensure that, as far as possible, they are completely accurate.

The enquiries and appeals system exists to identify and correct errors in marking and/or processing. However we would like to emphasise that a scanning process is used to mark multiple choice questions and it is therefore very rare for initial marks to be incorrect, providing the candidate has completed the answer form header correctly. Feedback on a candidate’s performance may be requested to assist them in preparing for future examinations as an additional service when requesting an Enquiry.

Enquiries and feedback

If you would like to obtain feedback on a 'fail' result or request that your exam paper is re-marked, then this is possible. Please email andrea@vinsanity.ca and request an enquiry/feedback form. Once completed, you need to send this form to exams@wsetglobal.com for review. Please note that the enquiry/feedback process is a transaction between yourself and WSET, and all agreements and fees are handled by the awarding body, not WSET School London.

If a candidate considers that an error may have been made in the grading of papers, they may ask to have an examination paper reviewed and re-marked. To do this they should contact andrea@vinsanity.and ask for a copy of these guidance notes. Vinsanity School of Wine will provide the caqndidate with a copy of the Application Form for Enquiries against Examination Results.

Please fully complete the form and return to resultsenquiries@wsetglobal.com no later than:

6 weeks after the date of the examination in the case of WSET Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications; and
12 weeks after the date of the examination in the case of WSET Level 3 qualifications.

Applications received outside of these time frames will not be reviewed.

Appeals

A candidate may only appeal against an examination result once an enquiry has been processed.

Any candidate unsatisfied with the result of the review and re-marking of an examination paper should contact the Approved Programme Provider or the Examinations Administrator at WSET® Awards and request an Appeal against Examination Results Application Form.

The Application Form must be completed and returned to WSET® Awards, together with the appropriate fee, no more than 10 working days following notification of the enquiry decision. Appeals received outside of this timeframe will not be reviewed.

WSET® Awards will confirm receipt of an Appeal Against Examination Results within 3 working days (usually by e-mail) and the APP will also be advised that an appeal is in process.

All appeals will be assessed by the Director of WSET® Awards, and subsequently submitted to the Appeals Panel for independent review. The Appeals Panel includes one independent member, who is not, and has not been at any time during the past seven years, a member of WSET® Awards’ board or committees, or an employee or examiner.

WSET® Awards will advise the candidate and APP of any decision resulting from an appeal within 40 working days for qualification levels 1-3 and 60 working days for the Level 4 Diploma and Level 5 Honours Diploma.

Where appeals are upheld WSET® Awards will:

Refund the appeal application fee;
Amend the examination result accordingly;
Issue a new certificate free of charge following return of the original certificate as appropriate.

Where the outcome of an appeal brings into question the accuracy of the marks of other candidates’ sitting the same examination paper, WSET Awards will review all scripts and make amendments as necessary to maintain the integrity of the qualification.

Where an appeal remains unresolved following the process outlined above, applicants may request that their case be submitted for final independent review. In such instances, all supporting documentation pertaining to the case will be submitted to an Independent Reviewer who is the Internal Quality Assurance Leader of a separate OfQual accredited Awarding Body.

Conflict of Interest

We are committed to identify, monitor and manage actual, potential and perceived conflicts of interest. This is essential to safeguard the integrity of Vinsanity School of Wine and WSET qualifications. We will take steps to mitigate the effect of a conflict of interest and sanctions to students or staff can be applied.

This policy is applicable to all members of staff employed by the Vinsanity School of Wine and to any individuals acting on behalf of Vinsanity School of Wine. This includes those involved in the development of WSET qualifications, question-setting, marking of assessments, delivery of WSET programmes of study leading to WSET qualifications, marketing of WSET qualifications, production of study materials, examination papers, qualification certificates and all other associated resources and services.

A Conflict of Interest exists where an individual has interests or loyalties that could adversely influence their judgement, objectivity or loyalty to WSET when conducting activities associated with WSET qualifications.

Examples of Conflicts of Interest in the context of an awarding organisation include:

· The undertaking of any moderation of assessment of student by an individual who has a personal interest in the result of the assessment for any or all individuals concerned;

· The tutoring of students by an individual involved in the assessment process;

· The undertaking of a WSET qualification by any individual employed by an Approved Program Provider;

· The undertaking of a WSET qualification by any individual employed by WSET;

· The invigilation of a WSET assessment by any individual involved in the delivery of training leading to the assessment;

· The coaching of students by any individual involved in the assessment of student scripts or the authoring of examination questions;

· The employment by an APP of individuals engaged in the delivery of taught programmes or in the role of Internal Assessor in another APP;

· The investigation of a non-compliance incident by someone who is unable to act impartially.

Identification of Conflicts of Interest

Any individual involved in the delivery of WSET qualifications who becomes aware of a Conflict of Interest must inform the Head of Quality and Compliance (HOQC) in writing immediately. Conflict of Interest declarations will be recorded by WSET on the Conflicts of Interest Register.

Please note that any APP who fails to declare a Conflict of Interest may be in breach of its terms of approval and sanctions may be applied in accordance with the Malpractice and Maladministration Policy. Where a Conflict of Interest is identified by WSET rather than the individual(s) concerned, the HOQC will take steps to mitigate the effect of the Conflict of Interest and may apply sanctions to an APP in accordance with the Malpractice and Maladministration Policy.

Management of Conflicts of Interest

WSET has procedures in place to manage specific Conflicts of Interest. These include the exclusive involvement of WSET staff in the creation of all assessment materials, moderation of all internal assessments conducted by APPs and moderation of all written examinations not marked by optical mark readers. Other Conflicts of Interest will be managed on a case-by-case basis. The HOQC has responsibility for the management of Conflicts of Interest relating to the work of WSET. The members of the WSET Senior Management Group have responsibility for the management of conflicts of interest relating to functions of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust’s functions.

Our policy is:

· To be diligent and transparent in our approach to offering WSET courses, ensuring that our established roles are adhered to entirely

· To be vigilant for potential conflicts of interest, to flag them and deal with them in the appropriate manner, including flagging any breaches of conduct to WSET immediately

· To be attentive to feedback from students and candidates, without compromising sensitive information and/or the chain of complaints/appeals

· To ensure that, to the best of our ability, that all essential processes and procedures are followed to the letter, particularly with regards to examination materials

If a student feels that there is a conflict of interest the conflict should be immediately be reported to Andrea Eby at wset@vinsanity.ca All Conflicts of Interest will be immediately reported to the Quality Assurance Department at QA@wsetglobal.com.

Privacy and Data Protection

Vinsanity School of Wine is committed to protecting the privacy of our students and clients. We comply with obligations under data protection legislation. Any information passed to WSET will be handled in accordance with WSET’s Data Protection Policy.

Why we collect your personal data:

· To register you as a candidate with WSET and enable you to sit examinations for WSET qualifications

· To administer and conduct your examination, including making arrangements for reasonable adjustments and/or special considerations

· To communicate with WSET and issue your examination results and qualification certificate as appropriate

· To send you information regarding the course or event for which you are registered (or which have registered interest in)

· To process sales of products or services you have purchased from us

· To verify your identity

· To send you marketing communications including information about our courses and upcoming events.

We may collect the following information about you:

· Your name, date of birth, gender and contact details (this could include your postal address, telephone numbers and email address)

· In certain situations, information relating to health which may be required to support applications for reasonable adjustment and/or special consideration in the context of examinations for WSET qualifications. We do not share your personal data with any external companies or 3rd parties, outside of the WSET for the purposes of examinations and results. We do not keep any data for longer than strictly necessary, with the exception of marketing purposes such as our newsletter and information relating to courses and tastings, all of which is optional.

Diversity and Equality

Vinsanity School of Wine is committed to upholding the principles of diversity and equality in all our courses, seeking to ensure that all students are treated fairly and equally at all times. We promote open access to WSET qualifications. Feedback as to how we can improve our policy is appreciated.

Vinsanity School of Wine assures equality of opportunity for students by:

· Promoting open access to WSET qualifications (having regard to the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcohol and assessment competence standards);

· Ensuring that the format and content of all specifications, examinations and other WSET materials do not discriminate unlawfully against anyone on the grounds of disability, age, marriage and civil partnership, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation (having regard to the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcohol and assessment competence standards);

· Allowing students with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to access WSET assessments without changing the demands of the assessment in line with our Reasonable Adjustment and Special Consideration policies;

· To have a diversity and equality policy in place which promotes open access to WSET qualifications;

· Collating and monitoring data on candidate age, gender, ethnicity and access arrangements, which are reportable in a non-attributable format;

· Inviting feedback on diversity issues from students and other stakeholders;

· Working with relevant organisations as appropriate to develop measures to identify and prevent inequality of opportunity; and

· Reviewing this policy regularly to ensure it continues to meet legislative and organisational requirements and is fit for purpose.

Note to Student

Students who believe they may have been unfairly discriminated against by Vinsanity School of Wine should inform wset@vinsanity.ca at the first instance.

WSET allows candidates with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to register to our courses. Students must identify special needs at the time of enrollment.

Reasonable Adjustments

Vinsanity School of Wine and WSET seek to assess all students in a way that puts them at no disadvantage, or advantage, over other students.

A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty that places the student at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment situation. Reasonable adjustments are approved by WSET and put in place before the assessment activity takes place; they constitute an arrangement to give the student access to the qualification. The use of a reasonable adjustment is not taken into consideration during the assessment of a student’s work.

Reasonable adjustments must not give unfair advantage over candidates for whom reasonable adjustments are not being made or affect the reliability and validity of the assessment outcomes as detailed in the applicable Specification.

Reasonable adjustments may involve:

· Changing standard assessment arrangements, for example allowing students extra time to complete the assessment activity;

· Adapting assessment materials, such as providing materials in large text format;

· Providing access facilitators during assessment, such as a sign language interpreter or reader;

· Re-organising the assessment room, such as removal of visual stimuli for an autistic student.

Applying for a reasonable adjustment

Vinsanity School of Wine must identify at the time of a student’s enrolment any special needs which may require a reasonable adjustment at the time of the examination. Vinsanity School of Wine must submit a Reasonable Adjustment Application Form to WSET at least six weeks before the examination date in the case of WSET qualifications at Levels 1-3. Supporting evidence must be provided with the completed form.

The specific arrangements for the examination process itself, or for marking, will be agreed in each case between Vinsanity School of Wine Examinations Officer and WSET, and will vary according to individual circumstances. WSET reserves the right to seek the advice of independent agencies as appropriate in coming to a decision on specific arrangements. Please note that Vinsanity School of Wine cannot offer reasonable adjustments to any students until this has been agreed with WSET.

Students and their advisors should be aware that it is not appropriate to make requests for reasonable adjustments where the student’s difficulty directly affects performance in the attributes that are the focus of the assessment.

Vinsanity School of Wine will keep records of all reasonable adjustment applications.

Student must identify special needs at the time of enrollment.

Special Consideration Policy

Special consideration is an action taken after an assessment to allow students who have been disadvantaged by temporary illness, injury, indisposition or adverse circumstances at the time of the assessment to demonstrate attainment.

Scope of policy

Special consideration will not give unfair advantage over students for whom special consideration is not being applied or alter the assessment demands of the qualification as detailed in the applicable Specification.

A student may be eligible for special consideration if:

· Performance in an assessment is affected by circumstances beyond the control of the candidate. This may include recent personal illness, accident, bereavement or examination room conditions;

· Alternative assessment arrangements which were agreed in advance of the assessment proved inappropriate or inadequate;

· The application of special consideration would not mislead the user of the certificate as to the student’s attainment.

Please note that WSET does not offer ‘Aegrotat’ awards and that all assessment requirements of WSET qualifications must be met.

Applying for special consideration

Vinsanity School of Wine must submit a Special Consideration Application Form to WSET within 5 working days of the assessment date for which special consideration is being sought. Eligibility will only be considered if accompanied by supporting independent documentation.

In cases of serious disruption during the examination, the Examinations Officer must submit a detailed report of the circumstances and students affected to WSET. This must be returned with the completed examination papers.

Vinsanity School of Wine will keep records of all applications for special consideration.

To request a special consideration, please send an email to wset@vinsanity.ca

Malpractice and Maladministration Policy

Vinsanity School of Wine aims to protect the interests of our students and safeguard the integrity of WSET qualifications by ensuring compliance with WSET Policies and Procedures.

If you think an incident has occur, please email us immediately at wset@vinsanity.ca and please include a detailed account of the circumstances.

Malpractice can be defined as non-compliance in which acts or incidents are intentional or the results of negligence, whilst maladministration can be defined as acts or incidents which are accidental without any real intentional cause. The boundaries between malpractice and maladministration are not clear-cut and some incidents may fall into either category depending on the wider context. The aim of this policy is to ensure the integrity of WSET qualifications and the interests of WSET students are protected and that Vinsanity School of Wine fully complies with the WSET Policies and Procedures. All incidents of malpractice and/or maladministration have consequences and will be fully investigated by WSET.

Potential areas of malpractice or maladministration by an Approved Program Provider (APP)

· Failure to adhere to the terms of Centre Agreement or WSET Policies and Procedures

· Failure to adhere to the APP Code of Conduct

· Failure to report changes in ownership, personnel, location, facilities

· Denial of access to information, documentation, workforce, facilities.

· Failure to carry out course or assessment delivery in accordance with WSET requirements

· Failure to adhere to WSET’s candidates’ registration and certification procedures

· Late student registration

· Fraudulent claim, use, reproduction or forgery of WSET certificates

· Withholding information from WSET which is critical to maintain the rigour of quality assurance.

· Inadequate and insecure storage of assessment materials

· Breach of confidentiality

· Any other action likely to lead to an adverse effect,

· Failure to disclose any conflict of interest

· Issue of incorrect exam results, failure to issue results to students in a timely manner

· Unauthorised reading, amendment, copying, distribution of exam papers

· Failure to respond to WSET in a timely manner

· Failure to return examination papers within the specified timeframe or to follow delivery and tracking regulations

· Use of unqualified and/or unregistered educators or internal assessors

· Misleading advertising or publicity

Potential areas of malpractice or maladministration by a student or candidate

· Submission of false or inaccurate information to gain a qualification

· Cheating, including sue of unauthorized devices or materials

· Disruptive behaviour during an examination

· Plagiarism of any nature by students

· Impersonation including forgery of signatures

· Breach of confidentiality

· Any other action likely to lead to an adverse effect,

· Failure to disclose any conflict of interest

· Unauthorised reading, amendment, copying, distribution of exam papers

· Denial of access to information or documentation required by WSET

Responsibility of Vinsanity School of Wine as an APP

Vinsanity School of Wine aims for excellence in all the services we provide. We are fully committed to offering a professional, quality driven services and adhering to the strict rules and regulations set out by WSET.

In order to maintain the high standards of WSET, we are committed to the following:

1. Implementation of a quality management and reporting system to ensure compliance with WSET policies and procedures, which is review regularly to ensure they are fit for purpose.

2. Implementing a risk assessment system on how to best prevent, investigate and deal with any allegations of malpractice or maladministration.

3. All incidents of any non-compliance will immediately be reported to WSET in order to take corrective and preventative measures as required.

4. All staff (including the Main Contact, Examinations Officer, Nominated Educator and Educators) must attend an introduction workshop to ensure they fully understand the rules and regulations set out by the WSET and the standards of behaviour set out in the Code of Conduct

5. All staff (including the Main Contact, Examinations Officer, Nominated Educator and Educators) are obliged to read the latest addition of the APP Handbook and sign a form that they have read it

6. All staff (including the Main Contact, Examinations Officer, Nominated Educator and Educators) are required to sign a confidentiality and data protection agreement to ensure the safe handling of any information between Vinsanity School of Wine, WSET and students/WSET candidates

7. Any staff (Main Contact, Examinations Officer, Invigilators and administration staff) involved with the handling of any course registrations, bookings, examination requests, application forms for Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations as well as any complaints, must be fully aware of Vinsanity School of Wine’s procedures to ensure we meet all internal and external deadlines correctly.

8. The Examinations team (Examinations Officer, Main Contact, Invigilators and admin staff) must have read and understood all information in the APP Handbook related to Running Exams, Examination Guidelines, Invigilation Arrangements, and the Exam Day Process prior to the actual day of examination.

9. Prior to enrolment, potential students will be provided with adequate information so that they fully understand the commitment required by Vinsanity School of Wine and WSET

10. Promote responsible consumption alcohol

Responsibilities of students and potential WSET Candidates:

1. WSET certifications are professional qualifications regulated by Ofqual and offered globally around the world. Students are expected to respect the requirements of WSET as an educational body and Vinsanity School of Wine as a provider of these courses.

2. Any students involved in malpractice risk having sanctions applied to them including a written warning, exam results being declared null and void, disqualification from a qualification or ultimately being disqualified from participating in any future courses or assessments leading to WSET qualifications.

3. If Vinsanity School of Wine fails to meet the standards expected or they feel maladministration or malpractice has led to them being disadvantaged, students are invited to contact us to discuss their complaints via email and should refer to the Complaints and Appeals Policy for further information on how to submit a complaint.

Cancellations and Refunds

· Course fees include all study materials, wine samples, tuition, examination fee (one attempt) and postage of study materials and certificate. Re-sit examination fees are not included.

· Cancellations of confirmed places are accepted if notification is received in writing up to 21 days prior to the start of the course. An administration fee of $90 plus the full cost of the study materials supplied will be deducted. The remainder of the course fee(s) will be refunded to the payee.

· No refund of the course fees will be made for cancellations notified within 21 days prior to the start of the course or once the course has begun.

· Should a student only be able to attend part of a given course for any reason, no partial refunds will be available

· Vinsanity School of Wine reserves the right to reschedule or cancel any course. Should this become necessary, registered students may transfer their booking to another scheduled course of the same level at no extra cost or request a refund of the fee, minus the cost of any materials sent. In any event, Vinsanity School of Wine shall not be liable for any expenditure, damage or loss incurred by the participant.

· Transfers of a confirmed booking either to another identical course or applicant can be made if notification is received in writing up to 21 days before the course start date on payment of a $90 administration fee per student. Within 21 days prior to the start of the course, no refund or transfer of the course fees will be made.

· Please note *all transfers are subject to availability on alternative course/examination dates.Examination dates are fixed to the course onto which you book and any transfer to an alternative date will incur an administration fee of $60 per student.

· All transfer and cancellation requests must be made by email: wset@vinsanity.ca at least 21 days before the original examination date.