Malpractice and Maladministration Policy

Purpose and scope

This policy sets out how K Academy, the training centre of KCLINICS SKIN & LASER LIMITED (trading as KClinics) prevents, identifies, reports and deals with malpractice and maladministration in the delivery and assessment of its regulated (VTCT, Ofqual-regulated) and CPD-accredited courses. It applies to every learner, tutor, assessor, internal quality assurer (IQA), invigilator and administrator working with the centre.

Malpractice is any deliberate act, default or practice which compromises the integrity of assessment or the validity of a certificate. Maladministration is any activity, neglect, default or practice which results in the centre not complying with the awarding organisation's requirements, without deliberate intent.

Examples

Learner malpractice includes: plagiarism (presenting another person's work, including AI-generated text, as your own), collusion, copying, impersonation, bringing unauthorised material or devices into an examination, fabricating practical evidence or client records, and failing to follow invigilator instructions.

Staff malpractice includes: assisting a learner beyond what the assessment allows, altering learner work or marks, falsifying records, certifying achievement that has not been evidenced, breaching exam security, and failing to declare a conflict of interest.

Maladministration includes: late or inaccurate registrations, incomplete assessment records, failure to store confidential materials securely, and failure to apply reasonable adjustments that were approved.

Prevention

Every learner is inducted on academic integrity and signs a declaration of authenticity with each piece of assessed work. Assessment materials are stored securely and released only for the assessment window. Assessors and IQAs are qualified and standardised, and every assessment decision is sampled under the internal quality assurance policy.

Reporting a concern

Anyone who suspects malpractice or maladministration should report it in writing to the Head of Centre at the clinic address or by email to support@kclinics.co.uk, giving the names involved, the course, the date and the evidence. Concerns can be raised anonymously, but the centre may be unable to investigate fully without a contact. Reports are treated in confidence and no learner or member of staff will be disadvantaged for raising a concern in good faith.

Investigation

the Head of Centre (or, where they are implicated, an independent senior person appointed by the centre) will acknowledge the report within 5 working days, secure the evidence, and carry out an investigation, normally within 20 working days. The person under investigation is told what is alleged, is invited to respond, and may be accompanied at any meeting.

Where the matter concerns a regulated qualification, the centre will notify VTCT as soon as it is aware of an incident, in line with VTCT's malpractice and maladministration requirements, and will cooperate with any investigation the awarding organisation conducts. The awarding organisation may impose its own sanctions, including withdrawing certificates.

Outcomes and sanctions

Learner sanctions range from a written warning and re-assessment through to disqualification from the unit or qualification. Staff sanctions range from retraining and additional sampling through to removal from assessment duties and disciplinary action. The centre records every case, its outcome and the actions taken, and uses the records to improve its procedures.

A learner or member of staff may appeal a malpractice decision under the Appeals Policy.