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Assessment Policy

Centre: ACLAS Global International Education Group

Effective: 2025-07-05 | Review Date: 2026-07-05

Policy Owner: Lead IQA / Centre Quality Lead

1. Purpose

This policy defines how ACLAS Global International Education Group ("the Centre") designs, conducts, and quality-assures assessments for all OTHM qualifications. Its purpose is to ensure that every assessment decision is valid, reliable, fair, and fully aligned with the assessment criteria and learning outcomes published in the relevant OTHM qualification specification.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all OTHM qualification programmes delivered by the Centre through any mode—online, blended, or face-to-face. It binds every member of staff who teaches, assesses, or internally quality-assures learner work. It also applies to learners from the point of enrolment through to certification.

3. Assessment Principles

Every assessment produced or graded by the Centre must satisfy six principles:

  • Validity — The assessment task genuinely measures the stated learning outcomes and assessment criteria.
  • Reliability — Different Assessors, marking the same evidence against the same criteria, would reach the same decision.
  • Fairness — No learner is advantaged or disadvantaged by factors unrelated to the assessment criteria. Reasonable adjustments are provided where needed.
  • Transparency — Before assessment begins, every learner receives the assessment brief, the marking criteria, the submission deadline, and an explanation of how feedback will be given.
  • Authenticity — The Centre takes active steps to verify that the work submitted is the learner's own.
  • Sufficiency — The evidence presented is enough to demonstrate consistent achievement across all learning outcomes.

4. Assessment Methods

The Centre uses assessment methods appropriate to the level and subject of each qualification. Methods may include:

  • Extended written assignments (essays, reports, case-study analyses)
  • Portfolios of evidence compiled over the course of a unit
  • Professional discussions (recorded, with Assessor notes)
  • Presentations (live online or pre-recorded with supporting materials)
  • Reflective journals or learning logs
  • Practical tasks or simulations where the qualification specification requires them

The choice of method for each unit is recorded in the Scheme of Work and Assignment Brief.

5. Assignment Briefs

  • The Centre uses OTHM-authorised assignment briefs wherever they are available.
  • Where the Centre develops its own assignment brief, the brief is submitted to OTHM for approval before it is issued to learners.
  • Every assignment brief states the unit title, learning outcomes, assessment criteria, the task(s), the word count or equivalent, the submission deadline, and the grading criteria.

6. Assessment Planning

  • An individual assessment plan is created for each learner at the start of their programme. It lists every unit to be assessed, the assessment method for each, submission windows, and any agreed reasonable adjustments.
  • The assessment plan is reviewed at least once per term (or every 12 weeks for self-paced learners) and updated if circumstances change.
  • Learners receive a copy of their plan and can request a review at any time.

7. Marking and Grading

  • The Assessor marks each submission against the assessment criteria published in the OTHM qualification specification.
  • Grades are recorded as Pass, Refer (resubmission required), or Fail (where applicable).
  • The Assessor completes a Unit Assessment Record (marksheet) for every unit, showing how each assessment criterion has been met.
  • Marksheets are signed and dated by the Assessor.

8. Feedback to Learners

  • Written feedback is provided for every summative assessment within 15 working days of submission.
  • Feedback identifies what the learner did well, what did not yet meet the criteria, and specific, actionable steps for improvement.
  • Where a learner receives a Refer decision, the feedback explains precisely which criteria have not been met and what the learner needs to do to satisfy them.
  • Learners can request a follow-up discussion with their Assessor within 5 working days of receiving feedback.

9. Resubmission

  • A learner who receives a Refer decision on first submission is entitled to one resubmission opportunity per unit at no additional charge.
  • The resubmission deadline is agreed between the Assessor and the learner and is normally no fewer than 10 working days after feedback is received.
  • If the resubmission still does not meet the criteria, the Centre Quality Lead reviews the case and decides whether a further opportunity is appropriate. Additional resubmissions may incur a fee.
  • No more than three attempts per unit are permitted without the approval of the Centre Quality Lead.

10. Late Submission

  • Learners are expected to meet published deadlines. If a learner needs an extension, they must request it in writing before the deadline, stating the reason.
  • The Assessor may grant an extension of up to 10 working days. Longer extensions require approval from the Centre Quality Lead.
  • Late submission without an approved extension may result in a cap on the grade or a requirement to resubmit in the next assessment window.

11. Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Checking

  • All written submissions are run through plagiarism-detection software integrated with the Centre's Moodle LMS.
  • Assessors are trained to identify indicators of contract cheating, AI-generated content used inappropriately, and collusion.
  • Suspected malpractice is handled under the Malpractice and Plagiarism Policy.

12. Assessor Allocation

  • Each learner is assigned a named Assessor at the start of their programme.
  • The Centre maintains an Assessor-to-learner ratio that allows each learner to receive timely, individualised feedback.
  • No Assessor marks the work of a close relative, partner, or person with whom they have a financial relationship (see Conflicts of Interest Policy).

13. Assessment Records

The Centre retains the following for every learner for a minimum of three years after certification:

  • The learner's assessment plan and any revisions
  • All submitted learner work
  • Unit Assessment Records (marksheets)
  • Assessor feedback
  • IQA sampling records and reports relating to the learner's work
  • Records of any reasonable adjustments applied

Records are stored securely in accordance with the Document Storage and Retention Policy and the Data Protection and GDPR Policy.

14. Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment

All assessment decisions are subject to Internal Quality Assurance before they are submitted to OTHM for External Quality Assurance. The IQA process is governed by the separate IQA Policy. In summary:

  • The Lead IQA samples assessment decisions across all Assessors, units, and grade levels according to a risk-based sampling plan.
  • Where an IQA sampling activity identifies an issue, the Assessor addresses it before the unit proceeds to EQA.
  • IQA findings feed into standardisation meetings and CPD planning.

15. Standardisation

  • The Centre holds a standardisation meeting at least once per qualification delivery cycle (minimum quarterly).
  • Activities include cross-marking of anonymised learner work, discussion of borderline cases, and review of EQA feedback.
  • Minutes are recorded and retained.

16. Policy Review

This policy is reviewed annually and updated whenever OTHM requirements, regulatory conditions, or the Centre's operational context change.

Approved by: ______________________ (Centre Director)

Date: ______________________