hnc-d regulations at guildford college · level 4) or higher national diploma ... 9.3 internal...

Higher Education Department September 2014

Guildford College of Further and Higher Education

Assessment and Award Regulations for

Edexcel Higher National Certificates and Higher National Diplomas

Table of Contents

1. Objectives.................................................................................................................................... 2

2. Scope ........................................................................................................................................... 2

3. Assessment ................................................................................................................................. 3

4. Mitigating Circumstances ............................................................................................................ 4

6. Non Submission .......................................................................................................................... 5

7. Late Submission .......................................................................................................................... 5

8 Internal Verification of Assignment Briefs .................................................................................. 6

9 Internal Verification of Assessment Decisions ............................................................................ 7

10. Academic Appeals ........................................................................................................................ 8

11. Student Complaints ..................................................................................................................... 8

12 Plagiarism and Assessment Malpractice ..................................................................................... 9

13. Unit Grading ................................................................................................................................ 9

14. Progression ................................................................................................................................. 9

15. Completion of the Programme and Final Award ...................................................................... 10

16. Calculation of Qualification Grade ............................................................................................ 11

17 Membership and function of the Examination Board .............................................................. 13

18 Assessment Flowchart .............................................................................................................. 14


1. Objectives

1.1 The objective of these regulations for Higher National Programmes is to ensure consistency,

fairness and transparency in the College’s approach to the management of assessment,

progression and conferment of awards. Through these regulations, the College will:

1. ensure consistency, transparency, reliability and validity of the summative

assessment processes in line with national standards

2. establish clear rules for progression and final award

1.2 These regulations are in line with Edexcel’s guidance for the delivery and assessment of

higher national programmes. Further information and guidance for students and staff can be

found at:

http://www.edexcel.com/btec/delivering-BTEC/quality/Pages/Key-documents.aspx

2. Scope

2.1 These regulations apply to all students studying towards a Higher National Certificate (FHEQ

Level 4) or Higher National Diploma (FHEQ Level 5) at Guildford College of Further and

Higher Education from the 1st of September 2014.

2.2 These Regulations supersede the College’s Assessment Policy 2011.

2.3 The College reserves the right to these regulations on an annual basis.



3. Assessment

3.1 On first submission and by the deadline date, students are eligible for all criteria (pass, merit

and distinction).

3.2 Where a student has not achieved individual or multiple pass criteria, they are referred.

3.3 A referral is the requirement for a student to correct pass criterion in order to complete a

unit.

3.4 Students are only referred on pass criteria.

3.5 Where work is referred, students are given the opportunity to resubmit and achieve the pass

criteria up until the time of the Examination Board.

3.6 Students are given the opportunity to resubmit work in order to achieve merit and/or

distinction criteria (upgrading) on one occasion and within ten College working days of

receiving the initial feedback. This opportunity is only available to students who:

1. Submitted the initial piece of work by the deadline

2. Attempted all of the criteria on initial submission (pass, merit and distinction)

3. Have not been found to have committed academic misconduct (plagiarism,

collusion, falsifying results).


4. Mitigating Circumstances

4. 1 The College recognises that the performance of an individual learner in an examination or

other type of assessment may be adversely affected by circumstances that are serious,

unforeseen or sudden. The College’s Assessment and Mitigating Circumstances Policy and

Procedure can be found on the Higher Education Student Engagement page under College

Policies, Procedures and Regulations:

http://moodle.guildford.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=9572

5. Extensions

5.1 Where a student requires an extension to a deadline date, they apply directly to their

programme manager.

5.2 Extensions are only available to students who are experiencing health or personal issues

which directly impact on their studies.

5.3 Students are required to provide independent evidence to substantiate their request.

5.4 Where a student does not meet an extension deadline, they may apply for mitigating

circumstances in order to:

a) be eligible to achieve all criteria

b) be given the opportunity to upgrade their work

5.5 Where a student is not granted an extension by their programme manager, they are able to

apply for mitigating circumstances in order to:

a) be eligible to achieve all criteria

b) be given the opportunity to upgrade their work



6. Non Submission

6.1 Where a student does not submit all required pass criteria for a unit, the mark will be

recorded as non-submission.

6.2 Students who have not submitted all required pass criteria for unit by the time of the

examination board will be given one more opportunity to submit the necessary work.

7. Late Submission

7. 1 Where a student submits work past a deadline, it will be considered late.

7.2 Work that is submitted late (without approved mitigating circumstances) will not be eligible

for upgrading (see section 3.6).

7.3 Late work will not be downgraded to a pass level. However, where the merit/distinction

grade descriptors require evidence of meeting deadlines, planning and organising time

effectively and working to relevant industrial/commercial practices, these criteria will not

typically be awarded.

7.4 Where a student submits work late and has approved mitigating circumstances,

merit/distinction criteria referring to meeting deadlines, planning and organising time

effectively and working to relevant industrial/commercial practices will not typically be

withheld.

7.5 Regular instances of work being submitted late will result a meeting with a Head of Learning

and Standards to discuss a student’s capacity to continue on their programme of study.


8 Internal Verification of Assignment Briefs

8.1 The purpose of internal verification of assignment briefs is to ensure that:

a) the tasks and evidence allow the student to address the targeted criteria

b) the brief is written in a clear and accessible language

c) tasks are vocationally relevant and appropriate to the level of the qualification

d) timescales and deadlines are appropriate

e) equal opportunities are incorporated.

8.2 All assignment briefs must be internally verified, prior to issue to the student.

8.3 Internal verification of assignment briefs is to be carried out by a staff member who is

familiar with BTEC assessment at the appropriate level and has subject knowledge within the

programme area.

8.4 Internal verification should be reported and recorded. If, following internal verification of an

assignment brief, actions are identified by the Internal Verifier, the Assessor is required to

complete all actions and return it to the Internal Verifier for sign off.

8.5 Once the assignment is verified as fit for purpose, it may be issued to the students.

8.6 These regulations regarding internal verification of assignment briefs supersede the

College’s Internal Verification Policy. Further guidance on the management of internal

verification for Edexcel Higher National programmes can be found at:




9 Internal Verification of Assessment Decisions

9.1 The purpose of internal verification is to conduct a quality check on assessment processes

and practice to ensure that:

1. they meet national standards

2. all students have been judged fairly and consistently

9.2 An Internal Verifier shall be a member of staff involved in the delivery and assessment of the

programme that is able to give an expert second opinion.

9.3 Internal Verifiers will sample assessed work from:

a) Every assessor

b) Every unit

c) Work from every assignment

d) Pass, merit and distinction achievement (student who has not yet achieved or a

referred student is also a valid selection.)

9.7 The sample size should consider:

1. the full range of assessment decisions made (pass, merit, distinction, referral)

2. The experience of the assessor

3. If the programme or unit is new

4. The size of the group

9.4 Internal Verifiers are required to give feedback to the Assessor that should:

1. comment on the quality of feedback given to the student

2. comment on the effective completion of assessment documentation

9.5 Where action is required following internal verification, the Assessor should complete it and

return it to the Internal Verifier for sign off.


9.6 Internal verification of assessment decisions must be undertaken as soon as possible after

assessment and not be end-loaded. Internal Verification should be undertaken before work

is returned to the students.

9.7 These regulations regarding internal verification of assessment decisions supersede the

Colleges Internal Verification Policy. Further guidance on the management of internal

verification for Edexcel Higher National programmes can be found at:


10. Academic Appeals

10.1 Guildford College aims to uphold the highest standards of teaching and learning, including

accuracy in the awarding of grades to all learners in accordance with awarding body

guidelines and the criteria for assessment/grading that apply to assignments/ assessments.

10.2 The College also acknowledges the right of all students to make appeals against academic

decisions with regard to both internally and externally assessed work, and for these appeals

to be heard and considered fairly and free from prejudice. The College’s policy for Academic

Appeals can be found can be found on the Higher Education Student Engagement Moodle

page under College Policies, Procedures and Regulations:


11. Student Complaints

11.1 In the event that a student feels the need to make a complaint regarding the College or their

programme of study, they should refer to the College’s Complaints Policy which can be

found on the Higher Education Student Engagement Moodle page under College Policies,

Procedures and Regulations:






12 Plagiarism and Assessment Malpractice

12.1 All instances of plagiarism and assessment malpractice will be managed in accordance with

the College’s Assessment Malpractice Policy and Student’s Honesty Policy.

13. Unit Grading

13.1 Each unit will be recorded as either non-submission, fail, pass, merit or distinction.

13.2 In all cases, the unit grade confirmed by the Examination Board shall be the final grade for that unit.

14. Progression

14.1 In order to progress to the next year of a programme, a student must pass all required units

for the year as set out in the Programme Specification.

14.2 Where a student has not passed all required units for the year as set out in the Programme

Specification and by the time of the Examination Board, the board may recommend one of

the following:

a) That the student is allowed one further opportunity to resubmit work by a set date

(summer re-submission period).

b) That the student is withdrawn from the programme and a claim for unit

accreditation should be made to the awarding body.

c) That, as the number of referred assessments outstanding at the end of the year

exceeds 50% of the total credit available for that year of study, the student can be

offered the opportunity to repeat the units, or the year, with all associated

assessments (with or without attendance). Under these circumstances the student

would be liable for all associated costs.


15. Completion of the Programme and Final Award

15.1 In order to complete a programme, a student must have passed all required units as set out

in the Programme Specification.

15.2 Where a student has not passed all required units for the programme as out in the

Programme Specification and by the time of the Examination Board, the board may

recommend one of the following:

a) That the student be allowed one further opportunity to resubmit work by a set date

(summer re-submission period).

b) That a claim for unit accreditation should be made to the awarding body.

c) That as the number of referred assessments outstanding at the end of the

programme exceeds 50% of the total credit available for the final year of study, the

student can be offered the opportunity to repeat the units, or the year, with all

associated assessments (with or without attendance). Under these circumstances

the student would be liable for all associated costs.

15.3 In the case of a student still being recorded as a fail or non-submission for a unit/units

following the summer re-submission period, the Examination Board may recommend one of

the following:

a) That a claim for unit accreditation should be made to the awarding body.

b) That the student be offered the opportunity to repeat the units, or the year, with all

associated assessments (with or without attendance). Under these circumstances

the student would be liable for all associated costs.


15.4 To achieve an HND qualification a student must:

1. achieve 240 credits from a valid combination of completed units

2. achieve a minimum of 125 credits at Level 5

To achieve a HNC qualification a student must:

1. achieve 120 credits from a valid combination of completed units

2. achieve a minimum of 65 credits at Level 4

Programme Specifications may vary; consult Edexcel Guidance for individual Higher National

Programmes.

16. Calculation of Qualification Grade

16.1 Students on Edexcel Higher National Certificates and Higher National Diplomas are eligible

for an overall qualification grade of pass, merit or distinction.

16.2 Students who achieve the minimum eligible value specified by the rule of combination will

achieve the qualification at pass grade.

16.3 Students will be awarded a merit or distinction qualification grade by the aggregation of

points gained through the successful achievement of individual units. The graded section of

both the HNC and the HND is based on the student’s best performance in units at the level

or above of the qualification, to the value of 75 credits. Therefore, for students on an HNC,

their best 75 credits at level 4 or 5 will be considered. For students on an HND, their best 75

credits at level 5 will be considered.


16.4 The number of points available is dependent on the unit grade achieved and the credit size

of the unit. The points available per credit at specified unit grades are:

Pass: 0 points

Merit: 1 point

Distinction: 2 points

Therefore, a 15 credit module achieved to a merit will produce 15 points. A 15 credit

achieved to a distinction will achieve 30 points.

16.5 The points range for the achievement of an HNC at pass, merit or distinction is set out

below:

0-74: Pass (P)

75-149: Merit (M)

150: Distinction (D)

16.6 The points range for the achievement of an HND at pass, merit or distinction is set out

below:

0-74: Pass (P)

75-149: Merit (M)

150: Distinction (D)

16.7 The grade achieved in units from an appropriate HNC may contribute to an HND grade. If a

student moves from HNC to HND then credits from both the HNC and HND can contribute to

the best 75 credits of the overall HND grade.


17 Membership and function of the Examination Board

17.1 The Members of the Examination Board shall be:

a) The Head of Higher Education (chair)

b) The Head of Learning and Standards responsible for the programme

c) The Programme Manager for the Higher National Programme being considered

d) Academic staff who teach on the programme

17.2 The Examination Board shall meet not less than once a year. The Head of Higher Education

shall be responsible for the arrangement of meetings.

The main purpose of an Assessment Board is to make recommendations on:

a) the grades achieved by students on individual units

b) progression of students onto the next stage of the programme

c) the awards achieved by the students


18 Assessment Flowchart

The assignment is out

Final Grade

Submitted by deadline?

YesStudent eligible for

all grades

P, M and DStudent has the opportunity to

upgrade, if needed

Which criteria were attempted?

P only

Student can only resubmit P criteria,

if referred

Ms and Ds achieved?

No

No further attempts allowed for Ms and Ds

Yes

All P criteria achieved?

Yes

No

Student allowed to reattempt P criteria up until exam board

NoStudent is not able

to upgrade

Has a problem been identified

NoHas an

extension been authorised?

Yes

Yes

Approved mitigating

circumstances?

Yes

No

No

Student working on the assignment

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