Definition
“The enquiry procedure allows centres to check on assessment decisions relating to centre recognition, and learners’ results.
The appeals procedure focuses on whether the awarding organisation used procedures that were consistent with the regulatory arrangements for QCF and applied the procedures properly and fairly. It includes provision to keep appellants informed, avoids deterring appellants on financial grounds and explains how unresolved appeals can be put to independent review.” (Agored Cymru)
Audience
The intended audience for this document is:
- Organisations applying for Partnership status
- Recognised Centralia Partnership Centres
- Learners
- Centralia staff
- Centralia appointed External Verifiers
The policy and procedure will apply to:
- Qualifications Wales & OFQUAL approved qualifications i.e Agored Cymru Level 5 Diploma in Practitioner Reflexology
Centralia and Partnership Centres welcome complaints about any of its activities.
Centralia and Partnership Centres view complaints positively and believes that they provide the opportunity to put things right. We will deal with enquiries/complaints in a fair, courteous and timely manner. Every enquiry/complaint will be taken seriously and investigated to the appropriate level. The complainant will be kept informed of the process and offered clarification and explanation as necessary, as will the person being complained about where relevant.
The procedure will be thorough, accountable and mindful of confidentiality and used to advise future practice.
The enquiry/complaints procedure is open to anyone who has had contact with Centralia or a Partnership Centre in any capacity. The policy provides a mechanism for service users, candidates/students and the general public to register their concerns. For the purposes of registering a grievance, those who wish to raise a concern should in the first instance, speak to their tutor, mentor or Course Director. Centralia and Partnership Centres expect most appeals from individual learners to be resolved within the Centre. Centralia and Partnership Centres will only consider an individual learner’s appeal after the Centre’s internal appeals procedure has been fully utilised
- Centralia and all Partnership Centres will have a clear and transparent process for making a complaint or offering comments
- Centralia and Partnership Centres will have information on how to complain available in hard copy within the Centre
- Suggestions will be responded to and will be passed on to the appropriate divisions.
- A complainant has the right to register a complaint formally if they wish to do so and the right to withdraw a complaint at any point.
Complaints will be dealt with in a staged process:
1. Learners Informal Process
1.1. This process is internal to each Centre and the complainant will approach a Centre member of staff and
will be afforded private time to discuss the issue/s. This meeting will be recorded and endorsed by the
complainant and Centre staff and filed in hard copy. The Centre will provide an outcome in writing within
10 working days and if acceptable to the complainant will be signed by them and the Centre staff and filed
in hard copy. If the matter is not resolved, then the next stage must be followed:
2. Learners Formal Process
2.1. Centralia will only consider an individual learner’s complaint after the Approved or Partnership Centre’s
internal and informal procedure has been fully utilised.
2.2. Where the outcome of a complaint/enquiry questions the validity of other results at the Approved or
Partnership Centre, Centralia will take action to protect the interests of other learners and the integrity of the
qualification. This may include a further review of learners’ work.
2.3. The learner must make the Approved or Partnership Centre aware of his/her intention to submit an appeal to
Centralia and ask the Partnership Centre for written confirmation that they will release records relating to the
enquiry/complaint appeal.
2.4. Centralia will investigate the procedures used by the Partnership Centre to investigate the original
enquiry/complaint submitted by the learner.
2.5. Enquiries/complaints should be addressed to the Director of Quality, Standards and Regulation at Centralia
and include the reasons for the appeal and correspondence/evidence relating to the outcomes of the
Partnership Centre’s processes. Learners must include their Agored Cymru/Centralia registration number.
2.6. Centralia will provide a response to an enquiry within 5 working days and will appoint a member of staff to
lead the appeal process.
2.7. Centralia will normally report to the learner within 30 working days of receipt of the appeal.
2.8. The process will be conducted fairly and consistently in line with regulatory requirements and Centralia may
request further information from the learner, the Partnership Centre, and the external verifier as appropriate.
Learners will be kept informed throughout the process.
2.9. If the learner is still not satisfied, an appeal may be made to an External Appeals Panel via Agored Cymru.
3. Partnership Centres / External Verifier Informal Process
3.1. The Partnership Centre / External Verifier should contact Centralia and request a meeting. This meeting will
be recorded and endorsed by the Partnership Centre / External Verifier complainant and Centralia staff and
filed in hard copy. Centralia will provide an outcome in writing within 10 working days and if acceptable to
the complainant will be signed by them and the Centralia staff member and filed in hard copy. If the matter
is not resolved, then the next stage must be followed:
4. Partnership Centres / External Verifier Formal Process
4.1. Centralia will only consider a formal enquiry/complaint after the Partnership Centre / External Verifier has
followed the informal procedure fully.
4.2. The Partnership Centre / External Verifier must provide in writing, the nature of their enquiry/complaint
and Centralia will provide a response within 5 working days and will appoint a member of staff to lead the
process.
4.3. Centralia will normally report to the Partnership Centre / External Verifier within 30 working days of receipt of
the enquiry/complaint.
4.4. The process will be conducted fairly and consistently in line with regulatory requirements and Centralia may
request further information from the Partnership Centre / External Verifier. All parties will be kept informed
throughout the process.
4.5. If the Partnership Centre / External Verifier is still not satisfied, an appeal may be made to an External
Appeals Panel via Agored Cymru.
5. Centralia Staff Informal Process
5.1. The staff member should contact Centralia and request a meeting. This meeting will be recorded and
endorsed by the staff member complainant and Centralia staff and filed in hard copy. Centralia will provide
an outcome in writing within 10 working days and if acceptable to the complainant will be signed by them
and the Centralia staff member and filed in hard copy. If the matter is not resolved, then the next stage
must be followed:
6. Centralia Staff Formal Process
6.1. Centralia will only consider a formal enquiry/complaint after the staff member has followed the informal
procedure fully.
6.2. The staff member must provide in writing, the nature of their enquiry/complaint and Centralia will provide a
response within 5 working days and will appoint a member of staff to lead the process.
6.3. Centralia will normally report to the staff member within 30 working days of receipt of the enquiry/complaint.
4.4. The process will be conducted fairly and consistently in line with regulatory requirements and Centralia may
request further information from the staff member. All parties will be kept informed throughout the process.
4.5. If the staff member is still not satisfied, an appeal may be made to an External Appeals Panel via Agored
Cymru.
