V3 November 2022
Thomas Tallis School – BTEC Programmes
Plagiarism & Malpractice Policy
What is plagiarism?
The aims of this policy are:
In order to do this, Thomas Tallis will:
Where malpractice is proven, this centre will apply the following penalties / sanctions:
How Thomas Tallis aims to minimise the risk of learner malpractice
How Thomas Tallis aims to minimise the risk of staff malpractice
Suspected learner malpractice relating to internally assessed units
Suspected learner malpractice relating to externally assessed units
Suspected centre staff malpractice
Roles & Responsibilities
Appendix 1 – Definition of Malpractice by Learners
This list is not exhaustive and other instances of malpractice may be considered by this centre at its discretion:
Appendix 2 – Definition of Malpractice by Centre Staff
This list is not exhaustive and other instances of malpractice may be considered by this centre at its discretion:
Thomas Tallis School – BTEC Programmes
Plagiarism & Malpractice Policy
What is plagiarism?
The aims of this policy are:
- To identify and minimise the risk of malpractice by staff or learners
- To respond to any incident of alleged malpractice promptly and objectively
- To standardise and record any investigation of malpractice to ensure openness and fairness
- To impose appropriate penalties and/or sanctions on learners or staff where Incidents (or attempted incidents) of malpractice are proven
- To protect the integrity of this centre and BTEC qualifications
In order to do this, Thomas Tallis will:
- Seek to avoid potential malpractice by using the induction period and the learner handbook to inform learners of the centre’s policy on malpractice and the penalties for attempted and actual incidents of malpractice
- Learners will have access to the learner handbook which includes guidance on how to avoid malpractice and how malpractice is dealt with
- The BTEC induction to the programme will include explicit sections on malpractice
- Show learners the appropriate formats to record cited texts and other materials or information sources
- Learners are shown how to reference sources and examples of this are given in the learner handbook
- Ask learners to declare that their work is their own
- Learners must sign when submitting work that it is their own
- Most learners submit work to the exams officer who issues a receipt and date stamps the work received (other practical subjects such as art or media have electronic submission with a signed hard copy declaration)
- Ask learners to provide evidence that they have interpreted and synthesised appropriate information and acknowledged any sources used
- Learners are guided into providing sources in their work and back up assertions they make in their work with references, which includes links to information outside the course they are studying
- Conduct an investigation in a form commensurate with the nature of the malpractice allegation. Such an investigation will be supported by the Head of Centre (Headteacher) and all personnel linked to the allegation. It will proceed through the following stages:
- Make the individual fully aware at the earliest opportunity of the nature of the alleged malpractice and of the possible consequences should malpractice be proven
- Give the individual the opportunity to respond to the allegations made
- Inform the individual of the avenues for appealing against any judgment made
- Document all stages of any investigation
- Any investigation should be in line with the school’s disciplinary policy as set out in the staff intranet
- Adhere to the BTEC guidance – Dealing with malpractice and maladministration in vocational qualifications
Where malpractice is proven, this centre will apply the following penalties / sanctions:
- Minor acts of learner malpractice;
- handled by the Assessor by, for example, refusal to accept work for marking and learner being reminded of malpractice policy in the learner handbook
- Student corrects and resubmits work in question and undertakes not to repeat error
- LIV is made aware so that a record can be made and retained
- Major acts of learner malpractice;
- extensive copying/plagiarism, 2nd or subsequent offence, full investigation supported by the BTEC QN and all personnel linked to the allegation
- Document all stages of the investigation and report where required as set out by the reporting stages below
How Thomas Tallis aims to minimise the risk of learner malpractice
- We use the induction period and the learner handbook to tell learners about the policy on malpractice and the penalties for attempted and actual incidents of malpractice
- Show learners the appropriate formats to record cited texts and other materials or information sources including websites
- Learners should not be discouraged from conducting research and in many cases are actively encouraged to find and show evidence of relevant research as this can often contribute to the achievement of higher grades and development of knowledge of the subject being studied
- The submitted work must show evidence that the learner has interpreted and understood appropriate information and not just copied work with no commentary or explanation
- The submitted work must show that the learner has acknowledged any sources in line with acceptable practice
- Checking that access controls are installed to stop learners from accessing and using another person’s work by learners having a unique login with password
- Checking that learners do not take prohibited material into an exam in line with national guidance for conduct in public examinations
- Having procedures for assessing work in a way that reduces or identifies malpractice such as plagiarism, collusion or cheating by for example;
- through independent choosing of examples for coursework which differentiates work between learners
- periods of supervised sessions during which evidence for assignments/tasks/coursework is produced by the learner in controlled conditions
- altering assessment assignments/tasks/tools on a regular basis
- the assessor assessing work for a single assignment/task in a single session for the complete cohort of learners which is standard practice at Thomas Tallis
- using oral questions with learners to check their understanding of the work
- assessors getting to know their learners’ styles and abilities through delivery of the unit content
How Thomas Tallis aims to minimise the risk of staff malpractice
- We use the staff BTEC induction and annual update to include BTEC requirements and ensure that all staff are clear about malpractice
- We use a robust Internal Verification policy and procedure, audit and retain records of internal verification
- We audit student records, assessment tracking records and certification claims so that;
- at least 2 members of staff audit the student records and assessment tracking and sign to that effect
- certification claims are checked and audited by the Exams Officer
- The details of procedures to minimise the risk of staff malpractice should be read in conjunction with other policies mainly;
- Learner Achievement, Registration, Claims & Certification Policy
- Internal Verification Policy
- If suspected malpractice is discovered then the individual must be made fully aware in writing by the Lead Internal Verifier for that programme area at the earliest opportunity of the nature of the alleged malpractice and of the possible consequences should malpractice be proven
- The Headteacher, or their nominated deputy (DHT, Curriculum & Standards, Exams Officer in the case of externally assessed units or BTEC QN) must report any incident of:
- malpractice or attempted malpractice by centre staff
- maladministration by centre staff
- malpractice or attempted malpractice by learners in relation to externally assessed units (the Exams Officer oversees externally assessed units)
- Incidents should be reported to Pearson using the following email addresses:
- Learner malpractice: [email protected]
- Centre/centre staff malpractice or maladministration: [email protected]
Suspected learner malpractice relating to internally assessed units
- Cases of suspected learner malpractice relating to internally assessed units should be managed following the malpractice policy as detailed above
- If malpractice has occurred after certificates have been issued, you should immediately contact the Investigations team at Pearson by emailing [email protected]
Suspected learner malpractice relating to externally assessed units
- Where learners are suspected of malpractice in relation to externally assessed units of vocational qualifications (such as examinations within BTEC NQF), the Head of Centre (or their nominated deputy) is required to inform Pearson at the earliest opportunity, preferably by completing a JCQ Form M1, and submitting this and all supporting documentation to the Investigations team at Pearson using the email address [email protected]
Suspected centre staff malpractice
- Heads of Centre are required to inform the Investigations team at Pearson of any alleged or suspected malpractice by centre staff, before any investigation is undertaken
- Heads of Centre need to contact the Investigations team at Pearson by submitting a JCQ Form M2(a) with supporting documentation to [email protected]
- Where Pearson receives allegations of malpractice from other sources (for example Pearson staff or anonymous informants), our Investigations team will conduct the investigation directly or may ask the Head of Centre to assist
- Heads of Centre or their nominees need to inform learners and centre staff of suspected malpractice of their responsibilities and rights as set out in this policy, and other school relevant policies and procedures
Roles & Responsibilities
- BTEC Staff – responsible for delivery of BTEC programmes including learner handbook and ensuring learners are aware of malpractice, how to avoid malpractice and possible actions that can be taken if malpractice is found
- BTEC Quality Nominee – responsible for ensuring that all BTEC staff and learners (via LIVs) are clear about what constitutes malpractice and possible implications of malpractice
- Headteacher – ensuring that staff are clear about malpractice via the BTEC QN, and overall in charge of reporting any suspected malpractice to Pearson
- Exams Officer – responsibility for external assessment and procedures related to external assessment, including advising and reporting on behalf of the Headteacher of any suspected malpractice
Appendix 1 – Definition of Malpractice by Learners
This list is not exhaustive and other instances of malpractice may be considered by this centre at its discretion:
- Plagiarism of any nature
- Collusion by working collaboratively with other learners to produce work that is submitted as individual learner work
- Copying (including the use of ICT to aid copying)
- Deliberate destruction of another’s work
- Fabrication of results or evidence
- False declaration of authenticity in relation to the contents of a portfolio or coursework
- Impersonation by pretending to be someone else in order to produce the work for another or arranging for another to take one’s place in an assessment/examination/test
Appendix 2 – Definition of Malpractice by Centre Staff
This list is not exhaustive and other instances of malpractice may be considered by this centre at its discretion:
- Improper assistance to candidates
- Inventing or changing marks for internally assessed work (coursework or portfolio evidence) where there is insufficient evidence of the candidates’ achievement to justify the marks given or assessment decisions made
- Failure to keep candidate coursework/portfolios of evidence secure
- Fraudulent claims for certificates
- Inappropriate retention of certificates
- Assisting learners in the production of work for assessment, where the support has the potential to influence the outcomes of assessment, for example where the assistance involves centre staff producing work for the learner
- Producing falsified witness statements, for example for evidence the learner has not generated
- Allowing evidence, which is known by the staff member not to be the learner’s own, to be included in a learner’s assignment/task/portfolio/ coursework
- Facilitating and allowing impersonation
- Misusing the conditions for special learner requirements, for example where learners are permitted support, such as an amanuensis, this is permissible up to the point where the support has the potential to influence the outcome of the assessment
- Falsifying records/certificates, for example by alteration, substitution, or by fraud
- Fraudulent certificate claims, that is claiming for a certificate prior to the learner completing all the requirements of assessment