Institute of Community Services
Policies & Procedures
Students in BTEC Courses
2010 - 2011
MQF Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care
MQF Level 4 Extended Diploma in Health & Social Care (Social Care)
MQF Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Health and Social Care
MQF Level 3 Diploma in Sport (Exercise & Fitness)
MQF Level 4 Extended Diploma in Sport (Development, Coaching
& Fitness)
MQF Level 4 Extended Diploma in Health & Social Care
(Health Studies)
MQF Level 4 Extended Diploma in Applied Science
MQF Level 4 National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning &
Development
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1. Overview
1.1.
All BTEC courses within the Institute of Community Services consist of a number of units.
1.2.
Each unit will be assessed through a number of assignments / types of work which may be
class based or home based.
1.3.
Students must get a minimum of a pass in ALL assignments (where this is possible) so
that they can successfully complete the diploma. Failing one assignment or a particular
criterion in that assignment may result in the student not obtaining the diploma.
1.4.
Students who fail any of the assessment criteria during the first attempt, will be given
ONE opportunity to resubmit work related to the failed criteria – please note the
exceptions outlined in the regulations below.
2. BTEC Registration & Fees
2.1.
A student starting any BTEC course, has to register and pay a fee.
2.1.1.
2.2.
Unless this fee is paid within the stipulated date, s/he will be asked to resign from
the course with immediate effect.
Fees will be as follows:
2.2.1.
2.2.2.
2.2.3.
approx. 265 Euros for Diploma Courses.
approx. 325 Euros for Extended / National Diploma Courses.
approx. 340 Euros for Higher National Diploma Courses.
2.3.
In the case of two-year courses, such as the Extended / National Diplomas, fees are only
payable at the start of the course and are valid for the duration of the course.
2.4.
Should the student decide to resign from the course, refunds may be possible up to a
certain date as established by the Registrar’s Office. In the case of two-year courses,
resignation and refunds are only possible during the 1st year up to the deadline set.
2.4.1.
Refunds are subject to an Administrative charge
2.4.2.
Refunds are only possible if the appropriate form (attainable from the
Administration offices) is filled up and duly signed by the Director or the Deputy
Director of the Institute and handed in together with the resignation letter by the
due date.
3. Assignment Sheets
3.1.
Assignment Sheets containing information regarding the Unit assessment criteria and the
Assignment Brief are handed out to students when an Assignment / task is given.
Students should hand back the Task Information Sheet (TIS) together with the
assignment on the submission date.
3.2.
Assignments which are submitted without the TIS will NOT be accepted.
3.3.
In case of loss of the TIS, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain a copy from class
mates. The Administration will NOT issue additional copies.
3.4.
If a student is absent when the assignment is handed to the class, s/he should collect
his/her copy of the assignment sheets from the class representative.
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3.5.
When the lecturer returns the corrected assignment to the student, the student is
responsible for making sure that:
i.
the grade given is checked;
ii.
the corrections and feedback are read, understood and agreed with;
iii.
the Task Information Sheet is signed accordingly.
3.6.
When given the final grade, students will be asked to sign the Task Information Sheet as
confirmation of the final grade achieved.
4. Assignment Submission Date
4.1.
All first submission assignments, handwritten or computer printed, are to be handed in at
the Institute Administration offices ON THE STIPULATED SUBMISSION DATE
WRITTEN ON THE TIS by 12.30 (i.e. thirty minutes past mid-day) SHARP.
4.2.
4.1.1.
No first submission assignments are to be handed in through members of
the lecturing staff and will NOT be accepted by lecturers.
4.1.2.
No assignments will be accepted between 12.30 and 1.30 p.m.
4.1.3.
If an assignment is not handed in on time (including a couple of minutes late but
not more than a week – five working days - late), the work will be graded as a
resubmission – i.e. students will have no other opportunity to attempt any failed
grades (including pass criteria).
4.1.4.
If the assignment is handed in more than 1 week late, it will not be accepted
meaning that the student would have automatically failed the assignment and the
said unit.
4.1.5.
Whenever the assignment is handed in, students will be expected to sign as a
proof of submission.
4.1.6.
If a student is sick on the submission date, the assignment must be handed in
just the same through relatives or friends.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
4.2.1.
In the case of students who are out on placements, the deadline time will be
extended to 4.00 p.m. of the same day.
4.2.2.
If a student is sick for a viva or a class-based written assessment, s/he will have a
chance to do the said viva or assessment at the earliest available opportunity if:
4.2.2.1. an appropriate medical certificate is produced according to regulations;
4.2.2.2. the student applies for an extension by filling in the Assignment
Extension Form.
N.B. It is important for the student to note that:
4.2.2.3. if a student is sick on the date the viva / assignment has been extended
to, s/he will be given no further opportunities for extentions and it will
be considered as a non-attempt;
4.2.2.4. this is only applicable for one assignment per unit and in not more than
two units per academic year;
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4.2.2.5. it is entirely the responsibility of the student to ensure that the sitting of
the viva / class-based written assessment is carried out at the earliest
available opportunity. The student must contact the lecturer concerned
so that the necessary arrangements can be made.
4.2.3.
Other special circumstances such as very bad accidents, hospitalisation, close
family mourning, etc, will be considered by the Administration on a case-by-case
basis. Where possible, it is advisable to discuss such matters with the
Administration prior to the deadline to avoid unnecessary problems.
4.2.3.1. In very rare circumstances, the deadline schedule could be re-discussed
to accommodate special circumstances – in such cases, the Assignment
Extension Form should be filled in to confirm reason for rescheduling
and new deadlines agreed upon.
4.2.4.
No assignments in the form of e-mail will be accepted.
4.2.5.
If a student is late for his / her VIVA, practical or test, s/he will not be given any
additional time to make up for the period lost unless there is a very valid reason
for the student being late.
4.2.5.1. If a student fails to attend for his / her VIVA, practical or test during the
stipulated time, the student will be given the opportunity to do the sit at
the earliest available opportunity but in this case, it will be considered
as a resubmission.
4.2.5.2. It is the responsibility of the student to run after the lecturer to ensure
that the sitting of the viva / class-based written assessment is carried
out at the earliest available opportunity.
4.2.6.
If a student fails to attempt one or more criteria when submitting his / her
assignment, s/he will only be allowed to resubmit pieces of work for the pass
criterion. The same applies for poorly attempted criteria. The Internal Verifier is
to confirm the decision taken in the case of the latter.
4.2.7.
If something happens to the computer or printer prior to the deadline, the student
is still expected to hand in his / her assignment hand written or in any other
acceptable form. Hand-written assignments are to be legible to be acceptable.
Students are advised to work on their assignments at their earliest convenience to
avoid missing out on deadlines.
4.2.8.
All students are to keep hard copies of assignments handed over to
Institute. The college may ask for additional copies of assignments for various
purposes. Assignments will only be given back to students upon termination of
the course and when the Institute Administration deems that such assignments
are no longer required.
4.2.8.1. Should there be some kind of inquiry revolving around specific units and
/ or grades, the college may refrain from giving out such assignments to
students and keep such assignments itself.
Refer to the General Institute Policies for Students for more information on the
matter.
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5. Assignment Results
5.1.
Assignment results together with written feedback on the said assignment will be given by
the lecturer during the lecture and / or on an individual basis. Such results are written on
the TIS.
5.2.
Although assignments may be given a certain grade, the final grade will only be issued
when the unit is complete. This includes completion of resubmissions.
5.3.
Should the student be absent for no particular reason during the feedback session, it is at
the discretion of the lecturer to decide whether verbal feedback other than the written
feedback is to be given.
5.4.
Students will be asked by lecturers to confirm the grade by signing in an appropriate box
on the Task Information Sheet. Students should be fully aware of the implications of this
signature and should therefore refrain from signing if the assignment has not been
completely graded and / or if they are in disagreement with the grade achieved.
5.5.
Should a student be in disagreement with the lecturer concerned over the final grade of
the assignment or a said criteria, s/he should follow this procedure:
5.6.
5.5.1.
Write a letter to the Institute Director / Deputy Director asking for the assignment
to be verified by the Internal Verifier. Students have no more than 5 working
days (i.e. one week) from the date of receipt of assignment to hand in this letter.
This also applies if students are sick following receipt of assignment.
5.5.2.
Should the student still feel dissatisfied, s/he may then write a letter to the
Institute Appeals’ Committee stating the reasons for the disagreement with the
lecturer’s and the internal verifier’s decision.
5.5.3.
If the student still feels that the matter warrants further attention, s/he may file
an appeal with the College Appeals’ Committee stating the reasons for the
disagreement with the Institute Appeals’ Committee.
Should a student fail to confirm the final grade by signing in the appropriate box and has
not in the meanatime, started off proceedings for a formal appeal, the assignment result
will not be taken into account immediately. It is the responsibility of the student to make
sure that s/he signs for the assignment results.
5.6.1.
If by the 30th June a student fails to confirm the grade, the grade given by the
lecturer will be used for the purposes of the end of year report. ICS
Administration will not accept any appeals for such grades.
6. Assignment Resubmissions
6.1.
A student who fails to achieve one or more grades when submitting the assignment for the
first time has the possibility to resubmit ONLY ONCE for any of the failed grades:
6.1.1.
6.1.2.
6.2.
within a week of the date of receipt of the corrected assignment;
or as otherwise determined by lecturer/s concerned.
When handing in resubmissions, students are asked to:
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6.2.1.
Submit all the work related to that particular failed criterion – i.e.: not only print
out the additional pieces / pages arranged;
6.2.2.
Include all the original texts handed in in the first submission;
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6.2.3.
Place the complete resubmission texts in front, i.e.: immediately after the TIS.
Should students fail to do any of the above point, the resubmitted documentation will not
be corrected, resulting in the student automatically failing the said criterion/a.
6.3.
In case of late assignments, please refer to heading Assignment Submission Date.
6.4.
Late resubmissions will not be accepted meaning that the student would have
automatically failed the assignment and the said unit.
6.5.
Students are encouraged to do re-submissions for merits and distinctions – however only
re-submissions for pass criteria are mandatory.
6.5.1.
6.6.
Students must not underestimate the importance which re-submissions for pass
criteria have and should take into consideration all the feedback which lecturers
give as well as dedicate appropriate time to do such re-submissions well and on
time.
If a student fails an important grade which will determine whether s/he loses the unit or
the whole course, s/he will NOT be given additional opportunities to resubmit further.
6.6.1.
If a student has to repeat a particular unit to achieve the diploma, the whole unit
as well as all the assignments related to the unit, will have to repeated in the year
following the termination of the said diploma, subject to points outlined further on
in these regulations. Kindly note that this is an MCAST College rule which applies
to all Institutes. Therefore the Institute Director / Deputy Director cannot make
any alternative arrangements and have no say on the matter.
7. Higher National Diploma Assignments & Resubmissions
7.1. All HND second year assignments will follow the old system of assessment (i.e.: National
Diploma style), i.e. lecturers will issue tasks with the pass, the merit and the distinction
criteria. Students who fail any pass, merit or distinction criteria will have to resubmit the
said criterion in that particular task.
7.1.1.
Students at this level should not expect excessive feedback from lecturers should
they fail their first submission.
7.2. In the case of the HND first year assignments, it is at the discretion of the lecturer to
identify whether the students are:
7.2.1.
Given the option of deciding which merits and / or distinctions to attempt in the
various tasks given;
OR
7.2.2.
Given the merits and / or the distinctions which they have to attempt in that
particular task.
7.3. VERY Important:
7.3.1.
In the HND first year assignments Option 7.2.1.,
7.3.1.1. students who fail to achieve the merits and / or distinctions attempted,
will be given the opportunity to reattempt the said criteria in another
task;
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7.3.1.2. when writing the task brief, lecturers will identify and contextualize one
descriptor for each of the merits and the distinctions which they feel are
achievable by the students in that said assignment;
7.3.1.3. when handing in their assignment, students must clearly identify
which of the merit and / or distinction criteria they have attempted in
the task work;
7.3.1.4. N.B. in the case of an assignment with two tasks, all merits and
distinctions have to be attempted in the first task to be able to
reattempt any criteria not achieved in the first task;
7.3.1.5. in the case of an assignment with more than two tasks, the students
should make sure that they give themselves an opportunity to
reattempt any failed criteria;
7.3.1.6. when a student is attempting the merit and / or distinction criteria, the
said criteria should be adopted for all the task (NOT ONLY for a
particular pass criteria), otherwise, the said criteria will not be achieved.
7.3.2.
In Option 7.2.2., should students fail to achieve the merits and / or distinctions,
they will have to resubmit such criteria in the said task – no other opportunity
would be given if they fail the resubmission.
7.3.3.
In both cases:
7.3.3.1. The type of work which the student has to present, has to be included in
the pass criteria or the compulsories. This means that it is not up to the
student to decide whether to present an assignment, a presentation or
another type of piece of work – it is up to the lecturer to ensure that the
student is guided in this regard to ensure that all the group produces
the same type of piece of work so that all are assessed against the
same benchmark.
7.3.3.2. Referencing at HND level is always a must. This is more important
when students are attempting or otherwise any of the merits and / or
distinction criteria – the extent / depth as well as the relevance of the
referencing will determine whether students will attain the merit and /
or distinction as stipulated by the criteria / descriptors.
8. Final Unit Grade
8.1.
For a student to achieve an overall pass grade in a unit, s/he must achieve all the pass
criteria in the unit.
8.1.1.
If a student fails any one of the pass criteria listed in the unit, this implies that
the unit is not achieved.
8.2.
For a student to achieve an overall merit grade in a unit, s/he must achieve all the pass
and merit criteria in the unit.
8.3.
For a student to achieve an overall distinction grade in a unit, s/he must achieve all the
pass, merit and distinction criteria in the unit.
8.4.
If a student has achieved all the pass criteria, all the distinction criteria and has failed only
one of the merit criteria, the overall unit grade will be that of a pass.
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8.5.
Students may keep a track record of their achievements in the various units through:
8.5.1.
the Student Record of Achievement Form which is handed out to all students by
the Institute Administration at the start of the diploma – this includes all the
criteria for all the units covered by the diploma;
8.5.2.
the Assignment Information Sheet which includes all the unit assessment criteria
for that said unit;
8.5.3.
the Provisional Result Sheet which is sent out to the students at the end of each
academic year.
In the case of the latter, any discrepancies with the student’s own records should be
reported to the Institute Administration immediately. Wrong grades posted to Edexcel are
not easily corrected.
8.6.
No grades will be amended after the 30th July.
9. Plagiarism
9.1.
The prevailing policy governing Plagiarism by any MCAST student is currently being
revised to reflect the seriousness of the matter especially when such takes place at certain
levels.
9.2.
Having said this, Plagiarism is considered to be work which is:

copied from the internet or from other sources;

copied from others;

not that of the said student.
9.3.
Plagiarism may result in the student automatically failing the first submission of
an assignment especially in diplomas of MQF Level 4 and above. This happens
when:
9.3.1.
All work handed in by students is not adequately referenced when making use of
external sources (e.g.: library books and websites) for his/her assignments.
Please refer to General Assignment Guidance in your Assignment Information
Sheet.
9.3.2.
Please note that Wikipedia is not considered to be an adequate reference / source
when producing assignments or any other pieces of work.
9.3.3.
Students download their assignments out rightly from the internet.
9.3.4.
A lecturer has doubts about an assignment being copied or that a student has
received additional help from others (e.g. parents). In this case,
9.3.4.1. the lecturer has a right to ask the student to sit for a VIVA to
confirm that the work submitted is his / her own;
9.3.4.2. the result of the VIVA will be considered for the grading of the
assignment;
9.3.4.3. if the student is unable to explain the content, s/he will not be
given a pass mark.
9.3.5.
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A lecturer finds out that the assignment has been copied from that of another
student. In this case the lecturer may ask both students to sit for a VIVA to
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confirm whether both parties are equally to blame. If lecturer finds that both
students were party to the copying, both will fail the submission.
9.4.
In cases of Plagiarism, the first time this happens, students will be given the possibility to
resubmit work for pass criteria only. If plagiarism takes place a second time, the student
automatically fails the said assignment.
10. Achieving the Diploma
10.1. It is important to note that the Institute of Community Services is currently working with
two types of specifications:
10.1.1. the old Specifications currently being used by all students whose diploma course
is in their second year, as well as First Year National Diploma Children’s Care,
Learning and Development students and First Year HND Care students
10.1.2. the new Specifications for teaching start from September 2010 – i.e.
specifications being used by all students who have started a BTEC Diploma this
year (with the exceptions mentioned in 10.1.1.)
10.2. In the case of the new specifications, students need to achieve a minimum of a pass in all
units – BTEC does not allow for any compensation be it for mandatory and / or specialized
units.
10.3. In the case of the old specifications, the rules are not so clear cut and each specification
has its own specific rules, Having said this, some basic rules apply for all, i.e.:
10.3.1. All the units have to be completed.
10.3.2. Students have to have the minimum mandatory 80% attendance – this applies
even for the new specifications.
10.3.3. All pass criteria in all units have to be attempted even though students may fail
from one or more pass criteria and still get the diploma.
10.3.4. The compensation rule prevails in all specifications (except for that of the Higher
National Diploma) but to different extents - in certain specifications,
compensation exists even for core units whereas in others, there is no
compensation for core units. The number of units for which compensation is
possible depends very much on the level and the guided learning hours of the
units failed.
10.4. Students who fail a particular unit and as a result fail to achieve certification for the
course, may be given the opportunity to redo the whole unit the following academic year,
after the course is finished, as mentioned under the Assignment Resubmissions heading.
10.5. Students are to apply to repeat the unit by submitting FORM D during Registration Week
for Continuing / Progressing Students (usually held during the second week of August). It
is your responsibility to ask the Administration for a copy of this form at the end
of the academic year.
10.5.1. Failure to do so will automatically mean the student is forfeiting his/her
chance to repeat the said unit.
10.6. Should the unit be that pertaining to the work placement, the placement would have to be
repeated at the best available opportunity.
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10.6.1. Although MCAST does its utmost, this depends on the availability of placement
providers.
11.
Work Placements
11.1. Although the BTEC specifications clearly indicate the minimum amount of hours a student
needs as work experience, it is MCAST and the Institute of Community Services that will
determine the final amount of hours needed, based on the experience and bilateral
discussions they have with partner organisations and representatives of professional
bodies in the said industry.
11.2. Students will be asked to attend for a Briefing / Feedback Session before and / or during a
work placement. Attendance for such sessions is a MUST. It is at the discretion of the
lecturer to repeat or otherwise information given during these sessions.
11.2.1. Unless students have a very plausible reason for not attending, those who fail to
attend for such sessions should ask their colleagues for a summary of matters
discussed.
11.3. During the Briefing Session, students will be asked to sign a placement agreement
relevant to the particular course and placement requirements and policies.
11.4. Students on work placement have to make sure that they are at their place of work during
the hours set by the Institute Administration:
11.4.1. If they are unable to attend, they should inform the place of work as well as the
Institute (by phone on tel. no.: 2398 7550) of the reason between 7.30 and 8.00
a.m.;
11.4.2. If they are not found at their place of work and have not given prior warning:
11.4.2.1. the first time this happens, they are to be given a written warning;
11.4.2.2. the second time round, students will have to redo the whole work
placement;
11.4.3. If the hours and/or signature of the supervisor are falsified, they will have to
defend their case with the Board of Discipline. Students may be suspended for the
remainder of the placement hours and may have to repeat the entire placement in
the year following termination of the course.
11.4.4. Unless students bring in the Attendance Sheets on the stipulated deadline, signed
by their work supervisors, students will not be considered to have attended their
work placement and the stipend as well as the percentage of attendance will be
affected accordingly. No changes to the attendance will be carried out by the
Administrative staff if such Attendance Sheets are submitted late. Once
deductions from the stipends office are made, they cannot be reversed.
11.4.5. For the work placement to be valid, students must make sure that they replace all
the hours if they are sick or are unable to attend for some reason or another.
11.4.6. Students who repeatedly fail to present themselves on placement, will be asked to
repeat their placement in the year following termination of the course.
11.5. Students are entitled to at least one visit during their work placement by the lecturer
responsible for the work placement. Where and when possible, students are not to be
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informed of such visits by lecturers. Students may also be visited by other MCAST officials
at the discretion of the Institute / College.
11.6. Following the assessment visit, surprise visits may still be possible and the above policies
will also apply.
11.7. Students must wear their institute uniform and other necessary clothing as may be
required by the nature of the work whilst on placement. Refer to General Institute Policies
and the Placement Agreement.
Important Points:
1. The above are in accordance with BTEC and College Rules. THESE POLICIES ARE
SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSTITUTE MANAGEMENT AND /
OR ANY CHANGES WHICH MAY BE ENFORCED BY BTEC.
2. ANY CHANGES WILL BE GIVEN IN WRITING.
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Institute of Community Services
Student’s Declaration
I, _____________________________ (name), ____________________________
(course), hereby declare that I have received a copy of the Rules and Regulations
governing my course and will abide by them throughout the Academic Year 2010 / 2011.
Student Signature: ____________________________
Date:
____________________________
Institute of Community Services
Student’s Declaration
I, _____________________________ (name), ____________________________
(course), hereby declare that I have received a copy of the Rules and Regulations
governing my course and will abide by them throughout the Academic Year 2010 / 2011.
Student Signature: ____________________________
Date:
____________________________
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