Grade Appeals

A learner who may wish to query an assessment result has the opportunity to do so in an informal or formal way. FPTS has a system in place for rechecks and appeals

Making a grade appeal.

A learner can use the FPTS appeal procedure if they wish to change an assessment decision.  The QQI Assessments and Standards 2013 document defines an appeal as “a request to a higher authority for the alteration of the decision or judgement of a lower one”. It further states than an appeal is “a request for a review of a decision of an academic body charged with decisions on student progression, assessment and awards”.

Only approved results can be formally appealed by the learner. The term “approved” here, means a transcript of results issued by QQI to the learner.

A grade appeal may involve a re-check or a review.

Re-check of results

  • Learners may request a re-check of their assessment result if they feel that a computational error or omission has occurred. This request should be made in writing to the FPTS administrator by email to info@firstpolymer.com  or in hardcopy to the office address given on the website. A request for re-check must be made within 14 working days of the assessment result being advised to the learner.  There is no fee for a recheck.

Reviews

  • A review is re-consideration of the assessment decision, either by the original assessor or by other competent person(s). Learners are required to state the grounds for the requested review. The grounds for review will normally be that the learner suspects that the assessment was erroneous in some respect. The student should request the review in writing to the Network Management Team within two weeks of the result notification, providing a justification for their request. The Academic Council will conduct the review and the Network Manager will revert to the learner and to the Tutor in writing with the outcome of the review. There is no fee for a review.

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FPTS will inform the learners of their approved result after each assessment period. Learners must inform FPTS of their intention to appeal within 14 days of receiving their approved result.

FPTS’s appeal procedure involves a review of learner evidence and results and the assessment process if necessary. No individual involved in any stage of the original decision is involved in adjudicating the appeal. The only evidence that will be re-evaluated will be that which has already been presented for assessment. No new evidence may be submitted by the learner. The learner will be informed of the outcome of the Appeals Process within an agreed timescale.

Following the completion of the FPTS’s Appeal Process, the results for the learner(s) concerned will be forwarded to QQI as the final result and these final results are the basis on which QQI will issue certificates.

Appeal forms are available through the FPTS office or from the FPTS website.

Note: QQI operates a National Appeals Process and only accepts appeals from FPTS (and not the learner) provided that the appeal on behalf of a learner has gone through ‘due process’ within the FPTS’s Appeals Process and all opportunities to appeal within this process have been exhausted.

There is no fee for an appeal.

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Steps to making an Appeal.

  1. Initialisation. Most appeals can be resolved by bringing them to the attention of the tutor/assessor. In the first instance, you should write to or arrange to speak with this person about your appeal or bring it to the attention of a Training Team member. All appeals received by the Training Team will be treated in strict confidence and in compliance with GDPR legislation. If the matter cannot be resolved by discussion, the Training Team will provide an Appeals pro-forma (alternatively this can be downloaded from the FPTS website).

  2. Formal appeal. The completed Appeals pro-forma must be completed and sent to the FTPS Training Team. The learner will receive a written acknowledgement within 10 working days of receipt.

  3. Appeal Resolution. The FPTS Training Team will investigate the appeal information provided by the learner. There may be some dialog with the learner to make ensure all salient facts are accurately captured. The Training Team will come to a decision to uphold the appeal (i.e. find in favour of the learner), or reject the appeal (i.e. leave the result unchanged).

  1. Response by learner. If the outcome is acceptable to the learner, the Training Team will provide the learner with a written record of the agreed solution. If no acceptable solution has been found, the learner has the right to appeal the decision of the Training Team.

  2. Appeal. If the learner does not agree with the outcome of the appeal resolution process, they have the right to appeal. The learner should advise the FPTS Training Team of their decision to appeal. The Training Team will prepare a report for consideration by the Academic Council. The Council will consider all the evidence provided. The learner has the right to make direct representations to the Council. The decision of the Council will be final and will be advised to the learner in writing through the Training Team.

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