Diversity and Equality

The Wine Tip is committed to upholding the principles of diversity and equality in all areas of its work, seeking to ensure that all students and other stakeholders are always treated fairly and equally.

The Wine Tip assures equality of opportunity for students by:

• Promoting open access to WSET qualifications (having regard to the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcohol and assessment competence standards) 

• Ensuring that the format and content of all specifications, examinations and other WSET Awards materials do not discriminate unlawfully against anyone on the grounds of disability, age, marriage and civil partnership, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation (having regard to the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcohol and assessment competence standards) 

• Allowing students with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to access WSET assessments without changing the demands of the assessment in line with our Reasonable Adjustment and Special Consideration policies 

• Ensuring that this policy is considered during the development of new qualifications and other WSET Awards projects 

• To have a diversity and equality policy in place which promotes open access to WSET qualifications 

• Collating and monitoring data on candidate age, gender, ethnicity and access arrangements, which are reportable in a non-attributable format 

• Inviting feedback on diversity issues from students and other stakeholders 

• Reviewing this policy regularly to ensure it continues to meet legislative and organisational requirements and is fit for purpose.
   

Note to Student

Students who believe they may have been unfairly discriminated against by The Wine Tip should raise this with the APP concerned in the first instance.
 

Special Consideration

Introduction

Special consideration is an action taken after an assessment to allow students who have been disadvantaged by temporary illness, injury, indisposition or adverse circumstances at the time of the assessment to demonstrate attainment.

Scope of policy

Special consideration will not give unfair advantage over students for whom special consideration is not being applied or alter the assessment demands of the qualification as detailed in the applicable Specification.

A student may be eligible for special consideration if: 

• Performance in an assessment is affected by circumstances beyond the control of the candidate. This may include recent personal illness, accident, bereavement or examination room conditions,
• Alternative assessment arrangements which were agreed in advance of the assessment proved inappropriate or inadequate,
• The application of special consideration would not mislead the user of the certificate as to the student’s attainment.

Please note that WSET Awards do not offer ‘Aegrotat’ awards and that all assessment requirements of WSET qualifications must be met. 

Applying for special consideration

The Wine Tip must submit a Special Consideration Application Form to WSET Awards within 7 working days of the assessment date for which special consideration is being sought.

It is required that students willing to apply for any special considerations do so within 5 working days of the assessment dates.

Eligibility will only be considered if accompanied by supporting independent documentation.

In cases of serious disruption during the examination, the Examinations Officer must submit a detailed report of the circumstances and students affected to WSET Awards. This must be returned with the completed examination papers.

The Wine Tip will keep records of all applications for special consideration

Complaints and appeals 

At The Wine Tip we aim to deliver consistently effective and efficient levels of service to our students. However, there may be occasions where the level of service falls short of expectation.

Every customer is important to us, and any complaint will be taken seriously, impartially and confidentially, with no prejudice held against the complainant.

A complainant may be a student or a prospective student.

We aim to assist students in resolving issues regarding bookings, courses, educators, booking, venue, feedback etc…

The complaint would have to be sent via email to info@thewinetip.com.au, and should include the following information.

• Name, address and contact information
• Full details of the complaint with any supportive documents
• Details of any previous attempts made to resolve the problem 

An acknowledgement of receipt of the complaint would be sent within 3 working days, and Paul Huet would treat it and provide a response within 10 working days.

Were the student not satisfied with the solution provided, it would be then possible (and only then) to refer the complaint to WSET’s Quality Assurance Team (qa@wsetglobal.com)

Conflict of interest

The Wine tip is required to identify, monitor and manage potential and perceived conflict of interest to safeguard the integrity of the quality of its education and WSET qualification. 

Definition of a conflict of interest 

A conflict of interest exists when a Wine Tip staff has interest and loyalties that could adversely influence their judgement, objectivity or loyalty to WSET awards when conducting activities associated with WSET qualifications, such as: 

• The undertaking of any assessment of candidates by an individual who has a personal interest in the result of the assessment for any or all individuals concerned. 

• The undertaking of a WSET qualification by any individual employed by The Wine Tip. 

• The invigilation of a WSET assessment by any individual involved in the delivery of training leading to the assessment. 

Some of these Conflicts of Interest can be managed and are therefore acceptable. For example, the marking of WSET Level 3 tasting assessments by Internal Assessors is verified by WSET Awards to mitigate the risk of a Conflict of Interest. 

Any individual involved in the delivery of WSET qualifications who becomes aware of a Conflict of Interest must inform the Head of Quality and Compliance (HOQC) in writing immediately. Conflict of Interest declarations will be recorded by WSET Awards on the Conflicts of Interest Register. 

Malpractice and Maladministration

The aim of this policy is to protect the interests of WSET students and safeguard the integrity of WSET qualifications by ensuring compliance with WSET Policies and Procedures. It provides a framework for the identification, reporting and management of any potential malpractice or maladministration and for the application of sanctions. 

Non-compliance with WSET Policies and Procedures generally falls into one of two categories: 

• Maladministration, where non-compliance is accidental rather than intentional
• Malpractice where non-compliance is intentional or the result of negligence. 

Malpractice or maladministration from The Wine Tip may include: 

• Failure to adhere to the terms of Centre Agreement or WSET Policies and Procedures
• Failure to carry out course or assessment delivery in accordance with WSET Awards requirements
• Failure to adhere to WSET Awards’ candidate registration and certification procedures
• Late student registrations
• Fraudulent claim for certificates/fraudulent use of certificates/reproduction or forgery of certificates
• Withholding of information from WSET Awards which is critical to maintaining the rigour of quality assurance
• Insecure storage of assessment materials
• Breach of confidentiality
• Failure to a disclose Conflict of Interest
• Issue of incorrect exam results/failure to issue results to students in a timely manner
• Unauthorized reading/amendment/copying/distribution of exam papers
• Failure to report changes in ownership/personnel/location/facilities
• Denial of access to information, documentation, workforce, facilities
• Failure to respond to WSET Awards in a timely manner
• Failure to return examination papers within the specified time frame or to follow delivery and tracking regulations
• Infringement of WSET copyright, trademarks, intellectual property rights and brand identity
• Use of unqualified and/or unregistered educators or internal assessors
• Misleading advertising/publicity 

The Wine Tip has quality management systems in order to ensure compliance with WSET Rules and Regulations, which are reviewed regularly. 

Students may lodge a complaint if The Wine Tip Maladministration/Malpractice leads to them being disadvantaged. 

Should student notice any malpractice or maladministration case, student should notify Paul Huet at paul@thewinetip.com.au as soon as possible. 

Student malpractice or maladministration may include: 

• Submission of false or inaccurate information to gain a qualification
• Cheating, including the use of unauthorised devices or materials
• Disruptive behaviour in an examination
• Plagiarism of any nature by students
• Impersonation (including forgery of signatures)
• Any action likely to lead to an adverse effect 

Potential sanction by WSET Awards may include: 

• Written warning
• Exam results declared null or void
• Disqualification from a Qualification
• Student Disqualification

Students have the possibility to appeal against any sanction given by WSET Awards by writing to WSET’s Quality Assurance Team (qa@wsetglobal.com).