Malpractice & Maladministration Policy
1. Purpose of the Policy

Quality Awards and Vocational Accreditation (QAVA) is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and quality assurance in the delivery, assessment, and certification of its qualifications. This Malpractice and Maladministration Policy sets out QAVA’s approach to preventing, identifying, investigating, and managing any form of malpractice or maladministration.

This policy applies to all QAVA-approved centres, learners, tutors, assessors, internal quality assurers, external quality assurers, and any third parties involved in the delivery or assessment of QAVA qualifications.

2. Definitions

Malpractice refers to any deliberate activity, neglect, default, or practice that compromises the integrity of assessment, certification, or the awarding process.

Maladministration refers to any unintentional failure to follow QAVA’s policies, procedures, or regulatory requirements that may impact the integrity or quality of qualifications.

3. Scope of the Policy

This policy covers, but is not limited to:

  • Qualification delivery and assessment
  • Internal and external quality assurance
  • Registration, certification, and record keeping
  • Learner conduct and assessment submissions
  • Centre administration and compliance

4. Examples of Malpractice
4.1 Learner Malpractice (including but not limited to):

  • Plagiarism or submitting work not wholly their own
  • Collusion with other learners
  • Use of unauthorised materials or assistance
  • Falsification of evidence or assessment records
  • Impersonation or allowing another person to complete work

4.2 Centre or Staff Malpractice:

  • Deliberate falsification of learner records or assessment outcomes
  • Improper assistance to learners during assessment
  • Breach of assessment or verification procedures
  • Fraudulent claims for certification
  • Obstruction of QAVA quality assurance activities

5. Examples of Maladministration

Maladministration may include:

  • Failure to maintain accurate learner records
  • Late or incorrect registration of learners
  • Inadequate internal quality assurance processes
  • Poor record keeping or data management
  • Failure to follow published QAVA policies and procedures

6. Reporting Malpractice or Maladministration

Any suspected malpractice or maladministration must be reported promptly to QAVA. Reports may be submitted by learners, centre staff, assessors, or any other relevant party.

All reports should include:

  • Details of the incident
  • Individuals involved
  • Supporting evidence (where available)

Reports should be submitted confidentially to:
📧 info@qava.org.uk

QAVA treats all reports seriously and handles them in a fair, transparent, and confidential manner.

7. Investigation Process

Upon receipt of an allegation, QAVA will:

  • Acknowledge the report
  • Conduct a preliminary review
  • Initiate a formal investigation where required
  • Request evidence and statements from relevant parties
  • Reach a decision based on objective evidence

Investigations will be conducted impartially and in accordance with principles of natural justice.

8. Sanctions and Actions

Where malpractice or maladministration is confirmed, QAVA may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Issue warnings or corrective action plans
  • Suspend or withdraw learner results
  • Delay or withhold certification
  • Suspend or withdraw centre approval
  • Report serious cases to relevant regulatory or legal authorities

The severity of sanctions will reflect the seriousness of the breach.

9. Appeals

Any party subject to a decision under this policy has the right to appeal in accordance with QAVA’s Appeals Policy. Appeals must be submitted in writing within the stated timeframe and will be reviewed independently.

10. Prevention and Continuous Improvement

QAVA works proactively with its approved centres to prevent malpractice and maladministration through:

  • Clear guidance and policies
  • Training and standardisation
  • Robust quality assurance processes
  • Ongoing monitoring and review

11. Policy Review

This policy is reviewed regularly to ensure continued compliance with regulatory expectations, sector best practice, and QAVA’s commitment to quality assurance.

Quality Awards and Vocational Accreditation (QAVA)

📞 +44 020 4615 2574
📧 info@qava.org.uk
🌐 https://qava.org.uk
📍 150 Ashburton Avenue, Ilford, London, United Kingdom, IG3 9EL