1] This portal is owned and managed by Focus and Achieve who are in charge of your registration, assessments, quality assurance, and applying for your certificate from the awarding body.
By booking or ordering any of our services you consent to our service level agreement and enter a legally binding contract. Upon enrolment, you will be referred to as a "Learning Partner". Being a learning partner requires you to take ownership and responsibility for your own learning. You will be expected to provide evidence of your identity before any certification takes place.
You agree that you are enrolling as a genuine student and will fully participate in course activities. You commit to working within our policies and procedures. You acknowledge that assessors and quality assurance staff use all evidence of your activities to triangulate decisions.
Etutor Alliance would like you to have an enjoyable smooth service. To achieve this, we need you to fully embrace your role and responsibilities as one of our educational partners.
Office Hours
Our office opening times are 9 am till 4 pm (Monday to Friday). We do not open during weekends and bank holidays. Our assessors also work in line with our office hours. Any appointments with tutors given outside these office times are at our discretion. We do not guarantee appointments outside our working hours.
You agree that where you cancel or do not turn up for scheduled events your assessor might not offer any appointments outside our working hours.
Communication Methods
All communication should be conducted via this portal or through the official communication methods highlighted on our portal. We do not use What’s Up or text messages as a communication tool for any part of our services.
Course Fees
Your course fees include registration, support, support, quality assurance and certification.
Our professional relationship
Our role is that of a training provider. You agree that we are not responsible for your job prospects, earnings, accommodation, employment, expenses, and personal needs.
Paying for the course does not guarantee that you will achieve your qualification. All qualifications are earned and only achieved when you meet all course requirements.
You clearly understand that our courses are not indefinite and have a clear duration and end date. You acknowledge that your course duration is published on the portal, learning agreement and your holistic assessment planning. Your course duration is also discussed during induction and reviews.
Where you receive an email from our 'noreply@etutor.org.uk' please do not reply as this mailbox is not monitored. Messages from our no-reply email, require you to login on to our platform in order to view and reply.
All our courses have specified dedicated days where most of the assessments and support takes place. You agree to ensure you submit the evidence which you wish to be assessed following the submitting your work guidance, timescales before your next feedback and feedback turn around. You agree not to expect formal feedback when you submit work late or outside agreed timescales.
Etutor Alliance will strive to create a conducive learning environment and provide support that will enable you to achieve your qualification and make the most of our services.
We commit to supporting you and strive to work in partnership with you and any other relevant people (subject to your consent).
When you sign up for any of our services you commit to being our learning and development partner. Your partnership role comes with its responsibilities as highlighted by our five standards below:
Standard 1
You strive to meet all course requirements and embrace our standardised procedures.
Standard 2
You actively participate in the planning and assessment processes of your course.
Standard 3
You fully embrace your primary role of being a candidate, regardless of your qualifications, position in society and job title. Our relationship with you is that of a candidate and provider.
Standard 4
You seek assistance and support whenever you require it.
Standard 5
You take ownership and responsibility of your own learning. You will be expected to be fully active with your own learning and utilise any learning opportunities available. You understand it is your responsibility to ensure all your evidence should be sufficient, current, authentic, appropriate, reliable and fully meet the assessment criteria. Your work should reflect the level descriptors of your qualification. Level 2's are assessed at the same level as GCSE/ Level 3 at A-Level standard. Level 4 at the same level as the first year of an undergraduate. Level 5 will be assessed at the same level as a second-year undergraduate.
Observations
It is your responsibility to facilitate work visits or observations (where required). You are aware that you need to complete and submit the online observation request form within the expected timescales when you require an observation. You accept that Etutor Alliance can not accept any responsibility for any missed opportunities if the correct policies and procedures are not adhered to.
Expert Witnesses
Where Expert witnesses will be used, it is your responsibility to ensure they declare their occupational competency by completing the necessary form. You are aware proof of competency might be needed including qualifications and an up-to-date CV. All evidence from expert witnesses should meet the principles of assessment.
Proof of Identity
You are responsible for providing proof of identity before any certification can take place. You are aware that registration will only take place when you have provided satisfactory proof of identity.
Course Duration
All our courses have an end date. You are expected to complete your course within the course duration allocated to your course. All course durations already have time allowances for sickness and unexpected situations. Normal everyday pressures such as work do not fall under our exceptional circumstances policies.
Currency of evidence
All your evidence has to be dated within a year. Any evidence older than a year might require reassessment before quality assurance.
2] As part of our Service Level Agreement (SLA) Etutor Alliance is also committed to providing you advice, guidance, fair assessment, timely feedback, pacing assessments, and addressing any queries within a reasonable time. You acknowledge more time might be needed in order to carry out any necessary investigations. There might be delays with your feedback where guidance is required from quality assurance. We aim to work with you in partnership to address your needs.
As a partner, you need to appreciate that we all have to adhere to regulations and quality assurance procedures. We have to provide a clear audit trail of information we provide, delivery, assessments, and how we meet all conditions we advertise. You agree that at times, we might recommend you to seek alternative sources of support if you struggle to meet the level of the course or where the delivery method is not suitable to your learning style.
Etutor Alliance will give you access to learning opportunities and support. You will, in turn, be expected to demonstrate how you have utilised these learning opportunities, shown development over a period of time, and meet all course requirements.
You, therefore, agree that you will aim and strive to meet all course entry requirements which includes demonstrating learning. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts. You will not be signed off if your evidence does not fully meet all course requirements. Assessors have the right to pause assessments and feedback where there are concerns about your participation in course activities. It is your responsibility to keep a record of all guided learning hours and be active on your course. Your course is not just about completing coursework. You have to actively participate in course activities to prevent any delays with your assessments or feedback.
3] You will be expected to fully engage in the planning, assessment process and work within your learning agreement. You are also expected to respect and work within our wider terms and conditions.
Where your assessor requests contact, please provide at least three dates and times when you are free. It is important you access this support as soon as possible. Where you are unsure and need help please contact your assessor. It is your responsibility to request tutorials and use all the support channels in place.
Volume of coursework
You should not complete any further work when you have been requested not to do so without support from your assessor. You should complete coursework planners (where it is compulsory for your course) and wait for feedback before completing any of your coursework. Where there is a limit on the volume of coursework you can submit per calendar month, please seek approval from your assessor prior to submitting any additional work. Submitting substantial work might result in delays in getting feedback.
Assessors will only assess the volume of coursework expected at any given time. All your work should be submitted regularly as you progress. You should not wait to submit your coursework at the end of your course. Doing so will come with a risk of significant delays with your assessments. You can also incur charges if your resubmission exceeds your course duration.
You acknowledge that waiting to submit substantial work at the end might have an impact on the quality of support and assessment and therefore should not be a basis of a complaint. You acknowledge that this approach might affect caseload management and risk the health and well-being of our staff. You accept we will not allow any conditions and circumstances which might affect the health, safety and welfare of our staff.
We operate both fair and healthy assessment policies and procedures. Our fair assessment is based on the principles of assessments that have to be reflected when decisions are made. This involves ensuring that your evidence is sufficient, current and authentic. Your assessments will need to be valid, reliable, fair and fully reflect how learning outcomes and the criteria have been met.
Etutor Alliance provides a reasonable course duration for you to work safely and demonstrate your competency. While we support learners to work fast track, this should not compromise the quality of evidence and place a burden on safe working procedures.
The assessment environment has to be conducive to ensure that the quality of assessment is not compromised by making harried decisions or assessing too much work within a short time. Our policies and procedures are framed in line with other initiatives, such as the safe management of learners.
Our healthy assessment policies are underpinned by the need to ensure that assessors work in a healthy environment. There are feedback timescales that have to be adhered to ensure that sufficient time allowance is given without putting any pressure on assessors. Etutor Alliance will not allow our assessors to work under unnecessary pressure, which has been caused by you not following guidelines or failure to submit evidence timely.
It is therefore not a good idea to leave everything at the last minute. There should be evidence of you engaging in course activities and submitting your coursework over a period of time.
4] Your course is not self-taught, you, therefore, need to ensure that you have fully participated in course activities. The primary course delivery is the online taught and support sessions. We also provide face to face support sessions whenever required or when there is an agreement already in place.
Where your course is more than 60 guided learning hours, you are required to complete and submit a weekly learning log if you prefer not to utilise the online support available. A discussion of your learning logs will take place at your next review.
Learning logs should not be used as a tick box exercise but as an opportunity to reflect on your learning and to make links between your practice and assessment criteria.
Tutorials from assessors are there to only supplement course delivery. You should actively utilise the guidance and support provided. This includes accessing the resources provided, your holistic assessment plan and 'the steps to achieve your qualification'. You agree that where your course has a guided learning requirement of 60 hours and above you will participate in at least four half-an-hour support sessions per calendar month. You can alternatively participate in at least two one-hour support session per calendar month.
You accept and agree that it is your responsibility to request and book your support sessions. You are required to write to your assessors and letting them know at least three dates and times when you are free. Your assessor will in turn attempt to match one of the days and times. You accept that when the assessor has notified you about their availability it is your resonsibility to respond promptly as there is no guarantee the situation will remain the same for a long time. You agree that assessors reserve the right to offer appointments to others when timeslots are not confirmed.
5] You are enrolling to earn your qualification. All your assessed evidence has to meet both internal and external quality assurance. We expect you to fulfil your partnership duties, which also include being professional, committed, inclusive, hard-working, respecting boundaries, and intellectual property.
You are not authorised to copy any part of our website. You are also not authorised to record any of the teaching and support sessions without consent. Doing so might result in disciplinary measures that might involve being withdrawn from the course or instigating legal procedures.
You understand the delivery, requirements, and assessment of the course.
The course is candidate-driven and requires you to take the lead, ownership, and responsibility. It is your responsibility to utilise the support available
6] You are aware that the course will be assessed by a portfolio of evidence which you need to prepare and submit. You will need to utilise the guidance provided, which involves using the portfolio index, feedback reports, and any applicable reviews to build your portfolio. Your assessor can assist you with building your portfolio only when you follow guidance regarding the presentation and quality of your evidence. Ensure that all your evidence has been signed and dated.
7] You agree that submitting your portfolio does not mean you have successfully achieved the qualification.
All assessment decisions are subject to quality assurance. You acknowledge that both the internal and external quality assurers have the power to sample and implement any actions they see fit. You accept it is your responsibility to address any actions directed at you.
You are aware and accept that, the external quality assurer can impose sanctions that can affect your registration and certification.
All evidence has to be authentic, current, sufficient, and reliable as highlighted earlier. You have to sign, date and submit all versions of your course work and feedback reports. All expected evidence highlighted on the portfolio index will also need to be dated and signed before being submitted as part of your portfolio of evidence.
8] All IT, access and account issues should be addressed to our Centre Support Team. References and letters confirming your candidate status can also only be issued by the admin subject to a formal request. Please only use our formal email (contact@etutor.org.uk) to contact our admin and Centre Support Team. It can take up to 72 working hours before a response.
It is your responsibility to inform your assessor through our portal regarding any circumstances that might affect your learning as soon as possible. Where there will be a substantial absence please also inform the Centre Support Team (contact@etutor.org.uk). This will be taken into account when you apply for extensions. We might not be able to accept retrospective explanations without demonstrating extenuating circumstances.
9] We have put in place appeals and grievances procedures for you to utilise whenever required. Our aim is to support you and to address any concerns as they arise. It is your responsibility to access more information about these procedures from our portal.
It is your responsibility to access our appeals and complaints policies and procedures. We will not accept any complaints and appeals on your behalf by third parties (partners, employers, colleagues and parents etc)
We will not discuss your progress with any third party unless you have expressly provided consent for us to do so. Please remember, your manager is your manager, not ours. You should therefore not involve your manager in any dispute procedures at the first instinct. Where this happens, your manager or other third parties will be requested to follow the correct protocols. The involvement of others prematurely might jeopardise the outcome of any investigation. At times we come across other practitioners who are also teachers, assessors, advisors or quality assurers. We appreciate and accept their contribution as witnesses. They should however not interfere with the assessment decisions unless they have taken part in our standardisation activities.
10] Course extensions and changes to your enrolment are subject to application by completing the online extension request form and require admin approval. Assessors can not extend the course for you. This falls under the remit of our admin staff.
When you have not been active for more than eight weeks, your assessor might be withdrawn. You will be expected to apply for reinstatement should you wish to continue with your course. Applications are only processed at the end of the month. You might also be required to complete our extenuating circumstances form if this applies. Charges might apply to extend or to reinstate you. Assessors are not responsible for extension and administration queries.
11] Where we have given you a discount subject to completing within a given time frame, full course fees apply when you fail to do so without a reasonable explanation. This does not apply where you have been affected by extenuating circumstances. As a guide where you end up extending your course duration by more than 100%, full course fees apply. We can alternatively charge a discretionary course extension fee.
You agree that where we end up providing additional support that has not been agreed as part of your enrolment or during your initial assessment planning charges might apply. You are responsible for getting any necessary approval for any additional charges from any source funding your course (if applicable).
You also agree to pay us the full course fees where you would have been given a group discount when you cease being part of the group. Group discounts cease to apply when you stop being part of the group before your course complete.
All instalment payments are not automated and require using the same method used to pay for your deposit.
It is your responsibility to ensure monthly instalments remain paid. Where, someone else (sponsors, employers etc) makes the payments, it is your responsibility to ensure payments are made timely.
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your enrolment where you have not made payments. We are entitled not to assess or provide any substantial support where you have not kept your instalment payments.
Where you have completed, no quality assurance or claim for certificates will be made where you owe fees.
12] Where you attempt a charge-back or submit a refund request your account access will be restricted until the query is resolved. You should cease using any of our services as this will have an impact on our dispute resolutions. We always consider registration fees, time on the course, your access to our resources, financial loss, admin, support provided, and your conduct as part of our dispute resolutions.
13] You consent for us to collect, keep and process your information in line with GDPR regulations and our privacy policy published on our web site. Your name, date of birth, activities and certain demographics will be shared with awarding bodies to facilitate registration, certification and any other quality assurance activities. We will also share your details where we work with partners to assess or facilitate your learning. Our systems will record and track your activities on our website. You acknowledge that all telephone calls, chat sessions are recorded for training and quality assurance purposes.
14] You agree that you will acknowledge all sources you use and provide references. Etutor Alliance has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to plagiarism and collusion. This is simply cheating and fraud. You accept that it is your responsibility to acknowledge all sources and not pass any work belonging to others as yours.
You are aware that from time to time sampling of evidence to check for plagiarism will be conducted. Any evidence found to have a similarity content of 20% and above will trigger our plagiarism policy.
15] Where you are recognised as a consumer you have 14 days to cancel your enrolment from the date of your booking under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Your right to cancel expires when you actively take part in course activities. You can still cancel within the 14 days, but you must pay for the value of the service that has been provided to you up to the point you cancel. You do not have the right to cancel when the 14 days cooling-off period lapses. At this point, all requests for refunds will be subject to our discretionary rules where we will consider financial loss, access to resources, admin charges and any other expenses. Where we have delivered a service such as registration, assessing, quality assurance, tutorials and teaching sessions we are entitled to be paid for the service. All refund requests are subject to completing the “Refund Request Form” located on our portal.
16] You agree not to harass, harm, bully, threaten or distress our staff. This includes being offensive, rude, unreasonable and making unsubstantial claims. Such incidents will result in disciplinary procedures which might involve being reported to authorities, employer, professional body or litigation. This might also result in you being withdrawn from the course. Where libel action has been taken, Etutor Alliance has the right to use all available evidence to defend our reputation.
17] Etutor Alliance is not responsible for instances outside our control such as natural disasters, Acts of God, Lockdowns, unforeseen circumstances, sanctions and loss of centre recognition. We will however strive to work with you to find a suitable alternative solution.
18] You agree to work within our policies, procedures, legislation, and regulations.
19] We will comply and respond to any data requests within the legislative period. We will however not disclose any information that contains organisational secrets, confidential material, quality assurance decisions and where consent is required from others.
20] We will post your certificate/s first-class recorded to the address you provide. It is your responsibility to ensure you inform us of any change of address. Learning Partners are required to collect their portfolio of evidence within 60 days after external quality assurance has taken place. Unclaimed portfolios will be disposed of securely at the end of the 60 days.
In short Etutor Alliance guarantees that all learning partners who meet course requirements will be signed off and achieve their qualification. You have responsibilities under our SLA, which includes sticking to the terms of this agreement and our general terms and conditions (https://www.etutor.org.uk/terms). More information about our SLA is published on our portal.
