Student Information
This Section contains information on the following aspects of student life, click on the links to find out more:
INTERNAL MODERATION, VERIFICATION AND INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE (IQA)
The CPCAB operate a careful process of making sure there is consistency in assessing work across all CPCAB centres. This process ensures that learners are treated equally and fairly in their learning journey.
During each teaching year an internal moderator must sample and confirm the marking of assessments for this qualification. During each teaching year an internal verifier/internal quality assurer must also verify that The Way Forward centre’s programmes are properly in place and operating effectively.
All centres teaching the CPCAB certificate in counselling skills are required to have two mandatory annual external verification visits, usually one early into the academic year (between August and December) and a second later in the academic year (March-July).
During these visits the external verifier will review the centre’s system of internal assessment. To do this they examine the overall process of assessment, together with a sample of candidate learning records (CLRs), portfolios and associated tutor assessment, along with the moderation documents for those CLRs/portfolios. They will also meet with the counselling training team and a registered candidate group.
You may be asked to hand your work in for the external verifier to see. This will not a be a test of your work, it will be so the external verifier can check your tutor is assessing the work appropriately and the systems in place for internal moderation are also working accurately. These processes are in place to protect you and to make sure your centre is achieving the appropriate standards.
TUTORIALS AND PASTORAL SUPPORT
Throughout your learning experience you will be offered support with your studies. The following details the support readily on offer to you, and the opportunities to ask for further help you require it:
· Tutorials - Everyone in your group will be offered 2 scheduled tutorial appointments. The aim of these appointments is to give you the opportunity to ask any questions and to check you are collating your candidate learning record (CLR) in the recommended way. Attending these appointments will help you to know if you are on track to achieve the required standard for the internally assessed aspect of the course. Your tutor will give you guidance in respect of any changes you need to make.
· Tutor contact – If you are experiencing any difficulties with the course material and collating evidence in your CLR then please highlight this to your tutor. They will arrange a mutually convenient time to go through whatever you are finding challenging together. Your tutor is also on hand to discuss any emotional challenges you are experiencing which may be impacting your ability to focus on your course. If you need to talk, then please highlight this to your tutor and a suitable time will be put aside to help you talk through the difficulties you are experiencing, to enable you to regain focus on your studies. You could also telephone to speak to your tutor. They may not be available at the time you call but please leave a message and they will call you back as soon as possible. Your tutor will be unable to offer you counselling, but they will be able to help you to express how you are feeling and decide what you need to do to regain focus. They may be able to signpost you to other services that could help you.
GOOGLE CLASSROOM & STUDENT EMAIL
Google Classroom is an online platform which enables students to collate their portfolios and hand in work for marking. It also enables your tutor to track your progress, return feedback and support you with your learning process.
Course handouts, training videos, PowerPoints and other course resources will be uploaded to the classroom. This online platform becomes the hub of your learning activity and keeps everything in one place for ease of access through your learning process.
When you enroll on your course you will be allocated a student email through which you will gain access to the Google Classroom, this will also enable you to communicate with other members of your group. All students sign a Google Classroom and Student Email agreement to make sure these platforms remain a safe learning space for everyone.
During the COVID-19 pandemic all learning has taken place online using ZOOM, as we emerge from the pandemic the Way Forward Centre is keen to retain a flexible approach to learning which may require a return to virtual learning when face to face study is not considered safe. Therefore the Google Classroom and your student email provide an excellent learning and communication platform whether we need to return to virtual learning intermittently or we remain in a face to face learning environment.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES & YOUR CENTRE
When you enrolled for this course of study, you will have been asked to confirm if you have any disabilities or learning challenges which are likely to impact on your ability to study the course at The Way Forward Centre.
Every effort will be made to meet your needs by making appropriate reasonable adjustments where necessary.
From March 2021 the training facilities will be situated on the ground floor. Currently the training facility is on the 1st floor, with no access lift. If any member of the group is unable to access this first-floor training room then the September 2020 training will take place at the approved satellite facility which is fully accessible.
The Way Forward Centre has ground floor disabled bathroom facilities.
Accessible parking is available immediately outside the centre by arrangement.
Additional study assistance can be offered by your tutor if you require this support.
If you require large print study materials please make sure your tutor is informed.
Please make an appointment to meet with your tutor to discuss your specific access requirements.
The Way Forward Centre aims to work with you, to enable you to achieve your full potential.
REASONABLE ADJUSTMENT IN EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT
In order to make sure that the external assessment is fair to all candidates, CPCAB requires all registered centres to have an appropriate candidate support system in place and to make appropriate arrangements to meet individual needs for the external assessment.
Reasonable adjustments for the external assessment are designed to meet individual needs that reflect the kind of support the centre is already giving the candidate. Special consideration is designed for candidates who face unexpected or unplanned difficulties at the time of the external assessment.
CPCAB’s Equal Opportunities Policy can be download from the CPCAB website:
EQUALITY, DIFFERENCE & DIVERSITY
The Way Forward Centre is proud to embrace a culture of equality, and respect for individual difference and diversity. We expect our students and staff to reflect this philosophy and to communicate with respect and care for each other. Being a counsellor requires a deep acknowledgement of the experience, thoughts and feelings of your clients, as a student you will be expected to embrace a caring approach to those around you. Discrimination of any sort will not be tolerated
The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.
It replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single Act, making the law easier to understand and strengthening protection in some situations. It sets out the different ways in which it’s unlawful to treat someone. The following weblink provides access to the Equality Act 2010 guidance for your information.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance#overview
DATA PROTECTION
The Way Forward Centre has a legal obligation to adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office as Way Forward Counselling Services Ltd. and our registration number is ZA110224. The registered data controller is Kirsty Bilski.
PRIVACY NOTICE
This notice confirms that all personal data held by The Way Forward Centre will be:
1. Fairly and lawfully processed, for relevant purposes only;
2. Secure, accurate and up to date;
3. Not kept longer than necessary;
4. Processed in accordance with your individual rights.
As an approved CPCAB centre, we are responsible for gathering student data, some of which is shared with CPCAB. For the purposes of the data privacy laws, CPCAB and its centres are independent data controllers and have an equal obligation to be compliant with GDPR (2018). The CPCAB data protection policy can be downloaded from the following weblink: http://www.cpcab.co.uk/public_docs/data-protection-policy
The data we hold about you will include:
Enrolment information: to include name, date of birth, address and other relevant information about you. You will be asked to prove your identity at enrolment.
Learner contract and account/fee information
The method through which your fees are paid
Tracking your progress through your study process; goals, grades and any outstanding work
Information specific to any disabilities you may have or assistance you may require
As part of the established internal assessment and moderation process, along with the external exam assessment, your information may be viewed by:
Tutor and centre staff
Internal Moderator
External Verifier
Passed to CPCAB to register you as a candidate and to assess your progress through the course
Candidates are advised:
Skills session recordings will be shared outside of the centre with CPCAB and external verifiers, be aware of this when deciding whether to talk about sensitive information you would not wish to be shared with this wider audience.
Your work is designed to be used as assessment material and may be viewed by others, such as the individuals detailed above.
In a legal challenge it may be necessary to share sensitive data with a court of law, which has the power to over-rule GDPR.
How your information is kept safe:
All digital data is encrypted and entered onto password protected computer systems
Handwritten documents are kept in a locked filing cabinet behind a locked door
Data is securely transmitted to the CPCAB through their official portal
You can request to see the information we have about you and/or request a copy which is known as a subject access request (SAR).
Candidates can request data is deleted although this may not be possible, if the request is declined an explanation will be given. You can appeal against this decision – see the next section on complaints and appeals.
A secure register of candidates (name only) who have attended the centre, the date they attended and the grades they achieved is retained by the centre as a historical record. All other candidate information will be destroyed/deleted 3 years after you have completed your award and/or are no longer attending the centre.
Incidence of data breach will be processed in accordance with GDPR(2018), this will be treated extremely seriously. The response will be managed swiftly and sensitively in accordance with the law.
Making a Data Processing Complaint
If you are unhappy about how we manage your data you are entitled to make a complaint. You can make a complaint if you feel your data is inaccurate, inappropriate or insecure. Please follow the complaint process detailed in the next section.
If your complaint relates more specifically to CPCAB then please refer to their data protection policy which can be located on the following weblink: http://www.cpcab.co.uk/public_docs/data-protection-policy
If you would prefer to speak independently to the information commissioner’s office for advice relating to data protection, and/or making a complaint, you may find the following website helpful https://ico.org.uk/
COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS
The Way Forward Centre hopes your learning journey will be an enjoyable one however, if you are unsatisfied with any aspect of your learning experience you are entitled to complain. If you would like to make a complaint please follow the process detailed below:
1. If possible you should try to resolve your complaint informally by discussing it with the person concerned or with your tutor. Kirsty Bilski is always happy to put time aside to discuss any difficulties or challenges you are experiencing and will do her best to resolve things with you, and for you.
2. If you are not satisfied with the outcome from stage 1, or if stage 1 is not appropriate for your circumstances, you should put your complaint in writing to Kirsty Bilski. Upon receipt, your complaint will be forwarded to an independent counselling professional who will investigate and a written response will be sent to yourself and the centre within 28 working days. The independent professional will detail the outcome and identify any specific recommendations for the centre to consider.
Making an Appeal
3. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of stage 2 and want to appeal the decision you should lodge your appeal in writing with supporting evidence to substantiate your reason for appeal within 14 working days of the outcome of stage 2. The complaint process and procedure will be reviewed by a panel made up of people not involved with the complaint including an additional independent professional. A final written response will be given within 28 working days. This decision is final.
If you contact CPCAB directly about centre-related concerns, without following the process above, you will normally be referred back to the centre so you can follow our published complaints process. However, if your complaint progresses through all 3 stages without a satisfactory resolution, you can ask for the centre’s handling of this complaint to be reviewed by the CPCAB. The CPCAB complaints process can be downloaded from the following weblink: http://www.cpcab.co.uk/public_docs/complaints_policy
The CPCAB complaints process details how you can make a complaint against the CPCAB or against the centre. This may be for a review of how your complaint has been handled, whether the centre has followed CPCAB guidelines or where there has been any malpractice or serious maladministration relating to the CPCAB qualifications.
POLICY ON MALPRACTICE & MALADMINISTRATION
Any complaints regarding malpractice and maladministration will be managed in line with the CPCAB policy on malpractice and maladministration which can be downloaded from the CPCAB website:
http://www.cpcab.co.uk/public_docs/malpractice_maladministration