Exam appeals policy

Vinealto exams are set and marked by Honest Glass Group Limited, trading as Vinealto, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 17202326, with its registered office at Unit A, 82 James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds, England, IP28 7DE.

Vinealto awards are not regulated qualifications.

What this covers

This policy covers the results of the online written exams and the tasting exam, and any decision we make about a sitting, including a decision on malpractice. For any other complaint, use our complaints procedure.

What you can appeal

You can appeal if you believe one of these affected your result:

• A procedural error. We did not follow our own exam rules, for example a fault on our side during the sitting.
• A marking error. The mark scheme was applied wrongly to your answers, or a mark was missed.
• An administrative error. A mistake in handling your result, for example marks added up or recorded wrongly.
• Your circumstances at the sitting. Something beyond your control affected your performance on the day, such as sudden illness, and you could not reasonably have put the sitting off.

What you cannot appeal

You cannot appeal against the academic judgement of our markers where the mark scheme was applied correctly. If you show that the marking itself was wrong, that is a marking error and you can appeal.

The basics

• It is free.
• One appeal per sitting.
• Appeal within 30 days of the date we sent you your result, or our decision.

How to appeal

Email elise@vinealto.com with "Exam appeal" in the subject, or use any feedback button on the website or in the app and tick "This is an examination appeal". Tell us:

• the email address on your account;
• which exam, and the date you sat it;
• which of the grounds above applies;
• what you believe is wrong, clearly and briefly, with any evidence.

We will confirm that we have received your appeal within 5 working days.

How we decide

We will decide your appeal within three months of receiving it, and we aim to do so within 30 days. There are two stages.

Stage 1: a review. Someone who did not mark your paper reviews the marking and the record of your sitting against the grounds you gave. We write to you with the outcome and our reasons.

Stage 2: the examination appeals board. If you are unhappy with the Stage 1 outcome, tell us why within 30 days of it. Your appeal then goes to the examination appeals board. The board is independent of Vinealto's teaching and commercial work. Its voting members have no part in the original marking or the Stage 1 review, and a majority of them are independent of the company. Michael Cross, our director, may attend to explain how the exam works, but he has no vote and takes no part in the decision. The board looks at your appeal afresh and writes to you with its decision and reasons, within three months of your request, and we aim for 30 days.

The board's decision is final within Vinealto. It does not affect your legal rights.

The possible outcomes

• Your result stands. We find no error, and the result does not change.
• Your paper is marked again. Someone who has not marked it before marks it afresh against the mark scheme. The new mark replaces the old one. It can go up, go down or stay the same.
• Your result is adjusted. Where a procedural or administrative error, or your circumstances at the sitting, affected your result, we put it right. For example, we correct a mark that was added up or recorded wrongly, or we offer you a fresh sitting free of charge.

If your result changes, we correct your award, your certificate and your entry on the public register (if you chose to appear on it). If the corrected result no longer earns an award, we withdraw that certificate and remove the register entry.

The tasting exam. A review of a tasting result is made on your marked tasting sheets, which we keep for this reason. The wines themselves cannot be tasted again.

Adjustments and special consideration

If a disability, a health condition or other circumstance would make a standard sitting unfair to you, ask us for an adjustment before you sit, such as extra time, rest breaks, larger text or a quieter room. Ask in writing through any feedback button or elise@vinealto.com, ideally at least 15 working days before the sitting. We will reply with our decision and reasons within 10 working days. An adjustment changes how you show what you know, never the standard you are marked to. If you were unwell or affected by events at a sitting, you can ask for special consideration within 5 working days after it; our usual remedy is a free resit. You can appeal an adjustment or special consideration decision under this policy, and someone who did not make the decision will hear it.

Malpractice

Malpractice means breaking the exam rules to gain an advantage, or helping someone else to. Examples are help from another person, using notes or websites in a closed book exam, or someone else sitting for you. Where there is evidence of malpractice, we may withhold or cancel a result. We will tell you what the evidence is and give you the chance to respond before we decide. You can appeal our decision under this policy.

The tasting exam: identity and age

• Photographic ID is required. Bring a current passport, photocard driving licence or national identity card. We check it against your booking; we look at it and never take a copy. If you cannot bring one of these because of a disability or other reason, ask us before the sitting about another way to prove who you are.
• You must be 18 or over to sit the tasting exam.

We cannot admit anyone who does not meet both of these. If you are turned away for either reason, we give you a credit of half the examination fee towards another sitting.