Entry to the assessment
The STP Final Year Assessment is compulsory. Trainees are expected to take their first sit of the final year assessment at the summer sitting of their final year of the programme.
- There is no option to defer the STP Final Year Assessment.
- If a trainee does not attend their scheduled assessment, this will be counted as a failed attempt.
- Trainees cannot change their assigned assessment dates and times.
- Trainees are assumed to be ‘fit to sit’ the assessment in the summer of their final year of the programme unless they have an extension to training agreed by the School for statutory absence or exceptional extenuating circumstances.
- Trainees who have exceptional extenuating circumstances for which they require an extension to their training programme may apply through the School’s Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances (EEC) Policy. If trainees are granted an extension to their training programme, this may result in trainees completing the final year assessment at a later sitting. Applications for EEC must be made in a timely manner to ensure an outcome is received prior to the trainees expected assessment sitting. Click this link to view training management panel dates. Trainees should not rely on applications for EEC being agreed and should prepare to sit the assessment as expected until agreed otherwise by the School.
- Trainees who are ‘out of sync’ with the usual timelines for the programme because they have an extension to training agreed by the School for statutory absence or exceptional extenuating circumstances, will have the timing of their final year assessment confirmed when their extension is agreed.
Reasonable adjustments
Trainees who have a condition or disability and feel they have additional needs, may request reasonable adjustments are made to their assessment to minimise barriers that might affect their performance and ensure a fair and equitable assessment. The School’s Reasonable Adjustments Policy sets out the process and full scope of reasons for requesting a reasonable adjustment. Applications for a reasonable adjustment must be made within the timelines outlined by the policy to be considered.
Resitting the assessment
Trainees will be provided with a total of 3 opportunities to sit the STP Final Year Assessment i.e. trainees will be provided with 1 ‘first sit’ and 2 ‘resit’ opportunities to complete the assessment.
- All opportunities to sit the assessment are completed in the same format including resits. Trainees will receive an outcome from each attempt of the assessment and must receive a pass outcome at one sitting to successfully complete the assessment. Trainees cannot ‘carry over’ achievement of any element of the assessment to subsequent sittings.
- Trainees who fail the assessment will automatically be entered to the next scheduled assessment event until they have exhausted their eligibility for the assessment.
- There is no option to defer STP Final Year Assessment resits.
- If a trainee does not attend their scheduled resit assessment, this will be counted as a failed attempt.
- Trainees cannot change their assigned resit assessment dates and times.
- Trainees are assumed to be ‘fit to sit’ the resit assessment unless they have an extension to training agreed by the School for statutory absence or exceptional extenuating circumstances.
- Trainees who have exceptional extenuating circumstances for which they require an extension to their training programme may apply through the School’s Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances (EEC) Policy. A fail outcome at the STP Final Year Assessment, is not considered an exceptional extenuating circumstance. If trainees are granted an extension to their training programme, this may result in trainees completing resit assessments at a later sitting. Applications for EEC must be made in a timely manner to ensure an outcome is received prior to the trainees expected assessment sitting. Trainees should not rely on applications for EEC being agreed and should prepare to sit the assessment as expected until agreed otherwise by the School.
- Trainees are only eligible for a resit opportunity where it will enable successful completion of the programme. Where a trainee has failed another element of the programme, they will not be eligible for a resit opportunity.
Mitigating circumstances
Trainees who experience unforeseen issues or disruption immediately before or during their STP Final Year Assessment, may request their circumstances are considered via the School’s Mitigating Circumstances Policy. The policy sets out the process for application and full scope of reasons for requesting mitigating circumstances. Application for mitigating circumstances must be made within the timelines outlined by the policy to be considered.
Application fully upheld – Where a trainee who has received a fail outcome in the assessment has their application for mitigating circumstances fully upheld, the assessment event will not count toward the trainees’ eligible opportunities to sit the STP Final Year Assessment.
Application partially upheld – Where a trainee who has received a fail outcome in the assessment has their application for mitigating circumstances partially upheld, the STP Final Year Assessment Ratification Board will make the final decision whether the assessment event will count toward the trainees’ eligible opportunities to sit the assessment.
Application not upheld – Where a trainee who has received a fail outcome in the assessment has their application for mitigating circumstances not upheld, the assessment event will count toward the trainee’s eligible opportunities to sit the STP Final Year Assessment.
Assessment quality and independence
The STP Final Year Assessment is subject to quality assurance processes to ensure fair and equitable assessment experience for trainees.
The School endeavours to appoint assessors who are independent of the trainees being assessed and to ensure trainees are not assessed by their current or past training officer(s).
Assessment outcomes
STP Final Year Assessment outcomes are confirmed at an Exam Board and ratified at a Ratification Board. Assessment outcomes agreed by the Ratification Board can only be overturned by a successful academic appeal.
Academic appeals
Trainees who can evidence their assessment was affected by either significant mitigating circumstances, procedural irregularities or prejudice/bias may appeal the decision of the Ratification Board, i.e. the outcome of their assessment. The School’s Academic Appeals Policy sets out the mechanism for appeal and the full scope of the reasons for appeal. Application for academic appeals must be made within the timelines outlined by the policy to be considered.
Appeal fully upheld – Where a trainee’s appeal against a failed assessment outcome using the School’s Academic Appeals Policy is fully upheld, the assessment event will not count toward the trainees’ eligible opportunities to sit the STP final assessment.
Appeal partially upheld – Where a trainee’s appeal against a failed assessment outcome using the School’s Academic Appeals Policy is partially upheld, the Academic Appeals Board will make the final decision whether the assessment event will count toward the trainees’ eligible opportunities to sit the STP final assessment.
Appeal not upheld – Where a trainee’s appeal against a failed assessment outcome using the School’s Academic Appeals Policy is not upheld, the assessment event will count toward the trainee’s eligible opportunities to sit the STP final assessment.
Misconduct in the assessment
Activity to gain advantage for themselves or disadvantage others including cheating or collusion in the STP Final Year Assessment will not be tolerated. Where a trainees’ behaviour and/or conduct in the assessment is in question, this will be managed according to the School’s Training and Assessment Misconduct Policy.
Appeals Policy
Where any person or organisation believes the outcome of a School process is unfair or inequitable, they may appeal via the School’s Appeals Policy. Appeals should be made in a timely manner, as outlined by the policy, to be considered.
Complaints Policy
Where there is dissatisfaction with the standard of services provided by the School, persons or organisations in receipt of those services may raise a complaint according to the School’s Complaints Policy. Complaints should be made in a timely manner, as outlined by the policy, to be considered.