Assessment and Feedback Policy

Equra College London
Version: 1.0
Approved by: Governing Body / Academic Board (as applicable)
Effective from: 20/01/2026
Review date: 15/01/2026 (annual review)
Owner: Quality Lead / Head of Academic Services

1. Purpose

Equra College London (“Equra”) is committed to fair, inclusive, and transparent assessment and high-quality feedback that supports student learning and progression. This policy sets out the principles and minimum standards for assessment design, submission, marking, moderation, feedback, and the return of results.

This policy aims to:

• Ensure assessment is valid, fair, reliable, and aligned to learning outcomes;
• Provide timely, constructive feedback that improves learning;
• Maintain consistent standards across programmes and levels;
• Protect academic integrity and ensure transparency for students.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All Higher Education (HE) pathways delivered by Equra;
• All diplomas and short courses where assessment contributes to progression/certification;
• All CPD programmes where assessment contributes to certification or completion requirements;

and to all assessment types including written assignments, exams, presentations, projects, case studies, portfolios, online assessments, and reflective work.

3. Principles

Equra’s assessment and feedback practices will be guided by the following principles:

• Alignment: Assessments must map directly to module/course learning outcomes and programme aims.
• Fairness and inclusion: Assessment design must be accessible and allow reasonable adjustments.
• Validity and reliability: Assessment must measure what it claims to measure, using clear criteria.
• Transparency: Students must receive clear instructions, marking criteria, and submission requirements.
• Consistency: Standards are maintained through moderation and staff calibration.
• Academic integrity: Assessment conditions and rules support honest and authentic work.
• Timeliness: Feedback must be returned within published timescales, enabling students to act on it.

4. Assessment design and information provided to students

For each module/course, Equra will publish an assessment brief that includes:

• Assessment title and format (e.g., report, presentation, exam);
• Weighting (where applicable);
• Learning outcomes assessed;
• Marking criteria / rubric;
• Submission format (file type, word count limits, referencing style);
• Deadline date and time;
• Rules on collaboration and group work (where relevant);
• Rules on use of AI tools and any required declarations;
• Late submission rules and penalties (where applicable);
• How and when results/feedback will be returned.

Assessment briefs must be issued in a timely manner so students can plan and prepare.

5. Assessment fairness, inclusion and reasonable adjustments

Equra will ensure assessment is accessible for all students, including those with disability or health needs. Reasonable adjustments may include:

• Alternative assessment formats where appropriate;
• Extra time (for timed assessments) where appropriate;
• Flexible submission arrangements where justified;
• Assistive technology and accessible document formats;
• Adjusted assessment conditions (e.g., breaks).

Adjustments will be implemented in line with Equra’s equality and accessibility approach and, where applicable, individual support plans.

6. Submission, extensions and late work

6.1 Submission
Students must submit assessments by the published deadline using the specified method (e.g., VLE/email/portal as applicable). Students are responsible for ensuring successful upload and should retain submission receipts/screenshots.

6.2 Extensions
Where permitted, students may request an extension before the deadline, normally through the mitigating circumstances/extension route. Equra will confirm decisions in writing.

6.3 Late submission
Where late penalties apply, these will be stated clearly in the assessment brief and aligned to programme regulations. Equra will ensure late penalties are applied consistently.

Where late penalties do not apply (e.g., some CPD formats), requirements will be stated clearly.

7. Marking standards and academic judgment

Markers will assess work against the published criteria/rubric. Equra recognises that academic judgment forms part of marking; however, decisions must be:

• Evidence-based;
• Consistent with the marking criteria;
• Supported by appropriate feedback and/or internal moderation.

8. Feedback standards (minimum requirements)

Equra will provide feedback that is constructive, specific, and focused on improvement.

8.1 Minimum feedback content
Feedback should normally include:

• Strengths of the submission;
• Areas for improvement aligned to criteria;
• Clear guidance for development (what to do next time);
• Where appropriate, signposting to learning support resources.

8.2 Tone and professionalism
Feedback must be respectful, inclusive, and professional at all times.

8.3 Return times
Equra’s standard turnaround is:

• Within 15 working days for most coursework (or as published for each module/course),
  unless a different timeline is published in advance. Where delays occur, students will be notified promptly with a revised date and reason.

9. Moderation and quality assurance

Equra uses moderation to ensure consistent standards and fairness.

9.1 Internal moderation

• A sample of assessed work will be moderated for each assessment component.
• Sampling will include a range of performance levels (high/medium/low) and borderline cases where possible.
• Moderation checks may include: fairness, consistency, rubric application, and feedback quality.

9.2 Marker calibration
Equra will support consistency through:

• Briefing sessions for markers;
• Shared exemplars and standardisation discussions;
• Clear rubrics and model answers (where appropriate).

9.3 Adjustments following moderation
Where moderation identifies inconsistency or error, Equra may:

• Require remarking;
• Adjust marks in line with approved processes and programme regulations;
• Improve feedback where necessary.

Students will be informed where moderation results in a formal mark change.

10. External examining / independent review (where applicable)

Where programmes operate under external examination requirements (e.g., validated/franchised arrangements), Equra will comply with the awarding/validating body’s processes, including external examiner access to assessment materials and sampling.

Where Equra is not yet operating under an external examiner framework, Equra may use independent academic review as a quality check in proportionate ways and will develop external quality assurance as the institution grows.

11. Academic integrity and assessment security

Equra will:

• Provide clear instructions on permitted collaboration and AI use;
• Use appropriate measures to ensure assessment integrity;
• Investigate suspected academic misconduct under the Academic Misconduct Procedure.

Students must:

• Submit authentic work and keep evidence of their work process (drafts/notes/version history);
• Follow referencing rules and declarations.

12. Results release and communication

Equra will communicate:

• How and when marks will be released;
• Whether marks are provisional (e.g., pending moderation/board approval) where applicable;
• How to request clarification on feedback and marks.

Where relevant, formal results may be subject to approval by an internal board (and/or partner board under validation/franchise arrangements).

13. Appeals and complaints relating to assessment

Students may challenge assessment outcomes only through the correct route:

• Marks/grades appeals: Consolidated Student Appeals Procedure — Part C
• Service dissatisfaction (e.g., failure to return feedback, procedural issues): Student Complaints Procedure

Equra will explain the correct route if a student submits the matter under the wrong procedure.

14. Record keeping and data protection

Equra will retain assessment records (submissions, marks, moderation notes, feedback, decisions) securely in line with:

• A retention schedule; and
• Equra’s Privacy Notice and UK data protection principles.

15. Review and continuous improvement

Equra will monitor assessment outcomes and student feedback to improve practice. This policy will be reviewed at least annually, or sooner where required by regulatory/partner requirements.

Feedback Return Times (standard)

• Coursework feedback target: 15 working days (unless otherwise stated)
• Exam/Timed assessment feedback: as published for the assessment
• Where delays occur: students notified with revised date and reason