Academic Information and Standards Policy

1. Introduction

Jokings International Business College (“the College” or “JIBC”) is committed to maintaining a transparent, supportive, inclusive, and academically rigorous learning environment.

This Academic Information and Standards Policy ensures that students receive clear, accurate, accessible, and timely information about their programmes, courses, assessments, academic progress, and completion requirements.

The policy also establishes the responsibilities of the College, academic staff, administrative staff, and students in relation to academic communication, enrolment, assessment, progression, integrity, attendance, and student support.

2. Purpose

The purposes of this policy are to:

• Ensure academic information is accurate, consistent, and accessible.
• Help students make informed decisions about their studies.
• Clarify programme, assessment, progression, and completion requirements.
• Establish appropriate methods for communicating academic information.
• Promote fairness, transparency, and consistency in academic processes.
• Define the academic responsibilities of students and staff.
• Support student progress, achievement, and transition to further or higher education.
• Protect the integrity and standards of the College’s academic awards and programmes.

3. Scope

This policy applies to:

• Foundation programmes.
• Pre-Master’s programmes.
• A-level programmes.
• Diploma programmes.
• Online and blended-learning programmes.
• Other pre-university or pathway programmes offered by the College.
• All students registered on these programmes.
• Academic, administrative, and student-support staff.
• Visiting lecturers, external assessors, and relevant contractors.
• Partner institutions involved in programme delivery or assessment.

Where an awarding body or partner institution has additional academic requirements, those requirements will apply alongside this policy. Students will be informed where programme-specific or awarding-body rules take precedence.

4. Principles

The College will manage academic information in accordance with the following principles:

5. Academic Information Provided to Students

Before or upon enrolment, students will receive information appropriate to their programme. This will normally include:

6. Programme Handbooks and Course Syllabuses

Each programme will have an approved programme handbook or equivalent source of information.

Each course or module should have a syllabus containing:

• Course title and code.
• Lecturer or course coordinator details.
• Learning outcomes.
• Teaching schedule.
• Required and recommended materials.
• Assessment tasks and weighting.
• Assessment and submission dates.
• Marking or grading criteria.
• Attendance expectations.
• Academic-integrity requirements.
• Support and contact arrangements.

Students are responsible for reading the documents relevant to their studies and seeking clarification where information is unclear.

7. Approval and Accuracy of Academic Information

Academic information must be approved by the appropriate academic authority before publication.

Academic departments must take reasonable steps to ensure that information is:

• Accurate at the date of publication.
• Consistent across handbooks, websites, portals, and other documents.
• Updated when an approved change is made.
• Removed or corrected when no longer valid.

If the College identifies a significant error, it will correct the information promptly and notify affected students.

8. Changes to Programmes or Academic Information

The College may make reasonable changes to:

• Course content.
• Reading lists.
• Teaching staff.
• Timetables.
• Assessment dates.
• Delivery methods.
• Optional course availability.
• Learning platforms.
• Programme structures.

Changes may be necessary because of legal or regulatory requirements, awarding-body instructions, staffing, student numbers, resource availability, educational improvement, emergencies, or circumstances beyond the College’s control.

• Consult affected students where reasonably possible.
• Give appropriate notice.
• Explain the reason for the change.
• Consider reasonable measures to reduce adverse effects.
• Update the relevant academic information.

Where a change materially affects students, the College will:

Changes must be properly authorised and must not undermine approved academic standards or programme learning outcomes.

9. Course Registration and Changes

10. Communication of Academic Information

11. Student Responsibilities

Students are expected to:

• Read and understand relevant academic information.
• Complete registration accurately and on time.
• Attend and participate in scheduled learning activities.
• Meet assessment and administrative deadlines.
• Check official communication channels regularly.
• Maintain accurate contact details.
• Keep copies of submitted work and relevant correspondence.
• Seek clarification or support promptly.
• Monitor their own academic progress.
• Comply with academic-integrity and conduct requirements.
• Notify the College of circumstances affecting their studies.
• Make responsible use of College systems and learning resources.

12. Responsibilities of Academic Staff

Academic staff must:

• Provide accurate course and assessment information.
• Teach according to approved programme requirements.
• Communicate material changes promptly.
• Apply published academic criteria consistently.
• Set reasonable and clearly stated deadlines.
• Provide appropriate academic guidance.
• Return feedback within approved timescales.
• Maintain accurate attendance and assessment records.
• Protect the confidentiality of student information.
• Refer students to support services where appropriate.
• Declare and manage conflicts of interest.

13. Academic Integrity

Students must uphold high standards of honesty and integrity in all academic work.

Academic misconduct includes:

• Plagiarism.
• Cheating in an examination or assessment.
• Collusion or unauthorised collaboration.
• Contract cheating or submitting work produced by another person.
• Fabricating or falsifying information, research, or evidence.
• Impersonation.
• Unauthorised use of notes, devices, software, or artificial intelligence.
• Submitting the same work for more than one assessment without permission.
• Improperly assisting another student.
• Interfering with another person’s academic work.

The permitted use of artificial intelligence or other digital tools will be stated in the relevant assessment instructions. Where permission is unclear, students must consult the lecturer before using such tools.

• A warning.
• A requirement to repeat an assessment.
• A reduced or zero mark.
• Failure of a course.
• Suspension.
• Termination of enrolment.

Suspected misconduct will be considered under the College’s Academic Integrity or Student Disciplinary Procedure. A student will be informed of the allegation and given a reasonable opportunity to respond before a decision is made.

Possible consequences may include:

The outcome will depend on the seriousness, circumstances, and applicable procedure.

14. Assessment

15. Feedback and Return of Results

The College will provide feedback that is timely, constructive, and related to the applicable assessment criteria.

Feedback may:

• Explain the basis of the mark.
• Identify strengths.
• Identify areas for improvement.
• Recommend steps for further development.

Provisional marks remain subject to moderation, examination-board approval, or awarding-body confirmation where applicable.

The College will inform students of the normal timeframe for returning marked work and will communicate any significant delay.

16. Grading and Results

The College will publish the grading scale applicable to each programme, including:

• Grade or percentage bands.
• Minimum pass marks.
• Grade-point calculations, where applicable.
• Classification rules.
• Reassessment rules.
• Compensation or condonement rules, where applicable.
• Progression and completion thresholds.

Academic results will be released through authorised channels. Staff must not disclose a student’s results to another person without an appropriate legal basis or the student’s authorisation.

17. Reassessment and Resits

Where permitted, students who do not pass an assessment or course may be offered a reassessment or resit.

Students will be informed of:

• Eligibility requirements.
• The form of reassessment.
• Submission or examination dates.
• Applicable fees.
• Limits on attempts.
• Any cap applied to the reassessment mark.
• The effect on progression or completion.

Reassessment opportunities are subject to programme and awarding-body regulations.

18. Academic Appeals

A student may request a review of an academic decision through the College’s Academic Appeals Procedure.

Valid grounds may include:

• A material procedural irregularity.
• Relevant circumstances that could not reasonably have been disclosed earlier.
• Evidence of bias or a material conflict of interest.
• An administrative or calculation error.
• A decision that was not reasonably supported by the applicable regulations.

Disagreement with academic judgement alone is not normally a valid ground for appeal.

An appeal must be submitted in writing within the published deadline and must include relevant supporting evidence. A student will not be disadvantaged for submitting an appeal in good faith.

19. Attendance and Participation

Students are expected to attend punctually and participate actively in all required:

• Classes.
• Tutorials.
• Workshops.
• Laboratory sessions.
• Examinations.
• Meetings.
• Online learning activities.
• Other scheduled academic events.

Programme-specific attendance requirements will be communicated at the start of the programme.

Attendance may be monitored for academic, safeguarding, sponsorship, immigration, quality-assurance, and student-support purposes.

20. Reporting Absence

A student unable to attend must notify the relevant lecturer, department, or Attendance Office as soon as reasonably possible.

The notification should include:

• The student’s name and identification number.
• The affected course or activity.
• The dates of absence.
• The reason for absence.
• The expected return date.

Supporting evidence may be required for prolonged, repeated, or assessment-related absence.

Reporting an absence does not automatically excuse it or remove the requirement to complete missed work.

21. Unsatisfactory Attendance

Where attendance or participation falls below the required standard, the College may:

• Contact the student.
• Arrange an academic or welfare meeting.
• Issue a written warning.
• Require an attendance-improvement plan.
• Notify a parent, guardian, or sponsor where appropriate and lawful.
• Refer the student to support services.
• Apply an academic penalty where authorised by programme regulations.
• Place the student on academic probation.
• Report the matter to an appropriate authority where legally required.
• Withdraw the student from the programme in serious or persistent cases.

Before serious action is taken, the student will normally be informed of the concern and given an opportunity to explain any relevant circumstances.

22. Academic Advising

Students will have access to an academic adviser, programme coordinator, or designated member of staff who can assist with:

• Course selection.
• Academic planning.
• Understanding programme requirements.
• Progression decisions.
• Study strategies.
• Referrals to specialist support.
• Concerns affecting academic performance.

The availability and contact arrangements for advisers will be communicated to students.

23. Academic Support

Students experiencing academic difficulty are encouraged to seek assistance promptly.

Support may include:

• Individual tutorials.
• Study-skills workshops.
• Language support.
• Mathematics or subject support.
• Library and research guidance.
• Digital-learning assistance.
• Revision sessions.
• Mentoring.
• Academic action plans.

Access to support does not remove the student’s responsibility to meet academic requirements.

24. Well-Being and Pastoral Support

The College recognises that personal circumstances, health, and well-being can affect academic performance.

Students may be referred to or offered:

• Counselling.
• Welfare support.
• Safeguarding support.
• Mentoring.
• External specialist services.
• Reasonable short-term academic adjustments.

Students are encouraged to disclose relevant circumstances as early as possible so that appropriate support can be considered.

25. Disability and Inclusive Learning Support

The College is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment and making reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities or additional learning needs.

Students seeking support should contact the designated Student Support or Disability Services Officer and provide relevant information or documentation where reasonably required.

Possible adjustments may include:

• Accessible learning materials.
• Additional assessment time.
• Alternative formats.
• Assistive technology.
• Appropriate classroom arrangements.
• Adjusted teaching or assessment arrangements.

Adjustments must maintain the essential academic standards and learning outcomes of the programme.

26. Academic Progress Monitoring

The College will monitor student progress through:

• Attendance and participation.
• Assessment results.
• Lecturer reports.
• Academic-adviser meetings.
• Periodic progress reviews.
• Student engagement with learning systems.
• Completion of required courses or credits.

Students identified as being at academic risk may be invited or required to attend a progress meeting.

27. Academic Probation

A student may be placed on academic probation where they fail to meet minimum standards of performance, attendance, participation, or progression.

The student will normally receive written notice stating:

• The reason for probation.
• The standards that must be achieved.
• The support available.
• The review period.
• Any required meetings or actions.
• The possible consequences of insufficient improvement.

Probation is intended to provide a structured opportunity for improvement. Continued failure to meet the required conditions may result in non-progression or termination of enrolment, subject to the applicable procedure.

28. Progression

Progression decisions will be based on approved programme regulations and may consider:

• Courses or credits completed.
• Assessment results.
• Attendance.
• Completion of compulsory requirements.
• Academic-integrity outcomes.
• Reassessment results.
• Awarding-body or partner requirements.

Students will be informed in writing of progression decisions and any conditions attached to continued enrolment.

29. Programme Completion and Final Checks

Before confirming programme completion, the College will verify that the student has:

• Completed all required courses or credits.
• Passed all compulsory assessments.
• Met attendance and participation requirements.
• Completed any required reassessment.
• Satisfied programme-specific conditions.
• Resolved any relevant academic obligations.
• Met applicable awarding-body requirements.

The College may withhold formal completion documentation where permitted by law and applicable regulations if essential requirements remain outstanding.

30. Academic Records and Data Protection

The College will maintain accurate and secure records of:

• Registration and enrolment.
• Attendance.
• Assessments and grades.
• Academic progress.
• Appeals and academic decisions.
• Programme completion.
• Awards or certificates.

Personal and academic information will be processed in accordance with the College’s Data Protection and Privacy Policy and applicable law.

Students may request access to their academic records through the appropriate College procedure. Records relating to another person will not be disclosed without a lawful basis.

31. Complaints

A student dissatisfied with the quality or delivery of an academic service may submit a complaint under the College’s Complaints Policy and Procedure.

A complaint concerning service quality is different from an academic appeal challenging an academic decision. The College will direct the matter to the appropriate procedure.

32. Quality Assurance and Review

The College will monitor the quality and accuracy of academic information through measures such as:

• Programme approval and review.
• Course and assessment moderation.
• Student feedback.
• Staff review.
• Examination-board processes.
• External review or verification.
• Partner and awarding-body oversight.
• Analysis of progression, completion, appeals, and complaints.

This policy will be reviewed annually or earlier where required by changes in legislation, regulation, partnership arrangements, or academic practice.

33. Contact Information

Questions about academic information should be directed to: