Admissions Policy

1. Introduction and Scope

1.1 At Inchbald, we aim to provide potential students with afair, informative and detailed introduction to the admissions process enabling students from wide and diverse backgrounds to make fully informed choices about the educational opportunities on offer at The School.

1.2 The School's Academic Board is responsible for ensuring that the course information and any advice or guidance provided to prospective applicants is accessible, clear, current and accurate.

1.3 The School recognises the diversity amongst the student body enriches the learning process for all and understands that details of the courses on offer, the entry requirements, fee structures and general procedures of enrolment must be clear.

1.4 This document will explain the application process, selection and admissions criteria (including English language criteria), application timetable, appeals and entry conditions for non-UK residents.

1.5 Our Equality and Diversity Policy details our commitment. To enable us to be pro-active inregard to disabled applications we would request information concerning disability to be disclosed at the start of the application process.

1.6 It should be noted that we deliver validated under graduate and post graduate degrees which are developed and taught by Inchbald but validated by our academic partner.That academic partner being Wrexham Glyndwr University (WGU).

1.7 This policy will apply to all applicants to the Inchbald School of Design.

2. Definitions

"Inchbald School of Design"is the institution providing the teaching and may be referred to as 'Inchbald School of Design'or 'The School

"Applicant"is someone who is considering attending Inchbald School of Designfor any educational course

3. Selection Process and Procedures

The principles which under pin the selection process are:

3.1 Students will be considered individually on their merits taking into account previous academic qualifications, testimonials or references, personal statements and previous relevant creative/design experience. The School recognises it must also assess:

• the applicant's eligibility to live and study in the UK for the duration of the course
• the applicant's fee status, including their eligibility for Student Finance, bursaries, grants and other funding
• the applicant's English Language ability

3.2 Students will be advised in regard to the appropriate level of study suitable for them based primarily on previous academic or professional achievements but also informed by the likelihood to succeed and complete the course of study.

3.3 Academic qualifications are a first consideration and admission to a post-graduate course will normally require a cognate degree. However, there is scope to consider relevant professional experience of design or a related subject area as part of an applicant's qualification for such courses. It should be noted that The School delivers courses validated by our university partner and applications to such courses will need to mee their requirements.

3.4 A review of professional experience will normally require the submission of a portfolio and/or documentary evidence of achievements commensurate with the skills required to study design commensurate with course entry requirements. The School expects an applicant to provide a full and accurate body of information.

3.5 The School reserves the right to withdraw an offer of a place if fraud is discovered following the offer of a place or at any time during the applications process.

3.6 The School applies GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)ensuring that all data is held in accordance with that regulation. Data may and will be used by the School to assist in analysing recruitment patterns and supplying data submissions to funding agencies and UKVI.

3.7 The School will also use this data in the analysis of teaching, learning and assessment planning and for the development of courses and academic support.

4. Complaints

4.1 In regard to admissions a complaint is a specific concern an unsuccessful applicant may have in terms of a procedural irregularity, treatment or service provided by the School or a member of the admissions team during the admissions process. Inchbaldwill deal with complaints on a confidential basisbut may need to disclose details of a complaint to other persons or organisations in order to investigate the complaint and seek an effective resolution.

4.2 Complaints must be made by the applicant, if made by a parent, teacher or relevant colleague it must be accompanied by written permission from the applicant to discuss the complaint on their behalf. Inchbald will not respond to anonymous complaint.

4.3 A complaint will not result in the reversal or amendment of an admissions decision.

5. Appeals

5.1 An appeal is a request for a formal review of an admissions decision or the terms of an offer. It is a request that the School check that its decision was made fairly on the basis of the evidence submitted.

5.2 The following are not grounds for an appeal and will normally be rejected by the School.

• appeals against the academic judgement of the School
• appeals where the application wasreceived after the published deadline
• retro spective reporting of extenuating circumstances that might have been reasonably made known at the time of application
• failure by the applicant to attain the entry qualifications specified as a condition of the offer

5.3 Procedures are detailed at the end of this document.

6. Public Information (Pre-Admission)

6.1 The School will ensure that information provided via telephone, written documentation and website will be clear, consistent and accurate to enable a potential applicant to make an informed choice.

6.2 The information provided will reflect the need for accuracy, fairness and relevance in order to provide helpful information in a timely fashion.

6.3 Changes to information regarding admissions will be communicated to applicants as soon as possible.

7. Implementation and Monitoring

7.1 The implementation of this policy is managed via school and faculty plans which will take account any outcomes

7.2 The Audit Committee will report on the operation of the School's Admission Policy to the Management committee to ensure its processes are working as intended and are in the best interests of students and the institution

7.3 The Audit Committee will annually review the accuracy of the admissions material and all documentation published for the purpose of recruitment

7.4 Complaints and appeals will be reported to the Audit Committeeby the Admissions Manager as they arise. Any amendments to procedure suggested as a result of this report will be discussed at the management committee for implementation and/or enforcement.

7.5 A report will be produced detailingany significant changes in policy and procedures that are required following the appeals/complaints received. The Board of Directors will consider and sign off on these changes prior to implementation.

8. Responsible Parties

8.1 The Academic Board will be responsible for the content of the Admissions policy in terms academic entry requirements, course descriptors and structure.

8.2 The Audit committee will be responsible for ensuring that all published material is accurate and applies across the school.

8.3 The Management committee will be responsible for reviewing this Policy annually

8.4 The Board of Directors will need to approve any changes to this policy before coming intoforce

9. Reference Points

Internal

• Student Protection Plan
• Terms and Conditions
• Equality and Diversity Policy

External

• Wrexham Glyndwr University Admissions

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

10. Procedures - Complaints and Appeals

10.1 The School operates a three-stage process for complaints concerning the admissions process.

Stage 1 -Feedback

You may express concerns about any aspect of the admissions process inwriting to Admissionsat Inchbald School of Design, 7 Eaton Gate, London SW1W 9PB or email [email protected]. Admissions will respond to the issue within ten (10) working days, having sought input from academic and management staff as necessary.

Stage 2 -Formal complaint/appeal

If you are not satisfied with the feedback provided by the School at stage 1, you can submit a formal complaint or appeal using the forms provided on this website and available as appendices to this procedure. All applicant complaints and appeals should be submitted to [email protected]

The Inchbald will acknowledge your complaint/appeal within three working days and will formally respond within twenty working days. If for any reason this timescale cannot be met,we will inform you in writing and will keep you updated on the progress being made towards addressing your complaint/appeal.

Stage 3 -Review

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of stage 2, you may request a stage 3 review of your complaint/appeal. A stage 3 review will only be considered on the following grounds:

a) that there was a procedural irregularity which rendered the process leading to the decision taken in respect of your complaint or appeal unfair,

b) that material which you could not reasonably have been expected to produce at the time of the decision taken in respect of your complaint or appeal calls into question the appropriateness of that decision,

c) that the decision taken in respect of your appeal or complaint was manifestly unreasonable (you must detail any error in the decision makers reasoning in the light ofthe relevant facts considered to reachthe decision)

A stage 3 review must be made within ten (10) working days of the stage 2 decision being communicated to you and should be submitted in writing to the Admissions Manager. You must explain how your request for a stage 3 review falls within one or more of the grounds set out aboveand you should state your case clearly and succinctly, with supporting evidence as appropriate.

The Chair of the Audit Committee will appoint a suitably qualified member of senior staff with no previous involvement in the case to assess the basis for the review and the evidence provided by you.

Inchbald will formally respond with the outcome of the stage 3 review within twenty (20) working days of you submitting the request. If for any reason this timescale cannot be met, we will inform you in writing and will keep you updated on the progress being made towards addressing your complaint/appeal. The outcome will be provided to you in writing, with reasons for the decision taken.

There can be no further internal review or appeal of the decision taken under stage 3 of this procedure.