Student Appeals Procedure

View the Gower College Swansea Student Appeals Procedure in PDF format.

1. Rationale

1.1. The following appeals procedure has been formulated to ensure that learners in the College are treated fairly.

1.2. Learners have the right to appeal if they consider:

    • a complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved through the College Complaints Procedure;
    • a complaint of harassment has not been satisfactorily resolved through the College Anti-bullying Policy;
    • the College has not followed it’s Student Disciplinary or Student Attendance Procedures;
    • an assessment decision has not been resolved satisfactorily under the College Assessment Procedure;
    • they have been treated unfairly under the College Admissions Policy.

1.3. In the case of appeal against an assessment decision, the learner may appeal through the Awarding Body’s appeals procedure.

2. Procedure

2.1. The learner must lodge their appeal in writing to the Principal within 5 working days of the notification from the attendance, complaints, harassment or disciplinary panel.

2.2. In the case of Student Misconduct and Admissions issues only the learner must lodge their appeal in writing to the Head of Learner Services and Support within 5 working days of notification of their exclusion from the College.

2.3. The Appeals Panel will meet within 10 working term time days of the appeal being received by the College.

2.4. The Appeals Panel will consist of 3 people drawn from the College’s management team and/or the College Governing Body.  The members of the panel will not be connected with the case in any way.

2.5. The learner may present his/her case to the Appeals Panel and may bring witnesses to support his/her case and may be accompanied by a parent, guardian or friend.

2.6. Any new evidence to be brought by the learner must be submitted to the College 5 working days before the appeal is heard.

2.7. If you cannot attend the hearing because of circumstances beyond your control you should advise the College as soon as possible. The College will make all reasonable efforts to reschedule any hearing.  However, if you do not inform the College that you cannot attend the Appeals Panel will go ahead in your absence.

3. Right to be accompanied

3.1. You have the right to bring a friend, guardian or parent to the appeal. The choice of companion is a matter for you and you must notify the College of your choice prior to the appeal hearing.  If the College believes that your choice is unreasonable, the College will ask you to choose someone else. For example, if in the College’s opinion your companion:

    • may have a conflict of interest or prejudice the meeting;
    • is unavailable at the time of the meeting, if the original meeting date has already been re-arranged once due to the companion’s non availability.

3.2. At an appeal hearing, your companion may address the panel and respond on your behalf to any views expressed. However, the hearing is essentially a hearing between you and the College and any questions put directly to you should be answered by you and not your companion, unless you request your companion to reply on your behalf.

4. Outcome

4.1. The outcome of the appeal may be:

    • To confirm the decision of the attendance, admissions, complaints, harassment or disciplinary panel or to confirm the assessment decision.
    • To modify or overturn the decision of the attendance, admissions, complaints, harassment or disciplinary panel or to modify or overturn the assessment decision.

4.2. The judgment of the appeals panel is final and there is no further right of appeal.  This will be issued in writing to the learner within 3 working term time days of the hearing.

Anti-Bullying Policy

1.         Context

Gower College Swansea is committed to providing a supportive, friendly, safe and positive environment so that students can learn in a secure atmosphere and get the most out of their experience of college life. At Gower College Swansea bullying and harassment is considered Gross Misconduct.

Any incident of bullying or harassment will be regarded very seriously and may be grounds for disciplinary action as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct and Student Disciplinary Procedure.

2.         Scope

The policy applies to:

  • All students of Gower College Swansea
  • Students on work placement or educational trips
  • School pupils accessing college courses

3.         Body of Policy

3.1     Gower College Swansea wants all students to:

  • Feel valued and treat each other with respect
  • Be aware of the Anti-Bullying Policy and feel supported in the event of raising any concerns
  • To report any form of bullying with the understanding that they will be fully supported in doing so

 3.2     The College takes bullying very seriously and will put all measures in place in line with the Student Code of Conduct to put a stop to it.

3.3     All learners should know what the College policy is on bullying and what they should do if bullying occurs.

3.4     All staff should have an understanding of what bullying is and what the College’s Anti-Bullying Policy states.

Staff need to know how to deal promptly and effectively with incidents and allegations of bullying.

All staff, when applying this policy, must ensure that students are not discriminated against or disadvantaged as a result of their race, religion, gender or disability.

4.       Definition of Bullying

Bullying is when someone deliberately sets out to hurt another.

The student must decide whether to ask for help and whether to proceed with a formal complaint.  Examples of bullying behaviour include, but are not limited to:

  • Unwanted contact, assault or gestures
  • Derogatory remarks or malicious gossip
  • Insensitive jokes or pranks
  • Insulting or aggressive behaviour
  • Ignoring or excluding the individual
  • Public criticism
  • Intimidation by, for example, aggressive or threatening behaviour
  • Any other action or incident which the individual or group of individuals believes constitutes harassment or bullying
  • Offensive literature, pictures, graffiti, computer imagery
  • Offensive text or phone messaging
  • Cyber-bullying (offensive messages and images on the computer via e-mail or chat lines) including Facebook, MSN or Bebo
  • Criminal damage, taking or damaging a fellow student’s belongings

The actions listed above must be viewed in terms of the distress they cause the individual.  It is the perceptions of the recipient that determines whether any action or statement can be viewed as bullying.

5.         Definition of Cyber Bullying

Cyber bullying is the term used to define bullying behaviour that takes place via mobile phone or over the internet through e-mails, instant messaging and social networking websites.  Texts, messages or images are sent or posted on sites, which hurt, intimidate or embarrass another person.  Cyber bullying is not carried out face to face and people often don’t know the identity of the person targeting them.  (Definition taken from respectme.org.uk)

6.       Definition of Racial Harassment

Racial harassment is any intimidating or threatening act by a person of one racial or ethnic origin against a person of another because of their race or ethnic origin.

7.         Guidelines for Students

The College will offer support to anyone who is a victim of bullying.  Practical Actions you can take if you are a victim of bullying or harassment:

7.1     Talk about the problem with somebody that can support you (you can do this in confidence if you wish). A list of people you can talk to at College include:

Tycoch, Kingsway or Llwyn Y Bryn Belgrave Road
Personal Tutor Personal Tutor
Faculty Tutor Faculty Tutor
Student Welfare Officer Student Welfare Officer
Student Well-Being OfficerStudent Health Advisor Exchange CounsellorsStudent Health Advisor

If you do not feel comfortable talking to someone in College you can also contact external agencies e.g. Childline on 0800 11 11.

7.2     Keep a record of the bullying:

a.Keep a log of the bullying, with details dates and times of what has happened.

b.Make sure you keep a record of any offensive e-mails, text messages or internet chat room comments.  Block the person from social networking site.

c.If you have some examples of bullying on your mobile you could either ask your mobile phone operator to block their number – or change your own mobile number.  (Remember to keep the evidence)

7.3     Gower College Swansea can deal with the bullying through the Student Code of Conduct.  If you feel that you want to discuss a case in confidence, we will support you with this and look at ways of minimising the impact of the situation on you.

We will also be able to point you in the direction of external support and support available over the Internet.  This could be useful to you for times when you are on your own.

7.4     Once a member of staff has been alerted, they will inform the Faculty Tutor who will talk to you about the incident.  You will be listened to sympathetically and your concerns taken seriously.  A strategy to deal with the incident will be negotiated with you and enacted only with your consent.

7.5     If there is a case to answer, the next step may be the College’s Student Disciplinary Procedure.  An investigation may take place where the Faculty Tutor or other relevant member of the staff will interview you and the alleged bully/bullies separately.

7.6     In certain circumstance the College may feel it necessary to involve your parents but will inform you before doing so.

7.7     At all stages in the above procedure you may bring a friend or relative to support you.

7.8     The aim of the investigation is to gather all the facts pertinent to the case to inform a decision as to whether the allegations made constitute a breach of the Student Code of Conduct.

7.9     If the Student Code of Conduct has been breached, the alleged bully(ies) will be dealt with using the College’s disciplinary procedures.

7.10    If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, or with the way in which the complaint was handled, you may appeal using the College’s Appeals Procedure.

7.11    Complaints raised by students or a member of staff on behalf of a student will be reviewed seriously and investigated confidentially by the relevant Senior Manager.

8.         Guidelines for Staff

All complaints about bullying should be taken seriously and treated sensitively.  It is important to discuss possible/desirable strategies with the victim in the first instance and proceed as appropriate.

After a complaint about bullying has been dealt with by the College, the situation must be monitored to ensure that bullying does not recur and the investigation should include a recommendation as to the person who will be responsible for monitoring the situation and the relevant timescale.

As a result of the investigation some students may be disciplined using the practice set out in the College’s Student Disciplinary Procedure.

9.         Support on handling bullying and harassment at College

The College uses opportunities for promoting the anti-bullying policy and the College’s approach to handling bullying issues in a variety of ways, including:

  • Tutorial sessions
  • The Electronic Student Handbook
  • Student workshops
  • College events
  • Close links with outside agencies

Please ask out Student Services Team if you would like to use one of these sessions.

10. Related Documents

Fire Safety and Emergency Evacuation

For your safety, all members of staff are familiar with fire safety procedures.  In the event of an emergency follow their instructions.  To help you become familiar with emergency evacuation procedures a practice fire drill will be held early in September.  Other drills will be scheduled throughout the year, but remember every alarm must be treated as if a real danger of fire exists.

Fire Action notices are posted near fire alarm points throughout the premises.  Take the time to familiarise yourself with these instructions. 

It is particularly important that you follow all instructions from members of staff and designated fire marshalls during emergency situations, who will oversee emergency evacuations.  In emergency situations you must follow emergency instructions (especially if you are not under direct supervision at the time of the alarm):

If you discover a fire:

  • Raise the alarm by shouting ‘fire’ and breaking the glass on the nearest fire alarm point (located at intervals in corridors and near final exits);
  • Never attempt to extinguish a fire!
  • Leave the building immediately by the nearest safe exit.

Upon hearing the alarm:

  • Leave the building immediately by the nearest safe route and exit (do not run and try to remain calm)
  • Do not use the lifts
  • Do not stop to collect personal belongings
  • Go to the nearest assembly point
  • Report any fellow students who you think should be at the assembly point but have not arrived to the Assembly Point Co-ordinator or Fire Marshall (the person in the hi-viz vest);
  • Do not re-enter the building until you have received the ‘all-clear’ instruction from the Assembly Point Co-ordinator;
  • Do not leave the College site unless authorised to do so;
  • If you are unable to negotiate stairs, ‘safe areas’ have been identified with evacuation chairs and trained members of staff to assist;
  • Do not operate a vehicle while an evacuation is in progress.  Immediately stop your vehicle, leaving access for emergency vehicles. 

General Evacuation Arrangements

Individuals with temporary mobility difficulties, like crutches for a sprained ankle, should wait behind until the rush of people have gone so that can negotiate the stairs safely, i.e. reduce the risk of being pushed accidently by a crown of people descending the stairs in a hurry.

All individuals with known disabilities like wheel chair users, hearing or visual impairments must have the benefit of a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan.  Please contact student services or your faculty office if you feel the need for a personalised evacuation plan.