Policy for In-Person Course Cancellations

 

Palate Partners reserves the right to cancel scheduled courses/exams if a minimum number of students enrolled in that course  is not met. Palate Partners will give notice within a minimum of 10 days prior to the scheduled exam date for any course/exam cancellations. 

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Upon cancellation Palate Partners will issue refunds via the method of payment. If the method was through Showclix, the refund will be issued within 10 business days. Through card, it could take 5-7 business days depending on how fast your bank takes to receive it.

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Policy for Student Cancellations and Fees

 

Cancellations for students are generally not granted, except in cases where there is a need for special consideration. If requested, a credit for a future classes may be issued. Rescheduling fees may apply. Refunds are generally not granted, except under special circumstances. All refunds exceptions are at the discretion of the school.

 

List of Additional Charges and Fees

 

• Late Payment Fee:  $45

  • This is a fee applied if a student fails to pay and become registered for their course before the registration deadline. 

 

• Materials Shipping Fee: $20*

  • This is a fee for online students who are unable to come pickup their course materials from our school. *additional charges may apply for expedited shipping

 

• Certificate and Pin Shipping Fee: $25

  • This is a fee for students who are unable to come pickup their certificate and pin from our school.

 

• Exam Re-sit and Missed Exam Fees: Price Varies

  • There are substantial fees for retaking an exam if you either fail or don’t show up for your schedule exam.

    • Levels 1, 2, and 3 (for either theory or tasting portion): $125​​

    • Level 3 (for both theory and tasting): $175

  • If you retake the exam on a date of your choosing, and not with another class, there will be a fee of $25 applied for mailing the exam in.​

 

Reasonable Adjustment Policy

 

Both WSET and Palate Partners want to make WSET assessments accessible for all students, so none are at an advantage or disadvantage based on a disability or differing ability. This policy and the reasonable adjustment process allows Palate Partners to work with you, our student, before an assessment to gather the information we need to submit a request to WSET and work with them to make arrangements that give students access to WSET qualifications.

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A reasonable adjustment is any accommodation or arrangement that helps to reduce the effect of a known disability or difficulty that substantially disadvantages a student’s assessment. Using a reasonable adjustment does not impact how WSET grades your exam, or your result, but WSET cannot agree to reasonable adjustments where your particular difficulty directly affects performance necessary to complete the assessment outcomes (e.g. inability to smell or taste for a Level 3 Exam). The goal of a reasonable adjustment is to give you equal access to a WSET qualification, not to give unfair advantages over other students who take an assessment without the same adjustment, or to affect the overall reliability of the assessment outcomes that are explained in the course Specification.

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Examples of reasonable adjustment:

• Changing standard assessment arrangements, for example, allowing candidates extra time to complete the assessment activity;

• Adapting assessment materials, such as providing materials in large text format;

• Providing access facilitators during assessment, such as a sign language interpreter or reader;

• Re=organizing the assessment room, such as removal of visual stimuli for an autistic candidate.

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Palate Partners will gather the information we need from you to submit a Reasonable Adjustment Application form to WSET. WSET must approve and arrange reasonable adjustments before the assessment activity takes place. Before completing enrolment with Palate Partners, we will give all students access to this policy and the chance to identify any special needs that could require a reasonable adjustment. If a student identifies a special need, Palate Partners will give the student the Reasonable Adjustment Application form as soon as possible and work with the student to gather the necessary information.

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For any student seeking a reasonable adjustment, please contact Palate Partners at 412-391-8502 with:

• Your full name;

• contact information;

• description of the special need, disability, or differing ability that requires an adjustment; and

• supporting documentation

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You must submit this information at least 25 business days before the exam date for Levels 1-3 qualifications and at least 45 business days before the exam date for Level 4 Diploma. The information you submit will be shared with WSET and will be handled under WSET’s Privacy and Data Protection Policy.

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Palate Partners will keep records of all reasonable adjustment applications.

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Special Consideration Policy

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Special consideration is any adjustment given to a student who has temporarily experienced an illness or injury, or other event outside of their control at the time of the exam that significantly affects their ability to take the exam or their ability to show their knowledge and understanding in the assessment. Special consideration is only for things that happen immediately before or during an exam that have a material impact on your, the student’s, ability to take the exam or on your performance. To be eligible for special consideration, you must have completed the whole course and would have been fully prepared if not for the temporary illness, injury or other uncontrollable event. A special consideration may be for an individual (e.g. a student becomes ill the day of the exam) or a group of students (e.g. an exam is interrupted by a natural disaster).

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You may be eligible for special consideration if:

• Your performance on the exam is adversely affected by an event outside your control. This may include temporary illness, temporary injury, bereavement, or exam room conditions;

• Reasonable adjustments which were agreed in advance of the exam proved inappropriate or inadequate;

• The application of special consideration would not make a passing result and certificate misleading about the student’s ability to satisfy the qualification’s assessment criteria.

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Applying for special consideration

 

If you have taken an exam, or your exam is immediately approaching, and you feel that you have a temporary injury or illness, or other uncontrollable event that has interfered with your ability to complete your exam, please contact Palate Partners at 412-391-8502 as soon as possible. Palate Partners will provide you with a Special Consideration Application Form, which must be completed and returned with supporting documentation within 5 Business days after the effected exam. The information you submit will be shared with WSET and will be handled under WSET’s Privacy and Data Protection Policy.

 

If there has been serious disruption during an exam affecting a group of students, Palate Partners will submit a detailed report of the circumstances and candidates affected to WSET to request a special consideration.

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Palate Partners will keep records of all applications for special consideration.

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Special Accommodations

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Please use this Online Booking Form to submit info and any special accommodation needs.

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If you have hearing impairment, vision impairment, or any type of condition that may require special assistance, it will help us accommodate you.

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Malpractice and Maladministration Policy

 

Both Palate Partners and WSET have policies and procedures in place to protect WSET students and safeguard the integrity of WSET qualifications. Palate Partners ensures compliance with Palate Partners and WSET’s policies through this Malpractice and Maladministration Policy, which gives a framework for both us and you to identify, report and manage potential malpractice or maladministration. Non-compliance with Palate Partners or WSET Policies and Procedures can fall into two distinct, but related, categories:

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1. Maladministration, where the non-compliance is generally unintentional, or the result of mistakes, carelessness, inexperience or poor processes; and

2. Malpractice where the non-compliance is intentional or the result of a negligent or reckless action without consideration of the consequences of the action.

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Context is important and the line between maladministration or malpractice is not always clear: for example, maladministration incidents may become malpractice (e.g. if you fail to implement corrective measures, repeat the same or similar incident, or attempt to misrepresent or hide information during an investigation); or there may be mitigating factors that turn potential malpractice into maladministration. Though malpractice and maladministration are distinct concepts, they can shade into one another. Malpractice and maladministration are always case, context and fact specific. Both APPs and students can commit malpractice and maladministration.

 

There are many ways that malpractice or maladministration could occur, including new ways we have not seen yet. But some examples of malpractice or maladministration include:

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For APPs:

• Failure to adhere to WSET Policies and Procedures;

• Failure to follow WSET’s candidate registration and certification procedures;

• Revealing or sharing confidential exam materials with candidates ahead of an exam;

• Issue of incorrect exam results/failure to issue results to students in a timely manner;

• Fraudulent claim for certificates/fraudulent use of certificates/reproduction or forgery of certificates;

• Failure to timely respond to WSET;

• Any action likely to lead to an adverse effect.

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For Students

• Cheating, or facilitating cheating, including the use of unauthorized devices or materials;

• Unauthorized reading/amendment/copying/distribution of exam papers;

• Any action likely to lead to an adverse effect;

• Breach of confidentiality.

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In general, we also expect that both Palate Partners staff and our students should treat others and be treated professionally and respectfully at all times. We will treat inappropriate behavior including verbal or physical abuse, persistent or unrealistic demands, or threats that cause stress to staff as misconduct and may report student misconduct to WSET as necessary.

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Reporting and Investigation of Malpractice or Maladministration

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As an APP, we aim to ensure compliance with WSET Policies and Palate Partner's policies and will keep records of potential or actual malpractice or maladministration by you, our students, or our staff.

 

We are required to notify WSET immediately of any non-compliance issues that could be malpractice or maladministration, so that WSET can investigate the non-compliance under their own Malpractice and Maladministration Policy.

 

We ask that you also raise any concerns or non-compliance issues that may be malpractice or maladministration with Palate Partners as soon as possible by following the process outlined in our Complaints policy. 

 

During WSET’s investigation, they may reach out to Palate Partners or to you directly to request further information or conduct an interview. Please respond to any requests promptly and honestly.

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Managing Non-Compliance

 

If WSET identifies malpractice or maladministration, they will consider its impact and may apply sanctions. WSET will take all reasonable steps to ensure the sanctions do not disadvantage uninvolved students affected by malpractice or maladministration. However, in some cases, they may need to disallow or withhold results and/or certificates.

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WSET will consider all relevant information on a case-by-case basis, balancing the facts with potential or actual effects, and against the seriousness of the sanctions against those effects. WSET records all malpractice and maladministration incidents for both APPs and students. If WSET determines that a student has committed malpractice or maladministration, they may apply one or any of the following sanctions:

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• Written Warning

  • The student is issued with a written warning that if the offence is repeated within a set period of time then further specified sanctions will be applied.​

• Exam Result Declared Null and Void​

  • A student’s exam result is disallowed. This may include invalidation and recall of a certificate already issued.​

• Disqualification from a Qualification​

  • The student is disqualified from participating in the concerned qualification with immediate effect and further excluded from participating in any further WSET qualifications for a period of 12 months. This includes access to WSET materials.​

• Student Disqualification ​

  • The learner is disqualified from participating in any courses or assessments leading to WSET qualifications. This includes access to WSET materials.​

• Disqualification from use of WSET certified logos and postnominals ​

  • Actions bringing WSET into disrepute may result in the student or graduate being barred from use of WSET postnominals and WSET certified logos.​

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Appeals

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If you wish to appeal penalties or sanctions WSET has imposed due to Malpractice or Maladministration, please follow the procedures laid out in WSET’s Complaints Policy

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Conflicts of Interest Policy

 

As an APP we are required to identify to WSET and assist in managing or monitoring actual, potential, and perceived conflicts of interest involving both APP staff and students. This policy complements WSET's conflicts of interest policy and works to safe guard the integrity of WSET qualifications and promote confidence in WSET and Palate Partners School of Wine and Spirits processes and procedures.

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This policy applies to all Palate Partners staff and students and to any individual acting on behalf of Palate Partners.

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A Conflict of Interest exists where an individual has interests or loyalties that could adversely influence their judgement, objectivity, or loyalty to WSET or Palate Partners when conducting activities associated with WSET qualifications.

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Examples of Conflicts of Interest include: 

• The investigation of a non-compliance incident by someone who is unable to act impartially

• The undertaking of a WSET qualification by any individual employed by an APP

• The employment by an APP of individuals engaged in the delivery of taught programs or in the role of Internal Assessor in another APP

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Some of these Conflicts of Interest are manageable and therefore acceptable. For example, if a family member of one of Palate Partner's educators or APP staff takes a qualification and exam through Palate Partners, or when an employee of Palate Partners, or of the WSET, takes a WSET qualification through Palate Partners, we can notify WSET in advance and work with them to put in place measures to maintain the integrity of the exam.

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Some Conflicts of Interest are not manageable and are not acceptable. For example, no mitigation efforts overcome the conflict created when an individual when a single individual serves as the educator and exam officer of an exam for a family member where an external invigilator is not available.

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Any staff member or student of Palate Partners who becomes aware of a Conflict of Interest must inform Deb or the exam officer by calling 412-391-8502 as soon as possible. Deb or the exam officer will inform the WSET of the possible conflict of interest and will work with WSET to put any protective or mitigating measures in place to manage the conflict on a case-by-case basis. If WSET and Palate Partners determine the conflict is not manageable, Palate Partners will inform any impacted APP staff or students.

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Please note that the failure to declare a conflict of interest may have consequences for the student or Palate Partners because we are required to report conflicts to WSET.

 

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Equal Opportunities Policy

 

This APP fully supports the principles of Equal Opportunities. We strive to ensure that all

candidates for our qualifications are treated fairly and on an equal basis. 

 

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Data Protection Policy

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Palate Partners School of Wine & Spirits is committed to keeping our student's personal information safe by complying with all privacy and data protection laws. As part of the registration process for WSET® certification courses, students will provide their birthday, gender, full name, and contact information to our APP. This information will be shared with WSET®. This information will not be used in any other way, except to finalize registration for WSET® courses in which the student has enrolled.

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Complaints Policy

 

Complaints against any action or practice which threatens the integrity of our courses, should in the first instance be discussed with the APP main contact Debra Mortillaro via email: deb@dreadnoughtwines.com

 

The APP undertakes to investigate all complaints in a thorough and professional manner.  This includes, but is not limited to:

 

• Notifying the complainant that their complaint will be investigated by a named individual within a given timescale of 20 working days.

• Informing the complainant of the outcome of the investigation in writing.

• Informing the complainant of the appropriate escalation of the complaint if the initial outcome is still unsatisfactory.

 

Examples of complaints would be:

 

• Dis-satisfaction with teaching, facilities or administration of WSET courses.

• Allegations of discrimination or unfair treatment.

• Falsifying results, assisting candidates with answers.

• Allowing unauthorised material into the exam room e.g. phones, notes etc.

• Allowing candidates to copy from each other.

• Disruptive behaviors' e.g. talking during the exam.

 

If the complaints process has been completed and the complainant is still not satisfied with the outcome they may refer their complaint to Quality Assurance. Complainants should send details of their complaint, including steps already taken with the APP to address the issue, to qa@wsetglobal.com.

 

Contacts Emails:

 

deb@dreadnoughtwines.com

appadmin@wsetglobal.com

studentservicesteam@wsetglobal.com