A ‘complaint’ means an expression of concern or dissatisfaction with our customer service, administration or delivery of the Assessment.

A complaint may be made informally or formally. We have a five-step process to assist in the resolution of a complaint:

1. Informal resolution
2. Formal complaint
3. Investigating the complaint
4. Resolving the complaint
5. Request for review

If you are a candidate- To make a formal complaint, you must complete the Formal Complaint Form within 10 working days of the incident complained of, or 10 working days from the date of the informal resolution.

If you are a customer (employer or training provider) send an email to quality@sqe.sra.org.uk outlining the nature of the complaint and attaching all relevant documentation.

This must be submitted within 10 working days of the incident complained of, or 10 working days from the date of the informal resolution. Full details of the complaint should be included in the form/email.

Please see the complaints policy for more detail in relation to timeframes.

If you feel that something went wrong in the assessment which had a material and adverse impact on your marks and performance, you should raise a mitigating circumstances claim.

Alternatively, if your performance was unaffected but you remain dissatisfied with the service, administration, or delivery of the assessment, you should raise a complaint.

The outcomes and remedies for a complaint which is upheld are different from those applied to successful mitigating circumstances claims. The outcome of a formal complaint will not result in a discounted assessment attempt and will not result in a change of a pass mark or change of a candidate's marks.

Mitigating circumstances policy

Mitigating circumstances FAQs

There is no charge to make a complaint.

The investigation of your complaint will be put on hold until the outcome of the claim is known, in accordance with paragraph 2.3.5 of the complaint policy.

The complaint will be investigated by the Complaints and Claims Manager who has not had any previous involvement with you in the context of the complaint being made.

The Complaints and Claims Manager may call on relevant persons for further information or evidence as required.

Informal:
We will seek to resolve the complaint or concern within 10 working days of receiving the complaint.

Formal:
You will be informed of the outcome of the complaint within 10 working days of the decision under 2.5.2 and within 40 working days of receipt of the complaint. If this is not possible, we will keep you updated as to when our response will be provided and why we have been unable to respond within our usual timeframes.

The outcome of the complaint will be minuted and recorded in the Complaints Register which is subject to inspection by the SRA.

Your feedback will be used to drive improvements in our service.

The decision will either be to:

• uphold the complaint in full
• uphold the complaint in part
• reject the complaint

Please note: A complaint cannot be used to adjust the mark awarded to the candidate, discount the assessment attempt, challenge decisions relating to mitigating circumstances, or a decision of the Assessment Board or the Appeals Panels (First or Final).

You can submit a request for a complaint review regarding the outcome of a formal complaint outcome.

You must ask for a review within 10 working days of receiving the formal complaint outcome. To do this send an email with your request or query relating to your complaint to quality@sqe.sra.org.uk with “Request for Complaint Review” in the email subject line.

If a request for review is submitted after the 10 working day deadline, reasons for the late submission must be given, along with supporting independent written evidence where appropriate.

A review can only be requested on the following grounds:

• the decision under 2.5.2, or the manner in which that decision was reached involved material irregularity and/or was manifestly unreasonable and/or irrational; or
• there is new evidence that could not have been made available at the formal stage of the complaint.

In the Request for Review, you must explain:

• The rationale that the original decision reached involved material irregularity or was manifestly unreasonable or irrational; or
• Provide the new evidence that was not available at the formal stage of the complaint.

Please note: The outcome of a request for review will not result in a discounted assessment attempt, and will not result in a change of a pass mark or change of a candidate's marks.

The Complaints Panel may reach one of the following decisions:

• Uphold the decision of the original complaint in full
• Uphold the decision of the original complaint in part
• Reject the decision of the original complaint.

The outcome of the review is final.

A request for review will be considered by a Complaints Panel within 30 working days of receiving the request.

You will be informed of the outcome within 10 working days of the review following the complaints review panel.