Learner Policies
Academic Integrity & AI Policy
Academic integrity means being honest about what you know, what you can do and how you produced your evidence. ATC expects original, authentic work and transparent use of sources and tools. The requirements of Highfield, as the awarding organisation, take priority where they are more specific.
Website draft — legal and operational review required.
This document is a substantial working draft for ATC. Confirm the bracketed or course-specific details and obtain appropriate legal and operational review before relying on or publishing it as an approved policy.
Effective
Draft for ATC confirmation before publication
Last updated
[Policy date: To be confirmed by ATC before publication]
Review
Review at least annually and sooner if legislation, awarding requirements, services or delivery arrangements change.
Owner
Achievers Training College Ltd (ATC)
Version
0.1 draft
Purpose and scope
Purpose
Protect the authenticity of learning and assessment while explaining when digital and generative AI tools may be used responsibly.
Scope
All learner work, evidence, collaboration, sources, digital tools and AI use connected with ATC learning or assessment.
Responsibilities
ATC
Set clear assessment instructions, investigate concerns fairly and protect confidential and personal information.
Learners
Submit work that represents their own competence, reference sources, disclose permitted AI use and protect confidential information.
Assessors
Use evidence and professional judgement, avoid treating an automated detector as proof by itself and follow the investigation route.
How the policy works
Check the assessment brief before using any AI or collaboration tool; the brief controls whether and how it is permitted.
Keep appropriate drafts or notes, verify outputs, reference material used and remove personal, patient, employer or learner data.
If authenticity is questioned, ATC will explain the concern, invite a response, examine relevant evidence and record the decision.
Use the Malpractice & Maladministration Policy and Appeals Policy for investigation outcomes and review rights.
Original and authentic work
Submit work that reflects your own knowledge, skills and experience. You may use permitted support, reasonable adjustments and ordinary proofreading, but you remain responsible for the final evidence. Do not ask another person to write, edit substantially or complete an assessment for you.
Plagiarism and referencing
Plagiarism includes presenting another person’s words, ideas, structure, images or work as your own. Quote or paraphrase accurately, use the referencing method your tutor sets and keep notes that show how you developed your work. Copying from websites, course resources, another learner or an AI system without acknowledgement may be plagiarism.
Collusion and permitted collaboration
Collusion is unauthorised cooperation that results in substantially similar or shared assessed work. Collaboration may be encouraged during learning activities, but assessed outputs must be independently produced unless the brief explicitly identifies group assessment. Ask your tutor when the boundary is unclear.
Responsible use of AI
Generative AI may be used only when the assessment brief or tutor expressly permits it. Where permitted, use it as a support tool rather than a substitute for your own reasoning, disclose the tool and purpose, verify outputs, protect confidential information and reference any material used. Never upload personal, patient, employer, placement or confidential learner information into an AI tool.
When AI is not permitted
Do not use AI to generate, rewrite, translate or answer assessed work when the brief prohibits it, or where doing so would prevent the assessor from judging your own competence. An AI detector result alone is not proof of misconduct, but unusual evidence, inconsistent knowledge, missing drafts or other concerns may lead to a fair authenticity review.
Highfield Vault and digital resources
Highfield Vault is a third-party digital learning platform/resource environment used for the Level 3 Adult Care programme where appropriate; it is not ATC-owned and is not used for every course. Learning resources, automated suggestions or platform activity do not remove the requirement to produce authentic assessment evidence or follow the applicable provider and awarding organisation rules.
Concerns and outcomes
If integrity is questioned, ATC will explain the concern, preserve relevant evidence, give you a fair opportunity to respond and decide under the Malpractice & Maladministration Policy. Outcomes may include no action, a resubmission, an assessment penalty, withdrawal of an outcome, referral to Highfield or termination where serious or repeated misconduct is established.