RTO Information

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Access and Equity

The Thebarton Senior College RTO is committed to meeting the needs of the community and individuals and/or groups who might be otherwise disadvantaged. This includes providing fair allocation of resources and equal opportunity to access training services.

The RTO prohibits discrimination based on factors including:

  • gender
  • race
  • age
  • ethnicity
  • marital status
  • religious background
  • sexual orientation
  • parental status
The RTO will work to ensure all participants have the right resources available to allow successful completion of course requirements. This includes flexible delivery and assessment arrangements where possible and Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) support.

Work Placement

Work placement is a vital part of some courses and provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate they can perform skills to the standard required in the workplace as specified in a unit of competency or accredited module.

Students negotiate their own work placement with the assistance of the trainer. Prior to commencement, they must complete any required workplace agreement forms and the Department for Education provided Work Pro, which provides students with a minimum of five hours online Orientation program involving:

  • Work, Health and Safety Act 2012
  • Equal Opportunity Act 1984
  • Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017

Assessment

Assessment is the process of collecting evidence that demonstrates and confirms a student is competent and has achieved the knowledge and skills required as specified in a unit of competency or accredited module.

It is the student's responsibility to submit required assessments and attend or participate in scheduled assessments. If the student is unable to meet an assessment due date, the student may request an extension.

An extension of assessment activities may be granted where a due date disadvantages a student in a significant way. Such circumstances include compassionate grounds, sickness supported by a medical certificate or employment obligations supported by the employer. A trainer can request to see evidence of progress towards the assessment activity before granting an extension.

Students should feel able to discuss any concerns regarding assessment with the trainer. If concerned, students can follow any or all of the following steps:

STEP 1 - Discuss the specific matter with the trainer and try to reach an agreed solution.
STEP 2 - Meet with an RTO Manager and ask them to act as a mediator to resolve concerns.
STEP 3 - Write a formal complaint to the Principal about what has happened, when and where it happened, who witnessed it and any other relevant information. The Principal will then negotiate a satisfactory outcome with the student and the trainer concerned.

Concerns will be resolved in a respectful way with the intention of repairing any harm done.

If not satisfied by the outcome, students may contact the South Australian Skills Commission, phone 1800 006 488.

Plagiarism occurs when students copy or inappropriately paraphrase information. Copying is when very similar words to the original text or idea are used without acknowledging the source or using quotation marks. It can also happen when you copy the work of another student.

If you do deliberately submit work which is not your own, the following procedure will apply:

STEP 1 - Trainer gathers supportive evidence.
STEP 2 - Confidential meeting is arranged with student.
STEP 3 - Student may be given opportunity to re-do the work, Breach of Rules document may be completed, Plagiarism Incident Report may be completed and filed with Deputy Principal - Curriculum.

or

Student disputes the accusation of plagiarism, referred to RTO management, student locates supporting evidence, agreed outcomes discussed, Breach of Rules document completed, Plagiarism Incident Report filed with Deputy Principal - Curriculum.

Support Services

The RTO provides adequate protection for the health, safety and welfare of students and this includes adequate and appropriate support services in terms of academic and personal counselling.

There are Student Counsellors who can assist students with personal health concerns, grief and bereavement, study and course concerns, harassment and grievance procedures, coping with stress and tertiary and career pathways. There is usually a Counsellor available during lesson and break times and appointments to see a Counsellor at other times can be made through the Student Services desk.

The Library can support with accessing, using and referencing learning resources, including print materials and online databases and information.

Study support is also available in the Study Centre five days a week.

Complaints and Appeal Procedures

Thebarton Senior College RTO aims to handle complaints and appeals fairly, impartially, locally and quickly.

What can you complain about?
Any RTO service that causes you concern, eg:

  • teaching and learning (such as lessons and assessment)
  • services in Student Services and Front Office (such as enrolment, counselling, payments and accounts)
  • other services (such as the Library, information technology or the Cafeteria)
  • discrimination based on race, gender, disability, age, sexuality, marital status, family responsibilities and pregnancy
Thebarton Senior College RTO will do whatever it can to handle complaints and appeals at the school. This means in most cases students should first talk to the person who is responsible for the service. If you are not sure who you should speak to, ask your trainer or a Student Counsellor in Student Services. If you feel uncomfortable talking to the person responsible for the service, you can discuss the issue with a Counsellor.

How do you make a complaint or appeal?
If you do not want to make a formal complaint or appeal, are not able or comfortable in trying to do something yourself, you can discuss your concern with your trainer, RTO Manager, or a Student Counsellor. This discussion will be confidential. Your concern can be made verbally or in writing and will be acknowledged upon receipt. Action will depend on the nature of the concern and its seriousness. Something will be done regarding your concern within two (2) days. This could be a solution, or a plan to solve the problem within 14 days.

If it is believed that the concern can be dealt with, one or more of these actions may be taken:

  • watch and assess the current situation
  • suggest changes to RTO procedures or structures
  • if the complaint is about a person, the staff member may speak to that person privately and explain how they need to change their behaviour
  • arrange a mediation between the people affected to try to deal with the problem
Formal Complaints and Appeals
You can complain formally to the Assistant Principal - Student Services or the RTO Manager. You must do this in writing and mark it "confidential". You should do this as soon as possible after the events that caused you concern. The Assistant Principal - Student Services/RTO Manager will investigate and let you know what action will be taken. All people involved in the complaint or appeal will be told of the outcome and the action taken.

What if this is not successful?
If you are not satisfied with the outcome at the school level, you can make a complaint with the Principal or the Education Director. A Counsellor can advise you about this process.

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome of these processes you can contact:

South Australian Skills Commission
Level 3, 11 Waymouth Street, Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: 1800 006 488
Email: skillscommission@sa.gov.au
Web: www.skillscommission.sa.gov.au

What are your responsibilities?
You have a responsibility to:

  • behave in an adult way
  • speak to people about your concerns so current practices, policies and procedures can be improved
  • give accurate information as quickly as possible when the complaint is being investigated
  • not make mischievous or malicious complaints
  • understand that all people involved in the complaint should not talk about the situation with others while the complaint is being dealt with
Contact people at Thebarton Senior College RTO are Trainers, Pathways Managers, RTO Managers, Student Counsellors or the Principal.

Fees and Refunds

All fees are refundable if the course is cancelled by Thebarton Senior College RTO before commencement.

Where a course is cancelled after commencement, the Thebarton Senior College RTO will retain only the percentage of the fees relative to the services already provided to students.

All tuition fees will be refunded for a student who withdraws from the course within four (4) weeks of the commencement date.

Some courses may have additional charges required for your training. You will be provided with this information prior to your enrolment.

Privacy

Information is collected and stored in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988.

The RTO will not pass on personal information gained to any third party without your written consent.

The RTO is, however, obliged to report to various government agencies on training activity where relevant. Please refer to the privacy notice section on the enrolment form for more information.

Recognition of Current Competency

The Thebarton Senior College RTO accepts and provides credit to learners for units of competency and/or modules completed by a student (unless licensing or regulatory requirements prevent this) where these are evidenced by:

  • AQF certification documentation issued by any other RTO or AQF authorised issuing organisation, or
  • authenticated VET transcripts issued by the Registrar
Students may be able to gain Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for some modules/units of competency through a tailored assessment process which measures current skills and knowledge. Students can request RPL for any units of competency within their chosen course. To request RPL, students should contact the trainer in the first instance or seek further guidance from the RTO Manager.

Issuance of Qualifications and Statements of Attainment

Learners who successfully complete all required units of a qualification are entitled to receive a testamur, (an official certification document that confirms that an AQF qualification has been awarded to an individual) and a record of results.

A Statement of Attainment will be issued if learners complete one or more units of competency but do not meet the requirements for a qualification. The Statement of Attainment will list all of the units of competency achieved.

Changes That May Affect the Services Provided

Where there are any changes to agreed services, the Thebarton Senior College RTO will advise the student as soon as practicable, including in relation to any changes to educational and support services or change in RTO ownership.

Rights and Responsibilities

Thebarton Senior College RTO students are expected to act responsibly and maturely, to respect the rights of other students to learn and of teachers to teach. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions.

Students and staff have a right to work and study in an environment free from harassment, discrimination, or threatening behaviour. This right is accompanied by everyone's responsibility to:

  • respect the rights of others.
  • respect difference and diversity.
  • respect people's rights to privacy and confidentiality.
  • arrive on time for classes or explaining reasons for your lateness.
  • advising the teacher beforehand if needing to leave the class early.
  • keeping noise to a minimum where people are studying, including the Study Centre, Library and classrooms.
  • actively participating in classroom discussions and activities.
  • listening to and valuing other people's opinions.
  • conduct yourself in a responsible manner while on structured work placement.
  • attend lessons and complete all activities and assessments within the assigned timeframes. This includes attending at least 75% of lessons, and completing and submitting all required assessment tasks, or enrolment in the course will be reconsidered. Students may then be required to sign an agreement that formalises the improvements in attendance and commitment to study, or risk enrolment in the course being discontinued.

Protection from Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination

Thebarton Senior College RTO provides a safe and supportive learning environment for all. To ensure the well-being of all members of the College community, no form of bullying or harassment is tolerated.

Bullying and harassment is an abuse of power. It is used to upset, hurt, scare, shame, or intimidate another person. It can take the form of sexual, racial and gender harassment and can involve physical, verbal, written or electronic communication which is offensive, embarrassing or demeaning to an individual or group.

The effects of bullying or harassment are taken seriously. If you experience harassment or bullying, you may choose to address and resolve the situation by using any or all of the steps below:

STEP 1 - Ask the person to stop.
STEP 2 - Tell a teacher, counsellor or member of the administration team who will monitor the situation and help you to resolve it.
STEP 3 - Write a formal complaint to the Principal for investigation and resolution.

Unique Student Identifier (USI)

From 1 January 2015, Thebarton Senior College RTO can be prevented from issuing students with a nationally recognised qualification or statement of attainment if students complete the course and do not have a Unique Student Identifier (USI). In addition, the RTO is required to include students' USI in the data submitted to NCVER (National Centre for Vocational Education Research).

Certificates will only be issued to students who are entitled to receive it and have provided the RTO with a verifiable USI. Please refer to the USI section on the enrolment form for more information.

What To Do If The Training Provider Closes

Source: https://www.asqa.gov.au/students/what-do-when-your-training-provider-closes

Unfortunately, some training providers close while still delivering courses. This can be for a range of reasons, including:

  • they are no longer financially viable
  • ASQA has cancelled their registration due to the provider's inability to deliver training to the standard required, or
  • the business owner can no longer commit to delivering training
If you are a student and your training provider closes while you are still completing your training, we recommend the following steps:

  1. Plan to continue your training
  2. Obtain a statement of attainment or testamur from the closing provider
  3. Collect evidence of assessment
  4. Transfer your training to another registered training organisation
  5. Finalise fees
You can contact the ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) Info Line on 1300 701 801 to find out if ASQA can provide you with a copy of your records.