Generic Assessment Criteria
Kings Professionals College London (KPCL)
Effective Date: [20/07/2026]
Last Updated: [20/07/2026]
1. Introduction
Kings Professionals College London (KPCL) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic quality, integrity, and fairness in assessment. The College has developed this Generic Assessment Criteria to provide a consistent framework for assessing learner achievement across all regulated qualifications delivered by the College.
The purpose of this framework is to ensure that assessment decisions are valid, reliable, fair, transparent, and consistent while supporting learners in achieving the learning outcomes and assessment criteria prescribed by the relevant awarding organisation.
These Generic Assessment Criteria apply to qualifications delivered at RQF Levels 3 to 7 and should be read alongside the assessment requirements, qualification specifications, and academic regulations of the relevant awarding organisation.
2. Purpose
The Generic Assessment Criteria have been developed to:
- Promote consistency and fairness in assessment decisions.
- Ensure all learners are assessed against the same academic standards.
- Support assessors in making objective and evidence-based assessment decisions.
- Provide learners with clear expectations regarding academic performance.
- Encourage continuous academic development and professional competence.
- Maintain compliance with the requirements of Ofqual, relevant awarding organisations, and applicable quality assurance standards.
3. Principles of Assessment
Assessment at Kings Professionals College London is based upon the following principles:
- Validity
- Reliability
- Fairness
- Transparency
- Consistency
- Authenticity
- Inclusivity
Assessment decisions are based solely on the evidence submitted by the learner and whether it demonstrates achievement of the published learning outcomes and assessment criteria.
4. Assessment Domains
Although each qualification has its own specific assessment criteria, learners are generally expected to demonstrate competence across the following academic areas:
4.1 Knowledge and Understanding
Learners should demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the theories, principles, concepts, legislation, and professional practices relevant to the subject area.
4.2 Application of Knowledge
Learners should apply theoretical knowledge appropriately to practical, workplace, professional, or realistic scenarios where required.
4.3 Analysis and Critical Thinking
Learners should demonstrate the ability to analyse information, evaluate evidence, identify issues, compare different perspectives, and present reasoned conclusions appropriate to their level of study.
4.4 Research and Use of Sources
Learners should demonstrate appropriate research skills by using relevant, reliable, and credible academic and professional sources while applying accurate referencing in accordance with the required referencing style.
4.5 Communication and Presentation
Assignments should be presented professionally using clear academic language, logical structure, accurate grammar, appropriate formatting, and effective communication of ideas.
4.6 Professional and Transferable Skills
Where appropriate, learners should demonstrate problem-solving, decision-making, independent learning, reflective practice, professional behaviour, and other transferable skills relevant to the qualification.
5. Assessment Decisions
Kings Professionals College London follows the assessment requirements of the relevant awarding organisation.
Assessment decisions are recorded as either:
Pass
A learner will receive a Pass where sufficient evidence has been provided to demonstrate that all learning outcomes and assessment criteria have been successfully achieved.
Referred
A learner will receive a Refer where one or more learning outcomes or assessment criteria have not yet been achieved.
Where a Refer decision is awarded, learners will receive constructive feedback identifying the areas requiring improvement and, where permitted by the awarding organisation, may be offered an opportunity to revise and resubmit their work.
6. Assessment Judgements
Assessors will evaluate each assignment using professional judgement and determine whether sufficient evidence has been presented to satisfy every assessment criterion.
Assessment decisions will consider:
- Achievement of all learning outcomes.
- Sufficiency of evidence.
- Relevance of evidence.
- Authenticity of the learner's work.
- Accuracy of information presented.
- Appropriate academic standards.
- Compliance with assessment requirements.
Assessment decisions are not based on the volume of work submitted but on the quality and relevance of the evidence provided.
7. Academic Integrity
Learners are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity.
All submitted work must:
- Be the learner's own original work.
- Be correctly referenced where external sources have been used.
- Comply with the College's Academic Integrity and Malpractice Policy.
- Not contain plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating, fabrication, falsification, or any other form of academic misconduct.
Assignments may be subject to plagiarism detection and other academic integrity checks.
8. Assessment Feedback
Learners will receive constructive feedback following assessment.
Feedback is intended to:
- Identify strengths within the submitted work.
- Highlight areas requiring improvement.
- Explain assessment decisions.
- Support future academic development.
Where a Refer decision is issued, feedback will clearly identify which assessment criteria remain unmet.
9. Internal Quality Assurance
To ensure fairness, consistency, and reliability, assessment decisions are subject to Internal Quality Assurance (IQA).
Internal Quality Assurance may include:
- Sampling of assessed work.
- Standardisation meetings.
- Assessment monitoring.
- Assessor support and development.
- Compliance checks against awarding organisation requirements.
10. External Quality Assurance
Where applicable, learner work and assessment decisions may be reviewed by the relevant awarding organisation through External Quality Assurance (EQA) processes.
Learners may therefore experience reasonable delays in the release of results where assessment decisions require external verification.
11. Reasonable Adjustments
Kings Professionals College London is committed to providing equality of opportunity.
Where appropriate and supported by suitable evidence, reasonable adjustments may be made for learners with disabilities, long-term health conditions, or other recognised needs, provided such adjustments do not compromise the integrity of the qualification or the assessment requirements.
12. Appeals
Learners who believe an assessment decision has been made incorrectly have the right to appeal in accordance with the College's Assessment Appeals Policy.
Appeals must be submitted within the timescales specified in the relevant policy.
13. Policy Review
Kings Professionals College London reserves the right to amend these Generic Assessment Criteria to ensure ongoing compliance with UK legislation, awarding organisation requirements, and recognised best practice.
The latest version of this document will always be available on the College website.
Contact Information
Kings Professionals College London (KPCL)
Academic Quality & Standards Team
Email: info@kpcl.org.uk
Website: www.kpcl.org.uk