Last Updated on 15/10/2024
Scope of the Policy
The policy applies to the submission of all coursework on the programme excluding the thesis (but including the thesis proposal).
Obtaining an Extension
Two types of extension are available to trainees: a ‘short extension’ (one-week for full time trainees and two weeks for part time trainees only), and a ‘long extension’ (until the next available generic deadline – usually one month).
Short extension
A short extension can be given under the following circumstances if they occur within the two weeks prior to the submission deadline, if they include loss of a study day, and if requested by the trainee by the Wednesday before the current deadline:
- Self-certified sickness.
- Caring responsibility resulting in loss of study day
- Accident/ injury to self or significant other that resulted in loss of study day
- Adverse Event, which has temporary impact (e.g. flooding)
- Any other significant life events of a similar degree of severity which are beyond the trainee’s control and are judged by the trainee’s tutors to have a deleterious effect on their ability to submit work by the current deadline.
Reasons a one-week extension would not be granted include:
- Technology issues
- Poor organisation by trainee
One-week extensions can be granted by a trainee’s individual clinical or research tutors, or in their absence other tutors that are part of the trainee’s vertical tutor group. Trainees can request an extension the week of the deadline date up until, and including, the Wednesday before the Friday deadline. Requests and approvals will be logged on the deadline extension request spreadsheet hosted on the MS Teams. Trainees will not be able to request an extension after the Wednesday before the deadline. If after the Wednesday, the trainee will need to go through the exceptional circumstances process if appropriate.
Long extensions
Longer extensions (usually to the next generic assignment deadline) are normally available only to trainees who have taken a long-term absence as defined by LSCFT (greater than 28 calendar days) prior to the deadline in question. Requests for such extensions must be made by a trainee’s individual tutor(s) to the senior management team, who will consider each case on its merits.
Second submissions and resubmissions following a failed submission
If a submitted piece of coursework does not pass, a new deadline will automatically be set for the next submission of that coursework. This will be set for the next generic submission point in the submission calendar which occurs at least 28 calendar days (for full-time trainees) or 56 calendar days away (for part-time trainees only) from the point when the result and feedback are confirmed to the trainee. Other assignment deadlines will not be moved. The sole exception to this will be when a full-time trainee’s first, on-time submission of the PALS#1 assignment fails. In this circumstance, in addition to the PALS#1 resubmission automatically being scheduled as above, the PALS#2 first submission deadline for that trainee will also be automatically be moved from October to the subsequent January. This is to ensure that trainees complete PALS#1 successfully prior to submitting their PALS#2.
The Process of Submission of Work
We strongly advise trainees to submit all assignments well in advance of the deadline. Written work must be submitted online via the programme’s Moodle submission mechanism. The exact details of what constitutes a ‘complete’ submission for each assignment can be found in the programme’s Guidance on Assignment Submission information. At all times, it is the responsibility of the trainee to ensure that they make a complete submission.
Trainees should note that in any submissions which exceed the specified word limit markers are instructed to ignore (not include in their assessment) any additional words that exceed the allowable limits. The maximum word count for each piece of assessed coursework is as specified in the assessment handbook of the programme. There is no leeway above this limit. The inclusion/exclusion of tables and figures from the word count varies from assignment to assignment and individual guidance is also available in the handbook.
If a trainee is on sick leave on the due date of a piece of work and has not already submitted the work nor has an approved extension, they must submit their work by no later than 9.30am of the working day AFTER their first working day back in work following the period of sick leave. They must also submit a doctor’s note covering the sickness period to the LSCFT absence inbox within one week of the submission of the coursework (even if the sickness was for only one day). This reflects the university’s position on assessment.
Consequences of Late Submission
Moodle automatically classifies any submission that is after the deadline as late. Under all other circumstances than those listed above, work that is submitted late without an approved extension shall be dealt with as follows. If a complete submission of the work is up to three calendar days late, then:
A concern form will be completed, which can lead to fitness practise or disciplinary procedures being implemented. The submission will be marked as usual.
If a complete submission of work is not made within three days following the deadline, this will constitute a fail, with a fail being recorded for the first submission.
If a trainee considers there are exceptional circumstances that have led to the late submission, they should submit these by the appropriate deadline to the programme’s exceptional circumstances committee, which will consider any such submissions prior to the mark being ratified by the programme examination board.