Introduction

It is the responsibility of the head of centre to ensure that LPTC has a written conflicts of interest policy in place available for inspection. This policy confirms that LPTC:

Manages conflicts of interest by informing the awarding bodies, before the published deadline for entries for each examination series, of:

• any members of centre staff who are taking qualifications at their own centre which include internally assessed components/units
• any members of centre staff who are teaching and preparing members of their family (which includes step-family, foster family and similar close relationships) or close friends and their immediate family (e.g. son/daughter) for qualifications which include internally assessed components/units and

maintains clear records of all instances where (GR 5.3.j):

• exams office staff have members of their family (which includes step-family, foster family and similar close relationships) or close friends and their immediate family (e.g. son/daughter) being entered for examinations and assessments either at the centre itself or other centres
• centre staff are taking qualifications at their own centre which do not include internally assessed components/units
• centre staff are taking qualifications at other centres 

Annual Declaration Process

The Examinations Officer (EO) will distribute an electronic request for declarations of interest for the current Qualification year to all Centre staff members who have or may have access to any secure materials (from delivery point to submission/results point), are involved in the preparation of qualification cohorts, may be taking a qualification themselves, or have an otherwise declarable interest in the qualification process as defined in the General Regulations.  Stage One is a simple Yes or No declaration response.

Where any staff member has returned a YES response, the EO will seek further information regarding the type of conflict and the details of any other person or centre who is party to that conflict.  Stage Two is an electronic submission with the relevant information.

The EO will keep a record of any staff member with a conflict along with the details that they have provided, and advise the respondent of any mitigations to be put in place (agreed and signed off by the respondent, with the respondent’s Line Manager and Head of Centre), respondents will also be notified whether their declaration has been reported to the Awarding Body and/or placed on file for inspection purposes.

The Conflicts of Interest Log will be held electronically accessible by the EO and the Head of Centre.

The Conflicts of Interest Log will be destroyed from the centre’s records three months after the publication of results.