General Course Rules
CST Training is pleased to be able to offer a selection of courses and qualifications to learners. The following rules apply:
Course Signup
Delegate Information Form (DIF) and Initial Assessment Form (IAF):
- It is imperative that prior to the course start, all learners complete their Delegate Information Form (DIF) and Initial Assessment Form (IAF).
- Links to the above will be sent to you (approximately 5 days) prior to your course start. These should be completed as soon as possible.
- The online form must be filled out in its entirety and must be 100% factual. The information used on these forms will be:
- Sent to your tutor in advance of day 1, so that they can personalise/tailor your learning experience effectively.
- Sent to the CST Training Customer Service team, so they can ensure (pre-course start) that this is the correct course/qualification for you (topic, type and level).
- Sent to the Awarding Organisation in order to produce your certificate if/when required.
As part of the DIF / IAF completion, you will be asked for additional information regarding:
Learner Age:
- All learners must be aged 19 or above to enrol on courses.
- Learners under 18 will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require written permission from a parent/guardian before course enrolment.
English Requirements:
- Learners must be able to speak, read, and write in English. English levels/ratings will be asked as part of the signup.
Digital Skills Requirements:
- Basic IT skills are required (across all courses), including the ability to use Zoom and other digital platforms.
- Sufficient IT skills are necessary for attending remote courses (you will be asked to rate particular digital skills on signup, and your responses may result in further communication with CST Training staff prior to course start).
Learning Difficulties / Disabilities that may impact on learning:
- Learners must inform CST Training Ltd prior to the course if they have any learning difficulties or disabilities that may affect their ability to learn on the programme. CST Training can offer additional support and guidance as required and will be happy to discuss this further on a 1:1 basis.
Learner Experiences:
- For all courses/qualifications, you must be experienced and/or competent in your job role.
- You will be asked to give details of this on your signup form. Please write a detailed description, so your tutor can support you to the best of their abilities.
Candidate Identification Requirements
To enrol on any of the courses or qualifications, you will need the correct form of photographic ID. Please see below the correct form of ID for each form of delivery.
Online:
- Your ID must be a valid government-issued passport or UK/EU driver’s license (not a photocopy.)
- Your ID must include your full name (The first and last name on the ID must match the name on your web account profile and in your appointment confirmation email).
- Your ID must include a recent, recognizable photo
- Minors who are under the age of 18 are permitted to present a government-issued ID as a form of identification along with having a legal parent or guardian present to provide verbal consent during the check-in process (who must also have a valid form of ID.)
Test Centre:
- Candidates must provide one form of Primary ID. Which can be either a valid government-issued passport or UK/EU driver’s license (not a photocopy.)
- Your ID must include your full name (The first and last name on the ID must match the name on your web account profile and in your appointment confirmation email).
- Your ID must include a recent, recognizable photo
- If a candidate does not have the required form of Primary ID they may present two forms of Secondary ID. These must contain one from List A and one from List B (see below.) Both should be current and valid forms of ID.
*The secondary ID option is only available to use at a Test Centre.
- For candidates under 16, where government-approved ID is not available, they should complete this form linked here. Take it with you to the test centre on the day of your exam.
- If you do not have the required Primary or Secondary ID when you are scheduled to take your end-of-course exam at a Pearson VUE test centre, you must download the form linked here. Read the instructions on how to correctly complete the form and take it with you on the day of your exam, along with the additional support documentation outlined on the form.
PC Requirements
- You need a strong and reliable internet connection and a desktop computer, laptop or standard-sized tablet (eCourses are not supported on mobile handsets).
- Your PC / system will need a working microphone, camera, and speakers for ALL remote courses. Please Note: You cannot use a headset during the exam, so the microphone must be separate.
Although not mandatory, the following minimum specification is advised:
- Operating system: Windows, Apple or Android
- Processor: 3 GHz
- RAM: 2 GB
- Broadband speed: 512 kbps
- Screen resolution: 1024 by 768
The newest version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari
Course / Qualification Resources:
- Remote Courses – All mandatory resources will be supplied as e-resources only and will be available to you for 1 calendar year. (Paper-based versions will not be supplied as standard). You will receive a link to your e-resources approximately 2 days before your course start date. (Important – should you wish to receive paper-versions of the resources (instead of e-versions), you must contact a member of CST Training within 2 days of course purchase on 020 3488 4472). These paper-based resources will be at an additional cost to the learner.
Should you access your e-resources, you will be unable to then claim a refund on these.
- Classroom-based Courses – All mandatory resources will be supplied as paper-based only and will be available to you on the day of your course, at the venue. Should you wish these to be sent to your home address prior to the course start date, this can be arranged in advance by contacting CST Training on 020 3488 4472. Please note – there will be an additional delivery cost for this option.
- Online courses – All other remote courses use e-resources only.
Course start
In general, the following rules and regulations apply:
Course Requirements:
- Learners must attend all days of the course/qualification. Failure to do so will result in your course being marked as a Fail.
- You should not be expected by your employer to work during the course and your mobile phone must be switched off.
- If you are late to the course or do not come back from breaks/lunches on time, then you may fail the course. This is at the discretion of your tutor.
- If you are disruptive, and/or are causing concerns for the tutor or the rest of the group, then you may be removed from the course. This is at your tutor’s discretion.
- You must be willing to participate within the group and take part in any group discussions and/or assignments.
- You must be visible via your web camera for the entire duration of your course or qualification.
- You must treat your tutor/assessor as you would wish to be treated. Abusive, threatening or abnormal behaviour will not be tolerated.
- The work that you upload as part of your course/qualification must be yours, you must have permission to upload it and you must not falsify work.
- Missing any part of the course may result in non-completion.
Assessor-Marked Elements:
- Some elements of the course may require you to work outside of normal course hours in order to fully prepare for a task or an assignment. For example; the toolbox talk. If this is a mandatory element of the course/qualification, failing to complete this activity will result in a course fail.
- Learners must pass all assessor-marked elements of their course/qualification in order to be able to sit any required end-of-course examination.
Course Completion and Achievement
In general, the following rules and regulations apply:
Exam Location(s):
Remote Courses
- A suitable exam environment is required. Each candidate should be in a room alone with a clear desk and with no resources around the table, on walls or in view. Candidates will be asked to show their entire surroundings using their webcam prior to the start of the examination.
- All candidates must be at a separate venue (ie two candidates from the same company cannot complete the exam in the same room).
- There must be no interruptions during the examination.
- Remote invigilator(s) will invigilate the examination (alongside the tutor)
Classroom-based Courses
- Candidates will be sat a minimum of 1.25m apart in one exam room.
- There must be no interruptions during the examination.
- Remote invigilator(s) will invigilate the examination if required
Exam Conditions (Additional Learner Support):
- Any additional learning support must have been agreed with CST Training prior to course start. Information and evidence of support need must be provided to your tutor, who will then liaise with the Quality team regarding support.
- If no learning support needs have been approved prior to the examination, then the learner will undertake the exam following the same guidance as all other candidates.
- The following accommodations are available to candidates if needed; Reader / Recorder, Additional Time, and other support available on request.
Exam Conditions (General):
- Exam conditions will be made available to you prior to any examination (classroom-based or remote). These conditions must be adhered to. Failure to meet these conditions may result in failing your course. Exam conditions may be specific to your examination, however, you should adhere to the following for all exams:
- Mobile phones should be off for the duration of the exam.
- No notes are allowed on the desk, or the surrounding areas during the exam. There must be a clean desk
- Quiet environment, you must not be disturbed by anyone during the exam
- No headsets are to be worn during the exam.
- A microphone must be available during the exam (this cannot therefore be part of the headset)
- Your webcam (video and sound) must be kept on for the duration of the exam
- If candidates leave the exam they will not be permitted to re-enter the exam. They will therefore have to resit (if the current score permits)
- Camn only communicate to the tutor via chat facility (if remote), or by putting up a hand (if classroom-based)
- Make sure you follow the open book / closed book policy as detailed by your tutor prior to the exam.
- No eating
- No drinking
- No vaping
- No smoking
Please ensure you understand exam conditions fully prior to the examination start. Your tutor can explain the conditions to the whole class prior to the exam start only.
Re-takes and Costs:
- Information regarding re-takes and associated costs varies by course and will be provided prior to the examination start. However;
- If you do not pass the exam and your score meets the eligibility criteria, you can resit for free on the day of the first exam.
- If you choose not to resit on the day but wish to do it within the next 90 days, you must pay £50+VAT to resit. (the resit itself must be completed within 90 days, however).
- Certificates will be sent to you as e-certificates only. This is an awarding body rule and has been put in place for environmental purposes.
- Depending on course/qualification type, certificates can take up to 30 days to reach the candidate (from the awarding body). These will usually come quicker, but this timescale has been taken from standard terms and conditions.
FAQs
Q: What happens if I can’t attend all days of the course?
A: Full attendance is mandatory to complete the course. Please inform CST Training as soon as possible if you cannot attend.
Q: What if I have technical issues during an online course?
A: Contact CST Training immediately for technical support. Ensure you meet all PC and internet connection requirements before the course starts.
Q: Can I request a hard copy of resources for a remote course?
A: Yes, you can request hard copy resources via phone call for remote courses. This must be prior to accessing your remote materials and must be done by phone. Please Note: There will be an additional cost for hard copies.
Q: What should I do if I suspect fraudulent practice during the course?
A: Report any suspicions immediately to the Quality Manager or Centre Manager.
Q: Are there special considerations for learners with disabilities?
A: Yes, we accommodate learners with disabilities. Please inform us prior to the course (as part of your online DIF/IAF process) to make the necessary arrangements.
Contacting us
If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints regarding our general course rules, we encourage you to contact us using the button below: