At HypnoTC, we work to be a friendly, supportive, professional organisation, focused on delivering an engaging, content-rich and transformational experience in safe and collaborative learning environment. A suite of policies help us to achieve this.
This ‘Student Conduct and Classroom Etiquette Policy’ applies to all enrolled students, including those participating in a brief event (such as supervision), short courses, individual training, or longer courses, such as the Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course.
We recognise that our students are adults and able to adjust their behaviour according to their environment. We also recognise that there are different conduct requirements in different settings.
Related policies: Equality and Diversity Policy
Students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately, both inside and outside of the learning environment.
We expect all students to:
We consider that student conduct is unacceptable if you:
HypnoTC’s director is responsible for dealing with an allegation of misconduct and shall make such enquiries as she deems appropriate to confirm the facts reported and to determine the seriousness of the matter. This may include taking written statements from any person(s) involved.
If your behaviour causes disruption to the learning of others, you may be required to leave the classroom and/or premises immediately to ensure that others can continue learning. Such an action by a tutor or other member of staff dealing with the incident does not constitute suspension or expulsion and will not prejudice the subsequent handling of the situation.
The following are examples of behaviour which may be considered as gross misconduct. This is not a comprehensive list:
Assessment malpractice is defined as any action or practice which may undermine the integrity and validity of an assessment (including homework), examination, or certification. We do not tolerate any actions (or attempted actions) of malpractice by students.
The following are examples of malpractice by students; this list is not exhaustive and other instances of malpractice may be considered by us at our discretion:
We take steps to prevent and reduce occurrences of student malpractice by informing relevant students about:
We do not permit AI-generated content, including:
HypnoTC’s director has the power to suspend you from all or part of the teaching environment pending any investigation and hearing and/ or the conclusion of any legal proceedings where they consider that you may have committed gross misconduct or that you may pose a danger to other members of the student body or to HypnoTC staff.
A course tutor may suspend you if the Director is not available. Any such suspension will be temporary and confirmed by the Director at the earliest opportunity.
You will be informed in writing of the grounds for the suspension and will have the right to submit written representations to the Director within 5 days of the date of suspension. The Director will review the decision to suspend and will notify you of her decision within 10 days of the date of the suspension.
You have the right to request a review of your suspension by the Director every 4 weeks from the date of suspension until the end of your course. The Director will notify you of the result of his/ her review within 5 days of any such request.
We are committed to supporting and responding to student needs to ensure a positive student experience. However, there may be situations when your physical or mental health or wellbeing (including personal care and hygiene) or an impairment, or disability, affect your fitness to study at HypnoTC and as a result:
You should tell your tutor of any potential issues. Early intervention can avoid the escalation of a situation into a crisis, so if you tell us about any potential fitness to study issues we are able to consider how we can best support you and whether any adjustments can reasonably be made to enable you continue studying. In exceptional circumstances we can also consider a deferment if appropriate.
Sometimes fitness to study issues may initially manifest themselves as, or be managed as potential unacceptable conduct situations, with matters of fitness to study only emerging as the informal or formal procedure progresses.
If unacceptable conduct occurs, we may still continue any action under ‘Stage One’ or ‘Stage Two’ conduct management actions (see below); however, support or some other intervention(s) may also be agreed or recommended. These interventions would depend on your situation and we may direct you to external services if it is considered that they may be of benefit to you.
If we are supporting you with fitness to study issues we will aim not to invoke the formal procedure if we consider that support and informal approaches are working. To do this we will consider your ongoing conduct, its effect on other staff or students and your engagement with the support offered.
Finally, staff with concerns about fitness to study issues should contact the Director.
If you need assistance as a result of a disability we will consider whether appropriate adjustments can reasonably be made to support you.
There may be situations where your conduct brings into question your ability or suitability to practise, either professionally or as a volunteer, whilst you are studying at HypnoTC.
If issues emerge that potentially affect your fitness to practise we may immediately escalate the procedure to ‘Stage Two’ (see below).
If a sanction is under consideration that would have the effect of preventing you from permanently practising the profession related to that course, we will refer to any relevant professional body before making any decision and, where possible, holding such a hearing. Our process may then be amended following advice from that professional body; for example, we may include a representative from the relevant professional body on the hearing panel.
Staff with concerns about fitness to practise issues should contact HypnoTC’s director.
Throughout the process we will consider and balance a number of elements when making any decisions; these include:
If we are unable to deal with any unacceptable conduct whilst you are a student (eg it occurs at the end of a course and you then have no further enrolments) we may temporarily prevent you from enrolling on future courses until the issue has been satisfactorily addressed. If this situation occurs the Director will advise you if any temporary bar is put in place to enable you to address our concerns.
If you are not enrolled as a student at the time of any unacceptable conduct, we are not required to follow this procedure and reserve the right not to enrol you on future courses.
Any concern raised or warning issued will normally be retained for a maximum period of 2 years following its issue.
Stage 1 – Informal approach
Any member of staff may raise issues of concern with you as they arise.
The staff member may also recommend or agree some sort of support if s/he considers this to be appropriate, reasonable and related to fitness to study or fitness to practise issues.
If, on inquiry, the concern is sufficiently serious the situation may be escalated to stage 2 of this procedure.
A record of any informal action taken will normally be retained and copied to the Director.
You may appeal to the Director against any sanction imposed by a staff member. Any appeal must be made within 1 week of the decision being given to you.
Stage 2 – Director involvement
If in the year following informal action there is further cause for concern, or if conduct is such that informal approach is not appropriate, the Director will talk to you about their concerns and, after taking into account any explanation given, decide if any sanction will be issued.
The Director may do one or more of the following:
We operate a ‘three strikes’ policy. This means that if you have three stage 1 actions recorded, it becomes a stage two on the third occasion.
However, if the situation is considered serious enough the principal tutor may also:
The decision will be confirmed in writing, normally within 1 week of it being given to you.
You may appeal to the Director against any sanction imposed by a Principal tutor. Any appeal must be made within 1 week of the decision being given to you (see section 12).
Stage two hearing
If there are further incidents of unacceptable conduct following a Director’s warning or potential gross misconduct occurs at any time, you will be invited to attend a hearing with the Director. This person may previously have had no prior involvement in the case. You will be given at least 5 days written notice of the hearing.
The written/ email notice will inform you of:
If, during the hearing, further investigation is needed the hearing will be adjourned until that investigation is complete.
You should submit to the Director the case information about any witnesses you wish to call and any documentary evidence you wish to present at least two days prior to the hearing, otherwise it may not be considered.
After hearing your case, your given explanation will be considered in deciding whether any sanction will be issued.
One or more of the following actions may be taken:
The decision will be confirmed in writing, normally within 1 week of it being given to you.
You may appeal to the Director. Any appeal must be made within one week of the decision being given to you.
Where there is a right of appeal and you wish to appeal a decision you must submit written notice within 1 week of when you were informed of the decision. You must give the grounds for your appeal.
To expedite matters, the Director, or some other senior staff member not involved in the original decision, will reach a final decision based on the documentary evidence you supply with your appeal, if s/he considers that you have supplied sufficient information.
An appeal hearing will only be convened if you specifically request a meeting or the Director considers one necessary. You have the right to be accompanied by a friend or supporter (we do not allow legal representation) at an appeal hearing.
An appeal hearing will normally be a review of the original decision and not a rehearing of the case. You will be invited to explain the grounds of the appeal and the member of staff who made the original decision will be present and may be asked to address any issues you raise in your appeal.
The Director or delegated manager may ask questions of you and the member of staff who made the original decision and will then consider whether to uphold or dismiss the appeal.
If your appeal is upheld, the Director or delegated manager may decide on a lesser sanction, or no sanction.
The Director or delegated manager’s decision is final and will be confirmed to you in writing, normally within one week of the decision being given to you.
Formal meetings, hearings and appeal hearings held under this procedure will be conducted by a senior staff member or HypnoTC representative who has not previously been involved in the situation. A note taker will be present at hearings and appeal hearings. Detailed minutes will not normally be taken at stage 1 or 2 meetings. If communication assistance is requested, this will be arranged by HypnoTC, taking into account the need for impartiality. All decisions will be made on ‘the balance of probabilities’ and taken on the conclusions of the manager making that decision based on the information available at the time.
The person conducting the meeting/ hearing may give instructions in relation to the conduct of the meeting/ hearing, including (without limitation) the length of time which any part of the meeting/ hearing should take. S/he will enable you to question the evidence and state your case.
The person conducting the meeting/ hearing may exclude from the proceedings any person (including yourself and any person accompanying you) who behaves unreasonably or who disregards instructions.
If you do not attend a meeting/ hearing, it will proceed without you and a decision made on the basis of information available.
In exceptional cases we reserve the right to vary aspects of this procedure if required by circumstances; care will be taken to ensure that any such variation is fair and appropriate.
If there is reason to believe that you may have committed a criminal offence, we may refer the matter to the Police. We will normally continue to take action under this procedure irrespective of any action taken by the Police.