Our store is open from 11AM to 6PM. The store will close at 4PM on Easter Sunday, 3/31.

Class Policies

Cancellation (by The Wine House)

If the Wine House finds it necessary to cancel a WSET course, we will contact all registrants via email as soon as we have made the cancellation decision.

If the student desires to attend another course we will immediately make the transfer to that course.

If the student wishes to have their course fee refunded to them, the refund will be processed depending on how the course was purchased:

– Online registration via Wine House website: refund will be processed within 24 hours.

– In-store or phone registration: refund will be processed as soon as the student contacts us with the credit card information that was used to purchase the course.

NOTE: If the student wishes a refund and has picked up the course materials, the cost of the materials will be deducted from the refunded course fee.

Special Consideration Policy

Introduction
Special consideration is an action taken after an assessment to allow students who have been disadvantaged by temporary illness, injury, indisposition, or adverse circumstances at the time of the assessment to demonstrate attainment.

Scope of policy
Special consideration will not give an unfair advantage over students for whom special consideration is not being applied or alter the assessment demands of the qualification as detailed in the applicable Specification. A student may be eligible for special consideration if:

– Performance in an assessment is affected by circumstances beyond the candidate’s control. This may include recent personal illness, accident, bereavement, or examination room conditions;
– Alternative assessment arrangements which were agreed in advance of the assessment proved inappropriate or inadequate;
– The application of special consideration would not mislead the user of the certificate as to the student’s attainment.

Applying for special consideration
A Special Consideration Application Form must be submitted to The Wine House seven (7) working days after the assessment date for which special consideration is being sought. Eligibility will only be considered if accompanied by supporting independent documentation, supporting information will be passed to WSET and handled in accordance with their data privacy policy.

In cases of serious disruption during the examination, the Examinations Officer must submit a detailed report of the circumstances and students affected to WSET. This must be returned with the completed examination papers.
The Wine House will keep records of all applications for special consideration.

Reasonable Adjustments Policy

Introduction
WSET and The Wine House seek to assess all students in a way that puts them at no disadvantage, or advantage, over other students.

A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty that places the student at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment situation. Reasonable adjustments are approved by WSET and put in place before the assessment activity takes place; they constitute an arrangement to give the student access to the qualification. The use of a reasonable adjustment is not considered during the assessment of a student’s work.

Scope of policy
Reasonable adjustments must not give an unfair advantage over students for whom reasonable adjustments are not being made or affect the reliability and validity of the assessment outcomes as detailed in the applicable Specification.

Reasonable adjustments may involve:
– Changing standard assessment arrangements, for example, allowing students extra time to complete the assessment activity;
– Adapting assessment materials, such as providing materials in large text format;
– Providing access facilitators during the assessment, such as a sign language interpreter or reader;
– Re-organizing the assessment room, such as removal of visual stimuli for an autistic student.

Applying for a reasonable adjustment
The Wine House must identify at the time of a student’s enrollment any special needs which may require a reasonable adjustment at the time of the examination. The Wine House must submit a Reasonable Adjustment Application Form to the WSET at least six weeks before the examination date in the case of WSET qualifications at Levels 1-3 and at least ten weeks before the examination date in the case of the WSET Level 4 Diploma. Supporting evidence must be provided with the completed form.

The specific arrangements for the examination process itself, or for marking, will be agreed upon in each case between The Wine House Examinations Officer and WSET and will vary according to individual circumstances. WSET reserves the right to seek the advice of independent agencies as appropriate in coming to a decision on specific arrangements. Please note that The Wine House cannot offer reasonable adjustments to any students until this has been agreed with WSET. Supporting information will be passed to WSET and handled in accordance with their data privacy policy.

Students and their advisors should be aware that it is not appropriate to make requests for reasonable adjustments where the student’s difficulty directly affects performance in the attributes that are the focus of the assessment.
The Wine House will keep records of all reasonable adjustment applications.

Diversity and Equality Policy

The Wine House is committed to upholding the principles of diversity and equality in all areas of its work, seeking to ensure that all students and other stakeholders are always treated fairly and equally.

The Wine House assures equality of opportunity for students by:
– Promoting open access to all of our qualifications on offer (having regard to the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcohol and assessment competence standards);
– Allowing students with special educational needs, disabilities, or temporary injuries to access assessments without changing the demands of the assessment in line with our Reasonable Adjustment and Special Consideration policies;
– Having a diversity and equality policy in place which promotes open access to our qualifications;
– Inviting feedback on diversity issues from students and other stakeholders;
– Working with relevant organizations as appropriate to develop measures to identify and prevent inequality of opportunity; and
– Review this policy regularly to ensure it meets legislative and organizational requirements and is fit for purpose.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Introduction
WSET has approved The Wine House as an Approved Program Provider (APP). As a regulated awarding organization, WSET is required to identify, monitor, and manage actual, potential, and perceived conflicts of interest (‘Conflicts of Interest’). This is essential to safeguard the integrity of WSET qualifications and promote confidence in WSET processes.

This document offers guidance to individuals engaged in activities undertaken on behalf of WSET (the awarding organization of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust), which have the potential to lead them to act contrary to the interests of WSET in the development, delivery, assessment, and award of its regulated qualifications.

It defines what is meant by conflict of interest, describes such conflicts of interest in the context of working with WSET, identifies those conflicts of interest that can be managed and are therefore acceptable and those that cannot be managed and are therefore unacceptable. It also gives examples of potential conflicts of interest.

Scope of policy
This policy is applicable to all staff members employed by the The Wine House and to any individuals acting on behalf of The Wine House.

Definition of Conflict of Interest
A Conflict of Interest exists where an individual has interests or loyalties that could adversely influence their judgment, objectivity, or loyalty to WSET when conducting activities associated with WSET qualifications.

Examples of Conflicts of Interest include:
– The undertaking of any moderation of assessment of student by an individual who has a personal interest in the result of the assessment for any or all individuals concerned;
– The tutoring of students by an individual involved in the assessment process;
– The coaching of students by any individual involved in the assessment of student scripts or the authoring of examination questions;
– The employment by an APP of individuals engaged in the delivery of taught programs or in the role of Internal Assessor in another APP;
– The investigation of a non-compliance incident by someone who is unable to act impartially.

Some of these Conflicts of Interest can be managed and are therefore acceptable. For example, the marking of WSET Level 3 tasting assessments by Internal Assessors is verified by WSET to mitigate the risk of a Conflict of Interest. Similarly, where an employee of the WSET or one of its APPs undertakes a WSET qualification, measures can be put in place to maintain the integrity of the assessment, provided this has been notified to WSET in advance.

Some Conflicts of Interest cannot be managed and are not acceptable. For example, it would be inappropriate for an individual involved in authoring examination questions or compiling examination papers to teach or coach students.

Identification & Management of Conflicts of Interest
The Wine House has procedures in place to manage specific Conflicts of Interest. To report a conflict of interest please refer to the Formal Complaint Process below.

Malpractice and Maladministration Policy

The Wine House protects the interests of our students and safeguards the integrity of WSET qualifications by ensuring compliance with WSET Policies and Procedures. Non-compliance with The Wine House and WSET Policies and Procedures generally falls into one of two categories:

Maladministration, where non-compliance is accidental rather than intentional, and malpractice, where non-compliance is deliberate or the result of negligence.

Whether a situation is maladministration or malpractice will be determined by The Wine House and WSET following an investigation.

If you think an incident has occurred, please email us immediately at [email protected] Please include a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding the suspicions and allegations.

Malpractice or maladministration by The Wine House may include:
– Failure to carry out course or assessment delivery in accordance with WSET requirements;
– Failure to adhere to WSET’s candidate registration and certification procedures;
– Late student registrations;
– Fraudulent claim for certificates/fraudulent use of certificates/reproduction or forgery of certificates;
– Breach of confidentiality;
– Failure to disclose a Conflict of Interest;
– Issue of incorrect exam results/failure to issue results to students in a timely manner;
– Unauthorized reading/amendment/copying/distribution of exam papers;
– Failure to return exam papers within the specified timeframe or to follow delivery and tracking regulations;
– Infringement of WSET copyright, trademarks, intellectual property rights and brand identity;
– Use of unqualified and/or unregistered educators or internal assessors;
– Misleading advertising/publicity.

Malpractice or maladministration by a student or candidate may include:
– Fraudulent claim for certificates/fraudulent use of certificates/reproduction or forgery of certificates;
– Withholding of information from WSET which is critical to maintaining the rigor of quality assurance;
– Submission of false or inaccurate information to gain a qualification;
– Cheating, including the use of unauthorized devices or materials;
– Disruptive behavior in an exam;
– Plagiarism of any nature;
– Impersonation (including forgery of signatures);
– Any action likely to lead to an adverse effect;
– Unauthorized reading/amendment/copying/distribution of exam papers;
– Infringement of WSET copyright, trademarks, intellectual property rights and brand identity.

Sanctions applicable to students or candidates may include, but are not limited to, the following:
– Written Warning: The student is issued a written warning stating that if the offense is repeated within a set period of time, then further specified sanctions will be applied.
– Exam Result Declared Null and Void: A student’s exam result is disallowed. This may include invalidation and recall of a certificate already issued.
– Disqualification from a Qualification: The student is disqualified from participating in the concerned qualification with immediate effect and further excluded from participating in any further WSET qualifications for a period of 12 months. This includes access to WSET materials.
– Student Disqualification: The student is disqualified from participating in any courses or assessments leading to WSET qualifications. This includes access to WSET materials.
– Disqualification from use of WSET certified logos and post-nominals: Actions bringing WSET into disrepute may result in the student or graduate being – disqualified from all use of WSET certified logos and post-nominals.

Formal Complaint Process

Introduction:

The Wine House is committed to providing a learning and working environment in which complaints are responded to promptly and with minimum distress to all parties. The Wine House is committed to a visible, accessible, and fair complaints process. The Wine House views student complaints as providing an opportunity to review and improve its policies and practices and also to gain insight into student levels of satisfaction.

Scope:
This process applies to student complaints made in the context of The Wine House’s provision of WSET Courses and Examinations as a WSET Approved Program Provider.

Definitions:
What is a complaint?
A complaint is a formal statement expressing dissatisfaction that requires action or response. The complaint may be in relation to any aspect of the course delivery, conduct of teaching staff or management, or matters pertaining to the examination process or content. Where the complaint is regarding a possible incorrect examination result, The Wine House will provide students with appropriate information regarding the WSET Enquiry and Appeals Process.

Policy:
The Wine House’s procedures for handling student complaints are based on confidentiality, impartiality, procedural fairness, and prompt resolution. Where complaints are of a minor nature, they may be resolved informally. An informal approach is appropriate when it can be achieved. But if concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved informally, then the formal complaints procedure should be followed. The formal complaints procedure is intended to ensure that all complaints are handled fairly and consistently. All formal complaints must be submitted in writing, via email, or written correspondence. All formal complaints will receive a written response of the outcome of the complaint, following appropriate investigation of the circumstances.

The Wine House: [email protected]
2311 Cotner Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90064
www.winehouse.com
(310) 479-3731

Responsibilities:
1. The Wine House’s responsibilities will be to:
– Acknowledge any formal complaint received in writing within ten working days
– Respond within a stated period of time of 21 working days with either a conclusion or a further update depending on the severity of the complaint
– Deal reasonably and sensitively with the complainant
– Cooperate fully in any investigation process
– Take action where appropriate, including any corrective action necessary to prevent recurrence; if the complaint relates to examination content or results, provide the student with the relevant WSET guidance notes and forms to allow the student to utilize the WSET Enquiries and Appeals process

2. A complainant’s responsibility is to:
– Bring their complaint, in writing, to The Wine House’s attention within seven working days of the issue arising or within seven days of completion of the course or examination;
– Explain the problem as clearly and as fully as possible with their expected outcome;
– Allow The Wine House a reasonable time to deal with the matter
– Recognize that some circumstances may be beyond The Wine House’s control

Outcomes:
Students will receive written advice on the outcome of their complaints. Some of the possible outcomes of a student complaint include:
– Through the resolution process, the student gains a better understanding of the situation so that their concerns are addressed.
– A mutually acceptable resolution is reached through conciliation or mediation.
– The student receives an apology, and/or the issue or behavior that was the basis of their complaint is modified. In some cases, the complaint cannot be substantiated, and no further action will result.

Referral to WSET:
If the above steps have all been completed and the student is still dissatisfied, they can file a complaint with the WSET. Please note that the WSET can only take action on complaints from students if they have followed the above procedures first. The WSET can be reached at [email protected]

Confidentiality & Documentation:
All documentation relating to complaints will be kept strictly confidential and will not be accessible to anyone who is not directly involved in handling the complaint. Any material about the outcome of the complaint will be placed on the appropriate student file. A register of complaints made (anonymous of names), along with their outcomes, will be maintained to continuously improve policies and practices.