Complaints & Appeals

If a candidate or student believes they have been subject to a situation or action that is unsatisfactory or unacceptable, they may file a complaint with Slate Wine & Spirits Academy. This policy also covers appeals against assessment decisions, including WSET exam results.

Complaints follow a two-stage process. Both stages require an official email to create a written record.

Complaints should be raised promptly. A complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the incident or issue giving rise to it. Complaints submitted more than 60 calendar days after the fact may be declined unless the complainant provides good reason for the delay. Appeals of WSET exam results follow a separate, shorter timeline described below.

Stage 1: Course Educator

Complainants should begin with their Course Educator, the individual responsible for delivering and overseeing their qualification. A complaint may be raised verbally, but to be treated as an official complaint it must be submitted by email so that a written record exists. Stage 1 typically covers issues with course delivery, interactions with other candidates, or the classroom environment.

If the complainant does not know their Course Educator’s direct email, they may contact registration@slatewineacademy.com and we will route the complaint to the correct Course Educator.

Course Educators are trained to resolve complaints at this level. If the Course Educator’s resolution is not satisfactory to the complainant, they may escalate to Stage 2.

Stage 2: Academy Principal

Stage 2 complaints are made directly to the Academy Principal. A complaint should begin at Stage 2 (rather than Stage 1) if it concerns maladministration, malpractice, acts of discrimination, or conflict of interest. Please see our Malpractice & Maladministration, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, and Conflict of Interest policies for more detail on these matters.

Stage 2 complaints must be submitted in writing by email to Lee Pancake, Academy Principal, at lee@slatewineacademy.com.

A Stage 2 submission should include full details of the complaint, any steps already taken to resolve it, and the complainant’s full name, email address, and phone number.

The Academy Principal will acknowledge receipt within 3 working days and provide a written response within 15 working days of receiving the complete submission. If the matter requires more time to investigate, the complainant will be notified in writing with a revised timeline.

The complainant agrees to respond to reasonable requests for further information during the investigation. If the complainant does not respond within 14 calendar days of such a request, the complaint may be closed with no further action.

Slate Wine & Spirits Academy reserves the right to decline to investigate complaints that are frivolous, vexatious, made in bad faith, or that repeat a matter already investigated and resolved. Where a complaint is declined on these grounds, the complainant will be notified in writing with the reason.

Appeals of WSET Exam Results

A candidate who wishes to appeal a WSET exam result must submit their appeal to Slate Wine & Spirits Academy within 10 working days of receiving the result. Slate Wine & Spirits Academy will follow WSET’s published Enquiry and Appeals process and manage initial communication with WSET on the candidate’s behalf. Timelines for WSET’s response follow WSET’s own service standards, generally 10 working days for Level 1 and Level 2 results and 40 working days for Level 3.

Confidentiality

All complaints and appeals are handled with confidentiality. Information is only shared with those who need it to investigate and resolve the matter. Complaint and appeal records are retained for three years in accordance with WSET requirements. Please see our Data Protection policy for more detail on how we handle personal information.

A complaint raised in good faith will not affect the complainant’s standing on their current course, their eligibility for future courses, or their relationship with Slate Wine & Spirits Academy. Retaliation of any kind against a person who raises a complaint in good faith will itself be treated as a matter under this policy.

Escalation to WSET

If a complainant remains dissatisfied after the Stage 2 response, the matter may be escalated to WSET directly at governance@wsetglobal.com.

Related Policies

Last reviewed: April 2026.