Curriculum and Learning
Academic Integrity
In last week’s issue of the Especean, I wrote about the College’s Assessment Policy and information regarding assessment in Years 7 to 12 for 2026. This information will be available over the coming week on CANVAS under the respective Year pages and via the Parent Orbit App.
As the boys begin working on their assessments, one area of potential concern is malpractice, that is, any activity undertaken by students that allows them to gain an unfair advantage over others. This also includes knowingly assisting others to engage in malpractice. I raise this issue not to be negative, but to help increase awareness so our boys can proactively and confidently navigate their assessment commitments in a world where they have access to a vast array of information.
Malpractice can take a number of forms, including plagiarism, collusion, misrepresentation, and breach of assessment conditions. As malpractice may involve both unintentional and deliberate wrongdoing, awareness and understanding are key.
Plagiarism is one of the most common forms of malpractice. It occurs when a student presents work as their own that has originated from another source, including using the ideas or words of another person without appropriate acknowledgement. It also includes reusing one’s own previous work without acknowledgement. Given that we encourage our boys to build upon what they learn, drawing on both the ideas of others and their own prior learning, this distinction is relevant across much of their coursework and assessment.
Students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the College’s supporting resources, including:
the Malpractice sections in the relevant Assessment Handbooks
resources available through the McGlade Library
online resources on CANVAS
the relevant pages of the College Diary
In addition, online submission of senior assignments continues via Turnitin, and Year 10 students will complete the All My Own Work program in class. This program is publicly available on the NESA website at: NESA All My Own Work Program.
If a concern regarding malpractice is identified, it is referred to the relevant Head of Department for investigation with the Director of Curriculum. The Director of Curriculum chairs the College’s Assessment Review Committee, which oversees malpractice matters. Penalties for malpractice can include a zero mark for the task.
Ultimately, the simplest advice we can offer is to:
always acknowledge sources
carefully check the requirements outlined in the assessment pre-task information
seek clarification from the relevant teacher or Head of Department if unsure.
By following this approach, our boys can continue to build constructively on the work of others while ensuring they do not engage in malpractice, thereby maintaining academic integrity.
James Martin
Director of Curriculum