HE Student Attendance Policy

1. Introduction 

• 1.1. Students are expected to attend all taught sessions for the courses in which they are enrolled, come to class prepared, and be active participants in both group work and in their own individual learning experiences. They are expected to engage with and participate in guided independent study and do so regularly and on time.
• 1.2. This procedure outlines the procedures for staff who are responsible for monitoring student attendance.

2. Purpose

• 2.1. The purpose of this document is to have a clear policy that will:
  • Apply uniformity and consistency of treatment across British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ).
  • Provide clear guidance on the process to be followed when a student’s attendance is below the expected criteria.
  • Enable up-to-date student information to be available.
  • Serve as a BAJ procedure statement to any interested third parties.
  • Enable accurate data to be provided for statistical and audit purposes.
  • Provide evidence for the appropriate funding body that students are on the programme.

3. Scope

• 3.1. This policy applies exclusively to all Higher Education provision offered by the British Academy of Jewellery. This also applies to sub-contractual provisions.

4. Related documents

baj.ac.uk/policies-procedures/

• BAJ HE Student Intermission of Study Procedure
• BAJ HE Additional Student Support and SEND Policy
• BAJ HE Fitness to Study Policy
• BAJ HE Student Disciplinary Policy and Code of Conduct
• BAJ HE Student Charter
• BAJ HE Terms and Conditions of Admissions and Enrolment
• BAJ HR Data Protection Policy

5. Responsibilities

• 5.1 The following people are responsible for ensuring that this procedure is followed.
  The administration is responsible for tracking student’s attendance and engagement. They are also responsible for engaging with students who are not attending, following the stages and timescales outlined in this procedure.

  Tutors are responsible for accurately recording student’s attendance and engagement in taught sessions on registers. They are also responsible for communicating with students whose attendance is a concern and for referring them to BAJ Administration where required. When requested, they are expected to provide BAJ Administration with the date of student engagement.

  Students are responsible for attending all taught sessions, engaging with and participating in guided independent study and doing so regularly and on time. Where they have a valid reason (for example a medical appointment) for not attending a taught session they must communicate this to their tutor.

6. Risk analysis

• 6.1. This policy is required to ensure that student’s attendance and engagement is monitored. This policy is dependent on student communication and evidence.

Analyse risks of non-adherence to this policy

• 6.2. Failure to adhere to this policy could lead to academic failure of students, complaints, inaccurate reporting to Student Finance England and non-adherence to BAJ’s adherence to OfS conditions of registration.

Staff training needed

• 6.3. All staff involved are required to undertake annual training delivered by the Academy Head (HE) to outline the support that is available and the process by which students can be referred for support if they have attendance issues.

7. Data protection

• 7.1. BAJ complies with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation Data Protection Act, 2018. As such, applicants’ and student data are treated as confidential by all staff involved in this process and is not divulged unnecessarily or inappropriately. However, the aforementioned Act requires BAJ to release certain information to UK authorities upon request in order to assist those authorities with the prevention and detection of fraud or other crimes. We will release the requested information on receipt of an appropriate request from UK authorities such as (but not limited to) the police, the Home Office (for immigration and related matters), local authorities, and the Department for Work and Pensions
• 7.2. We may use anonymised data collected as part of an individual’s attendance record for the purpose of fulfilling statistical and reporting requirements.

8. Procedure

• 8.1. Attendance is defined at BAJ as the physical presence of the student in the learning environment for the entire scheduled taught session (face-to-face or online) as required by the programme. For example:

• • Lectures
  • Workshop tutorials
  • Examinations, face-to-face or online
  • Video conferencing of live sessions
  • Participation in online forum
• 8.2. Attendance is taken by tutors in online registers within the BAJ’S student records system during each taught session.
• 8.3. Every student’s unauthorised absence from a session is recorded as ‘Unauthorised’ in online registers.
• 8.4. If an inaccurate absence can be shown to have been recorded, the tutor can either make the change or can request that this be rescinded from Management Information Services.
• 8.5. Engagement is defined by BAJ as the activity of engaging with and participating in guided independent or group study activities, assessment and feedback, and any other activities required by the module and/or programme. For example:
  • Submitting formative and/or summative assessment.
  • Accessing and/or interacting with recordings and completing tasks in virtual learning environments.
  • Undertaking placements.
  • Attending Academic Personal Tutorial meetings.

9. Support for students

• 9.1. It is expected that students attend all taught sessions engaging with and participating in guided independent study and do so regularly and on time. Students facing difficulties that are impacting on their ability to attend  (for example, suffering from a health condition, being a care leaver, etc.) are expected to seek support from their Tutor or Administration.
• 9.2. A student can make an appointment with an Advisor by:
  • Contacting BAJ Administration at: HEAttendance@baj.ac.uk.

10. Distinguishing an absent student: Process, timescales and deadlines

• 10.1. Stage 0: Student Services run weekly automated reports from the student record system which identify student’s attendance data recorded on registers. If a student’s attendance drops below 75% for the academic year or there is an unauthorised absence for three consecutive weeks, the Student Services team will raise concerns with the appropriate Head of Academy HE and Course Leader before contacting the student.
• 10.2. Stage 1: The student will receive a correspondence letter (LETTER 1) from Student Services when a student’s attendance is reported as being below 60% for the academic year or there is an unauthorised absence for three consecutive weeks, querying the absence and offering pastoral support. This letter will state a 10-calendar day deadline in which the student must respond.
• 10.3. Stage 2: A formal discussion about attendance is had with the student if contact is made. This includes querying the absence and offering pastoral support. The consequence of continued non-attendance is outlined such as the reported effect it has on a student’s grade profile.
• 10.4. At this stage, if the student has not been in contact with any of the staff members listed under ‘5 Responsibilities’, then the procedure moves to STAGE 3. Once STAGE 3 is authorised the student will have up to 30 calendar days (from the date of letter 2) to contact BAJ before a formal withdrawal is actioned.
• 10.5. Stage 3: Student Services sends correspondence letter (LETTER 2) to the student, querying the absence and offering pastoral support. This letter will state a 30-calendar day deadline in which the student must respond.
• 10.6. If the student’s attendance remains inactive, the Head of Academy HE can authorise Student Services to complete a withdrawal. The student is notified in writing of the withdrawal. (LETTER 3). The withdrawal is reported to the Awarding Organisation (KU and Pearson Awards) so that any credit and exit award can be confirmed.

11. Student engagement in the process

• 11.1. Students who engage with the staged process outlined above, but suddenly stop communicating are sent LETTER 3. This is regardless of what stage the student engaged with previously. The letter will encourage the student to disclose any extenuating circumstances to a Student Adviser.
• 11.2. Students who engage with the staged process outlined above but fail to attend their studies again and do not communicate with Student Support entered directly into Stage 3 and are sent LETTER 2. This is regardless of what stage the student engaged with previously.

12. Appeals procedure

• 12.1. Students are informed of the process for Extenuating Circumstances and encouraged to access support from a Student Adviser if they are experiencing issues that are affecting their studies and ability to attend. The BAJ HE Extenuating Circumstance Procedure is available from the BAJ website.
• 12.2. Students are entitled to appeal a decision made by BAJ to withdraw them due to nonattendance and/or failure to respond to communication about attendance concerns on the following grounds:
  
  That there has been materially significant administrative error, or a procedural irregularity is such that the assessment process, and consideration of any mitigating circumstances were not conducted in accordance with the approved regulations.
• 12.3. Students must be informed of their right to appeal. They should be directed to the Academic Appeal process outlined in BAJ Higher Education Academic Appeal Policy.