Attendance, absences and engaging with your studies

Attendance

Attendance is crucial to academic success and you should report any absence to the correct University department. For international students, non-attendance may lead to withdrawal from the course and the curtailment or shortening of your student visa.

Research comparing performance among students of different levels of attendance has shown the following benefits:

  • Higher grades 
  • Greater chance of passing assessments 
  • Opportunities to improve personal skills and soft skills 
  • Familiarisation with the views of others, which helps shape your arguments/knowledge 
  • The whole summer to relax: no resits!

What you lose by not being in class 
Conversely, poor attendance has been shown to pose serious risks to students’ performance:

  • Poorer grades 
  • Higher risks of failure 
  • Limited knowledge of course materials: Blackboard cannot fully replicate the vital input from tutors in class 
  • Higher likelihood of having to resit coursework and/or exams in the summer 
  • Lower chances of completion within three years and consequently more debt and financial repercussions 
  • The University can withdraw students for lack of engagement on their course, including non-attendance. 
  • If your engagement with the University is considered to be unsatisfactory, you will be contacted by the University, as part of the No Engagement Process.

Absences

Attendance is very important, however if you absolutely have to miss some of your timetabled activities, here’s what you need to do:

For shorter absences:

You must email your course leader and/or your module leaders if you will be absent for a shorter period (For International students, non-EU students, and students studying on Student Route (formerly tier 4) visa fewer than 3 working days, for home students, fewer than 10 working).

For longer absences:

  • For longer absences (For International students, non-EU students, and students studying on Student Route (formerly tier 4) visa 3 working days or more. For home students, 10 working days or more) you must request a leave of absence. 
  • If your absence might affect your academic performance, you should read up about Extenuating Circumstances in case you need to make a claim. You should also inform your Advice Zone. 
  • In some cases, students can request an interruption of studies for a year. 

Engaging with Your Studies

 The Student Charter sets out what you can expect from the University and what, in turn, the University expects from our students. To get the most out of your University experience, we expect all students to take an active role in their learning. This includes:

  • Active Participation: Attending and engaging  in all timetabled lectures, meetings and other course activities*, including those offered remotely;
  • Digital Enhancement: Making regular and appropriate use of UniLearn tools (e.g. Blackboard, Panopto, Turnitin);
  • Assessment Submission: Submitting all assessments by the stated deadlines;
  • Communication: Checking your University email frequently and responding to communications from staff in a timely manner.

*Please check with your course team for any additional requirements for your course.

International students, non-EU students, and students studying on a Tier 4/Student Route (formerly tier 4) visa: You will be required to report regularly to the University in order that the University can confirm to the Home Office that you are actively engaged in your studies. 

Home students: If your engagement is flagged as unsatisfactory your Student Success Officer will email you to request a meeting.

The meeting will be supportive discussion to help us understand your situation, discuss your options and provide any support or guidance you may need to get back on track.

It is vital that you respond to these communications within the specified timeframe to ensure you receive the necessary help and avoid formal action such as withdrawal from the course.

Students who stop engaging altogether and fail to re-engage will be withdrawn as part of the ‘No Engagement Process’.

 

 

 

Your  Student Success Officer will work with you to identify reasons why you aren't engaging. They will discuss your concerns or difficulties and explore options and support to help you to re-engage with your course.

Conditions of re-engagement will be agreed with you and shared with your course team. It is important that you meet these conditions, as you may be referred to be withdrawn if you do not.

Where re-engagement is not possible for you, they will explore other available options.

You will be subject to the Student Route Attendance and Engagement Monitoring Policy regulations.

It’s important for you to get help. The Wellbeing Advice Team can help you look at the range of support options that may be open to you.

If you are unable to engage with your studies due to your physical or mental health the Support to Study regulations may apply. 

If the Support to Study process is unsuccessful, students may be referred via the No Engagement process.

You should contact the Disability Advice Team to discuss the available support.

If you are unable to engage with your studies due to your physical or mental health the Support to Study regulations may apply. 

If the Support to Study process is unsuccessful, students may be referred via the Lack of Engagement process.

If your engagement issues are not resolved, you may be withdrawn from your course, in which case you will be sent a Notice of Withdrawal email.

If you are notified of an intention to be withdrawn, you have the right to appeal within 10 working days from the date that notification is received. The notification is sent via email, and will provide details of the appeals procedure.

The grounds under which you may appeal are:

  • That you were unable to engage in the University’s procedures at the time for good reason;
  • That the procedures were not conducted fairly and/or in accordance with the published regulations.

If you have been withdrawn due to lack of engagement, you will not normally be allowed to reapply for a minimum of twelve months from the date this decision was made.

After this period, you may have the right to re-apply but your previous study will be taken into consideration along with any supporting evidence of further experience or academic study taken since leaving the University. Please refer to the Admissions Policy.

Meeting with your Student Success Officer will enable you to discuss your concerns or difficulties with your studies and will aim to help you to re-engage with your course. They will also signpost you to other support services.

Further support can be accessed through the Wellbeing Advice Team or the Chaplaincy.

Sometimes you might feel you need support that is independent of the University, for example if you’d like to bring someone along when you meet with the Progression Advice Team. In that case we would advise you to contact your Students' Union.

You may be thinking about leaving university for any number of reasons but there may be options or other things to consider before you take that last step. This  pathway provides suggestions, possible options, and advice on where to ask for more information or help.

If you have decided to withdraw or interrupt your studies it is essential that you contact the Advice Zone and complete the appropriate process as you will still be liable for fees until you have ended your contract with USW. Please note that ceasing to attend classes does not in itself constitute a formal withdrawal.