Student Attendance and Engagement Policy

Registry & Student Administration

Version control table.
Owner:	Academic Registrar (Director of Registry & Student Administration)
Author:	Programme Administration Manager Student Casework Manager
Approved by:	Learning & Teaching Committee/Senate
Date of Approval of this Version:	2 November 2022 (Minor amendment to 5.7 made 6 December 2023).
Next Review Date:	2024
Version Number:	1.0
Applicable Statutory, Legal or National Best Practice Requirements:	Home Office Student Sponsor requirements, Education and Skills Funding Agency student engagement requirements and Student Loans Company attendance requirements.
Equality Impact Assessment Completion Date:	25 October 2022
Data Protection Impact Assessment Completion Date:	Not required

1. Purpose

1.1 The University of Bradford is committed to supporting students in maximising their academic achievements. Part of this commitment is met by monitoring student attendance and engagement as outlined in this policy.

1.2 The University has a duty to do all it reasonably can to support students to complete their programmes of study and attain the best possible academic outcomes. It is important that student engagement with all aspects of their programme is encouraged and monitored.

1.3 Regulations 6.2 and 8.2 of the respective Regulations Governing Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Awards state:

“Student attendance is expected at all scheduled learning activities, together with satisfactory completion and submission by the due dates prescribed by the Faculty of all assessed coursework and such other practical and written exercises as may be required by the relevant programme regulations”.

2. Relevant Legislation

2.1 In responding to and managing situations where a student’s attendance and engagement is a concern, the University remains mindful of its obligations under Equality legislation including, in appropriate cases, its duty to make reasonable adjustments. In dealing with matters, the University also remains mindful of its obligations under the Data Protection Policy.

2.2 The University is required to confirm to the Home Office that all international students holding a student visa are academically engaging throughout their course.

3. Principles and Scope

3.1 The University Student Attendance and Engagement Policy applies to ALL students, irrespective of whether they are a Home or International student, includes Apprenticeships and encompasses ALL study modes. This includes:

Full-time
Part-time
Distance learning
Writing-up
Placement

3.2 Students studying at Partner institutions will be required to adhere to the Partner’s policy and procedures in relation to attendance and engagement.

3.3 Faculties must monitor the attendance and engagement of all students (undergraduate, postgraduate taught students, research students and visiting students).

3.4 Monitoring arrangements will meet the Home Office requirements for engagement of international students holding a visa.

3.5 Data and intelligence to monitor student attendance and engagement is specified in the procedure and will be drawn from University systems where possible. Faculties must maintain local records where information is held locally.

3.6 Faculties will exercise a level of academic judgement when determining whether a student is attending and engaging with due regard to their health and wellbeing.

3.7 Attendance and engagement monitoring will be utilised as one way to identify students who may be in need for further academic or pastoral support.

4. Responsibilities

4.1 The responsibilities of staff and students are outlined in the schedule of responsibilities set out in Appendix A.

5. Policy

5.1 The University of Bradford is committed to providing a positive learning environment for all students and extends this commitment to ensure an appropriate response in circumstances whereby a student's level of attendance and/or engagement is of concern.

5.2 The University will provide appropriate support mechanisms for those students experiencing difficulties in attending and timely referrals to relevant support services.

Provision of Information for Students

5.3 Students may request a copy of their attendance record; contact details are available on the Timetabling and Attendance SharePoint site. The report includes a summary of attendance and a report of where and when a student has used their University of Bradford card to swipe into a scheduled learning and teaching session.

Professionally Accredited Programmes

5.4 Where professionally accredited programmes have specific attendance requirements, these will be notified to students through their programme specification and/or programme handbook or other programme materials.

Data and Intelligence

5.5 One of the key attendance and engagement reporting mechanisms is whether students attend scheduled learning and teaching sessions on a regular basis. Physical attendance is recorded when students swipe into a session using their University of Bradford ID card or when they log into an online session using their University account. Attendance at scheduled learning and teaching sessions is reported weekly and provided to Personal Academic Tutors (PATs).

5.6 The University may also review other data and intelligence to complement scheduled learning and teaching data. This may include a range of measures as applicable to the programme of study. The list below provides examples, but is not exhaustive:

Induction events
Submission of assessment
Attendance at PAT meetings (in person or online)
Use of Library (in person or online)
Engagement with Canvas
Supervisory meetings (research students)
Essential sessions, eg for professionally-accredited programmes.

5.7 Recognising that a suite of measures will be taken into account to monitor student engagement, the University considers the threshold figures below to be indicative measures of poor attendance:

student attendance falls below 60% according to the University’s attendance monitoring system
a student does not submit 2 or more module assessments without good cause
a student who is studying for a dissertation/project only without taught elements misses 1 or more monthly supervisor meetings
a student does not attend their annual check-in, arranged each year by the Visa Support Team.

Monitoring

5.8 The University will monitor student attendance and engagement using the data sources available and will follow-up with individual students in a timely manner, taking appropriate action to identify sufficient and continued engagement and facilitate students to reengage. As a last resort, the University may need to take action to withdraw students from their course of study and, in the case of UKVI sponsored students, report this to the Home Office.

Implementation

5.9 Students are made aware of the expectation that they attend all scheduled learning activities in the Student Handbook. This is reenforced by programme teams throughout the student journey.

5.10 Staff are made aware of their responsibilities for monitoring student engagement and attendance through induction, University/Faculty/Directorate communications and through regular data reports. Specific expectations in respect of international students are included in regular training sessions delivered by the International Student Support and UKVI Compliance team.

6. Policy monitoring and review

6.1 Programme teams will regularly review attendance and engagement of all students in accordance with the Attendance and Engagement Policy and detailed procedures.

6.2 The Student Visa Compliance Group will monitor compliance in relation to meeting the Home Office’s expectations of student engagement and reporting.

7. Related policies and standards / documentation

7.1 Regulation 2: Regulations Governing Undergraduate Awards

7.2 Regulation 9: Regulations Governing Postgraduate Taught Awards

7.3 Regulation 10: Regulations for Research Degrees

7.4 Data Protection Policy

7.5 Equality legislation

7.6 Home Office Student Sponsor Guidance

7.7 Education and Skills Funding Agency student engagement requirements

7.8 Student Loans Company attendance requirements

8. Appendices

Appendix A: Attendance and Engagement Schedule of Responsibilities

Appendix A: Attendance and engagement schedule of responsibilities

Table of responsibilities
Staff Responsibilities	Taught Student Responsibilities	Research Student Responsibilities	International Student Responsibilities (in addition to overarching student attendance and engagement schedule)
Ensure that students are made aware of the attendance requirements of their programme.	Familiarise themselves with the particular attendance requirements of their programme.	Familiarise themselves with the particular attendance requirements of their research award.	Familiarise themselves with student visa compliance requirements.
Give students reasonable notice of any timetabling changes.	Give reasonable notice of any planned or unavoidable absences.	Give reasonable notice of any planned or unavoidable absences.	Attend Student Essential Sessions during Orientation
Ensure that information on any changes to timetabling is communicated effectively to students through the online timetable or any other appropriate means.	Check their programme and module information points, online timetable and e-mail communications regularly for information on timetabling changes.	Discuss and plan research training needs with Supervisor(s).	Attend International Student check-in points.
Arrive promptly for scheduled sessions, as well as ensuring that sessions end promptly.	Arrive promptly for scheduled sessions and stay to the close.	Attend scheduled meetings with Supervisor(s).	Inform Personal Academic Tutor and International Student Support & UKVI Compliance team of any changes in circumstance.
Facilitate such changes to a student’s timetable as are appropriate and reasonable, having given due consideration to the student’s circumstances and obligations.	Give appropriate consideration to the logistical difficulties in making timetabling changes and seek changes only under exceptional circumstances.	Give appropriate consideration to the logistical difficulties in rescheduling supervisor meetings, and seek changes only under exceptional circumstances.
Arrange regular meetings or meeting opportunities between Personal Academic Tutors and students.	Attend scheduled meetings with Personal Academic Tutors. Respond positively when concerns are raised regarding attendance.	Complete monthly monitoring reports and share with Supervisor(s). Respond positively when concerns are raised regarding attendance.
Encourage student attendance by regularly reviewing and improving upon the design of the programme and the method of delivery.	Ensure consistent attendance. Liaise with Personal Academic Tutor if personal circumstances affect this.	Complete progression point reporting as directed by Supervisor(s). Liaise with Supervisor(s) if personal circumstances affect this.
Provide students with an opportunity to engage in the design and method of delivery of the programme.	Participate in feedback and consultation opportunities.	Participate in feedback and consultation opportunities including annual reporting.
Regularly review attendance and engagement of all students in accordance with the Attendance and Engagement Policy and detailed procedures.
Signpost students to relevant academic and pastoral specialist support to enable consistent engagement with their studies.	Engage with student support services to put plans and support in place.	Engage with student support services to put plans and support in place.