Support to Study
This process is used by academic staff to aid their support for students, while noting concerns about performance or participation.
Process
Support to Study is a staged approach designed to ensure that early interventions with students are captured and monitored if a concern arises.
The staged approach offers a supportive interaction with students who may be struggling with either attendance or engagement in their studies due to reasons otherwise unknown. This is done before reaching the point where the ability to continue is of serious concern.
Stages of Support to Study
Support to Study consists of 4 stages of interventions designed to address concerns around student performance or engagement on their programmes. The stages are outlined below:
Stage 1: Emerging and/or moderate concern
This is an informal and supportive stage whereby the student’s:
- Academic Tutor
- Module Lead/Director, or
- Course/Programme Lead
may, for example, instigate an email exchange or arrange a tutorial for an informal discussion. Students will likely be signposted to available support.
Stage 2: Continuing and significant concern
This remains an informal and supportive stage that builds on contact made at Stage 1. This is managed by either the:
- Academic Tutor
- Module Lead/Director, or
- Course/Programme Lead
who will aim to:
- share their ongoing concerns
- signpost to support, and
- agree actions with the student
which will be expected to be achieved within set timeframes.
Stage 3: Persistent concern not meeting the threshold for Stage 4
This is a formal stage of the process and will take place if concerns remain unresolved, in spite of the student maintaining some degree of attendance and engagement within the last 4 weeks. A formalised action plan may be agreed with the student.
This stage is not applicable to Student Visas.
This stage is managed by the student’s:
- Academic Tutor
- Module Lead/Director, or
- Programme/Course Lead.
Students will be given 3 days’ notice to attend this meeting, which will usually be held via MS Teams unless there is a reason for holding in-person. Alongside the lead academic, this meeting may include a panel of representatives from other departments.
The student may choose to be accompanied by a supporter at the meeting. This person should be:
- a current member of staff
- a current registered student at the University, or
- a Students’ Union representative.
If the student fails to attend this meeting, and does not make contact, they will be presumed to have withdrawn.
Stage 4: Presumed withdrawal
If the University has reason to believe that a student:
- has not been attending, and
- has failed to respond to earlier interventions
then the Associate Head/Dean of School and/or the Programme Administration and Support Service (PASS) team may recommend to Registry that the student is withdrawn using the ‘Notification of Presumed Withdrawal’ form.
Normally, 4 consecutive weeks of non-attendance or non-engagement will result in the presumed withdrawal procedure being initiated.
This stage is not applicable to sponsored international students.
For more information on this process, see the Section 19 of the Code of Practice.
Stage 4 Standard: Persistent and/or serious concerns not suitable for Stage 3 or not resolved at Stage 3
The purpose of this meeting is to investigate serious and persistent concerns around student performance or engagement that have not been resolved at previous stages.
This stage will often take place if:
- there are ongoing concerns around the student’s ability to continue their programme, or
- if having been presumed withdrawn, the student then gets in touch to confirm they wish to continue with their programme.
An Associate Head/Dean of School or other appropriate staff member may convene a Stage 4 meeting. A minute taker will be present.
The student should expect to receive an invitation from the Programme Administration and Support Service (PASS) team by email to their University account mailbox.
The student will be given 3 days’ notice to attend this meeting. This will usually be held via MS Teams unless there is a reason for holding in-person. This meeting may also include a panel of representatives from other departments.
The student may choose to be accompanied by a supporter at the meeting. This person should be:
- a current member of staff
- a current registered student at the University, or
- a Students’ Union representative.
Please note they cannot speak on the student’s behalf.
A minute taker will be present at this meeting to record the discussion and outcome.
If students have any questions or require adjustments (such as additional time to prepare, an alternative meeting format, or other support) they should contact:
- the academic who has invited them to the meeting, or
- the Programme Administration and Support Service (PASS) team - via submitting a case through the Student Hub online portal
Stage 4 – Sponsored international students
This stage applies to sponsored international students (Student Visas) only and mirrors Stage 4 Standard. However, the Visa and Compliance team will be involved in the decision making and outcomes.
Further information
For more information on the Support to Study process, please see section 19 of the Code of Practice for Assessment.