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Attendance, Absence & Sickness

Attendance, Absence & Sickness

Attendance

Students are expected to conform to University rules and regulations which apply to attendance; this includes The Handbook of Student Regulations and the Assessment Regulations for Northumbria Awards (ARNA) which clearly specify the requirements for student attendance:

It is the responsibility of the student to attend scheduled classes and/or carry out prescribed learning activities for the programme of study on which they are registered. He/she is also expected to know when work is due to be submitted and when and where examinations are scheduled, and to attend those assessments and submit the work required. (Section 1.4 ARNA)
There are procedures for dealing with students who are withdrawn from a programme as a result of poor academic performance because of non attendance and not as a result of any specific examination/assessment failure. (8.2.1 Handbook of Student Regulations ).
For full-time students, employment commitments cannot be used to justify non attendance (See section 10.1 ARNA)

Notifying of sickness and/or absence

There is no overall University policy on sickness/absence notification; however, each School will have its own codes, rules and regulations. These will be set out in the individual Programme Handbooks.

If you are going to be absent for any length of time you should:

Let your Programme Leader know personally or through a friend or relative that you are absent, and why that is.
If your tutor has not provided you with a direct contact telephone number you can contact them by email. Alternatively, you can ring the School Administration Office.
Failure to notify the University of any extended period of absence may result in you being withdrawn from your programme of study, which means Student Finance England will stop payment of your Student Loan.
If illness is affecting your ability to study, you should talk to your Guidance Tutor or your Programme Leader, and discuss whether it is necessary for you to complete a Personal Extenuating Circumstances (PECS) form.
If you miss an examination because you are ill, you must provide a doctor's note or medical certificate and complete a PECS form. You should talk to your Programme Leader or your Guidance Tutor about this.

If your absence is more long-term, and you are experiencing problems studying, or think you may have to withdraw from your course, you should talk to your Guidance Tutor or Programme Leader. You should also speak with Welfare & International Support in Student Services, who can advise you on the financial implications of withdrawal and other related concerns.

Failure to comply with the sickness/absence reporting requirements could result in disciplinary action.

Someone calling on your behalf

Be sure a friend or relative calling on your behalf can give the following information:

Your name
Your date of birth
Your address
The programme and year of study
The name of your Programme Leader/Guidance Tutor
The reason for your absence
Date of first incapacity
Estimated length of absence.

Taking time out because of sickness

You may wish to take some time out from your studies because of illness. This is known as suspending. As long as this is done with the full agreement of the University you will not need to give up your place at University, but should be able to return to your studies at a later date.

If you need to take time out you should talk to your Guidance Tutor and also to an Adviser in Welfare & International Support, Student Services. They can discuss your options and offer advice on the financial implications. If you do decide to suspend you will need to complete the appropriate form. This is available from your School Office.

Returning from sickness/absence

You should notify your Programme Leader, Guidance Tutor or School Office before you return, when you are ready.