No overseas candidate is allowed to attend a class unless officially enrolled on an educational programme at MSTRS with the appropriate fees paid. MSTRS has a duty to inform the UKBA should the level of attendance fall below the level as set out in the UKBA guidelines. UK Students who start their course whilst waiting to complete a specific formal enrollment procedure will not be registered with the examination board until this process is complete.

Student Attendance Policy & Procedures

1.0 Purpose

These policies and procedures detail attendance patterns of students and will be monitored. This is in order to identify students who do not attend the course on a regular basis at the earliest opportunity and give them the chances to access appropriate support to return to their programme of study.

2.0 Policy Statement

MSTRS will monitor students’ attendance and where appropriate initiate the Student Absence Procedure and Recovery Plan.

3.0 Responsibilities

• 3.1 The Trainers & Assessors are responsible for the management of this policy.
• 3.2 All members of staff and students are responsible for the effective operation and implementation of the policy and procedure.

4.0 Scope

• 4.1 The Policy covers all students enrolled on full-time programmes of study with MSTRS.
• 4.2 The Attendance Policy is based on work place practice.
• 4.3 The expectation is that students’ attendance will be 100% unless there are good reasons for any absence.
• 4.4 In the event of a student being unable to attend a class or classes they are expected to make reasonable efforts to contact their Tutor or Assessor on the first day of absence.

5.0 Types of Absence

• 5.1 Unacceptable absence is defined as:
• 5.1.1 Two consecutive days off which are unauthorized or unexplained in any one week
• 5.1.2 Two consecutive unexplained absences from any one class within a particular course
• 5.1.3 Regularly missed classes in any other pattern which Assessors consider problematic i.e. detrimental to the successful completion of their course
• 5.1.4 We remind Students of our reporting duties to the UKBA as detailed in our Admissions document. Please see policies and procedures for non- Attendance of a Student which explains that if you miss 10 expected contacts without our authority, we shall report your absence to the UKBA, and you may face expulsion.
• 5.2 Acceptable absence is defined as:
• 5.2.1 A planned absence must be authorised by the Tutor/Assessor. Examples of legitimate planned absences would be unavoidable appointments or family funerals.
• 5.2.2 An absence where a student explains their absence retrospectively to the Assessors for example, a legitimate retrospective absence would be an accident, or a late hospital appointment or a domestic crisis. The student should inform their Assessors upon their return to the course.
• 5.3 Sickness
• 5.3.1 If the student is off sick for less than one week a self-certification form available from the Administrator and should be completed upon their return.
• 5.3.2 Self-certification forms should be retained in the student’s file.
• 5.3.3 In the event of a student’s prolonged absence due to illness, the Assessor (following discussion with the student) may instruct the Administrator to stop further processing and the Assessor will arrange to have the student withdrawn in the normal way, and inform the UKBA as per their guidelines.
• 5.3.4 In the event of a student failing to attend and failing to provide any explanation, the following procedure will be invoked.

6.0 Student Absence Procedures and Recovery Plan

• 6.1 MSTRS tries to make contact with student by phone.
• 6.1.2 MSTRS will make contact with the student by phone to establish their attendance status and to offer where appropriate, an opportunity to discuss any issues affecting attendance.
• 6.1.3 The student will be reminded of their responsibility to comply with the attendance policy and procedures and will be asked their intended return date. The student will be advised to report their return to their Assessor.
• 6.1.4 If a student on a non-advanced course fails to return on the agreed date, or if there is no response/telephone contact, the Assessor will inform the course administrator. MSTRS will attempt to contact the student by telephone, failing which, a recorded delivery letter will be sent to the student, with copies to the Assessor and Internal Verifier

7.0 Student Recovery Plan

• 7.1 The purpose of the contact between MSTRS and the student is to:
• 7.1.1 Identify any issues affecting the student’s ability to attend
• 7.1.2 Prepare a Student Recovery Plan if appropriate
• 7.1.3 Monitor that Plan
• 7.2 Notes
• 7.2.1 Student Recovery Plans will be implemented in conjunction with the Assessor.

8.0 Discontinuance and Deferrals

If a student defers or Discontinues their studies after they have arrived in the UK, their permission to be in the UK will no longer be valid because they will not be actively studying. We will inform the UKBA of the deferral and advise the student to leave the UK. When the student is ready to continue their studies, they will need to make a new visa application. If a Student decides to discontinue their studies with MSTRS and joins another institution they must inform MSTRS of this immediately and give details of the new institution. If a Student Discontinues their studies or defers MSTRS will report this to the UKBA within 10 working days and give details of the new College / Institution.

9.0 Rights of Appeal

A student has the right to appeal against any decision made to withdraw for non-attendance under the SPS Students Appeal Policy and Procedures.