Use of attendance and engagement data

Contents

• Use of Attendance & Engagement Data
• Use of Attendance & Engagement Data in Support Centres / Henley Programme Administration
• Start of Term
• Throughout the Term
• End of Term
• Initial Interventions
• Use of Attendance & Engagement Data in Schools
• Academic Tutor Meetings
• Additional Interventions
• Student responsibilities for Attendance & Engagement

Use of Attendance & Engagement Data

Throughout the autumn and spring terms, attendance and engagement data should be used to help identify when a student might benefit from the offer of support. There could be a variety of reasons for non-engagement, but early intervention is more likely to result in a positive outcome for the student. 

More details on the use of attendance and engagement data can be found in the Attendance Management and Engagement policy.

Use of Attendance & Engagement Data in Support Centres / Henley Programme Administration

The focus of the Support Centre teams (or Programme Administrators in Henley Business School), is to:

• follow up with students who have themselves raised a concern, or who have been referred by their School, to ensure they receive the appropriate support to help them succeed with their studies.
• support their Schools through provision and use of available indicator data to identify students who may not be engaging with their studies and to co-ordinate support through the Academic Engagement & Fitness to Study policy.
• support the International Student Advisory & Home Office Compliance team if they have queries in relation to the attendance and engagement of Tier 4/Student Route students.

Key activities for Support Centre/Henley Programme Administration teams in supporting student attendance and engagement are:

Start of Term

The Support Centre / Henley Programme Administration teams run core processes at the start of term (Weeks 1-3), that give early indications of student engagement:

1. Module Selection, 120 credit checks
2. Enrolment/re-enrolment processes which ensure students have enrolled/re-enrolled and give support to students who are having difficulties at this stage
3. Blackboard Login oversight and support offered to new Part 0 & 1 students who haven't accessed the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) since the start of term. For all students, except those based at Greenlands, see Blackboard Logins.
   The report is available to Support Centre / Henley Programme Administration teams as an additional data source they can use with their Schools throughout the academic year as needed.

Throughout the Term

Working closely with their Schools, from around Week 3, identifying any patterns of low attendance becomes more important as an indicator that students are continuing to engage with their studies and taking advantage of the academic support and resources that are available. See Attendance on Campus, Attendance at Online Sessions, Combined Attendance Reporting and Attendance at Tutor Meetings.

Reviews of any available attendance data should be undertaken two or three times in both the autumn and spring terms at intervals agreed between the SDTL / SDAT and Student Support Co-ordinator (or Henley Programme Administrator).

Continued access to Blackboard will also remain a good indication that students are maintaining engagement.

End of Term

Towards the end of term (Weeks 9 – 11), it will be important to identify any students who have multiple non-submissions of coursework, without an explanation (such as an ECF). See Non-Submission of Coursework and Exceptional Circumstances Forms.

Initial Interventions

When attendance or engagement data indicates a potential cause for concern, the first step is for the Student Support Co-ordinator (or Henley Programme Administrator) to contact the student, normally via email, to offer support. Students may also be asked to meet with their Academic Tutor. Additionally, text messages may be used to prompt students to check their email.

Emails may be followed up with a further attempt to contact the student (for example to invite them to a meeting) if the pattern of attendance and engagement remains concerning.

The opportunity for early intervention should be positive and focus on supporting the welfare of students, increasing the likelihood of progression to the next part of their programme, and reducing the risk of a student withdrawing.

In cases where students continue to have low engagement in their studies, teaching and/or Support Centre/Henley Programme team staff may recommend that formal interventions are initiated, following the Academic Engagement & Fitness to Study policy. 

Use of Attendance & Engagement Data in Schools

The focus of the School teams, and primarily Academic Tutors, is:

• To ensure that students (tutees) who have themselves raised a concern, are provided with, or signposted to the appropriate support.
• To follow up with students (tutees) who have been highlighted as potentially at risk by the Support Centre team (or Henley Programme Administration team) as a result of reviewing attendance and engagement data.

Key activities for School teams in supporting student attendance and engagement are:

Academic Tutor Meetings

In preparation for meetings with tutees, Academic Tutors should have the opportunity to review any indicators of low engagement, including where an initial intervention, in the form of an email, has been sent to the student from the Student Support Co-ordinator (or Henley Programme Administrator).

Where indicators suggest that a student's engagement in their studies is low, then reasons for this and support options should be discussed in Academic Tutor meetings. If appropriate, the Student Support Co-ordinator (or Henley Programme Administrator) should be advised of actions agreed with the student, for example, if a follow-up meeting is arranged.

Recording the date of Academic Tutor meetings on RISIS provides important information for Support Centre staff (or Henley Programme Administration staff), DATs & DTLs in knowing that contact has been made with the student.

Additional Interventions

If a student's pattern of attendance and engagement remains concerning after an initial intervention to offer support, then further intervention(s) may be necessary. This may, for example, be in the form of an invitation to a further meeting with the Academic Tutor.

The opportunity for early intervention should be positive and focus on supporting the welfare of students, increasing the likelihood of progression to the next part of their programme, and reducing the risk of a student withdrawing.

In cases where students continue to have low engagement in their studies, teaching and/or Support Centre/Henley Programme team staff may recommend that formal interventions are initiated, following the Academic Engagement & Fitness to Study policy.

Student responsibilities for Attendance & Engagement

Students are expected to take responsibility for managing their own attendance and engagement and to access the variety of teaching and learning opportunities that are provided to them through their programme of study.

If they are concerned about their attendance or engagement, students should be encouraged to contact their Academic Tutor or Student Support Coordinator (or Henley Helpdesk or ISLI Admin Office).

Attendance and engagement data can be used, in discussions with students, to help identify areas in which improvements could be made or where they might benefit from additional support.