Revision Date: 11/03/2018 by Charter Australia
This policy and procedure is only applicable to the students who are enrolled in CRICOS courses with Charter Australia. The purpose of this policy and procedure is to ensure compliance with Charter Australia’s attendance policy and to systematically monitor students’ compliance with student visa conditions relating to attendance.
POLICY
International students are required to attend 80% of scheduled classes within a term. An attendance average of less than 80% for scheduled classes per term is deemed by Charter Australia to be unsatisfactory attendance and in breach of attendance requirements.Students will be informed of this policy and its consequences through:
- inclusion of information about attendance in the student handbook issued for enrolment
- induction during the first day of the course
- advising trainers to remind students of the attendance policy so it can be reinforced in classes.
Charter Australia will systematically monitor students’ compliance with student visa conditions relating to attendance and will provide effective and timely management of students at risk of failing to undertake satisfactory attendance.
Where a student has been assessed as not achieving satisfactory attendance either by being absent without leave for 5 consecutive scheduled study days or more or by attending less than 80%, Charter Australia will contact the student and write a series of warning letters.
Should the student still fail to achieve satisfactory attendance Charter Australia will notify the student of its intention to report the student. The written notice will inform the student that he or she is able to access Charter Australia’s Complaints and Appeals Process and that the student has 20 working days in which to do so.
If the student accesses the provider’s Complaints and Appeals Process and the process results in a decision that supports Charter Australia’s intention to report, Charter Australia will report through PRISMS that the student is not achieving satisfactory attendance as soon as practicable.
Students who do not register or are absent for the first two weeks (14 days) will be reported to the Department of Home Affairs as non-commencement of studies.
PROCEDURES
- Trainers/Assessors are responsible for recording participation and attendance using the aXcelerate student management system.
- Students who have been ill must supply a medical certificate on their return for all absences. Any medical certificates collected by the class trainer are to be submitted to the Administration before the end of the current study period (weekly).
- The Student Support Officer will review the Attendance Register weekly to monitor the attendance of international students and inform the CEO if any student does not meet attendance requirements.
- The CEO will conduct monitoring audits of the Student Attendance Register, and class rolls on a regular basis to ensure staff compliance with Charter Australia student Attendance Policies and Procedures.
Consecutive Days Absence
- If any student is absent from the college for more than 2 consecutive days and has not contacted Charter Australia, the trainer must advise the Student Support Officer, who will phone the student to ascertain their wellbeing and safety and to find out when they will be returning to Charter Australia. If contact cannot be made via telephone, an email and/or letter will be sent to the current address in the student’s file.
- Where the student has been absent for 5 consecutive scheduled study days, the Student Support Officer will notify the CEO and send an email or letter (Warning Letter 1) advising the student to contact Charter Australia immediately, or it will be assumed that they are no longer studying.
- If a response has not been received within 7 days of the date of the letter, the student’s CoE will be cancelled under the cessation of studies.
Less than 80% Attendance
At the end of each term, the attendance rate is calculated, and letters are issued to all students whose attendance is below the required 80%.
Warning Letter 1
The first warning letter will be issued once the CEO has assessed the student as not achieving satisfactory attendance, i.e. the student:
- has been absent for more than 5 consecutive days without approval; or
- is at risk of not attending for at least 80 per cent of the scheduled course contact hours for the course
The student will be counselled and advised that they are breaching Charter Australia’s Attendance Policy and will be informed of the hours that need to be made up to bring their attendance rate back up to the required 80%.
Charter Australia will try to compromise and arrange delivery that will encourage attendance by the student where possible. Students with personal reasons for non-attendance are to be referred to the Student Support Officer for assistance. Where required, the CEO will arrange a meeting with the student to discuss a plan of action to restore their lost work and time.
Warning Letter 2
Should the student not make contact with the college and still not attend class, or continue to attend less than 80% of scheduled classes over a study period, then the CEO or the CEO's delegate will advise the student in writing that they have continued to breach Charter Australia’s Attendance Policy and are required to attend a compulsory meeting with the CEO. Students are to be contacted by phone/email prior to the meeting date in order to confirm their attendance.
An intervention strategy is to be negotiated at a meeting between all parties with a view to improving the student’s attendance. The intervention strategy must be signed by all parties. The original copy is given to the student, and a copy is kept in the student’s file.
Intervention Strategy
The intervention strategy is for students who are not meeting or at risk of not meeting the attendance requirement of 80%. The CEO / Student Support Officer will liaise with their trainer to determine the intervention strategy required to assist the student in meeting the attendance requirements. Students may be accompanied by a support person at the face-to-face meeting. The intervention strategy may include as appropriate:
- attending tutorials or study groups
- receiving individual case management
- receiving assistance with personal issues which are influencing progress or attendance
- receiving mentoring.
The document should be placed in the student’s file.
At the time that the intervention strategy is agreed to, the student is made aware that further unsatisfactory attendance will lead to the student being reported to the Department of Home Affairs, which may lead to the cancellation of his/her visa, depending on the outcome of any appeals.
A record of all intervention measures implemented and all relevant documentation will be kept in the student’s file.
Warning Letter 3 – Intention to Report
- At the point where it is determined the student will not be able to meet the 80% attendance requirements for their course (i.e. if the student does not make contact with college, or does not meet the 80% attendance requirements following Warning Letter 2 and the Intervention Strategy), written notification of Charter Australia’s intention to report the student to the Department of Home Affairs will be issued by the CEO via the Letter of Intention to Report.
- The reporting process will only be initiated for a student after the student has received both notification letters, the Intervention Strategy has been implemented and the student has been allowed time for the intervention to run its course.
- The letter will advise the student that they are in breach of their student visa and have 20 days to show cause as to why their student visa should not be cancelled.
- The written notice must inform the student that he or she is able to access the Charter Australia Complaints and Appeals Process as listed in the student handbook and that the student has 20 working days in which to do so.
- The CEO is responsible for recording all student contacts and issuance of warning letters on the Student Attendance Register. A hard copy of all meeting notes is to be provided to administration for inclusion in the student’s file.
- Where the student has chosen not to access the Complaints and Appeals Process within the 20 working day period, or withdraws from the process, or the appeals process is finalised and the student is deemed to have failed to meet satisfactory attendance, the following procedures will take place:
- With the approval of the CEO, the student is reported to the Department of Home Affairs via PRISMS.
- Reports of non-compliance with a prescribed condition of a student visa will be assessed and any consideration of cancellation of the student's visa will be under the discretionary visa cancellation framework in the Migration Act.
- Provided the student has a reasonable explanation, the student’s visa will not be In the absence of acceptable reasons, the CEO will arrange the cancellation of the student visa through PRISMS, advising the Department of Home Affairs and DET as part of this process.
The exception to the 80% requirement
If a student’s attendance rate is less than 80%, Charter Australia may choose to not report a breach if:
- the student’s attendance is at least 70%, as long as there is evidence of illness, injury or compassionate or compelling circumstances
- the student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress.
Compassionate or Compelling Circumstances
If a student is found to be unable to complete their course within the prescribed time due to compassionate or compelling circumstances, a variation to their CoE may be implemented.
In this case, the CEO notifies PRISMS to vary the CoE and the variation is applied. All notes and variations are copied and placed in student files.
Compassionate or compelling circumstances are generally those beyond the control of the student and they have an impact on the student’s capability and /or ability to progress through a course. These could include:
- Serious illness or injury, where a medical certificate states that the student was unable to attend class
- Bereavement of close family members such as parents, siblings, or grandparents
- Major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring their emergency travel and this has impacted their studies
- A traumatic experience which could include but is not limited to:
- involvement in or witnessing a serious accident
- a serious crime was committed against the student
- the student has been witness to a serious crime
The Student Support Officer may consult the student’s trainer or the CEO when considering compassionate or compelling circumstances.
Note: Should the Student Support Officer not be able to locate the student, then DET is to be contacted by the CEO for direction and subsequent action.
Illness
Students who become ill during the class may ask for a leave of absence in consultation with the Student Support Officer. The Officer is to record details of the meeting with student on the student attendance database, and to provide a hard copy of notes for inclusion in student’s personal file. Copies of medical certificates are also to be retained in the file.
LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT
- Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000
- National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 – Standard 11
- Department of Home Affairs
DOCUMENTS
- Warning Letter 1
- Warning Letter 2
- Warning Letter 3 – Intention to Report
- Student Attendance Register