Policy on Student Engagement¹

It is vital that students remain engaged with the learning opportunities provided by their course. This will enable them to succeed, and for courses that lead to a professional qualification to practise it will ensure that professional body requirements to have covered specific course content have been satisfied.

Engagement includes:

1. Attendance in class (for both in-person and online teaching sessions) – for courses that have a specified minimum attendance requirement, this is detailed in the Course Handbook. It is usually 80% of total sessions. In-person attendance is recorded by the lecturer on the VLE. Online attendance is automatically recorded on Teams.


2. Completion of e-learning sessions. On courses with a specified minimum attendance requirement, this requirement includes completing the e-learning sessions. This is monitored via completion of the attendance quiz questions.


3. Attending scheduled clinic days. For courses which involve clinical training, students must attend their scheduled days in clinic. The attendance requirement is 100% so any days missed due to illness or other unforeseen circumstances must be rescheduled. Failure to attend scheduled clinic days is regarded as a serious lack of the professionalism required of a practitioner, as well as indicating a lack of engagement, and can lead to action with regard to the student’s fitness to practise. Failure to complete the required number of clinic days will lead to failure to pass the clinic module.


4. Completing assessments on time. Recurring failures to do so may indicate a lack of engagement and/or a significant support need.


5. Communicating with the personal tutor, and attending scheduled personal tutorials.


6. Informing Student Services of any difficulties or concerns they are experiencing.


7. Responding to recommendations from staff to seek additional support from the study skills team, a lecturer, the personal tutor, etc.


8. Responding promptly to communications from College staff (teaching staff, administrators and management – including Finance and Student Services). Students are expected to check their nca.ac.uk email inbox at least once a week, and in the days prior to a teaching session.

For courses with a specified attendance requirement, failure to meet the minimum requirement, or to complete the e-learning sessions, can lead to failure to pass modules.

Students who fail to meet any one or more of the above expectations for engagement will typically be recorded on the Concerns about Students record, and normally staff will then recommend a discussion with the Course Director or their nominee, which will aim to identify any additional needs and to recommend support for those needs. This may occur at a meeting of the Student Progress Committee, but can also happen at any point in time when a concern about engagement is identified. If a student fails to meet several of the above expectations of engagement, does not respond to a request for a discussion about concerns, or, having been offered support, continues to fail to meet any one or more of the above expectations for engagement, they can be suspended from the course and may be withdrawn from the course, and/or they may be subject to fitness to practise procedures.

Note on missed attendance:

Students who miss classes (in-person or online) are expected to catch up on the material they have missed by reviewing the learning materials provided on the VLE, reviewing any presentation slides, and for online classes by watching the recording of the session (if available). Shared notes taken by fellow students are also helpful.

¹Approved by Academic Board 11/05/2023. Next review May 2027.