Attendance monitoring policy and procedure

Purpose

Turner English is required to systematically record and monitor attendance for students who enroll in the courses offered by the school. International students on a student visa who are studying English courses at Turner English are required to maintain a minimum of 20- hours attendance per week for scheduled face to face hours in the classroom. This is pursuant to legislative requirements detailed below.

Student’s attendance will be regularly monitored on a weekly basis to ensure that Turner English facilitates the highest quality of learning opportunities and additionally maintains compliance with legislative requirements. Students identified as at risk of unsatisfactory attendance will be proactively counseled and notified formally through warning letters. Unsatisfactory attendance can lead to the cancellation of the student visa.

The principles underpinning this policy are that early identification will enable appropriate support and intervention strategies to be implemented in order for the student to satisfactorily complete their program.

Regardless of unsatisfactory attendance, the student will receive an attendance certificate which indicates their overall attendance percentage.

This policy and procedure identifies processes for:

• Contacting and counseling students;
• Monitoring attendance;
• Notifying identified students of their rights to access the complaints and appeals process;
• Reporting students; and
• Circumstances where students need not be reported if their attendance percentage is above 70%

Legislative Base

The following legislation is applicable to this policy and procedure:

The Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act 2000) and ESOS Regulations 2001

The National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2007, (The National Code 2007): Standard 11

Scope

This policy applies to students on a student visa studying English language courses.

Definitions

Satisfactory attendance is defined as a minimum of 80% or above attendance for the duration of the current e-Coe and scheduled contact hours.

Unsatisfactory attendance is defined when the projected attendance for the duration of the current e-CoE reaches below 80%

Procedures

• Monitoring and recording attendances and absences
  • All new teaching staff will be inducted into the requirements of this policy at induction and through the Staff Handbook. The weekly attendance record sheet (located in the teacher’s area) is generated through the STARS system and printed every Monday morning for the upcoming week. This sheet is to be used to record daily the attendance of the individual student. Friday afternoon the completed weekly attendance record to be left in the allocated location and will be used to record attendance and absences. The teaching staff are also required to sign in to the STARS system on a daily basis to mark attendance. Teachers will receive guidelines on how to complete this electronic record, and in particular how to record absences, leave, late arrivals and early leave during the day. (See Teacher Induction Handbook).
  • Student Administration Officers are to cross check attendance data has been entered into STARS system on a daily basis and to monitor the weekly attendance record sheet for due diligence checks in terms of correct data entry by teachers.
  • In the event a medical certificate is supplied, the student is still recorded as absent. However, this evidence may be considered at a further stage in the 70%-80% discretionary band. The original medical certificate is returned to the student and a copy is placed in the student file.
  • Attendances are monitored daily and crossed checked weekly and a list of warning letters is generated through STARS.

• Issuing Warning letters, counseling and record keeping

• Every Friday a Student Attendance Warning Letter is emailed to all students under 90%.
• Turner English will issue a First Warning Letter when the projected overall attendance is calculated at 90%. 2 copies of the warning letter are to be printed and one copy given to the classroom teacher to hand to the student during the next class and the second copy to the student file. Students are required to ensure that the institute is informed of their current contact details at all times and that when a change of contact detail occurs that notification is received within 7 days.
• Turner English will issue a Second Warning Letter when the projected overall attendance is calculated at 85%. 2 copies of the warning letter are to be printed and one copy given to the classroom teacher to hand to the student during the next class and the second copy to the student file.
• Turner English will issue a Notice of intention to report Letter by email when the projected overall attendance is calculated at 80%. 2 copies of the warning letter are to be printed and one copy given to the classroom teacher to hand to the student during the next class and the second copy to the student file. Student Services Officer to contact via phone
• The student will be clearly informed of the risk and consequences of breaching the satisfactory attendance requirements. Any difficulties affecting attendance, including academic, welfare or personal will be identified with the view to articulating appropriate support or intervention strategies.

3.0 Appeal Rights and Reporting

3.1 If the projected attendance is 80% or below, Turner English will issue an Intent to Report to the IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT – Unsatisfactory Attendance Notification. This notice will be sent by post and every effort will be made to contact the student by the Lead Teacher.

3.2 The student will be advised of their appeal rights, as per the Complaints and Appeals Policy and to submit any evidence to support their situation.

3.3 An appeals meeting will be arranged to assess this evidence. The student will be advised that they must maintain their attendance whilst the appeal process is in effect and a decision is being made.

3.4 All records of the appeals process must be maintained on the student file.

3.5 If the percentage attendance is above 70% and within the 70%-80% bandwidth, evidence will be considered as detailed in the Compassionate and Compelling Circumstances Policy.

3.6 The student will be notified of the decision in writing. The student has the right to appeal as per the Complaints and Appeals Policy and all records will be maintained on the student file.

3.7 If the student does not lodge an appeal, or the appeal is rejected, the IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT will be notified through PRISMS.  The Attendance Monitoring and Reporting Quality Checklist will be used as verification. The IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT will then send a Notice of Intent to Consider Cancellation (NOIC) prior to a decision being made to cancel the student visa.

Responsibilities

All staff will be inducted into their roles and responsibilities through induction and ESOS training.

• Teaching staff: Teachers are required to accurately record and proactively monitor student attendance. In the event a teacher is aware of issues affecting attendance, such as punctuality or poor course progress, the teacher is required to inform the Lead Teacher so that appropriate support can be initiated to reduce risk. As the first point of contact, the teacher will also advise the student of the concern regarding attendance and consequences of breaches.
• Lead Teacher: The Lead Teacher is responsible for monitoring at risk students who have received warning letters and in particular to ensure support strategies and intervention plans are initiated and implemented.
• Student Support Services Officers: Student Support Services Officers are required to proactively contact at risk students to ensure they are aware of their current attendance percentage and consequences and to appropriately assess, counsel or refer students as the situation arises.
• Administration Officers: On a daily basis the Administration Officers will cross check teacher data entries and attendance records and absences in the STARS data base and generate and post warning letters to students. Any issues identified in recording attendance, will be notified to the appropriate class teacher through the Lead Teacher.
• Executive Administrator: Executive Administrator will ensure that relevant staff are aware of this policy and that compliance with this policy is maintained.
• Students: Students are made aware of this policy prior to enrolment, through a signed Student Agreement. Further to this, information is provided at Orientation, in the Student Handbook and through due diligence reminders in the classroom. Students have a responsibility to submit medical reports and to advise their class teacher at the earliest opportunity of any matters affecting their well-being and attendance. In addition, students are obliged in accordance with their visa conditions to inform the college within seven days of any change of contact details.

Review

This policy is subject to annual review through internal auditing processes and at any time there are amendments or changes to the ESOS Act and National Code 2007.