Equra College London
Version: 1.0
Approved by: Governing Body / Academic Board (as applicable)
Effective from: 20/01/2026
Review date: 15/01/2026 (annual review)
Owner: Head of Student Services / Quality Lead
1. Purpose
Equra College London (“Equra”) is committed to student success, progression, and wellbeing. Regular engagement and attendance support learning, timely feedback, academic integrity, and fair assessment.
This policy sets out:
- Equra’s expectations for attendance and engagement;
- How Equra monitors engagement and supports students who are struggling;
- When formal interventions may occur; and
- How students can request support or flexibility where needed.
This policy is designed for UK-domiciled/resident students and non-sponsored learners.
2. Scope
This policy applies to:
- HE pathways (where applicable);
- Diplomas and short courses;
- CPD programmes where attendance/engagement is a requirement for completion or certification;
and to learning delivered:
- On campus/in-person;
- Online/live (synchronous);
- Blended formats;
- Via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and learning platforms.
3. Definitions
- Attendance: presence at a scheduled taught session (in-person or live online).
- Engagement: active participation in learning activities, which may include: attending sessions, completing tasks, accessing VLE materials, submitting assessments, responding to academic support communications, and participating in tutorials/supervision where required.
- Authorised absence: absence approved in advance or supported by evidence where appropriate.
- Unauthorised absence: absence not approved or not supported by required evidence where requested.
- Working day: Monday–Friday excluding public holidays.
4. Principles
Equra’s approach is based on:
- Support-first: early help and guidance before formal action.
- Fairness and consistency: clear thresholds and transparent decision-making.
- Accessibility: reasonable adjustments and inclusive learning design.
- Proportionality: interventions match the level of risk to learning/progression.
- Wellbeing awareness: recognising that health and life circumstances affect engagement.
5. Attendance and engagement expectations
5.1 Students are expected to:
- Attend scheduled teaching sessions (in-person or live online) as set out in their timetable;
- Engage with required learning activities and resources;
- Participate respectfully in learning environments;
- Meet assessment deadlines (or use extension/mitigation routes);
- Maintain up-to-date contact details and check communications regularly.
5.2 Minimum engagement expectations may vary by programme type and will be stated in programme handbooks.
6. Minimum attendance thresholds (default)
Unless a programme states otherwise, Equra’s default expectations are:
- HE pathways and diplomas: students should maintain at least 80% attendance across scheduled teaching sessions.
- Short courses / CPD: students should maintain at least 90% attendance where certification depends on contact hours.
Important: Attendance thresholds are not used to punish students. They are used to identify risk and trigger support.
7. How attendance and engagement are recorded
Equra may record engagement using:
- Class registers (in-person)
- Online attendance logs (live sessions)
- VLE access/activity reports
- Assessment submission records
- Tutorial/supervision attendance (where applicable)
Equra will handle such information in line with data protection principles and its Privacy Notice.
8. Reporting absence and requesting authorised absence
8.1 How to report absence
Students should report absence as soon as possible via:
- [attendance@equracollege.org.uk] or the published attendance form; and/or
- Programme administrator / tutor (as stated in the handbook)
8.2 Evidence
Equra may request evidence where absence:
- Is repeated;
- Exceeds a programme threshold; or
- Affects assessments or progression.
Evidence may include medical notes, employer letters, or other reasonable documentation. Equra will not request unnecessary sensitive details.
8.3 Authorised absence
Equra may authorise absence where there is a valid reason, including illness, disability-related needs, caring responsibilities, bereavement, or exceptional circumstances.
9. Support for students (early intervention)
Equra will provide support where engagement drops, which may include:
- Academic support (study skills, writing support, tutorial catch-up)
- Wellbeing support and signposting
- Reasonable adjustments where relevant
- Learning plan / engagement plan agreed with the student
- Timetable guidance where feasible
Equra encourages students to seek support early.
10. Engagement monitoring and intervention stages
Stage 1: Early Alert (Support Contact)
Triggered where a student shows early indicators of risk such as:
- Two consecutive missed sessions without contact; and/or
- A clear pattern of missed learning activities; and/or
- Failure to engage with VLE for a sustained period (programme-defined).
Equra will contact the student to:
- Check wellbeing and barriers;
- Provide support options; and
- Agree an action plan.
Response expectation: student should respond within 5 working days.
Stage 2: Engagement Concern Notice (Formal Support Plan)
Triggered where:
- Attendance falls below 80% (or the programme threshold); and/or
- There is repeated non-response to support contact; and/or
- Assessment non-submission indicates significant risk.
Equra will issue a written notice explaining:
- The concern and the evidence (attendance/engagement record);
- The support plan offered;
- Required actions and deadlines (e.g., meeting, catch-up plan);
- Potential consequences if engagement does not improve.
A support meeting may be arranged (online/in-person). Notes will be taken.
Stage 3: Final Engagement Review
Triggered where:
- Attendance continues to decline or remains below threshold; and/or
- The student fails to comply with the support plan; and/or
- Non-engagement is persistent and is impacting assessment/progression.
Equra will invite the student to a final review meeting and may consider:
- Revised support plan with clear conditions;
- A recommendation to defer/suspend studies (where appropriate);
- Referral to a Fitness to Study route (where wellbeing risk is significant);
- Formal action under relevant procedures if required.
Equra will confirm outcomes in writing.
11. Outcomes and consequences (proportionate)
Where engagement remains critically low despite support, Equra may, depending on programme rules:
- Require mandatory academic support sessions;
- Restrict progression to certain assessments until engagement improves (where fair and lawful);
- Require a deferral/suspension of studies (where appropriate);
- Consider withdrawal/termination only as a last resort and with due process.
Any decision to suspend/withdraw will follow the relevant Equra procedure and will include the right to appeal under the Consolidated Student Appeals Procedure (Parts F/H where applicable).
12. Assessments and attendance
12.1 Attendance does not automatically change marks.
12.2 However, persistent non-attendance may:
- Reduce a student’s ability to meet learning outcomes;
- Increase risk of academic integrity breaches; and
- Result in failure due to non-submission or inability to complete required activities.
Where attendance is a mandatory component (e.g., professional competency/contact hours), the requirement must be stated clearly in advance.
13. Reasonable adjustments and disability support
Equra will provide reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities or health conditions, which may include:
- Flexible engagement arrangements where appropriate;
- Alternative participation options;
- Adjusted monitoring approaches.
Students are encouraged to disclose support needs early so adjustments can be implemented promptly.
14. Confidentiality and data protection
Equra will process attendance and engagement data in line with its Privacy Notice, share information on a need-to-know basis, and retain records securely in line with a retention schedule.
15. Complaints and appeals
- Concerns about the way this policy has been applied may be raised under the Student Complaints Procedure.
- Formal decisions such as suspension/withdrawal may be appealed under the Consolidated Student Appeals Procedure (as applicable).
16. Review and monitoring
Equra will review engagement trends and outcomes to improve student support and learning design. This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if required.
Appendix A — Engagement Support Plan (Template)
- Student name / ID:
- Programme/course:
- Concern identified (dates/pattern):
- Barriers discussed (summary):
- Support offered:
- Actions agreed (student):
- Actions agreed (Equra):
- Review date:
- Outcome at review:
- Next steps: