Last Updated: 26 September 2023
We will aim to update this page as often as possible to ensure that you have the most up to date information regarding the Reasonable Diligence process. Please check this page regularly for updates.
Reasonable Diligence
Going to all teaching sessions is a crucial part of your time here at University, and the best way to put yourself in a position to succeed. We record attendance because we want to help support you do the best you can in your studies, and also to check you are ok. If someone’s attendance suddenly changes, it can be because something is going wrong for them and we want to be able to help.
There are also more formal expectations about attending teaching and these are set out in the University’s Code of Practice on Student Attendance / Engagement and Reasonable Diligence. The Code explains the process to be followed when a student is found to be showing a cause for concern due to a lack of attendance. The University expect students to attend a minimum of 70% of teaching sessions each week, although ideally students should try and attend all of them if they can.
The CAL Student Attendance Team monitor attendance on a regular basis and the Reasonable Diligence process will be brought into effect for any students who do not have 70% attendance at each check point.
During these regular checks, if your attendance is consistently lower than expected, the Reasonable Diligence process will begin. It is designed with the intention to help students achieve the most out of their learning and support their wellbeing.
There are three Stages in the Reasonable Diligence process.
Stage 1 - Making the Most of Your Studies (MMOYS) Course
If you have attended under 70% of your in-person timetabled sessions, you will be invited to Stage 1 of Reasonable Diligence, which takes the form of the Making the Most of Your Studies Canvas Course. The Making the Most of Your Studies Canvas course is an opportunity to explain in more detail what support the University can offer you and the ways in which the Wellbeing Team can assist you with any personal or private issues that may be affecting your attendance. The course features content relating to attendance, engagement and declaring absences, sources of academic support, wellbeing support and support for international students.
Following the completion of the Canvas course, you will be asked to complete an Attendance and Engagement Action Plan that outlines general expectations to improve a student's attendance and engagement and includes space for the student's personal reflections.
Stage 2 - One-to-One Meeting
The aim of completing an Action Plan at Stage 1 of the Reasonable Diligence process is to enable you to ascertain what support you should access to improve your attendance and engagement. If your attendance at timetabled sessions does not increase to above 70% after this, then you will be progressed to Stage 2 of Reasonable Diligence and be asked to attend a one-to-one meeting with a senior academic within your School.
This meeting is a formal opportunity for you to ensure that we are aware of any substantial circumstances that have had an adverse and ongoing effect on your attendance and engagement or have prevented you from meeting the requirements of your Action Plan. It is vitally important at this stage to make us aware of any such circumstances that have prevented you from meeting attendance and engagement requirements. If this is the case, you will need to provide evidence relating to your circumstances so that we can ensure that you are provided with the appropriate support to still make the most of your studies and achieve your academic potential.
If you do not attend, you will be immediately progressed to Stage 3 of Reasonable Diligence.
Stage 3 - Progress and Awards Board
Should your attendance at timetabled sessions not increase to above 70% following the Stage 2 Reasonable Diligence meeting (or should you not attend your Stage 2 meeting as scheduled), you will be progressed to Stage 3 of Reasonable Diligence. At this stage, you will be given 5working days to provide further evidence of attendance or mitigating circumstances. If this is not satisfactorily received, you will be referred to the University's Progress and Awards Board with a recommendation that you are withdrawn from your programme of study.
If you have any further questions about the Reasonable Diligence process and how it may affect you, please contact the CAL Student Attendance Team using the appropriate email address for your School:
Please note: Your progression through the Reasonable Diligence process will be carried over between academic years. For example, if you have been invited to complete Making the Most of Your Studies as part of Stage 1 of Reasonable Diligence in one academic year and fail to improve upon your attendance and engagement or meet the requirements of your action plan in the next academic year, you will be progressed to Stage 2 of Reasonable Diligence. Your progression is not 'reset' each academic year. This is so that we are able to provide the most appropriate support to you throughout your studies at the University.