Attendance Requirements

The University's approach to learning places high value on the active engagement of all students with their peers, teaching staff and other external/professional experts. The University recognises that a high level of attendance contributes significantly to academic achievement, retention, progression, and the successful completion of the course. See Attendance Statement.

As you are a student on a Health and Social Care course there are specific attendance requirements because of Professional Statutory and Regulatory Body requirements. We therefore also expect the following:

• Active participation in all sessions (student or tutor led) of the course enables you to develop the academic and practical skills necessary for professional practice. You are thus required to participate in all academic, practical and practice elements of the course.

• Attendance is required not only at designated teaching sessions but also during weeks identified for study and assessment, including those times when students are part of an audience for their peers’ presentation.

Academic Advisers will monitor attendance. The expectation is that student attendance reflects commitment to the midwifery profession. In the case of illness/domestic emergency or another emergency that prevents attendance a recovery plan will be put in place to ensure that your learning is not compromised.

Students who are experiencing problems with attendance on the course are met by an appropriate member of university staff and an action plan is implemented. Where attendance does not improve disciplinary procedures will ensue or if appropriate Fitness for Study/Practice Procedures will be followed.

In the case of practice placement, absence for whatever reason must be made up in clinical practice. Guidance on how this is to be accomplished can be found in the in the placements student guidance policies.

Students should work 36 hours per week plus 2.5 reflection hours but no more than 48 placement hours in any given week.

You are required to keep evidence (using the evidence of learning log) of how you have made up time missed from university.

Attend additional hours on placement guided by "Students Working Hours in Practice" document on the Placement Website.  

If time missed in university is deemed by the Course Leader as excessive and you have not completed all Preparation to Practice, the commencement of your placement will be delayed.

The consequences of failing to meet attendance requirements is you will not be able to complete the course until you have achieved the required number of hours either in University or the Practice setting.

SHU has specific procedures for reporting sickness & special leave: This information is on your organisation site 

Please notify the university and/or practice on the first day or your period of sickness and confirm your date of return. You must report your absence before the start of your shift or timetabled university session. Please note it is imperative you contact the placement area to inform them of your sickness; they will worry about you if you do not arrive when expected.

The following applies:

Sickness for more than 7 days in a row, including non- working days:

·       You are required to submit a ‘Fit to work Note’ from either your GP or Hospital doctor

·       You are required to submit this promptly to their Student Support Officer

Please note that students should report both 'Practice Placement Absence' and 'Taught Session Absence' by completing the Student Absence Form. If not currently logged in to Google Drive, clicking on the link will require the student to log in using their university email address as per the below example (username@my.shu.ac.uk). This will then take the student to the Sheffield Hallam University login page where they would login using their single sign on Sheffield Hallam University login details. The HWB Student Absence Google Form for will then open for completion.

New Google Form Student Absence Form

Example Email Login username@my.shu.ac.uk

Absence from Placement:

1.    Contact the Placement Area and record the details in your eMORA Practice hours record.

2.    Contact the College's Placement Team via the Student Absence Form.

Absence from Teaching

1.    You are required to contact the Undergraduate Team via Student Absence Form  and record the details within the Learning Log. (Web-folio can used for this)

Please Note: If you do not notify either the university or the practice area that you are off sick, you will be recorded as 'Absent'.

This is important because potential future employers may request detailed information about your attendance, absence, and sickness whilst on the programme, when a position has been offered to you. Keep a record of your absence in your Midwifery Ongoing Record of Achievement (eMORA).

Any student making up either theory or practice hours will be monitored. Evidence that theory time has been made up will be presented to and reviewed by your Academic advisor at the Year Assessment Summary point.

If a student accrues non-informed absence, or has a poor attendance record, they will be seen by their Academic Advisor, the Course Leader or the Deputy Head of Department following the three-stage disciplinary approach to absence.

Occasionally it snows in Sheffield and the surrounding area, and sometimes this can interfere with travelling to placement. When inclement weather occurs, emails, texts and announcements will be made regarding university attendance and placement travel. Click here for the student weather advice policy.