UG attendance and absences
The University’s expectations regarding student attendance and engagement are included in the formal Regulations and the Terms and Conditions that you sign-up to when you accept and register on a place at the University. You can read the University's policy on attendance and attendance monitoring here.
Regular attendance has clear benefits on a student’s progression, wellbeing and academic success during their degree. Unless prevented by illness or other extenuating circumstances, you should attend all timetabled lectures and seminars. We monitor your engagement with your studies to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us and have the tools you need to succeed. This includes recording attendance in activities such as seminars and personal tutor meetings. This helps our welfare team to identify and support students who may be struggling to fully engage with their programme.
Recording your attendance at timetabled events
From Spring 2023-24, we will be using the University’s new digital check-in tool which allows students to record their own attendance at timetabled events via the iSheffield app.
We will be continuing the Department’s policy of only recording attendance at seminars for semester two this year, so History tutors will not provide codes at lectures. Dual students may find that their dual department moves to recording attendance at lectures immediately and you should follow their instructions.
At the beginning of each seminar, your tutor will give you a code that you can use to log your attendance via the check-in tile - click here for check-in instructions.
The Digital Check-in Google site also has frequently asked questions, demo videos and troubleshooting tips if you need more information.
How to prepare for using the new system [click to expand]
To prepare for this, you will need to download and set up the iSheffield app. Many of you will use iSheffield already to access your timetable and other information but if not, click here for set-up information. From 1 February, you should access the ‘student check-in’ tile and make sure you can see your timetable. iSheffield uses geolocation data to verify that you are in the teaching event’s location, you will need to enable location and data services in the iSheffield app giving access to your exact location. You should also use data rather than wifi during check-in. Your location data will not be reported on or used for tracking in any other way - see more information on location data.
Absences
Acceptable reasons for absence to be authorised include:
Physical or mental illness
Bereavement
Serious personal difficulties
Issues such as oversleeping, sports activities, part-time work or family occasions are not considered valid reasons to miss classes. Our general advice on absences is to consider whether an employer would deem it a reasonable excuse.
What should I do if I need to miss a seminar?
Email your tutor to let them know - this should be in advance of the seminar wherever possible. You can find staff email addresses here.
Record your absence in the iSheffield app. If you are unable to log your absence in advance, you will be automatically recorded as absent.
Make sure you catch-up on any missed work due to your non-attendance - your tutor will be able to advise.
If you need to miss seminars for more than a week (7 days), or need other ongoing support, you should get in touch with the UG welfare team via email or book into one of our student hours. If you have an ongoing short-term illness you can just let us know or we’ll be happy to have a chat, can signpost you to relevant support services, and discuss how we can best support you in the Department.
If your seminar absence affects your assessment (including engagement and participation assessments), you should complete an extenuating circumstances form.
Students with absences lasting more than three weeks are strongly encouraged to take a leave of absence from their studies, the welfare team can discuss this option with you if needed.
How will the Department review my attendance and what will you do if I’m absent?
We will regularly review attendance data on a weekly basis across the semester
We will reach out if you miss classes for two weeks without getting in touch with the UG welfare team.
If broader patterns in your attendance indicate that you’re struggling to attend or engage with your course, we’ll reach out and ask you to meet with a member of the UG welfare team to discuss how we can help you re-engage. We can also advise you about options such as Leave of Absence, if appropriate.
In certain cases, the Department may report concerns to the Faculty via a Progress Concerns report - we usually do this if we have serious concerns about a student's engagement. This may lead to a progress interview with the Faculty Officer or your case being reviewed by a Faculty Committee.
Overseas students only: we may be required to report any non-attendance to the International Student Support team. The University is obliged by UKVI to monitor the attendance of students studying in the UK on a Tier 4 Visa.
The bottom line: keep your tutors informed about any absences, and let the department know if you are struggling to attend or engage - we are here to help!
Who can I talk to if I have a problem or need support?
During your studies you may experience difficulties which could affect your academic performance. These kinds of difficulties are known as 'extenuating circumstances' and may include medical problems such as illness, or personal problems and difficult situations such as bereavement or being affected by crime - click here for more details on documenting circumstances.
Your personal tutor and the UG welfare team are available if you have questions or issues during your studies. They are there to you with any difficulties you may be experiencing and point you in the right direction for specialist help or any additional skills development you may be interested in.