If you have a short-term illness, that is less than 1 week and doesn’t impact on an assessment or an attendance-monitored class, you do not need to provide a medical certificate or Extenuating Circumstances form. However, you should contact the member of staff running the missed teaching session (practical or tutorial or lecture) and enquire about any alternative class you could attend or any work that you need to catch up.

The golden rule is that if you are absent for any reason make sure that you complete the paperwork and follow the procedures.

Missed an attendance-monitored class?

If you are ill and you miss a class that has a register for attendance monitoring (e.g. practical or tutorial) you must:

• Email: maths-engagement@sheffield.ac.uk giving your reasons.

• If your absence will be more than seven days or will effect an assessment, please see the next section to complete an Extenuating Circumstances form. This needs to be handed in to the SoMaS Departmental Office with appropriate evidence for processing. You can ask for help with completing the form from your personal tutor or the student advisers in the Departmental Office.

International Students

The UK Border Agency requires us to monitor your attendance. Unexplained absence from class may result in a report being sent to them, with significant implications for your right to remain in the UK.

Longer Absences

Students should inform the department about prolonged illnesses, particularly if this implies absence from lectures, practicals or tutorials. In these instances, you must complete an Extenuating Circumstances form and hand it in, together with appropriate evidence. An Extenuating Circumstances form will also be required for a short absence if it resulted in you missing an assessment. Please talk to your personal tutor or one of the student support advisers if you are unsure about this process.

What constitutes an extenuating circumstance?

During your studies you may experience difficulties which could affect your academic performance. Some such difficulties are known as “extenuating circumstances”. These could include:

• medical problems, including long-term problems or short periods of illness

• diagnosed mental health problems

• difficult events e.g. bereavement

• serious incidents e.g. being affected by crime

Reporting extenuating circumstances that have affected your ability to study

If you believe that you have health or personal issues that have impacted on your ability to study or reduced your performance in assessment, then please let the department know by completing an Extenuating Circumstances form and submitting relevant evidence. This will enable us to take your circumstances into consideration.

Further guidance on these processes, together with the forms, can be found here [https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/sos/leave]. You can ask for help with completing the form from your personal tutor or the student advisers in the Departmental Office.

Some students facing significant medical problems or personal difficulties choose to spend some time away from their studies. This is called a Leave of Absence. This has some major implications and must be discussed with the Senior Tutor.

More information on Leaves of Absence can be found here [https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/sos/leave].

If you decide you want to leave University completely, this should be discussed urgently with your personal tutor or the senior tutor. You may also find the information here [https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/sos/leave] useful for helping with your decision.

The Disability and Dyslexia Support Service (DDSS) is a friendly and confidential service which provides advice and support for disabled students, those with long term mental health or medical condition, or specific learning difficulty.

Students with suspected learning difficulties, dyslexia or other conditions that may affect performance, should book an appointment with them. DDSS will provide you with an assessment and will make recommendations to the Department about any special arrangements that we need to make during our teaching and assessment. This is communicated through a Learning Support Plan (LSP), similar to this example [https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.719189!/file/LSPSpLD.pdf].

You may be eligible for disability support if you have an impairment or condition that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out study-related tasks, such as:

• reading

• sitting exams

• attending classes

• taking notes in class

• delivering presentations

• planning and writing assignments

DDSS provide support and advice on setting up disability support, including how to organise support adjustments for your exams.

DDSS can also see students with mental health issues and will be able to put through requests for the organisation of special exams for students that require them.

The deadline for setting up exam support is usually in week 9 of each semester. More info here [https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/disability/index].

Student Wellbeing Service

The Student Wellbeing Service is available to all registered students at any level of study including part-time, lifelong learning and distance learning students.

They offer short-term, tailored one-to-one support if you’re feeling down, overwhelmed or struggling to adjust to student life. Possible motivations may include to:

• assist you in improving your emotional wellbeing

• provide space for you to understand your difficulties

• offer practical advice, interventions and self-help techniques

• signpost you to other relevant support services

The Faculty of Science has a wellbeing advisor, Vivien Farrand, who you can book an appointment with here [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/selfsched?sstoken=UURPdkdMcEZ4WW0tfGRlZmF1bHR8ZjFiNGU3MDk4MDQ0MWM4YzExNTVlMzE4ZTVhZjUzN2M].

Student Access to Mental Health Services

SAMHS is the first point of contact for all of our students to explore a broad range of psychological support needs. Any student needing support with their mental wellbeing should register online for a SAMHS triage appointment [https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mental-wellbeing/index].

At a triage appointment, your suitability for counselling is considered as well as a much wider range of other available options. At the end of the triage appointment, you will be given more information and what is the most appropriate plan for you.

Big White Wall

As a student you have free international access to Big White Wall, an online mental health community providing 24/7 support from peers and trained counsellors. www.bigwhitewall.com [http://www.bigwhitewall.com]

Nightline

Nightline is the University of Sheffield’s confidential listening and information helpline. It is run by trained student volunteers, and operates from 8 pm until 8 am every night during term time. It offers students everything from the phone number of a twenty-four hour taxi company, to exam dates, times and locations, and information about every issue that can be encountered within student life. It provides a vital support network for all students, and can be called free from Halls of Residence. For listening, telephone 2228787; for information telephone 2228788 (these numbers are on your UCard).