Published for 2024-25
1.1 Introduction | 1.4ÌýConfidentiality and Looking After Your Data |
1.2 Help and Advice | 1.5 Providing Supporting Evidence |
1.3ÌýWho can use this Framework | 1.6 Other Support OptionsÌý |
1.1 Introduction
Ìý | °×С½ãÂÛ̳ is committed to providing the support you need in order to make the most out of your studies. The Student Support Framework draws together our main academic support processes under one banner to help you understand the options open to you. The Framework includes the following components: This section: How to Use this Framework helps you find your way around the different support options open to you. It includes:
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Ìý | The following sections explain how each of the following processes works: | Ìý | Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1.2 Help and advice
If you have any questions about the processes in this Student Support Framework, there are a number of different people who can help: | |
Have a question? ask°×С½ãÂÛ̳ | |
| ask°×С½ãÂÛ̳ is our self-help centre and student enquiry system. It includes a wide range of Frequently Asked Questions or, if you can't find what you are looking for, you can log an enquiry. |
Talk to your Department | |
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Make an appointment with °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Support and Wellbeing | |
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Talk to the Students' Union °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Advice Service | |
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1.3 Who can use this framework
This section explains how the Student Support Framework applies to different groups of students.Ìý | |
1.3.1 Level of study | |
1. | The Student Support Framework applies to all °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate students. |
2. | If you are a Postgraduate Research student, some of the procedures apply to you (for example Summaries of Reasonable Adjustments) but there are also some differences for doctoral level study (e.g. how Interruption of Study works). The Doctoral School website explains the support available to you. |
3. | °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Short Course Learners may be eligible for some forms of support through these procedures - please check your course literature for details.Ìý |
1.3.2 Home and Teaching Departments | |
1. | Your 'Home' Department and Faculty are normally responsible for providing support and approving requests made through this Framework.Ìý |
2.Ìý | If you are taking any modules in another °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Department or Faculty, your 'Teaching' Department may need to approve some forms of support to make sure adjustments are possible and appropriate in the local context.Ìý |
3. | Through this Framework, when you see the word 'Department' this also covers local variations such as divisions, institutes, short course providers etc. |
1.3.3 Study Abroad programmes | |
1. | If you are on a Study Abroad programme, °×С½ãÂÛ̳ has overall responsibility for your support, but you should also be able to access support at your Teaching Institution.Ìý |
2. | Your Teaching Institution should provide the following (although please note that they may use different terminology):
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3. | You can use °×С½ãÂÛ̳'s regulations to apply for:
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4. | Before you go on Study Abroad, you are encouraged to contact °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Support and Wellbeing to discuss your plans. If you have a disability or long-term condition, your SSW adviser can also liaise with your Teaching Institution to put reasonable adjustments in place for you, and can discuss whether you will continue to engage with any support at °×С½ãÂÛ̳.Ìý |
1.3.4 Affiliate Students | |
1. | If you are an incoming Affiliate or Intercollegiate student, your Home Institution normally has overall responsibility for your support, but you can also access some forms of support at °×С½ãÂÛ̳.Ìý |
2. | You should use °×С½ãÂÛ̳'s regulations if you need help with any of the following while you are registered with °×С½ãÂÛ̳:
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3.Ìý | YourÌý Home Institution should provide the following (although please note that they may use different terminology):
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4. | If you have a disability or long-term condition, °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Support and Wellbeing can liaise with your Home Institution to put reasonable adjustments in place for you at °×С½ãÂÛ̳.Ìý |
1.3.5 Placement programmesÌý | |
1. | If you are on a °×С½ãÂÛ̳ programme with a placement element, °×С½ãÂÛ̳ has overall responsibility for your support needs, but your placement provider should also provide some support.Ìý |
2. | Your placement provider should arrange the following (although please note that they may use different terminology):
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3. | You should use °×С½ãÂÛ̳'s regulations if you need academic support, for example with:
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4. | Before you start your placement, you are encouraged to contact °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Support and Wellbeing to discuss your plans. If you have a disability or long-term condition, your SSW adviser can also liaise with your placement provider to put reasonable adjustments in place for you, and can discuss whether you will continue to engage with any support at °×С½ãÂÛ̳.Ìý |
1.3.6 Joint and dual degreesÌý | |
1. | If you are on a joint or dual degree (where your programme is delivered in partnership with another institution) you should follow the regulations of the institution that you are currently registered with e.g. if you are taking years 1 and 2 at °×С½ãÂÛ̳, you should use °×С½ãÂÛ̳'s regulations for those years; if you are taking years 3 and 4 at the partner institution, you should use the partner's regulations for those years.Ìý |
2. | Please note that the partner institution may use different terminology for different processes.Ìý |
3. | °×С½ãÂÛ̳ and the partner institution may share necessary information, such as your SoRA adjustments, with each other to ensure that you are fully supported throughout your studies. Section 1.4 Confidentiality and Looking After Your Data includes more information.Ìý |
1.4 Confidentiality and Looking After Your Data
1. | This section explains how °×С½ãÂÛ̳’s Student Privacy Notice applies in relation to the Student Support Framework. |
2. | There are two main categories of data which fall under this Student Support Framework: |
Ìý | a) Personal Data: This is any information which identifies you as an individual. It may include your name, date of birth, nationality or other datapoints which, when combined, identify you. b) Special Category Personal Data (Sensitive): This is personal data that is seen as being particularly sensitive and needs to be processed by organisations with extra care and attention. This includes health data and any medical evidence that you submit when you apply for support. It also covers information about your race, ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data, sex life, or sexual orientation.ÌýÌý |
3. | The following table gives some examples of the differences between Personal Data and Special Category Personal Data (Sensitive) in the context of the Student Support Framework: |
4. | In the context of the Student Support Framework, this means that:Ìý |
Ìý | a) Personal Data can be accessed by relevant °×С½ãÂÛ̳ academic and professional services staff who have been given an approved staff login to °×С½ãÂÛ̳'s Student Records System, 'Portico'. This includes (but is not limited to) Module Organisers, Personal Tutors, Departmental Tutors, Faculty Tutors, departmental administrators, your Board of Examiners, and central registry staff.Ìý b) Special Category Personal Data (Sensitive) can only be accessed on a 'need-to-know' basis by members of staff who are directly responsible for approving your support.Ìý |
Ìý | If you are worried about sharing sensitive informationÌý |
5. | In certain situations, you may be asked whether you give your consent for °×С½ãÂÛ̳ to process information about you, or to decide how much information you want to share with whom. For example, if you are applying for a Summary of Reasonable Adjustments (SoRA), your Student Support and Wellbeing Adviser may ask you how much information you want to share with staff in your Department.ÌýÌý |
6. | We understand that it can feel difficult to share detailed information with your tutors and lecturers, but your Department can support you more effectively if you do share information about your circumstances with them.Ìý |
7. | If you don’t feel comfortable discussing personal issues with your Department, you can speak to the °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Support and Wellbeing teamÌýor to the .Ìý |
8. | In some cases, it is also possible to request that your application is considered by your Faculty rather than your Department e.g. if you are applying for Extenuating Circumstances or an Interruption – please refer to the relevant procedures for further details. |
1.5 Providing Supporting Evidence
1.5.1 Introduction | |||||||||||||||||||
Ìý | Why do I need to provide evidence? | ||||||||||||||||||
1. | You may be asked to provide medical evidence or non-medical evidence to access some forms of support. This helps °×С½ãÂÛ̳ to determine your eligibility for different types of support, arrange adjustments to teaching or living spaces, and make changes to your registration status.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
Ìý | Help and advice | ||||||||||||||||||
2. | If you have any questions about obtaining evidence, Section 1.2 Help and Advice includes information about the different people who can help you.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
3. | If you are having any difficulties obtaining evidence, please speak to your Personal Tutor or Department. If you would prefer to talk to someone outside of your Department, you can speak to a °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Support and Wellbeing adviser or the Student's Union °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Advice Service.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
Ìý | Confidentiality | ||||||||||||||||||
4. | Any evidence that you provide is classed as 'Special Category Personal Data (Sensitive)' which means that it can only be accessed on a 'need-to-know' basis by members of staff who are directly responsible for approving your support. Section 1.4 Confidentiality and Looking After Your Data includes more information.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
Ìý | Falsification is a serious offence | ||||||||||||||||||
5. | If you submit fraudulent evidence you will be subject to °×С½ãÂÛ̳'s Student Academic Misconduct Procedures. If you are struggling with your studies, please seek help - Section 1.2 Help and Advice includes details of a wide range of support services.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
6. | In order to verify the authenticity of evidence and evidence providers, °×С½ãÂÛ̳ reserves the right to conduct internet or third-party searches.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
1.5.2 When do I need to provide evidence?Ìý | |||||||||||||||||||
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1.5.3 Sensitive and Traumatic circumstances | |||||||||||||||||||
1. | °×С½ãÂÛ̳ understands it can be distressing to be asked for 'evidence' in the case of very sensitive circumstances such as the death of a close relative, harassment, discrimination or sexual assault. We also understand that it can be very difficult to provide evidence of particularly traumatic events such as war or terrorism. If there are compelling reasons for making an exception, it may be possible to either suspend the need for formal evidence or accept alternative forms of evidence.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
2. | If you would like to be considered for an evidence waiver, the best place to start is with your Personal Tutor, Student Adviser or another trusted person in your Department. They can liaise with your Faculty Tutor and/or °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Support and Wellbeing on what might be possible for the particular type of support that you need.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
3. | If you want to speak to someone confidentially, the Ìý°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Support and WellbeingÌýteam and the Student's Union °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Advice ServiceÌýare also here to help you.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
1.5.4Ìý Medical evidence | |||||||||||||||||||
4. | Medical evidence needs to be: | ||||||||||||||||||
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5. | Your medical evidence should cover the following key points. We expect some variation in submissions and it is possible that some of these points will not be relevant to your circumstances:
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6. | In order to help your doctor or provider produce evidence that is as thorough and accurate as possible, you may wish to share these °×С½ãÂÛ̳ regulations with them. | ||||||||||||||||||
7. | If you are applying for a Summary of Reasonable Adjustments (SoRA) relating to a disability or long-term condition, your Student Support and Wellbeing Adviser may be able to give you an appropriate template to give to your doctor or provider to complete.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
Ìý | Returning from an Interruption of Study | ||||||||||||||||||
8. | If you are required to attend a Welfare Review as part of your return from an Interruption of Study, we also expect your medical practitioner to comment on the following:
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Ìý | Specific Learning Differences (SpLD) | ||||||||||||||||||
9. | To arrange support for students with specific learning differences, °×С½ãÂÛ̳ requires a full diagnostic assessment carried out by a psychologist with a practicing certificate or a specialist teacher holding an assessment practicing certificate. If you have a partial assessment, such as a 'Form 8' report, then you will be advised to get a full assessment.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
10. | Please note that there are deadlines for providing evidence for Exam Adjustments - the Reasonable adjustments websiteÌýincludes the most up to date information.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
Ìý | If you have had an appointment with °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Psychological and Counselling Services (SPCS) | ||||||||||||||||||
11. | °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Student Psychological and Counselling Services (SPCS) may be able to provide evidence if you have had an appointment with the service. SPCS can only provide evidence covering the period for which you are seeking support and cannot provide evidence retrospectively.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
1.5.5 Non-medical evidence | |||||||||||||||||||
1. | Non-medical evidence needs to come from an appropriate, independent and verifiable authority such as:
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2. | Non-medical evidence needs to be:
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3. | Non-medical evidence can include existing documents, such as an appointment letter, crime report or court document, or it can be specifically written for you in a letter or statement. There is no standard format, so we expect some variation in submissions.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
4. | Your non-medical evidence should cover the following key points. It is possible that some of these points will not be relevant to your circumstances:
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5. | In order to help your doctor or provider produce evidence that is as thorough and accurate as possible, you may wish to share these °×С½ãÂÛ̳ regulations with them.Ìý | ||||||||||||||||||
1.6 Other Support Options | |||||||||||||||||||
In addition to the Student Support Framework, you can speak to your Personal Tutor about whether any of the following might be suitable for you: | |||||||||||||||||||
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