Discussion of Standard 11 – Monitoring attendance
Introduction
What's new
Obligations and responsibilities
Documents, knowledge and procedures
Definitions
Learning Activity
National Code 2007
DEST (now DEEWR) Commentary
An intention of the Australian Government student visa program is for students to genuinely attempt to achieve their desired educational outcomes within the duration of their student visa. Student visas include a condition that requires the student to progress satisfactorily and attend their classes (where applicable).
Registered providers monitor the progress of students and their attendance where applicable. This monitoring enables students at risk of not progressing, or not participating, where applicable, to be identified and offered support so that they are assisted to achieve their educational goals.
This is a sector specific standard for vocational, technical education courses, non-award courses, ELICOS and schools courses where, for the purposes of the National Code, non-award courses do not include higher education courses or units, including Study Abroad courses.
- There are flexible attendance reporting requirements where a registered provider may only decide not to report the student for breaching the 80 per cent attendance requirement under certain conditions as listed in 11.8.
- Providers of VET courses do not have to monitor attendance if they choose to implement the DEEWR (formerly DEST)/DIAC approved course progress policy and procedures - DIAC Approved Course Progress Policy and Procedures.
- Further reference document: DEST
Comparison Chart
(December 2006).
Obligations and responsibilities
- The provider acts proactively in notifying and counselling students at risk of failing to meet attendence requirements.
- The provider, using their attendance policies and procedures, must
systematically monitor and assess students' attendance for compliance
with related student visa conditions. This applies where the student
is enrolled in:
- an accredited vocational and technical education course – EXCEPTION: not applicable if the provider implements the DEEWR and DIAC approved course progress policy and procedures for these courses.
- an accredited school course
- an accredited or non-award ELICOS course, or
- another non-award course but not including higher education courses or units including Study Abroad.
- Under section 19 of the ESOS Act, the provider must report students who have breached the attendance requirements to DEEWR via PRISMS.
- The provider must have and implement documented attendance policies and procedures for each course offered.
- The provider must be able to identify and counsel students who have been absent for more than five consecutive days without approval, or who are at risk of not attending for at least 80 per cent of the course's scheduled contact hours.
- Where the provider intends to report to DEEWR those students failing to achieve satisfactory course attendance, the student must be informed in writing of that intention and alerted that they have 20 working days to access the provider’s complaints and appeals process.
- Providers may use discretion in reporting students whose attendance
falls between 70 and 80 per cent where:
- that decision is consistent with its documented attendance policies and procedures, and
- the student records clearly indicate that the student is maintaining satisfactory course progress, and
- the registered provider confirms that the student is attending at least 70 per cent of the scheduled course contact hours for the course in which he or she is enrolled.
List of documents and specific knowledge of institutional and government matters and procedures required for this standard
- Documents:
- documented attendance policies and procedures that:
- specify the requirements for achieving satisfactory attendance progress with a minimum attendance requirement of 80 per cent of scheduled contact hours
- specify how attendance and absences are recorded and calculated
- specify the process for assessing satisfactory attendance
- determines the point at which the student has failed to meet satisfactory attendance requirements, and
- enable notification to students that they have failed to meet satisfactory attendance requirements.
- written notification to students where the intention is to report them to DEEWR via PRISMS as not achieving satisfactory attendance progress. The students also need to be informed that they have 20 working days in which to access the provider’s complaints and appeals process before that report will be made
- where a student breaches the 80 per cent attendance requirement,
a provider need not report a student where the:
- documents indicate that the decision not to report is consistent with the documented attendance policies and procedures
- for vocational and education and non-award courses
(see section 11.1)
- Student records clearly show attendance for each enrolled unit and confirm that a student is attending at least 70 per cent of the enrolled scheduled course hours.
- for ELICOS and school courses (see section
11.1)
- Documentary evidence from a student clearly shows compassionate or compelling circumstances when applicable
- Records confirm that a student is attending at least 70 per cent of the enrolled scheduled course hours
- documented attendance policies and procedures that:
- Knowledge:
- Section 19 of the ESOS Act
- Standard 8 (Complaints and appeals)
- student visa conditions relating to attendance – Condition 8202
- students and staff must have knowledge of appropriate attendance progress policies and procedures for each course
- students and staff need to understand that students due to be reported for failing to achieve satisfactory attendance have 20 days to access the provider’s complaints and appeals process
- institution's complaints and appeals processes.
- Procedures:
- attendance procedures and policies for each course that:
- specify requirements, that are communicated to staff and students, for achieving satisfactory attendance progress where there is a minimum attendance requirement of 80 per cent of scheduled contact hours
- establishes how attendances and absences are recorded and calculated
- specify assessment of satisfactory attendance
- indicates the process for determining the point at which the student has failed to meet satisfactory attendance requirements, and
- specify the process for notifying of students that they have failed to meet satisfactory attendance requirements.
- intervention procedure for students at risk of failing to achieve
satisfactory attendance to be activated before the student's attendance
falls below 80% of the scheduled contact hours and which includes:
- procedures for contacting and counselling identified students who have been absent for more than five consecutive days without approval
- Procedure for 1) tracking those students assessed as not meeting attendance requirements and who have not chosen to access the complaints and appeals process, withdrawn from that process or where the decision supports the provider and consequently, 2) reporting those students to DEEWR via PRISMS as soon as practicable.
- attendance procedures and policies for each course that:
Definitions of key words/phrases
- Compassionate or compelling circumstances
- The provider must determine whether the student’s request is genuine, and be able to assess if their chances of satisfactorily completing the course within the nominated timeframe will be strengthened if they give the student permission to suspend their studies for a short, nominated period. Examples of compassionate or compellng circumstances include but are not limited to serious illness or injury (where a medical certificate states that the student was unable to attend classes); bereavement of close family members such as parents or grandparents (where possible a death certificate should be provided); major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring emergency travel and this has impacted on the student's studies; or a traumatic experience which could include: involvement in, or witnessing of a serious accident; or witnessing or being the victim of a serious crime. It may also be when a provider is unable to offer a pre-requisite unit. - Course
- A course of education or training as defined in the ESOS Act. - CRICOS: The Commonwealth Register of Institutions
and Courses for Overseas Students
- This is the register prescribed under section 10 of the ESOS Act. - ELICOS: English Language Intensive Course for
Overseas Students
- This applies to stand-alone English language courses that lead to a certificate I, II, III or IV, or that result in no formal Australian award. - Non-award
- Applies to non-award foundation studies, or other full-time courses or components of courses not leading to an Australian award. - PRISMS: Provider Registration and International
Students Management System
- This is the electronic system that holds CRICOS and the eCoE. This is the approved method for reporting information under s19 of the ESOS Act 2000, unless the Secretary changes this requirement. - Scheduled course contact hours
- The hours for which students enrolled in the course are scheduled to attend classes, course-related information sessions, supervised study sessions, mandatory and supervised work-based training and examinations. - Visa condition 8202 (DIAC)
- Mandatory student visa condition 8202 in the migration legislative framework which requires students to be enrolled in a full-time CRICOS registered course, and attend at least 80 per cent of the scheduled contact hours for the course. - Vocational Education and Training
- Applies to Certificates I, II, III or IV (except ELICOS), diploma, advanced diploma, vocational graduate certificate or vocational graduate diploma courses. - Unit
- A discrete component of study within a course; the term includes ‘subject’ and ‘module’.
Learning Activity
National Code 2007
Outcome of Standard 11
Registered providers systematically monitor students’ compliance with student visa conditions relating to attendance. Registered providers are proactive in notifying and counselling students who are at risk of failing to meet attendance requirements. Registered providers report students, under section 19 of the ESOS Act, who have breached the attendance requirements.
| 11.1 | The registered provider must record the attendance of each student for the scheduled course contact hours for each CRICOS registered course in which the student is enrolled which is:
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| 11.2 | Where the registered provider implements the DEEWR and DIAC approved course progress policy and procedures for its vocational and technical education courses, Standard 11 does not apply. |
| 11.3 | For the courses identified in 11.1, the registered provider must have and implement appropriate documented attendance policies and procedures for each course which must be provided to staff and students that specify the:
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| 11.4 | For the courses identified in 11.1, the registered provider’s attendance policies and procedures must identify the process for contacting and counselling students who have been absent for more than five consecutive days without approval or where the student is at risk of not attending for at least 80 per cent of the scheduled course contact hours for the course in which he or she is enrolled (i.e. before the student’s attendance drops below 80 per cent). |
| 11.5 | For the courses identified in 11.1, the registered provider must regularly assess the attendance of the student in accordance with the registered provider’s attendance policies and procedures. |
| 11.6 | Where the registered provider has assessed the student as not achieving satisfactory attendance for the courses identified in 11.1, the registered provider must notify the student in writing of its intention to report the student for not achieving satisfactory attendance. The written notice must inform the student that he or she is able to access the registered provider’s complaints and appeals process as per Standard 8 (Complaints and appeals) and that the student has 20 working days in which to do so. |
| 11.7 | Where the student has chosen not to access the complaints and appeals processes within the 20 working day period, withdraws from the process, or the process is completed and results in a decision supporting the registered provider, the registered provider must notify the Secretary of DEEWR through PRISMS that the student is not achieving satisfactory attendance as soon as practicable. |
| 11.8 | For the vocational and technical education and non-award courses identified in 11.1.a and 11.1.d, the registered provider may only decide not to report the student for breaching the 80 per cent attendance requirement where:
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| 11.9 | For the ELICOS and school courses identified in 11.1, the registered provider may only decide not to report a student for breaching the 80 per cent attendance requirement where:
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