Supporting Students to Engage Project – DTA (CAE)

Here we present the results of a study which uses an alternative procedure known as “Fitness to Study” to re-engage students that are deemed as not attending but have had some engagement. Thus, tipping the model from effectively a withdrawal procedure (based on attendance) to a pro-active process involving all stakeholders (student, academic and guidance officer) to create a joined up support package aimed at successful early re-engagement. The Fitness for Study process has been selected on the basis that the School (Creative Art and Engineering) wanted to work in partnership with our students and guidance collectively to ensure the right behaviours are demonstrated for study and success on the course. An essential behaviour identified as a key contributor to successful study is attendance and engagement with the academic programme, personal tutoring and peers. The data explores “at risk” students in terms of key characteristics established in the Access and Participation Plan (disabled, BAME, male, mature, IMD, non-traditional qualifications, Polar4 and care leavers) and uses a model to reach out, to change lives through working in partnership with the student, academic tutor and Guidance.