Student Disciplinary Procedure
1
1.1
Introduction
The college considers maintenance of an effective learning environment as crucial to
student success and requires all students who accept a place, to fulfil a number of
responsibilities. This not only applies to their own success as a student, but the impact
on other students, the general public and the reputation of the college.
1.2
The college has a statutory and moral duty to ensure that the college functions with a
view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults
receiving education and training at the college.
1.3
Attendance and completion of work
Punctual attendance at all classes and completion of all set work is of prime
importance in ensuring success. Students are required to make every effort to comply
with this. For instance medical appointments, driving tests etc. should be arranged
outside class time. When absence is unavoidable, students are required to inform the
appropriate person who will be identified during student induction. This should be in
advance if possible, or on the first day of absence.
1.4
Behaviour
The college regards all students as being responsible and as such expects cooperative and polite conduct which promotes effective learning and maintains a safe
environment in which all can fulfil their potential. This applies to conduct anywhere on
college premises, inside the classroom or in communal areas such as the dining room
and recreation areas, and includes the immediate environment of the college
campuses.
1.5
Any disruptive, violent or offensive behaviour or bullying or harassment by students,
wherever it occurs, will be dealt with swiftly and those responsible will be liable to
disciplinary action.
1.6
A student that has exhibited serious violent behaviour or a threat to the safety and
wellbeing of staff and students may be excluded, by the Principal or Deputy Principal,
without a stage 3 meeting. There will be no right of appeal in these incidences.
1.7
On enrolment all students will have completed and signed a Learning Agreement. By
signing this agreement, the student agrees to abide by the regulations of the college
and to accept the responsibilities outlined above.
Failure to keep the contract
conditions will lead to disciplinary action. For students who are under 18 at the
beginning of the academic year (1st September), the college reserves the right to
inform parents / legal guardians / carer of poor attendance or conduct, whether or not
the student becomes 18 during the year.
1.8
The college will report all cases involving any disruptive or violent behaviour to the
parents / guardians / carers / employers of all learners under the age of 18 years.
Quality/Policies & Procedures / Quality Procedures / Student Issues /Feb 2013 / v1
1
2
Types of disciplinary problems
2.1
There are 2 categories of disciplinary offence:
·
SERIOUS offences which could be called misconduct, which would include poor
attendance and non-compliance with timescales for the submission of work to tutors
other than in exceptional circumstances, failure to wear ID passes, unsatisfactory
behaviour. These offences would be dealt with using all stages of the following
procedure.
·
CRITICAL offences which could be called gross misconduct. This would include
any possible one-off action or failure to observe the college requirements on a frequent
basis. These offences would be dealt with using stage 3 / 4.
3
Procedure
3.1
Academic Reasons or Unsatisfactory Behaviour - Serious Offences
Subject Lecturer
Refer to student’s Personal Tutor
Personal Tutor
Verbal warning
STAGE
1
Letter sent to student, parent / guardian /
carer or employer by Personal Tutor. Note
kept of problems/action, in tutorial files.
If 14-16, parents / guardians / carers must
be informed
If little or no sustained
improvement within a
set period or a serious
behaviour incident
occur
Course/Personal tutor refers to Curriculum
Manager.
Curriculum Manager
considers first formal
warning
Meets with student (and parents / guardian /
carer if under 18) and Tutor.
STAGE
2
Gives clear indication of further action to be
taken if unsatisfactory behaviour continues
and any appropriate measures/sanctions.
Student notified within 10 working days of
meeting. Also if 14-19 parent / guardian /
carer / employer informed.
Records details of interview content /
outcomes in tutorial files.
Notifies relevant members of staff e.g.
Personal Tutor, Estates etc.
If 14-16, parents / guardians / carers must
be informed.
Quality/Policies & Procedures / Quality Procedures / Student Issues /Feb 2013 / v1
2
If unsatisfactory
behaviour continues or
a major behaviour
incident occurs
Curriculum Manager consults Programme
Area Director.
Programme Area
Director considers final
formal warning or
refers to Deputy
Principal consider
exclusion
Checks all procedures followed, reviews
evidence.
STAGE
3
Meets with student, student’s friend (parent
/ guardian / carer), Curriculum Manager,
Personal Tutor.
Gives clear indication of further action to be
taken if unsatisfactory behaviour continues
and any other appropriate measures or
sanctions including permanent exclusion.
Student notified within 10 working days of
meeting. (Copy to parents / guardians /
carers if under 18).
Records details
outcomes.
of
interview
content/
If the disciplinary concerns a safeguarding
issue e.g. sexual harassment or violence,
Programme Area Directors must also send
copies of forms and outcome to the
Safeguarding
Manager
(designated
person) who will keep a central record for
the college.
Notifies relevant members of staff e.g.
Tutor, Estates. Sends copies of paperwork
to the Faculty Administrator 14-19.
If unsatisfactory
behaviour still
continues or if
behaviour incident was
very serious
Programme Area Director considers case
for permanent exclusion and makes
recommendations to the Deputy Principal.
The Deputy Principal will make the
decision and will sign the formal letter.
Right of Appeal by
Student
To Principal
STAGE
4
Appeal in writing to the Senior Management
Executive within 10 working days of receipt
of formal letter of permanent expulsion by
student or parent / guardian / carer. The
student must clearly state in writing the
grounds of the appeal.
Quality/Policies & Procedures / Quality Procedures / Student Issues /Feb 2013 / v1
3
3.2
Critical Offences Category
The problem should be reported immediately at all levels by a member of staff to
Programme Area Director, the Deputy Principal or any member of the Senior
Management Team.
A matter reported to the Programme Area Director who will consider:
a)
suspension while further investigation takes place.
or
b)
recommending to the Deputy Principal the case for permanent exclusion or action short of
that. The Deputy Principal will make the decision and will sign the formal letter.
Right of Appeal by
Student
To Principal
Appeal in writing to the Senior Management
Executive within 10 working days of receipt of
formal letter of permanent expulsion by
student or parents / guardians/ carers. The
student must clearly state in writing the
grounds of the appeal.
3.3
Appeals To Principal
In all cases arrangements are to be made which include a right of attendance and
representation, and for the student to be accompanied. The student must clearly state in
writing the grounds of the appeal.
3.4
Delegation
Under Article 5 (10) of the college’s Articles of Government the Principal may delegate
any of his functions to a senior post-holder. The senior post-holders for the college, in
addition to the Principal are:
·
·
·
·
·
the Deputy Principal
the Director of Finance
the Senior Management Executive
the Vice Principal Human Resources
the Vice Principal Business Development
3.5
If the disciplinary concerns a safeguarding issues e.g. sexual harassment or violence,
Programme Area Directors must also send copies of forms and outcome to the
Safeguarding Manager (designated person) who will keep a central record for the college.
3.7
If disciplinary concerns an international student, details should be sent to the Director of
International Operations in the International Office.
Reviewer
Equality Analysis
Approval
Approval date
Last Updated
Assistant Principal 14-19
Assistant Principal Quality
Assistant Principal Quality
30/11/2011
14/02/2013
Quality/Policies & Procedures / Quality Procedures / Student Issues /Feb 2013 / v1
4
Student Disciplinary Procedures
Principal Appeals
Serious acts of violence
or threats to the safety of
staff & students can
result in direct exclusion
by the DP
Direct to Stage 3 – major
behaviour issues, PAD to
suspend
Stage 4
Send full set of
documentation
Direct to Stage 2 –
serious behaviour
issues, PAD
may suspend



If doesn’t
abide by
outcomes

If does not
abide by
outcomes or
further incidents
Incident
reported
to tutor




Stage 3
Programme Area Director
Letter home with
appointment
(Invite parents/guardian if
appropriate)
Fill in proforma – collect
evidence, statements etc
View CCTV, if appropriate
Letter home with
outcomes, cc Deputy
Principal, Personal Tutor &
Neil Thurston & parents, if
applicable
Stage 2
Curriculum Leader/
Manager
Letter home  appointment,
(invite parents/guardian, if
appropriate)
Collect evidence, statements
etc, view CCTV if appropriate
Letter home with outcomes cc
Personal Tutor, Neil Thurston
Stage 1 Personal
Tutor

Verbal warning

Written in file
 If 14-16 inform
parents
Quality/Policies & Procedures / Quality Procedures / Student Issues /Feb 2013 / v1
If exclusion is
recommended
Deputy Principal to
decide
Copies of stage 3
paperwork to be
sent to Fran Upton
in CMT Secretariat
International students
Details of all disciplinary stages
must be sent to Patrick Chan in
the International Office and
students who are not attached to
a PA should be dealt with by the
International Office
If the disciplinary concerns a
safeguarding issue e.g. sexual
harassment or violence, PADs must also
send copies of forms and outcomes to
Shelley Phelan (Safeguarding Manager)
who will keep a central record for the
college