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ÂÒÂ×Ðã 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:

• Where to find help and adviceÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
• Information about when to use this framework (for example if you are an affiliate, study abroad or placement student)
• Advice on confidentiality and how ÂÒÂ×Ðã will look after your data
• Information on providing supporting evidence
• Links to other support options that are available to you.

The following sections explain how each of the following processes works:

• Ìý

• Your Personal Tutor is there to support and encourage you throughout your time at ÂÒÂ×Ðã. They can help to answer questions about your programme, teaching and assessments. If you are not sure who your Personal Tutor is, please contact your Department. Please note that some departments use a different term such as ‘Academic Mentor’.
• Help is also available from other staff in your Department, such as Student Advisers, departmental administrators, your Programme Leader, Departmental Tutor and other academic staff. Each ÂÒÂ×Ðã Department is organised differently, so the best place to start is normally your programme’s Moodle site or Student Handbook. These should include contact details for key members of staff.
• Your Department also has a named ‘SoRA contact’ who can help if you have any questions about your Summary of Reasonable Adjustments.
• Your ‘Home’ Department and Faculty are normally responsible for providing support. If you are taking any modules in another ÂÒÂ×Ðã Department or Faculty, you can also speak to your Module Organiser about the support available locally.

• ÂÒÂ×Ðã Student Support and Wellbeing is a team of expert wellbeing, disability and mental health staff. They provide a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space in which you can discuss any issues that may be affecting your ability to study. You can make an appointment, attend drop-in sessions or contact them via askÂÒÂ×Ðã.
• More information: ÂÒÂ×Ðã Student Support and Wellbeing

• The Students’ Union ÂÒÂ×Ðã provides a free, confidential and independent advice service run by a trained and experienced team. They can talk to you about concerns that you might have relating to Extenuating Circumstances, Interruptions, SoRAs, Support to Study and other forms of support.
• More information: Students’ Union ÂÒÂ×Ðã Advice Service

1.3.1 Level of study

1.3.2 Home and Teaching Departments

1.3.3 Study Abroad programmes

Your Teaching Institution should provide the following (although please note that they may use different terminology):

• Short-term Extenuating Circumstances mitigations such as a coursework extension or condoned late submission
• Reasonable Adjustments for disabled students
• Exam adjustments
• Academic adjustments

You can use ÂÒÂ×Ðã's regulations to apply for:

• Any Extenuating Circumstances mitigation which might affect your ÂÒÂ×Ðã progression, award and/or classification, such as deferrals
• An Interruption of Study
• A Support Plan or Support to Study Panel.

1.3.4 Affiliate Students

You should use ÂÒÂ×Ðã's regulations if you need help with any of the following while you are registered with ÂÒÂ×Ðã:

• Short-term Extenuating Circumstances mitigations such as a coursework extension or condoned late submission
• Reasonable Adjustments for disabled students
• Academic Adjustments
• Exam Adjustments

YourÌý Home Institution should provide the following (although please note that they may use different terminology):

• Any Extenuating Circumstances mitigation which might affect your ÂÒÂ×Ðã progression, award and/or classification, such as deferrals
• An Interruption to Study
• A Support Plan or Support to Study Panel

1.3.5 Placement programmesÌý

Your placement provider should arrange the following (although please note that they may use different terminology):

• Reasonable Adjustments for disabled students

You should use ÂÒÂ×Ðã's regulations if you need academic support, for example with:

• Extenuating Circumstances mitigations for any assessments that you need to complete
• Academic Adjustments
• An Interruption of Study
• A Support Plan or Support to Study Panel.

1.3.6 Joint and dual degreesÌý

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

a) Personal Data can be accessed by relevant ÂÒÂ×Ðã academic and professional services staff who have been given an approved staff login to ÂÒÂ×Ðã'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

1.5.1 Introduction

1.5.2 When do I need to provide evidence?Ìý

1.5.3 Sensitive and Traumatic circumstances

1.5.4Ìý Medical evidence

• Provided by a qualified doctor or other registered medical practitioner – this normally means registered with the UK General Medical Council. We may be able to consider evidence provided by a practitioner outside of the UK but they must be registered with an equivalent overseas professional medical body.

• In English - we may be able to consider evidence in another language but this must be accompanied by a certified translation.

• Independent - in line with the UK General Medical Council’s guidance, we are unable to accept evidence which is produced by a close relative, even if they are medically qualified.

• On letterheaded paper or stamped with an official stamp or seal (however, it can be scanned and sent electronically).

• Recent – which we would normally define as having been produced within the last three months (if you are applying for a Summary of Reasonable Adjustments (SoRA) relating to a disability or long-term condition, you may be able to provide evidence that has been produced within the last 12 months. Please speak to you Student Support and Wellbeing Adviser for more information).

• For Extenuating Circumstances, cover the full the period of time for which you are making a claim. Please note that claims supported by retrospective medical evidence where a doctor states the student was seen after the illness occurred, and declared they had been ill previously, are likely to be rejected.

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:

• Your full name
• Date
• Evidence of provider's full name, role, organisation and signature
• Name of the condition or disability
• Date of diagnosis
• Period of time that you have been seeing the practitioner for this condition
• Length of time that the practitioner expects the condition to last
• Main symptoms of this condition which could impact on your life or studies
• Current treatment and medication being undertaken
• Side effects of any treatments or medication, if applicable
• For Extenuating Circumstances, a professional evaluation of how the circumstance affects your ability to complete assessments (e.g. are you unable to submit coursework at the current time? Could you complete an exam with additional support such as specialist equipment or rest breaks?).

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:

• That your studies will not be detrimental to your health, or your health to your studies
• Possibility of relapse
• Arrangements for ongoing support if these are needed
• Your support network

1.5.5 Non-medical evidence

Non-medical evidence needs to come from an appropriate, independent and verifiable authority such as:

• A solicitor
• AÌý midwife or adoption specialist
• A registrar of births, marriages and deaths
• An undertaker or coroner
• A police or fire official
• A court or tribunal officer
• If you are a critical worker, your Programme Leader may be able to provide confirmation of your professional status.Ìý

Non-medical evidence needs to be:

• In English - we may be able to consider evidence in another language but this must be accompanied by a certified translation

• Recent – which we would normally define as having been produced within the last three months.

• Independent - we are unable to accept evidence which is produced by a close relative even if they are professionally qualified.

• On letterheaded paper or stamped with an official stamp or seal (however, it can be scanned and sent electronically).

• For Extenuating Circumstances, cover the full the period of time for which you are making a claim.

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:

• Your full name
• Date
• The evidence provider's full name, role, organisation and signature
• A description of the nature and severity of your circumstances
• A professional evaluation of how the circumstances affects you (e.g. are you unable to submit coursework at the current time? Could you complete an exam with additional support such as specialist equipment or rest breaks?)
• Precise details of when the circumstances started and ended/is expected to end.

1.6 Other Support Options

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