Extenuating Circumstances and Fit to Sit

Dr Lesley Roberts and Mr Andrew Shanks

MBChB Year 1 Tutors

Claire Maitland

Student Development & Support Co-ordinator

(c.maitland@bham.ac.uk)

MBChB Year 1 2011-2012

Session Plan

1. Fit to Sit

2. Extenuating circumstances

What is Fit to Sit?

• By being present at an examination you are declaring yourself ‘Fit to Sit’ – applies to all examinations (written, presentations, OSCEs)

• You can not then submit extenuating circumstances for that examination, unless there are very exceptional circumstances (e.g., sudden illness that starts during an examination)

What do I do if I am not Fit to Sit an examination?

• Inform the SDSO as soon as you can and complete the Extenuating Circumstances Form (Sec. C) – available from SDSO & Student Services Reception

• You can do this up until the published start time of an examination – requests after this will not be considered

• You must provide acceptable third-party evidence (usually doctor’s note) – as soon as possible after you have declared that you are not Fit to Sit (normally within one working day)

What happens next?Submission and evidence considered by one of the

Extenuating Circumstances Officers

If approved:Your sitting of the examination will be deferred until the next available opportunity

If not approved (usually due to no evidence or false/mis-leading/inaccurate evidence):

You will be awarded a mark of 0 for the missed examination

Important information about deferring examinations

• Deferred examinations can only be taken in May or August

• This may result in you having to take a year out of the course

• You cannot progress to Year 2 without passing all Year 1 modules

• The MBChB must be completed in 8 years maximum (excluding intercalated years)

What are extenuating circumstances?

• Significant personal difficulties that affect learning and/or assessments during the academic year

• Exceptional and unforeseen events

• New Code of Practice asks for better evidence of impact and is stricter on what is allowable

Examples of extenuating circumstances

• Significant illness, accident or injury• Death or serious illness of close family

member or friend• Exceptional and unforeseen financial hardship• Serious family crisis directly affecting you

Examples of what extenuating circumstances are not

• Minor illnesses• Exam stress that is not diagnosed as an illness• Chosen activities that affect work during the

academic year, e.g., sport, holidays, extra-curricular activities, religious observances, paid employment, charity work

• Chronic illness / disability – reasonable adjustments can be put in place if needed (go to Student Support Services or see Year Tutor for further advice)

What should you do if you have extenuating circumstances affecting

your learning?• Tell us as soon as you can!

• Complete an Extenuating Circumstances Form (Sec. D) - complete this fully and carefully

• Provide supporting evidence

• Submit the form to the SDSO – do not wait until the deadline

• No-one can raise extenuating circumstances on your behalf – it is your responsibility (even if you see your Year Tutor regularly)

What type of supporting evidence?

• Must be contemporaneous, independent corroborative evidence that includes dates and confirms the impact on you, e.g., – Medical certificate / doctor’s letter– Death certificate– Counsellor’s letter– Bank statements– Solicitor’s letter– Police report– PM / Year Tutor report

• We cannot request evidence on your behalf – it is your responsibility

Remember impact!

When should you submit the Extenuating Circumstances Form?• As soon as possible after the event!• Absolute deadlines are as follows on next 2 slides

• Forms submitted after the deadlines will not be considered, and cannot be used in an appeal

• Remember to apply early to doctors etc. for supporting documentation (but you must submit your form on time, even if your evidence is delayed)

January Examination Period:extenuating circumstances

deadlines

4pm on Friday 6th January 2012 (to cover Semester 1 learning & revision period)

4pm on Wednesday 11th January 2012 (ONLY for submissions of acute extenuating circumstances that arise during an examination period – very rare! If you are unwell on the day of an exam you need to decide if you are Fit to Sit – see earlier slides)

End-of-Year Examination Period:extenuating circumstances

deadlines4pm on Friday 4th May 2012 (to cover Semester

2 NOT Semester 1 learning period, and revision period for Semester 1 and 2)

4pm on Monday 28th May 2012 (ONLY for submissions of acute extenuating circumstances that arise during an examination period – very rare! If you are unwell on the day of an exam you need to decide if you are Fit to Sit – see earlier slides)

What if I have on-going extenuating circumstances in both

semesters?

• You must submit an Extenuating Circumstances Form TWICE

• You are strongly recommended to discuss this with your Year Tutor

What happens to the Extenuating Circumstances Form?

• Confidentially considered by a small Extenuating Circumstances Panel– Graded according to whether or not the circumstances

meet the UoB criteria and likely impact on your academic performance

• Forms are held in a confidential file separate to your central student file

• Board of Examiners receives the grading but not the details of the extenuating circumstances

Why might extenuating circumstances be judged as not admissible?

• Not submitted on time (we have to be very strict about this!)

• Lack of supporting evidence, or dates don’t match

• Lack of evidence about IMPACT on YOU and YOUR STUDIES

• ‘Minor’ (not significant, exceptional, unforeseen circumstances)

• Enduring health/personal issues – should have been dealt with via reasonable adjustments if needed

Extenuating circumstances can’t…

• Change your examination marks

• Allow you to progress to Year 2 carrying a failed module

Extenuating circumstances might…

• Allow you to resit an assessment as a ‘first sit’

• Allow you to externally resit or internally repeat a module

• In very exceptional circumstances, allow you to repeat a year

These decisions are made by the Board of Examiners in June and

September

What about extenuating circumstances impacting on course work

essays/assignments?• These are dealt with only via extensions

• To request an extension use the Extension Request Form and the Extenuating Circumstances Form (Sec. A) both available from SDSO, Student Services Reception or Intramed – look under ‘E’ in generic information)

• Evidence is required

• Extenuating circumstances will not be further considered in relation to coursework

Need further advice?

• SDSO (Claire Maitland)– e: c.maitland@bham.ac.uk– t: 0121 414 7830

• Year Tutor (Lesley Roberts / Andrew Shanks)- Contact via the SDSO

- Personal Mentor

• Advice & Representation Centre (ARC) in the Guild of Students

Useful website

UoB Extenuating Circumstances and Fit to Sit guidelines for students:

http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/sca/extcirc/index.shtml

(or type ‘extenuating circumstances’ into the search box on the UoB homepage)

From here you can also download the Extenuating Circumstances Form

(and the guidelines for completing it)

Take Home Message

PLEASE come and ask us if you are in any doubt – we want to help you!

Every year students have to leave because they didn’t tell us things

Student Development & Support Office (SDSO)Room: WG36 (soon to be at the rear of the foyer)

Email: c.maitland@bham.ac.ukTel: 0121 414 7830

Final note• End of year exam results will be released at

10.30am on Friday 15th June 2012 (the last day of summer term)

• You are all expected to be here on that day – if you have a number of resits you may be required to see a senior tutor

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EXAMS!