Student attendance and engagement
Regular attendance and active participation are essential to your success at Regent College London (RCL).
This page explains what we expect from you, how we monitor attendance and engagement, and what support is available to help you.
The Attendance and Engagement Policy sets out your responsibilities for attending teaching and participating in your learning.
Attendance requirements
Attendance means being present at a scheduled compulsory session, whether in person or online (depending on your programme). This includes lectures, seminars, tutorials, group work and Personal Academic Tutor meetings.
What is expected of you:
- Attend all of your scheduled sessions, and maintain attendance of at least 80% across the academic year
- Arrive on time and stay for the full session – arriving more than 15 minutes late or leaving early will be recorded as lateness.
- Submit a Leave of Absence Request within five working days if you miss a session for a valid reason.
- Contact your Personal Academic Tutor for advice on catching up on missed learning.
Valid reasons for absence
Absences must normally relate to illness, unexpected personal circumstances, or serious events. Routine work, holidays, or travel arrangements are generally not accepted as valid grounds for absence.
Engagement expectations
Engagement means being prepared, contributing actively, and participating in your learning both in person and online.
You’re expected to:
- Join all scheduled classes and engage fully with activities.
- Bring the resources you need for class and be ready to participate.
- Respond promptly to emails or messages from your tutors or support teams.
- Talk to your Personal Academic Tutor know early if challenges are affecting your ability to attend or participate.
- Arrive on time and stay for the full duration of the class
- Check in via the SEAtS app to record your attendance
- Participate in discussions and respect other students’ contributions
- Avoid using phones or other devices unless they are part of the learning activity
- Log in on time for the start of class so your attendance can be recorded
- Join from a quiet environment where you can focus and participate fully
- Turn your camera on and display your preferred first name on MS Teams
- Stay engaged throughout the class – respond to tutor prompts and contribute to group discussions
- Don’t share class links or recordings without permission
Monitoring and support
We regularly review attendance so we can identify concerns early and offer support where needed. If your attendance becomes a concern, we follow a staged monitoring process.
We will first contact you informally to discuss your absences and understand any challenges you may be facing. If your attendance does not improve, you may be progressed to Stage 1 of the formal attendance monitoring process.
You will receive an email if you miss four sessions without submitting a Leave of Absence Form.
This message explains our concerns, outlines the possible consequences, and signposts support.
If you miss four more sessions, you will be invited to meet with your Personal Academic Tutor.
We will discuss what is affecting your attendance and agree an Attendance and Engagement Plan.
If you do not attend the meeting without a valid reason, the process continues to Stage 3.
This meeting takes place with an Attendance Officer. We will review your attendance, your plan, and next steps.
If you cannot demonstrate acceptable improvement, you may receive a Notification of Intention to Withdraw.
If you do not respond within 10 working days, withdrawal may proceed.
Withdrawal, review and appeal
If your attendance does not meet required standards and you do not respond to College communications, you may be withdrawn from your programme. This may affect your student funding and, where applicable, your visa status.
Support and next steps
We are here to support you, but it’s important that you engage with us early. If your attendance is affected by health, disability, wellbeing or personal circumstances, please contact your Personal Academic Tutor as soon as you can.
The Wellbeing and Disability Support team can also work with you to explore practical solutions, agree appropriate adjustments where needed, and help you stay on track with your studies.
