Study Programme

We wouldn't re enol onto a second programme in year unless they have achieved the first one. Cant you put the learner back into class to get qualified and then just convert the aims positive if the learner achieves?

Will that not be a problem if all the aims have been closed from November 2024 on the ILR? Helen 

The PSM has some guidance on this. You can just re-open the enrolments, but you can't change the Planned End Dates. Assuming they were still on programme at 6 weeks, I don't think you even would have to reduce the planned hours, but I think we would do what you suggested. If you need a new Planned End Date, I guess you could restart with a new start date, but I'd definitely adjust the hours as you said in that case.

Would this not cover you for the absense?

Parents-to-be

65: Students who are expecting to be unavoidably absent from learning for a period of time, such as for maternity or paternity leave, should not be discouraged from entering into a learning agreement. Institutions should ensure that the planned start and end dates for the student’s programme, as agreed at the commencement of the programme, reflect the overall planned duration of study.

Unfortunately if I was to reopen the enrolment it would mean the learner would need to produce some form of evidence for the weeks she had been off as I would have to finish her anyway for the unauthorised absence. 

Yeah that it is a tricky one, what banding was she on? 

Band 1 (290).  She had some work experience planned in for the end of this year but I removed these hours from EEP as they were not due to start.  Not sure if thats the correct thing to do but felt right at the time. Helen 

Yeah definitely remove the work experience hours unless you have employer evidence to show it was going to happen.

Why would you need some evidence for the weeks off? The rules specifically say you can just reinstate. Yes, you need to withdraw after 4 weeks of non-attendance, but you can open back up again if they come back.

Morning Ruth, I have seen where it says that these aims can be reopened at the discretion depending upon the timing.  Will I not need any evidence to support the time she wasnt attending? TIA Helen.

I'd just make sure you had emails/paperwork from when she withdrew, and when she asked to come back. If an auditor ever questioned the big gap, point at the PSM guidance.

Thanks Ruth, I could do with you on speed dial lol. We have quite a lot of evidence to support her absence so will make sure this is recorded.

😂 I'm not actually the one who talks to auditors usually, but my boss and I have been through three audits together (she's done loads before that) and we're usually ok at knowing what they'll allow. Any time our curriculum do something unusual, we always just tell them to document it thoroughly so it's on hand if needed. Whilst I said I think you could keep the hours in that gap, before now we've done what you suggested and adjusted to just the periods they were here, then you can show the auditor what you did so they're definitely not going to get you with a clawback.

Do you think its a good idea to adjust the planned hours for the time she wasnt in learning so we are not over claiming? Helen

Yes, that's what I would probably do, just to clearly demonstrate we're not doing anything dodgy. Like I say, I think you could argue for keeping them all, but if it's not a huge amount of money, I'd just do what I thought we wouldn't potentially have to argue.

Thank you Ruth.