Fitness to Study Guidance

Purpose

Tring School recognises the importance of our students’ health and wellbeing in relation to their academic performance, progression and wider student experience. It is recognised that on occasions a student’s health and wellbeing may be impacting on their ability to effectively study or is causing disruption to the wider school community. Within this context, ‘Fitness to Study’ guidance outlines the approach the school adopts where a  students’ fitness to continue with their current programme of study or return to their current programme and a students’ ability to meet the reasonable academic requirements of the programme is compromised. This is not a disciplinary process and should be seen fundamentally as a positive approach to the management of medical, psychological, behavioural or emotional problems. 

It is Tring School’s aim, where possible, to support our students to remain on their programme of study. However it must be recognised that in some cases this might not be possible. Some students may need to take a break from their studies or in more serious cases may be permanently withdrawn from Tring School. 

Scope

This guidance should be used when a student’s fitness to study causes concern and all other procedures or options have been considered or exhausted. This guidance will be applied where Tring School becomes aware that: 

• A student poses a risk to their own health, safety or wellbeing (and/or that of others)
• A student’s behaviour is (or is at risk of) adversely affecting the teaching, learning or experience of other students; or the day-to-day activities of Tring School
• A student’s support needs fall outside the scope of support Tring School can reasonably be expected to provide, directly or indirectly
• A student appears to be unable to engage with academic study 

Use of this guidance

• Concerns may be raised by a variety of individuals, for example Tring School staff, other students, external partners and third parties (such as health professionals).
• Students should be involved in the management of their own wellbeing wherever possible. 
• Should a student be unable or unwilling to participate, Tring School may nonetheless follow this procedure where it is reasonable to do so. 

Significant Concerns and Intervention

Significant concerns about a student’s fitness to study may present in a number of different ways. The following are some of the more common indicators that may warrant further investigation: 

• Rapid deterioration in academic performance
• Poor attendance and/or persistent lack of engagement
• A prolonged physical or mental health illness that impacts school performance
• Signs of self-harming
• Drugs or alcohol problems

This is not an exhaustive list, whilst in isolation the evidence of a single indicator may not be considered a cause for concern, action may be required if there is a sustained pattern, a combination of indicators or a particularly significant single incident. 

Fitness to Study - Procedure

This procedure has three stages, which represent the degree of concern and/or the perceived seriousness of the situation

Stage One: Initial concerns

Stage Two: Continuing concerns

Stage Three: Ongoing and/or Serious concerns

• The stages can be moved between depending on evidence presented
• Each stage can also be entered in isolation, without having to go through previous stages if the incident is deemed to be serious or critical. 
• The outcome of each stage can vary but most commonly could include an action plan, referral to another stage, or conditions the student must meet. 

If a student is placed on an action plan, the school will provide the student with a copy and arrange regular review dates with the student. The review group will usually comprise of the same individuals who met with them at the stage three case conference. They will discuss their progress and decide whether they should continue to follow the action plan and, if so, whether the school needs to amend it. They will consider whether the student has complied with the requirements of the action plan and, if not, whether one of the other outcomes above is now appropriate. 

Concerns and potential outcomes for each stage can be found below.

Return to Study Meeting

If students have been suspended under this procedure, students will be asked to attend a Return to Study meeting in advance of their return. This is so the panel can assess whether they are now fit to study. The panel will usually comprise of the same individuals who met with the student at the stage two and/or three case conference. Students will only be permitted to return to Tring School if the School is satisfied that the individual is fit to study and able to comply with any conditions imposed on their return. Tring School may request that medical advice is obtained for this purpose. 

The panel will review conditions set and may ask for evidential assurance that returning to studies may not be detrimental to the health of the student. 

Stage One | Concerns & Potential Outcomes

Stage Two | Concerns & Potential Outcomes

Stage Three | Concerns & Potential Outcomes