Support to Study
We believe that a positive approach to the management of physical and mental health is key to academic achievement and student experience.
Bath Spa University is committed to supporting students’ health and wellbeing. Our Support to Study Procedure (StS) is designed as an enhanced support approach, with the aim to ensure that students are offered every reasonable measure to enable them to complete their studies and have a positive experience of university life.
Key aims of the procedure
- To provide an opportunity for students and staff to highlight any areas of concern where circumstances are having an adverse impact on their studies, or impacting on the health, safety, wellbeing, disability or academic progress of others.
- To promote students’ independence and personal responsibility.
- To support students with their study and enable them to manage their own behaviour and personal circumstances to the best of their ability.
- To provide a framework to empower, support and signpost students to the most appropriate help at the earliest possible point.
- Consider any reasonable adjustments that could be helpful.
FAQs
- You are finding your course or university life challenging because your mental or physical health is compromised; or because of a disability; or because of difficulties in your personal life.
- You are a new student with pre-existing conditions and need extra support to enable your transition to University.
- You have complex personal circumstances (for example, health, family and/or financial issues).
- You regularly submit exceptional circumstances applications as a result of ongoing health concerns.
- Your health, wellbeing or behaviour is causing concern or having an adverse effect on others.
- Your behaviour is affecting the health and safety of other people.
An initial StS meeting is an informal meeting with your (Mental Health, Accessibility or Wellbeing) Advisor. Other members of staff may be invited e.g. your tutor. The meeting is a space for you to speak about the situation and explore options, enhanced support or other measures that may be helpful.
A Support to Study Action Plan will be completed during the meeting, which contains an overview of your discussion, what measures are already in place, additional measures required and any agreed actions. A date will be set to review the actions and your progress.
There are 2 levels of the procedure and it can be started at either level, depending on your situation (please see the Support to Study Procedure for more details). When you are invited to a meeting the StS procedure will be sent to you along with a summary of the concerns that have been raised and you will be informed whether it’s a level 1 (emerging concern) or level 2 (enhanced concern) meeting.
Level 1 StS is for students who have arrived at University with pre-existing conditions or complex life circumstances who may need extra support to transition into University. It is also for students who are finding their course or University life challenging.
Level 2 StS is for students where there are more serious concerns, or where a student has already had a Level 1 plan and has not been able to engage with it or concerns have escalated.
Yes - if you have been invited to attend a StS meeting we advise that you still attend even if you have Exceptional Circumstances in place. StS aims to ensure that you are getting all the support needed to thrive at university, and while Exceptional Circumstances is able to offer you alternative dates for submission of academic work it does not address the problems which have caused you to apply in the first place.
The StS Procedure is intended not only for students who are struggling academically, but also to provide a framework where circumstances are adversely impacting the wellbeing, health, safety of the student or other students.
Yes - you can ask your tutor or advisor from Student Wellbeing Services for a StS meeting.
We would encourage all students who have been asked to attend a StS meeting to attend. The aim of these meetings is to support you in a collaborative manner whilst highlighting any support resources you may not be aware of and signposting you to these.
However, if you are unable or unwilling to participate in the management of your wellbeing, the procedure allows the University to proceed without your input. For example, if a student does not engage, the staff member can escalate to level 2 of the procedure and/or consider whether escalation to the Fitness to Study Procedure is more appropriate.
In the first instance we would encourage you to contact the person requesting the meeting and explain your reasons for not attending, if it is an inconvenient time you will be able to rearrange.
If you are unable or unwilling to participate in the management of your wellbeing the procedure makes provision for proceeding without your input. For example, if a student does not engage, the staff member would escalate to level 2 of the procedure and/or consider whether escalation to the Fitness to Study Procedure is more appropriate.
Any records or notes relating to Support to Study will be stored securely and separate to your main student record. They will be safely destroyed once you have completed your studies.