Deferring an assessment because of extenuating circumstances
1.1 Sometimes students face serious circumstances outside their control that stop them submitting work or sitting an assessment on time. This policy balances support for individual students with fairness to all students and the integrity of our assessments.
1.2 It should be read with the Attendance Policy and the Student Agreement. If you need a longer break from your studies, the Student Agreement explains how to pause your course.
2.1 We accept genuine, unforeseen circumstances supported by evidence, such as:
2.2 We do not normally accept:
3.1 Email [email protected] to ask for a Deferral Form, then return the completed form to [email protected] with your supporting evidence.
3.2 Where possible, submit your request at least 24 hours before the assessment. The latest you can submit it is two weeks after the submission date published in the Assessment Calendar. We will not normally accept a later request unless exceptional circumstances prevented you from applying sooner and you can show this.
3.3 We use any health information you give us only to decide your request, and we delete the evidence once the decision has been made, keeping a note of the outcome.
5.1 You can appeal only if you have new, credible evidence that was not available when you made your request, or if we did not follow this policy.
5.2 Email your appeal to [email protected], marked for the attention of the Head of Academic Operations, within 10 working days of our decision, explaining how it meets these grounds. The Head of Academic Operations will reply in writing within 7 days. Their decision is final.
6.1 If you miss an assessment and have not been granted a deferral:
6.2 If you are granted a deferral but then miss the new date, or do not respond to our reasonable attempts to arrange one, the deferral is cancelled and the rules in 6.1 apply, plus a further penalty fee of £75 and a grade capped at a pass.
