Fitness to Study Policy

This policy provides guidelines for situations where illness, physical and/or mental health difficulties, trauma, psychological or emotional disorders are having a profoundly adverse impact on the functioning of individual students and/or on the learning and/or health and safety and wellbeing of others around them.

1. Policy Statement 

This policy provides guidelines for situations where illness, physical and/or mental health difficulties, trauma, psychological or emotional disorders are having a profoundly adverse impact on the functioning of individual students and/or on the learning and/or health and safety and wellbeing of others around them. 

2. Introduction & Context 

Homefield College is committed to supporting its students to be able to fully engage in their learning. Staff will work with individual students using the IncludED Positive Behaviour Support model (PBS) to support inclusive learning, assess individual needs, and teach new skills where required. We assess the social and physical environment and work with the student to find solutions to help support them, better meet their needs, and offer more effective coping strategies. 

This policy should be used when a student’s fitness to study is a cause for concern and where other internal procedures, such as Positive Behaviour Support and Attendance policies, are not appropriate, and after all other interventions have been explored. This may include: 

  • Actions taken under the Safeguarding Policy.
  • Reasonable adjustments put in place by Curriculum staff.
  • Additional support and guidance from the Therapies team.

3. Purpose and Scope 

  • The purpose of this policy is to ensure that appropriate action is taken to support the needs of students who are experiencing illness, physical and/or mental health difficulties, trauma, and psychological or emotional disorders. 
  • Where a student is assessed to have capacity to understand their behavioural presentation and they continue to display behaviours when needs have been met, we will follow the disciplinary process.  

This policy is applicable to all Homefield College students and to all prospective students from the point they formally accept a place, including: 

  • Full time students
  • Subcontracted students 
  • Students working in commercial enterprises 

4. The Procedure 

It is expected that most Fitness to Study issues will be resolved under normal student support protocols. 

Where normal support measures have been implemented and they have proven not to be successful, it is expected that the Personal Tutor has written evidence to support this. 

Where a student lacks capacity to engage in the support plan and/or understand the consequences of engagement with said plan, a referral to Fitness to Study Committee (FSC) can be made. 

The Personal Tutor should refer the case to the FSC via the appropriate form on databridge. Students will continue to receive all financial support until a FSC is convened, and an outcome is determined. 

Following a referral made, the FSC should hold the meeting within 10 working days.

A student referred to the FSC will be notified by the Curriculum and Campus Manager within 5 working days of the referral and be provided with the following information:

  • The reason for the referral.
  • The procedures of the FSC.
  • The student’s right to present their case and evidence in person or in writing to the appropriate manager.
  • The student’s right to be accompanied by an advocate to any meetings that are undertaken (notice of who this is should be provided to the FSC prior to attendance).
  • The membership of the FSC and the point of contact for any related communication.
  • The student’s right to refuse permission for medical evidence (including that relating to occupational health) to be submitted to the FSC.
  • The risk that the FSC decision may be made without access to full set of information by a student’s refusal to allow submission of medical evidence (including that relating to occupational health) to the FSC. 
  • Any written submission to the FSC from the student must be submitted to a member of the FSC committee at least three (3) working days before the hearing. 

Where applicable, the College will notify the SEND Coordinator at the student’s local authority when a referral is made under this policy. 

5. Fitness to Study Committee 

A Fitness to Study Committee can be arranged under the following circumstances: 

  • If the student does not agree to, or is not engaging with, the support plans in place.
  • If the case is sufficiently serious and urgent to warrant immediate referral to the committee. 
  • If a student has not attended college for 3 consecutive weeks

Membership of the FSC will consist of: 

  • A member of SMT or Curriculum and Campus Manager as Chair 
  • A representative from the therapy team
  • Another member as determined by the Chair: 
    • Personal Tutor
    • Curriculum and Campus Manager
    • Site Supervisor 
    • An external expert (where the Chair deems it appropriate and necessary for independent advice) 

6. Outcomes 

The Chair will review the current support plans in place.

The Chair will collate appropriate evidence for the FSC to consider.

The student will be notified of their right to be present at the meeting and their right to be accompanied.

Following the meeting with the student, the FSC will consider all evidence presented, and, where necessary, call for further evidence or speak to other staff involved with the student. 

The FSC will then decide on an outcome, which will usually be one of the following: 

  • No further action.
  • Continued status and presence as a student, subject to fulfilment of a course of action or treatment with appropriate review arrangements in place.
  • Partial or selective prohibition of access to Homefield College’s facilities.
  • A period of suspension from the College.
  • Expulsion from the College.
  • Where an adaption to the timetable has been proposed, this must fall in line with the expectations set withing section 5.10 of the Attendance, Absence Management and Register Policy

7. Right to appeal 

The student may appeal against the outcome of the FSC and must do so withing five (5) working days of the receipt of their letter. 

Appeals should be sent via preferred communication method addressed to the Admissions and Transitions Manager (admissions@homefieldcollege.ac.uk)

Appeals will be heard by the Principal on the following grounds: 

  • The application of the FSC has not been followed correctly.
  • Evidence which was not submitted to the FSC for good reason.
  • Additional information that has not been considered previously. 

A panel will convene to consider the appeal. Members of the panel will usually be: 

  • One of, The Principal, Vice Principal, Head of Funding, Head of Therapies and Community Services
  • Each appeal meeting should have a representative from the therapy team if the Head of Therapies is not chairing

In the case of an appeal, the possible outcomes are: 

  • Uphold initial decision of FSC.
  • Modification of FSC decision.
  • Overturn the decision of the FSC.

The decision of the appeals panel is final. There are no further appeals permitted under this policy. 

Approved by: Trustees
Last Updated: September 2025
Next Review: August 2026
Staff Lead: Vice Principal