Recognition of Prior Learning

RPL applications are made using the student RPL application form. The student RPL application form should be completed and forwarded to the Administration Manager together with the required fee. A copy of the student RPL application form is placed on the student file. The College will provide RPL applicant’s access to the relevant Units or Modules prior to the RPL application being completed. The College will give applicants advice on completing the student RPL application form and gathering reliable evidence. The Administration Manager or teaching staff will assess completed student RPL applications and students advised promptly of the decision. Further information or an interview with the student may be required before evaluation of the application is completed. The completed student RPL record must be signed by the student and the assessor RPL application documentation, assessment processes and outcomes are placed in the student file. Granting of RPL must be recorded as a unit outcome in the students file. Students may use the College appeal procedures if dissatisfied with the outcome of their RPL applications. After RPL is granted a student’s course schedule must be reviewed and any reductions in the scheduled attendance and the reasons for the reduction recorded and placed on the student’s file. Any course duration reduction as a result of RPL granted to students must be indicated on the Confirmation of Enrolment if granted prior to the issue of a visa or on PRISMS if granted after the issue of a visa.

Application and enrolment

All enquiring students must be provided with a Student Prospectus, a Student Agreement and the ESOS Framework.
Applicants must complete the student agreement, sign and date where required and attach verified evidence of qualifications, work experience (if relevant) and IELTS test results.
The Training Manager must review the student agreement and determine if an offer should be made on the basis of the entry requirements for the qualification. To be accepted the applicant must at least meet the academic entry requirements and the minimum IELTS requirement.
The entry requirements can be assessed using the RTO education equivalency document to align overseas qualifications.
IELTS testing is not required where an applicant clearly has the required English language skills. The evidence for this would include verified evidence of completing education in an English speaking country or at an English speaking school or completing a Certificate III or higher level qualification in Australia.
Where an offer is to be made to an applicant the Training Manager must sign and date the appropriate section on the student agreement.
Once an offer has been approved by the Training Manager an offer letter must be prepared and despatched to the student and an Electronic Confirmation of Offer (CoE) generated on PRISMS. The CoE must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the PRISMS User Guide.

Attendance

Trainers must use the Student daily attendance record to record student attendance at each scheduled class and note early departures and late arrivals.
Use the attendance spreadsheet to collate and review each student’s attendance on a fortnightly basis based on the trainers attendance records.
If a student presents a medical certificate for absences record it as an absence with medical certificate (amc), count it as non-attendance and copy the medical certificate into the students file.
If a student is absent for 5 consecutive days or more a warning letter must be issued immediately and a counselling session arranged with the Training Manager. The details for the warning letter are contained in the document titled “Student attendance warning letters".
If students attendance is above 90% on the hours % to date no action is required
If students are 90% or below on the hours % to date and above 80% on the projected hours % to the end of the term then a warning letter must be issued immediately and a counselling session arranged with the Training Manager. The details for the warning letter are contained in the document titled “Student attendance warning letters".
If the student is below 80% on the projected hours % to the end of the term then their course progress must be checked. The student may continue if course progress is satisfactory and their projected hours % to the end of term is over 70%. In this case a course counselling interview must be arranged and an intervention strategy must be implemented.
At the course counselling interview the following intervention strategies will be put in place:
Student attendance timetable drawn up
Student study time table drawn up
A fortnightly intervention meeting for the current term with the training manager or a delegated person will be scheduled
A fortnightly academic involvement report requested from each subject teacher.
Students failing to attend the course counselling interview without a reasonable excuse may be reported to DIAC for unsatisfactory attendance.

At the fortnightly intervention meeting the following will be reviewed

Fortnightly attendance
Fortnightly academic involvement
Implementation of the study timetable

During the intervention period, students who fail to achieve 80% attendance, fail to achieve satisfactory academic involvement or fail to implement the study timetable may be reported to DIAC for unsatisfactory attendance.
Students failing to attend the fortnightly intervention meeting without a reasonable excuse may be reported to DIAC for unsatisfactory attendance.
If the student is below 80% on the projected hours % to the end of the term and course progress is unsatisfactory then the College must notify the student in writing of its intention to report the student for not achieving satisfactory attendance. The student must be informed they have 20 days to appeal to the College. If the appeal is not upheld or the student withdraws from the appeal process then the College must report the student to DIAC.
If the student is below 70% on the projected hours % to the end of the term then the College must notify the student in writing of its intention to report the student for not achieving satisfactory attendance. The student must be informed they have 20 days to appeal to the College. If the appeal is not upheld or the student withdraws from the appeal process then the College must report the student to DIAC.
Copies of all warning letters, notes from counselling sessions, medical certificates, any other relevant documents and PRISMS breach letters must be placed on the students file
Only include class time when collating student attendance on the spreadsheet. Do not include lunch breaks as attendance time.

Confidentiality and access to records

Student Information is collected in order to meet obligations under the ESOS Act and the National Code 2007; to ensure student compliance with the conditions of their visas and their obligations under Australian immigration laws generally. The authority to collect this information is contained in the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, the Education Services for Overseas Students Regulations 2001 and the National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2007. Information collected can be provided, in certain circumstances, to the Australian Government and designated authorities and, if relevant, the Tuition Assurance Scheme and the ESOS Assurance Fund Manager. In other instances information collected can be disclosed without student consent where authorised or required by law..
Students wishing to access their own records must put the request in writing to the Training Manager who will then arrange for supervised access at a mutually suitable time.

Course progress and intervention strategy

Students who have unsatisfactory academic progress will be reported to DIAC. Unsatisfactory academic performance is defined as failing more than 50% of units in two consecutive terms. A failure in 50% or more units in a single term will trigger a review of academic progress and implementation of an intervention strategy by the college.
Within 10 working days of the completion of a term the Training Manager will review the academic progress of all students and identify those students who have failed 50% or more units in the term.
Within 10 working days of the completion of a term all students identified as having failed 50% or more units will be sent a letter requiring them to attend a course counselling interview.

At the course counselling interview the following intervention strategies will be put in place:

Student attendance timetable drawn up
Student study time table drawn up
A fortnightly intervention meeting for the current term with the training manager or a delegated person will be scheduled
A fortnightly academic involvement report requested from each subject teacher.
Place a copy of the warning letter and all other relevant documents in the students file.
Students failing to attend the course counselling interview without a reasonable excuse will be issued with a 2 nd warning letter to report within 20 days. If a student continues to ignore the 2 nd warning letter the college will intent to report the student to DIAC.

At the fortnightly intervention meeting the following will be reviewed

Fortnightly attendance
Fortnightly academic involvement
Implementation of the study timetable
During the intervention period, students who fail to achieve 80% attendance, fail to achieve satisfactory academic involvement or fail to implement the study timetable may be reported to DIAC for unsatisfactory academic progress.
Students failing to attend the fortnightly intervention meeting without a reasonable excuse may be reported to DIAC for unsatisfactory academic progress.
If a student fails more than 50% of units in two consecutive terms then the College must notify the student in writing of its intention to report the student for not achieving satisfactory academic progress. The student must be informed they have 20 days to appeal to the College. If the appeal is not upheld or the student withdraws from the appeal process then the College must report the student to DIAC

Deferral of commencement, suspension of studies, cancellation of enrolment

Students wishing to defer the commencement of studies or suspend their studies must apply to do so in writing to the College.
The College may decide to accept an application for deferral of commencement or suspension of study on the following grounds:

On medical grounds (a medical practitioner’s certificate indicating the student is unable to attend class); or

In exceptional compassionate circumstances beyond the students control, such as serious illness or death of a close family member (independent evidence of the exceptional circumstances is required).

The College may decide to suspend or cancel a students enrolment on its own initiate as a response to misbehaviour by the student
Students must be informed in writing that deferral of commencement, suspension of enrolment and cancellation may affect the status of their student visa, and College will notify the Secretary of DE EWR via PRISMs as required under section 9 of the ESOS Act where the student’s enrolment is deferred, temporarily suspended or cancelled
If the College intends suspending or cancelling the student’s enrolment where it is not at the student’s request, the student must be informed they have 20 days to appeal to the College. If the appeal is not upheld or the student withdraws from the appeal process then the College must report the student to the Secretary of DE EWR via PRISMs as required under section 9 of the ESOS Act. The suspension or cancelling of the student’s enrolment can not take effect until the appeal process is completed unless there are extenuating circumstances relating the student’s welfare.
Student initiated deferral of commencement or suspension of enrolment cannot be granted retrospectively (after the event) or if it was taken by the student without authorisation.
If students have taken unauthorised leave then they will be recorded as absent and reported to DIAC if their attendance falls below the College requirements.