Understand the procedure

The formal warning procedure can lead to the discontinuation of your registration at the University. It is therefore important that you read and understand the Formal Warnings section of the Academic Regulations which apply to your programme of study, these guidance pages and the Formal Warning Procedure.

Student Administration/ your Head(s) of School or their nominee can issue you with up to two Formal Warnings for your programme of study by letter and email. 

Along with the Formal Warning letter, Student Administration/ your School may supply evidence of a lack of engagement with the module/ degree course overall - including a list of dates of missed contact points (including those that led to your Formal Warning), copies of correspondence in which warnings, both formal, informal and/ or Engagement Reminders have been given, notes of meetings between you and your School, a list of any outstanding work and work not completed to a satisfactory standard.

For each Formal Warning you receive, you will be offered the opportunity to submit a written response and/ or to meet with your Head(s) of School or their nominee to discuss their reasons for the warning.

You will be given a set period of time in your Formal Warning letter to show immediate and sustained improvement in attendance and engagement before further disciplinary action will be considered. This would either be a Second Formal Warning or the discontinuation of your registration if a second warning has already been issued.

Be proactive

You should take the warning seriously; if you don’t meet with your School or make the necessary immediate and sustained improvements your registration at the College can be discontinued on academic grounds.

Respond to the Formal Warning letter

You have the opportunity to submit a written response including evidence of circumstances affecting your performance which you feel should be taken into account. It may impact your case if you fail to submit appropriate documentary evidence at this stage. Requests for special consideration will not be considered retrospectively and the private or confidential nature of circumstances will not later be accepted as grounds for appeal.

Demonstrate improvement

You should show immediate and sustained improvement in your academic engagement and follow the requirements outlined in the warning letter, within the period of time given (normally over at least four weeks after the formal warning letter, or three weeks in the case of courses taught over only one term). Your School may decide to issue a second formal warning if you fail to meet the conditions or fail to make immediate improvements which would prevent you from meeting the full conditions of your warning.

Sustain improvement

Your improvement should be immediate and sustained throughout the period of time given in the Formal Warning letter. You must also make sure that you maintain these improved standards after the period stated, as a Formal Warning letter remains on your student file for the remainder of your time at the College, and disciplinary action can be resumed at any point during the remainder of your studies. 

Ask for help

The Advice and Support Centre at the Students’ Union is able to provide support and advice before, during and after a formal warning process has commenced (+44 (0)1784  276700)

You may also find it helpful to meet with a member of your department (e.g. your Personal Tutor, the Academic Coordinator, Programme Director, Director of Graduate Studies) in order to discuss the reasons behind your Formal Warning.