EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES FORM: GUIDANCE NOTES

The Extenuating Circumstances Form should be used when you need to:
a)
inform your programme/subject of any circumstances which are affecting your
ability to meet your programme commitments; and/or
b)
apply for an extension on the submission deadline for coursework; and/or
c)
apply to defer an exam, practical assessment or viva; and/or
d)
apply for a temporary leave of absence (up to three weeks); and/or
e)
explain why you missed an assessment deadline, with valid evidence, and
request a further attempt to submit/complete the assessment (exceptional
circumstances only)
Instruction for completion
These notes should be read in conjunction with the Universitys Extenuating
Circumstances Policy and, if necessary, you should seek advice from your Faculty/
Department Office, RKE Office (for Postgraduate Research students), Student Services or
the Student Union.
You must complete Section A and, if you require an extension/deferral, Sections B and/or
C in full and submit the form, with documentary evidence (details below), to the
appropriate Faculty/Department/RKE Office.
Extension/Deferral Request
You should apply as early as possible in advance and preferably no later than five
working days before the due deadline of the assessment or date of the exam/practical
assessment/viva so that you will have confirmation of the outcome in good time. In
exceptional cases only, you may submit the Extension/Deferral Request up to five
working days after the deadline of the assessment or date of the exam/practical
assessment/viva.
If it is not possible to provide the evidence to accompany the form, you may submit the
form alone stating which piece(s) of evidence are to follow and an expected date for their
submission. If you are submitting the form after the due date/deadline, then you will
also need to justify why you were unable to submit it earlier. If you are unable to obtain
evidence but you believe you have valid extenuating circumstances and/or your
extenuating circumstances are particularly sensitive, then you are advised to request
support from Student Services. (See also c) overleaf.)
Outcome of your Extension/Deferral Request or Request for Temporary Leave of
Absence
The outcome of your request or a request for further details/evidence will be emailed to
your University email account so it is your responsibility to check your account regularly
and, if you are requested to provide further information/evidence, you should reply
promptly.
If approved, a copy of the Extenuating Circumstances Form will be returned to you
please keep this safe and remember that you will be required to submit a copy of the
approved form with each piece of coursework for which an extension has been approved.
General Guidance
When completing the form please ensure that you have completed it in full and have paid
particular attention to:
a)Assessments/Modules affected by the claimed extenuating circumstances

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Provide full details of all assessments you believe to have been affected by your
extenuating circumstances. An assessment that is not listed on the form cannot be
considered.
b)Reason for the claimed extenuating circumstances
Give a full account of the details of the reason for your claim, including dates and
times. Where necessary you can provide additional information on a separate sheet
and attach it to the form.
c)Documentary evidence supplied
Give details of each piece of documentary evidence submitted, together with the
time period to which it relates. Details of a sensitive and personal nature, which you
would prefer not to submit, may instead be discussed in confidence with Student
Services. If Student Services then agree to support your application, you may not
need to submit further documentary evidence. Please see Section 4 of the
Extenuating Circumstances Policy.
What are Extenuating Circumstances
The University recognises that sometimes, something happens that is beyond the
ordinary pressures of life and seeks to offer the opportunity for students to achieve what
would be considered their normal standard of academic work. Extenuating
Circumstances are defined as:
Circumstances, normally exceptional and outside the control of the
student, which prevent him/her from performing in assessment at the level
expected or required of them.
Below is a quick guide of examples of valid and invalid Extenuating Circumstances and
the types of supporting evidence required. If your circumstances are not listed, please
refer to the Extenuating Circumstances Policy, which has a much more detailed list. If
you are still in doubt, please seek advice from the Faculty Office or RKE Office.

Examples of valid
Extenuating
Circumstances

Serious
shortterm

Examples of invalid
Extenuating
Circumstances

Minor
illness
es: eg

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Examples of valid
supporting evidence

Doctors note
Hospital admission/
A&E record
Letter from Student
Services
Death Certificate/
Order of service
Crime number
Traffic report (website/
newspaper)

Examples of invalid
supporting evidence

Letters from relatives

or friends
Letters from other
students

Please retain these notes and do NOT submit them with your Extenuating
Circumstances Form.

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EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES FORM

Section A
Student Name

To be completed by the student

Malick Kane

Student ID

1135420

Programme

Business management and

Home
BLS
Media Production
Faculty
Start date of
Please indicate end
Ended
period affected
date
of
period
affected,
30/01/15
Predicted end 31/03/15
predicted end date or
(dd/mm/yy)
circle On-going
On-going
(dd/mm/yy)
Details of the extenuating circumstances
Specific details must be given; general statements such as ill are not acceptable.
Please attach a separate sheet, if necessary.

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I ensured that I was employed in November, early in the academic year in order to fund my
project as money is fundamental to setting up a business particularly travel costs, website
management, domain name etc. I also applied for a Virgin Start Up loan but this is a long process
and I had never counted on it as a sole monetary option, hence why I got a job. I was told that I
would be paid in January. I expected to have an ongoing cash flow, which I planned my project
around, to fund my final year project as of January, leaving me with more than enough time to put
my work into practice. Unfortunately, the company which I work for lost the necessary details to
pay me. I then had to provide my details again and was told I would be paid the full amount of
payment owed to myself at the end of February. I was paid a minimal amount in February in
which did not suffice to fund my project as once again, another unexpected state of affairs, out of
my control occurred in the form of the company I work for not paying me for more than half of the
hours I worked since November which equates to almost 700.
As many business owners and entrepreneurs will know, finance is fundamental to setting up any
business, therefore with the absence of the money to fund my project I have been unable to
progress. I do understand that Financial Issues are an invalid reason to apply for an extenuating
circumstances form, however due to the nature of my project, it is impossible to complete it
without finance.
If youre planning on starting a business, chances are youll need some form of capital, which
simply refers to the money that finances your business... according to Statistics Canadas Survey
of Financing of Small and Medium Enterprises 2007, 76% of small businesses in British Columbia
financed their business with personal savings.
Aim to fund 25% to 50% of your business from your own pocket. This shows prospective lenders
and investors that you are personally assuming some risk, and are committed to your business
success. -- smallbusinessbc.ca
there is one thing that is common to every business in every country and sector around the world
finance. It determines the income coming in and the expenditure going out, inputs and outputs,
the size of an organisation, and more importantly if it will be financially successful and
sustainable. -- Startupdonut.co.uk
The funding of my project is the final factor and missing piece to my Final Year Project. I have
made contact with a school in Reading and a Youth Club in Kings Cross, London which
everything is in order for, it is simply the issue of having the money to make it happen. Ive had to
adapt to the situation at hand and by doing so I would have had to work extremely efficiently in
the weeks after payment to have everything in order, something that would have been possible
had I been paid the correct amount, however this has now proved impossible considering I would
have to be traveling between London, Reading and Winchester at least for times a week in the
period before my FYP hand-in.
The definition of extenuating circumstances as per the extenuating circumstances guidance notes
is: Circumstances, normally exceptional and outside the control of the student, which prevent
him/her from performing in assessment at the level expected or required of them. The fact that I
was not paid and provided with the money I required to enforce my project was unexpected and
not in my control. The severe underpayment Ive encountered was a systematic error at my place
of work that I had and have no bearing on, and this has prevented me from even being able to
carry out the practical side of my project as that requires finance in which, because of these
reasons, I did not receive nor have.
I have personally been extremely excited about this project for a long time and it is something that
can change the lives of many young people, and it is extremely disappointing that circumstances
out of my control has prevented me from finishing the project.
I have evidence coming in the form of a letter from my employers. This will follow shortly.
Sincerely
Malick Kane

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Late Claims
If you are submitting this after one or more assessment deadlines, please provide an explanation
and, if it has been requested, please include your latest draft(s) of the assessment(s) for which
you are requesting an extension.
(Please note that the definition for late is up to 5 working days after an assessment deadline).

Documentary evidence
All documentation to support your claim for extenuating circumstances should be attached to
this form. If the evidence is not immediately available, please indicate when you will be able to
submit it and the reason for the delay. (NB the Faculty has discretion to reject evidence
submitted more than 5 working days after the form is received.)
If you are unable to obtain evidence but you believe you have valid extenuating circumstances
and/or your extenuating circumstances are particularly sensitive, then you are advised to take
this form to Student Services.

Description of evidence
Letter

Period covered
From
Ideal People

To
M y s e l f /
University

Request for Temporary Absence (up to three weeks)

This must include a rationale based on the evidence provided and the dates of intended
departure and return. Please note that you should submit this form at least 5 working days
before departure.

I certify that the information I have given in Section A above and Sections B/C overleaf is
correct, to the best of my knowledge, and understand that appropriate staff will have
access to the information provided on this form.
Student
M.Kane
Date
11/03/15
signature

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Section B Extension Request for Written Assessment(s)

Student Name

Modul
e
Code

Malick Kane

Module Title

MP300 Final Year Major Project

2

Student ID

Title of
Assessment
(eg Essay,
Journal)

FYMP

1135420

Due Date
Date
Agreed
set in
Requested
Date
Module
by Student
(to be
Handbook
completed
by
Faculty/
Dept)
18th March
2015

Section C Deferral Request for Practical Assessment(s) and/or Formal

Exam(s)
Modul
e
Code

Module Title

Title of
Due Date
Date
Agreed
Assessment
set in
Requested
Date
Module
by
Student
(eg Presentation,
(to be
Handbook/
*
Exam,)
completed
Exam
by
Timetable
Faculty/
Dept)

If a deferral is approved then centrally-organised exams due to be held in week 12

of semester 1 will normally be rescheduled for the semester 2 assessment period
and exams due to be held in semester 2 will normally be rescheduled for the
summer resit period.

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Section D
student

To be completed by Student Services at the request of the

Only the following people in Student Services may support the students request: Nicola
Barden, Lesley Black, Jan Collins, Joanne Gale-Chambers, Sue Martin, Steve Petty, Helen Piper,
Sylvia Smallwood and Geoff Titchener

I support this request for Extenuating Circumstances to be taken into account for the
period stated below:
Student Name
ID number
Start date of
period affected
(dd/mm/yy)

Please indicate end

date of period
affected, predicted
end date or circle
On-going

Additional
Comments
(optional)
Signature *

Ended
Predicted end
On-going
yy)

(dd/mm/

Date

If you wish to add further comments, please do so

*

Only the Director of Student Services or Head of Wellbeing may sign this form.

Section E To be completed by Faculty/Dept/RDQC

Received by (name)

Date

Evidence received by
(name)

Date

(date if different date to

form)
Acceptability of claim (please write Yes or No as appropriate against each
criteria below)
Deadline(s)
met?
Meets
published
definition?
Valid
evidence?
Faculty decision (delete/strike through as appropriate)
Accept
Reject
Please enter the new date(s) for submission of coursework and when the practical
assessment(s)/ exam(s) will be rescheduled in Section B, as appropriate.
If Rejected please give details
(eg non-submitted/insufficient evidence,
grounds not established, deadline missed,
Policy terms not met)
Reason to be included in email to student
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Email sent to student confirming approval/rejection

Date

Copy of email sent to:

Personal/Module Tutors and Programme Leader (UG/PG
students)
or Director of Studies (Postgraduate Research students)
Copy of approved form returned to the student
A u t h o r i s i n g
signature

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Date
Stamp

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