The following types of Leave are applicable:

Sick Leave

In cases of sickness, the Leave form must be submitted within 7 days of your return to classes.

Students must make every effort to notify the relevant staff member of an impending absence for reasons of sickness. Where a rehearsal or performance is involved, Leave will only be approved if the relevant staff member is notified before the event.

Normally, an original medical certificate must be supplied with the Leave form to verify the circumstances. The relevant staff member or Head of Studies in cases of absences involving multiple activities or days may waive the requirement to produce a medical certificate if they have clear evidence of illness and believe that a medical certificate is unnecessary or impossible to obtain.. The Leave form will need to be initialled as part of the notification or approval process in this case.

Compassionate Leave

Compassionate Leave may be granted at the discretion of the relevant staff member where extenuating circumstances have prevented a student participating in a rehearsal, workshop, class, lecture, tutorial or performance. Usually this means circumstances which were unforeseen and legitimately beyond anyone’s control, however this will not always be the case.

Where the circumstance is known in advance, approval for the Leave must also be obtained prior to the event.


In cases such as bereavement or where care of a close family member is required, notification as soon as possible is expected and the form must be submitted within 7 days of your return to classes.

Verification of the circumstances will usually be required.

Professional Development Leave

Professional Development (PD) Leave may be granted in cases where the student has made a case to the relevant Head of Studies for an activity which they believe will be of considerable professional and educational benefit. This activity should: ■be directly related to Coursework within your Conservatorium program or involve Coursework or study at a major tertiary national or international music institution or involve Performance, Workshops or other relationships and activities with a high profile, national or international artist(s)When determining PD leave, the duration of the project also affects approval, particularly for absences greater than one week.

PD leave will not be granted if the proposed activity conflicts with any commitments a student has to a Conservatorium performance where their attendance at rehearsals and the performance itself are a required part of their studies.

PD Leave is only granted in advance of the activity (normally at least 7 days prior). It will NOT be granted retrospectively.

Final arrangements for any professional development commitments must wait until formal approval has been granted by the Head of Studies and then all signatures of relevant staff members are obtained. Approval is not necessarily guaranteed.

Verification will be required as part of the approval process and must be supplied with this form.

LEAVE APPLICATIONS

Leave applications must be completed, documentation attached (if required), signatures obtained, then submitted following the steps below.

Step 1: NOTIFYING STAFF

Notify the relevant staff member(s) and where appropriate, Head of Studies, of your absence as soon as possible.

Step 2: VERIFYING ABSENCE

Check with the relevant staff member or Head of Studies to see whether verification or proof will be required. (Please note that this is usually essential however it will not always be necessary.)

Step 3: COMPLETING FORM

Complete the form then sign and date it.

Step 4: OBTAINING APPROVAL

Obtain the necessary signatures for formal notification and if necessary, approval from the relevant staff member(s) or Head of Studies concerned. Please note individual instructions listed in various leave types above, particularly for Professional Development Leave where prior approval is needed.

Step 5: COPYING FORM

Copy the form for your records.

Step 6: ATTACHING & SUBMITTING FORM

Attach any certification you have been asked to provide then submit the form to the relevant staff member or Head of Studies.

PENALTIES

Penalties apply for any unapproved absences as follows:

INDIVIDUAL LESSONS, TECHNIQUE and REPERTOIRE CLASSES and PERFORMANCE CLASSES

absence - 5 (five) marks for each unapproved absence for lessons and classes.

Any unapproved absences from an individual instrumental/vocal lessons will result in a 5 (five) mark penalty for each unapproved absence.

Any penalties will be applied to the final total performance mark for the year - ie. after all other assessments have been completed and calculated.

Arrival after the scheduled starting time or departure before the scheduled finishing time may, at the discretion of the relevant teacher or Head of Studies, be regarded as an unapproved absence.

Failure to notify the relevant instrumental teacher at least 24 hours in advance of an impending absence or late arrival will also be regarded as an unapproved absence. This penalty may be waived if the teacher or Head of Studies is convinced that extenuating circumstances were the cause of the absence or lateness. In such cases it is the student’s responsibility to show that extenuating circumstances are applicable.