Higher Education. At Ashton Sixth Form College Learner Informa on and Student Services Booklet for Higher Educa on Learners.

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1 Higher Education At Ashton Sixth Form College Learner Informa on and Student Services Booklet for Higher Educa on Learners.

2 Welcome to Higher Education At Ashton Sixth Form College Dear Learner, Welcome to Higher Educa on at Ashton Sixth Form College. We offer a range of Higher Educa on courses for full and part me learners. May I take this opportunity to wish you every success with your chosen course of study. Jo Fletcher-Saxon Assistant Principal Higher Educa on, Skills and Interna onal

3 Student Ambassadors This role can be taken up either by an individual or as a job share, where du es are split 50/50 between two people. We recruit one or two Ambassadors per class group. The role of a Student Ambassador is: To be available to students on your course and act as their representa ve To proac vely gather and voice feedback from the student body through two focus groups per academic year To provide feedback to staff on the student experience To inform fellow students of ac ons taken by the College in response to feedback To lead student panel mee ngs To be available for two mee ngs per academic year with other ambassadors To work with staff to iden fy areas for enhancement of the HE provision. Student Ambassadors get the opportunity to: Par cipate in fully funded bespoke leadership training Contribute to HEar Higher Educa on Ashton Review and student and staff recruitment ac vi es A end awards and celebra on events A end Quality Group mee ngs Undertake NUS training Learning Agreement: This agreement explains what services we will provide and gives details of what you can expect from us. It also outlines what we expect from learners. We value the diversity of our learners and are commi ed to providing a high standard of provision and service for all. Our Commitments: We will provide advice on courses taking account of your qualifica ons, interests and career choices. We will provide the opportunity to study for an appropriate qualifica on and also to add breadth to your learning experience. We will provide an induc on to college. We will provide thoroughly prepared and varied teaching and learning that supports individual achievement. We will provide informa on at regular intervals on your progress. We will provide access to addi onal learning support. We will provide a range of pastoral support services.

4 We will provide the opportunity to evaluate college provision and pass on your views/sugges ons. We will provide a safe environment and access to resources. We will provide an honest and fair reference for either Higher Educa on or employment. Your Commitments: You will have high expecta ons and conduct yourself in a considerate and respec ul way. You are expected to aim for 100% a endance and be punctual, and never less than 95% a endance. You will never take holidays during term me. You will be on me to all lessons and carry your student ID card at all mes. You are expected to have full a endance at all scheduled examina on periods at the college. You are expected to report all absences to the College, ensuring they are genuine and authorised. For students with learning difficulties or disabilities we will: Provide specialist assessment of your learning needs. Provide a wide range of support and services according to individual need. For the community we will: Promote Higher Educa on for all. Provide new technology and a wide range of strategies to con nue to improve access and widen par cipa on. What to do if things go wrong: Discuss the issue with your Tutor or Head of Department as soon as possible so that we can address the ma er in a speedy and appropriate manner. If this approach does not resolve the problem to your sa sfac on, you could consult your Tutor for advice on using the Complaints Procedure. All complaints are considered carefully and outcomes reviewed regularly by the Senior Leadership Team.

5 Employability: At Ashton Sixth Form College, we put employability of our learners at the heart of everything we do. We aim to ensure all of our learners, across all courses, are given the best possible opportunity of gaining, sustaining and progressing in their chosen career path. All of our Higher Educa on courses have built in employability skills to ensure our learners have the skills, knowledge and personal a ributes to catch the eye of employers, thus making you highly employable. As one of our Higher Educa on learners, we are commi ed to ensuring that you understand how to be effec ve in the workplace and successful in your chosen career, for the benefit of yourself, your colleagues, the community and the wider economy. Many of our teaching staff have strong industry backgrounds and are experts in their field. We bring in guest lecturers who have industry exper se and a passion for sharing this. Furthermore, our Matrix Accredited Careers Service advisors are here to help you make informed career decisions based on your individual needs, helping you plan the next steps towards your future.

6 College Policies: College policies and other informa on are available from the Senior Admissions Officer. These include: Academic Skills Policy Health, Safety and Welfare Policy College Prospectus Complaints Procedure Admissions and Appeals Policy Equal Opportunities Learning Agreement Fees Policy Pastoral Policy Student Conduct Policy Induc on Period Policy To access any of this informa on, please contact the Higher Educa on Senior Admissions Officer. Ashton Sixth Form College values the diversity of its student popula on and all students and staff are requested to abide by its equal opportuni es policy. This says that no one should be disadvantaged or discriminated against because of their skin colour, gender, cultural background, disability, class, sexuality or age. Ashton Sixth Form College has an excellent track record for working with students with disabili es to help them to be successful on their courses. You may not choose to disclose or discuss your disability to us, however by le ng us know of your needs before you enrol, we can put the necessary support in place.

7 Support and Facilities: Course & Finance Enquiries: Lisa Pagan (Senior Admissions Officer) and Lyne e Grindley (Marke ng Officer) are the first point of contact for all course enquiries and can also provide informa on on Student Finance: Lisa Pagan Senior Admissions Officer lisa.pagan@asfc.ac.uk Lyne e Grindley Marke ng Officer lyne e.grindley@asfc.ac.uk Student Finance is available to all first me undergraduates. Part me students are eligible to apply for a tui on fee loan, however full me students can also apply for the following in addi on to this: Maintenance grant* Special Support grant * Maintenance loan Childcare grant* Parents Learning Allowance* Adult Dependants grant* Disabled Students Allowances *Means tested. All tui on fee loans are paid directly to the university or college on your behalf by the student loan company. If you are self funding you will be required to pay the college or university as directed by admissions. Once you have received your en tlement le er from Student Finance England showing details of your approved loan, please can you submit this to the Senior Admissions Officer as soon as you receive it, and absolutely no later than the 15th November Students who are unable to present their en tlement le er by 15th November will automa cally be expected to pay their course fee. This can be paid in full or a 5 part instalment arrangement can be opted for. Please note, your first instalment will be due by 30th November, followed by due dates of 31st December, 31st January, 28th February, 31st March. If during this me your le er comes through you will be en tled to a refund of any payments made up to this date. You will only be able to remain on programme and progress if you have presented your en tlement le er or are making mely payments. The college will commence withdrawal proceedings where accounts are not up to date. At all mes it is important to communicate with the Senior Admissions Officer about your circumstances. For students who are self funding their studies, we can accept payment by debit/ credit card, cash, cheque or Pingit.

8 Higher Education Academic Study Skills: The College is commi ed to ensuring that all of our university level students develop academic study skills. All courses have academic study skills modules to help you get started. The college also offers addi onal academic skills appointments for students. We also have academic study skills advice and materials available through the College s virtual learning environment and our university partners learning pla orms. Academic Study Skills includes: Developing Academic Wri ng Research Skills Reading Skills Referencing English Skills Spelling, Grammar and Punctua on Assignment Techniques To book support, please contact: Lyne e Grindley Marke ng Officer lyne e.grindley@asfc.ac.uk or speak to your tutor Financial Support You may be able to get some help with some of the costs essen al for your course. We have funds offering financial support to students. Please contact Lisa Pagan or Lyne e Grindley for more informa on. Withdrawing/Intermitting: In circumstances where you wish to withdraw or intermit from one of our Higher Educa on courses, the following apply: It is your responsibility to formally no fy the College or the University of your withdrawal or intermission at the point at which you leave your course of study. Please or write to your course tutor copying in the Senior Admissions Officer with your reasons. The date you no fy the college in wri ng will be your official withdrawal/ intermi ng date. Failure to formally no fy the University or the College of your withdrawal or intermission will result in your con nuing liability for tui on fees un l you formally withdraw. Retrospec ve withdrawals will not be permi ed. If you do not commence a programme of study, withdraw or Intermit within the first two weeks, including your induc on week, of the published start date of the award, you will normally be en tled to receive a refund of the whole of the tui on fees paid less any deposit. If you withdraw from your programme of study or intermit a er the first two weeks, even if you have not taken the opportunity to a end, you will normally receive a refund based on the table shown below.

9 If you are a con nuing student enrolled on a Staffordshire University programme and complete e enrolment and subsequently decide not to start the new academic year you will be charged 25% of the tui on fee unless you no fy the university and the college by 17th of September of your decision to withdraw. Date of Withdrawal: Before 19 th January 2016 On or a er 19 th January 2016 and before 7 th April 2016 On or a er 7 th April 2016 Fee Liability: 25% of tui on fee 50% of tui on fee 100% of tui on fee Additional Learning Support: The Addi onal Learning Support team has experienced, professional staff dedicated to providing support for students with addi onal needs. This can range from giving specialist tui on for students with specific learning difficul es, to making sure the college is accessible for learners with mobility impairments or medical condi ons. Assessments and support for students with dyslexia, dyspraxia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, Asperger s Syndrome, ADHD and physical medical condi ons. Help with applying for the Disabled Students Allowance for students going on to higher educa on Special exam arrangements Study skills If you feel you need extra support please contact your course tutor. Nigel Rennison can be contacted by learners who require addi onal support: Nigel Rennison Inclusive Learning Manager Chaplaincy: Our resident chaplain offers a friendly and welcoming service for students of all faiths: Jean Hurlston College Chaplain (ext. 344)

10 Counselling Support: Our counsellor is available to talk through any confiden al problems and issues with learners on a one to one basis. If you feel you require this service, please make an appointment. Claire Shaw College Counsellor (ext. 309) Careers Education and Guidance: The Careers Department is here to support you throughout your me here at ASFC. advice, support with job search and help with CV and personal statement wri ng can be accessed via careers@asfc.ac.uk. Indepth career and university planning, advice and guidance is also available in either face to face or telephone appointments. (subject to availability) All students also have access to the careers library and online resources. Hazel Kindley Guidance Manager (ext. 207) Careers@asfc.ac.uk Library and Learning Resources Centre: The Library provides all students with a range of services and facili es to support and enhance their learning experience, offering a friendly and suppor ve working environment. Internet access Quiet work environment Staff help including colour prin ng, scanning, access to college catalogue of books, journals and DVDs. Laptop hire Students must have their ID card to take any item out of the centre and to access the computers. The Library is on the top floor of the Geoff Higgins Building (room GH 2.5) and the Learning Commons (room 2.15) in the main building, is open: Monday 8.15am 6.00pm Tuesday and Friday 8:15am 4:00pm Wednesday and Thursday 8:15am 8:30pm Sally Shaw Head of IT and Learning Resources (ext.465) sally.shaw@asfc.ac.uk Student ID Cards: These cards are issued when you start your course along with our student card procedure. All adult students should carry this with them at all mes when in College. This allows us to protect everyone s security and safety. You must never use your card to let someone else in: if they haven t got a card, it is possible they are not a member of the College community. If you forget your card please report to recep on. A replacement can be requested for 5.

11 Health and Safety: Emergencies: If you discover a fire, you must sound the alarm immediately using a standard red Break Glass box. You will find these near every exit. We have only 1 loud alarm if you hear it you must evacuate quickly but calmly by following the green arrow signs. Assemble safely inside any car park gate. Await instruc ons from the responsible member of staff DO NOT re enter un l they say it is safe. DO NOT fight the fire we don t expect you to put yourself in any danger. We call the Fire Service out to do that. Accidents and First Aid: Luckily we have very few accidents at College, and most are very minor. If you are unlucky enough to have an accident it is essen al you do the following; If you need First Aid assistance, ask any member of staff to get help from a College First Aider by ringing extension 201 or using the 2 way radios. As soon as it is safe to do so, help the member of staff responsible for you complete an Accident Report. If we need to do anything to prevent it happening again we will do so as soon as we can your Accident Report helps us do just that. Reporting Anything Dangerous: If you see anything that might be a risk to safety or security you must report it to the member of staff responsible for you AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. The College will do anything it can to put the problem right and look a er the safety and security of everyone at the College. Examples of things to report include suspicious looking people, damaged property/furniture/equipment, poten al fire hazards. Please ensure that you have a copy of our Health & Safety Induc on Booklet.

12 Contacts: Jo Fletcher Saxon Assistant Principal: Higher Educa on, Skills and Interna onal jo.fletcher Angela McGibbon Deputy Director of Higher Educa on and Skills Sara Castle Head of HE: Educa on and Early Childhood Studies Lisa Pagan Senior Admissions Officer Lyne e Grindley Marke ng Officer lyne e.grindley@asfc.ac.uk Lisa Brogan Evening Administrator lisa.brogan@asfc.ac.uk To find out more about our Higher Educa on staff and also to find out about all of our Higher Educa on tutors, please visit the College website. Ashton Sixth Form College Darnton Road Ashton under Lyne OL6 9RL W: E: HEadmissions@asfc.ac.uk T: