New Parents Handbook

Transcription

1 New Parents Handbook 2016/17

2 Welcome to EN EN is an outstanding place for your son/daughter to study and I am delighted to welcome you to our parents evening for new students. I am proud to be the Principal and my priority is to build upon EN s legacy of success. It is after all our consistent record of outstanding achievement that sets us apart. As one of three Sixth Form Colleges locally, we believe we offer a unique learning environment and a College experience that is unrivalled for over 34 years. We have a reputation for being creative, innovative and providing our students with pathways to new and exciting opportunities that they never imagined. Our pledge is to help students work with our staff and their parents and carers to achieve the highest standards. You should be reassured as parents that your son/daughter is studying at a College where students continue to succeed at levels well above the national rates and students completing their A-Levels are performing higher than the national rates for Sixth Form Colleges which is a fantastic achievement. Our AS students and BTECs achieve excellence too and the progress our students make from GCSE to the time they leave EN puts the College in the top 25% for value added in the country. Our ambition for your child and all of our students is very simple. We want them to thrive at EN and achieve their full potential so that they can progress to the next exciting stage of their career, whether that is university, employment, apprenticeship or other training course. Thank you for joining us this evening and I look forward to meeting you. Dr Catherine Richards Principal 2 East Norfolk - New Parents Evening Handbook

3 Absence reporting guidance Attendance at all timetabled lessons is essential for success at College. Parents will be notified by text within 30 minutes of a lesson starting, following any unauthorised absence but in order for us to keep a more accurate record please do the following: If students are aware of a future absence, Reception must be notified in advance and it is polite to inform Personal Tutors and subject teachers. If students are too unwell to come to College, please ensure that as a parent/carer, you phone us. If this is not possible then the student should phone. If they are absent again the next day then as parent/carer you will still need to phone the College again. If students are taken unwell during College time, they must report to Reception before leaving the premises and inform subject teachers. We ask students to inform parents when leaving the site for Health and Safety reasons. The following are acceptable reasons for absence in cases where they cannot be arranged outside College time:- Hospital, Doctor or Dental appointment Driving theory or practical tests University Open Days or interviews Job interviews Remember - in order for planned absences to be authorised, Reception must be advised in advance and evidence must be provided. Please make a note of the following: Time should not be taken off for personal holidays, work commitments and driving lessons. Family holidays will only be approved during College time when students are accompanying parent(s) or carer(s), and such holidays cannot be arranged at any other time (e.g. for parents/carers involved in summer seasonal employment). However, please note that if this holiday clashes with coursework/practical assignments, the grade for that subject is highly likely to be affected, as rearrangement of such work is almost impossible. A Holiday Form (available from Reception) must be completed well in advance. 3

4 Weekly attendance reports are issued to Personal Tutors, who will discuss poor attendance with the student. In addition, if an unauthorised absence is recorded in any week, parents/carers will be notified by or letter and a copy of the attendance record sent home. If the absences persist then the Senior Tutor will be informed and action taken. Senior Tutors may also respond to requests from parents about attendance. Unless the student has notified us in writing that they would prefer a discussion to take place before any disclosure occurs, Senior Tutors will provide parents with detailed information about attendance. Senior Tutors will also get half-termly reports on attendance at Tutorials and lessons as well as the number of self reported absences. They may contact parents if they are concerned about these absences. If the student is in receipt of the Vulnerable Bursary or Discretionary Bursary, then please ensure they read the Agreement as this sets out clearly the procedures to be followed to receive either the fortnightly payment (Vulnerable Bursary) or half termly payment (Discretionary Bursary). Remember attendance rate and punctuality are always required on references! Parent Portal East Norfolk values the excellent working relationship between parents/carers and teaching staff. To help this process further, we have a Parent Portal (PP) which can be found under the Students & Parents on the College website. Currently information for your child includes attendance, enrolled courses, exam results (if applicable), exam unit results (if applicable), timetable and exam entries. On your first visit you will be required to sign up and once you have entered your details on the sign up page with a valid address you will be ed with an activation link. When you have successfully signed up, please check your contact details and address to ensure they are correct. Phone and are the primary forms of communication that the College uses to contact parents. If you do find an error, you can submit updated details via the PP site. 4 East Norfolk - New Parents Evening Handbook

5 NUS Card NUS cards are student discount cards which students can use: - To gain discounts at hundreds of stores (Follow discounts/ for a list) - As ID proving you are a student and therefore qualify for student discounts at cinemas, etc. Students fill in their details ONLINE and can choose for their card to either be sent home or to the college (we recommend home, as it makes everyone's lives easier!) The link to follow for ordering the cards is: The card costs 12 a year; it can be paid for in yearly instalments or for a couple of years at a time. Some of this money comes to our SA, which we then use to finance the work we do for students throughout the year. Students find this card one of the best perks and it's really popular. Dates for the diary 8 November University of Suffolk visiting EN for a university advice day. This will be of help to any students considering going to university post EN. 8 November New student EXTEND Evening 2 December Volunteering Fair December Student reports sent home 12 & 17 January Year 1 & 2 Parents Evenings 28 February Higher Education Evening for parents 3 March Apprenticeship & Careers Fair 5

6 Employability and Mentoring Helping you find your way in the world of work We are passionate about preparing students for their futures, whatever their ambition, and our Careers Development Programme enhances the opportunities for our students to progress to university, apprenticeships or directly into employment. In a hugely competitive environment, whether straight from college or via University, you will need to develop your employability skills to be able to succeed. Quite often employers tell us it is not only important to succeed academically but also to have personal skills such as flexibility, reliability, good communication skills, team working and initiative. Our programme will help you to develop these qualities through a variety of initiatives. We have established contacts with a multitude of employers from all of the main employment sectors. Our students can opt to take part in placements within an industry or sector that may interest them. In return, students will need to demonstrate commitment, produce a supporting statement and attend an interview at the prospective placement. We also encourage our students to get involved in volunteering, which could include fundraising and being a member of our Student Association. Our students have the option of joining the National Citizen Service programme, which helps young people build skills for work and life while taking on exciting challenges, making new friends and contributing to their community. Work Related Learning is an important part of our Career Development Programme. You will see that there are many forms of Work Related Learning: Work experience Mentoring Careers information Curriculum linked visits Projects Mock interviews Industry days Part-time work Workshops 6 East Norfolk - New Parents Evening Handbook

7 We encourage and support students to seek relevant Work Related Learning during their time at the College so that they develop their employability skills and make informed decisions about their next steps after sixth form. The Professional Mentoring Scheme provides individual support from someone who already works in a profession or industry that a student may be interested in joining. Our industry visits involve a wide range of sectors from energy and engineering, to the food and drink industry. Many of our students get involved in project work with local businesses and other organisations. This is not only great for their CVs but gives them an opportunity to work to a real brief, liaising with the customer. We help students plan for possible progression routes, with an annual Careers Fair, many talks and workshops from visiting speakers, a HE progression information evening and several enterprise events. 7

8 Study Extension Time (SET) Study Extension Time (SET) is an opportunity for students to get additional help and support from their subject teachers in addition to their allocated class time. Learners can seek help with catching up on missed work or can ask for more detailed guidance on anything that they are not 100% confident with or support with work they would like more time on. Students do not have to see their own subject teachers. As as SET runs across the entire week, they should always be able to obtain the direction and support needed. The SET times for each subject are displayed around the College and students can also ask their subject teachers for SET times and for 1:1 appointments. Exam support It is also worth looking out for the special sessions run by teachers that can help with preparation for exams such as additional revision sessions and also progression activities such as how to build a portfolio. These will be advertised nearer the allotted time so students should check on Student News and keep a lookout for the posters displayed around the college. 8 East Norfolk - New Parents Evening Handbook

9 Microsoft Academy The Microsoft IT Academy Programme offers educational establishments extensive benefits and the opportunity to deliver Microsoft s popular I.T. Training and Qualifications to their Students, Staff and wider community. As well as subjects which are formally taught, East Norfolk Sixth Form Colleges offers a wide range of online learning opportunities, many of which are certificated at the end. The courses are available to all students but are seen as essential to second year students who are looking to broaden their portfolio of skills in preparation for both university and employment. Students can work through courses at their own pace enabling them to fit around their formal programmes of study. The range of opportunities is extremely broad and allows students to study subjects that offer a real specialism. 9

10 Sports and Enrichment East Norfolk have developed an excellent reputation for their sporting provision. The College has enjoyed a great deal of success at regional and national levels. EN students have won national gold medals in cross-country, tennis, swimming table tennis and badminton. Over the years the College has picked up multiple titles in football, rugby, badminton, netball and volleyball. Students can get involved in a range of sports and activities including: Football Futsal Badminton Volleyball Tennis Table Tennis Squash Rugby Touch Rugby Indoor Cricket Netball Handball Cross Country Cheerleading Zumba Swimming Yoga Boxercise Kettlebells Hockey Boccia Dance Goalball Basketball Training, fixtures, competitions and tournaments take place on Wednesday afternoons. We encourage everyone to get involved in College sport so don t hesitate to contact a member of the PE staff for more information. 10 East Norfolk - New Parents Evening Handbook

11 University Open Days University of East Anglia (UEA) Saturday 22 October 2016 Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) Saturday 5 November 2016 Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) Saturday 12 November 2016 Student feedback 98% of students feel they made the right decision to come to EN 97% of new students found the guidance they received before joining EN useful 94% feel supported by staff at the College 93% of students feel they have chosen the right courses 93% feel stretched and challenged in their learning 80% of new students are clear about their progress so far in their subjects 86% know how to access support to feel safe 80% know who to talk to if they are worried about radicalisation or extremism 11

12 Facts about East Norfolk Consistently in the Top 20 UK Sixth Form Colleges 96% of parents would recommend EN to other parents Ofsted Good for over 34 years 94% of parents state their child has settled well into College life Unrivalled curriculum - over 80 subjects offered 93% of parents are satisfied with their child s progress at EN to date Only place to study A Level Geology/3D Design locally Norwich City Community Sports Hub status Largest STEM provider outside of Cambridge Church Lane Gorleston Great Yarmouth Norfolk NR31 7BQ