Student handbook 2013 11072013 (1)

2013 - 2014Student Handbook

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Central College LondonThe statements and policies set forth in the Central College London Student Handbook are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as the basis of a contract between a student and this institution.

While every effort is made to provide accurate and current information, the management of the institution reserves the right to change, without notice, any provision in this handbook without actual notice to individual students. Every effort will be made to keep students advised of any changes.

In order to make your stay in the UK as trouble free as possible, please read this handbook carefully and contact us if you have any queries.

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CONTENTSHEAD OF CENTRE’S MESSAGE

OUR PROGRAMS

OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMME AIMS• Business Department• Health and Social Care Department

TERM SCHEDULE• Spring Term• Winter Term• Summer Term

STUDENT SUPPORT/ STUDENT RESOURCES• Counselling• Visas for foreign students• Assistance in employment• IT / VLE/ Library / Message Boards• Student ID Cards

POLICIES AND COMMITMENTS• Equal Opportunities & Diversity• Our Commitments to You• Your Commitments• Student Representatives• Attendance Monitoring• Health and Safety• Access and Fair Assessment Policy• Academic Misconduct Policy• Complaints• Disciplinary Procedure• Assessment and Mitigation• Re-sit and Retake• Deferral Policy• International Students• Loyalty Award Policy• Continuing Student Discount Policy• Options Following Completion of Studies

UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS• Overview of University Student Policies

YOUR LIFE IN THE UK• Accommodation• Working in the UK• Health• Transportation in London• Bank Account• Emergency Contact

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Head of Centre’s Message

Welcome to Central College London, a vibrant and dynamic college offering a range of courses to help you develop your intel-lectual capabilities or embark on a vocational career. We strive to emphasize the importance of developing the English language skills, as we see these as the ‘tools of success’ for international students. Our programmes in business and health & social care are taught in English, examined in English and the successful student receives an English academic award, developing not only your professional knowledge and skills, but also your confidence in future career development.

As you may have noticed from our web site, our building is an elegant traditional English building. We have re-developed this charming location to provide a modern, state-of-the-art learning environment which we are justly proud of and where students can reach their full potential. You are warmly invited to visit us at one of our open day events to experience them for yourself and meet the students. Our students are of the utmost important to us and their feedback is paramount to us perfecting the entire learning experience.

Although we are a relatively new college we have developed and are committed to strengthening exceptionally good links with the country’s top universities. Having entered into articulation agreements we are now seeking validation for top-up degrees and post-graduate diplomas to extend our business and health & social care portfolio. The college has a number of start dates for its courses to provide as much flexibility for the student as possible. At Central College London we employ full-time, extensively well qualified staff with experience of supporting international students in order to provide a strong foundation that will be their bedrock throughout future careers.

This prime location and the fantastic resources we provide, will take our students through the many levels of higher education so that they can fulfil their potential exponentially. I recognise the importance of education in changing lives and improving quality of life through better interpersonal skills and continuous learning. Enrol with us at Central College London and we will provide you with a friendly, supportive study environment where you can fulfil your heart felt, and most ambitious of dreams.

We are vibrant, creative and determined – come join us!

Candace Lafleur

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OUR PROGRAMMES

Central College London currently offers the following programmes:

Business Studies• Level 4 Diploma in Management• Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Management• Level 6 Diploma in Management• Level 7 Post-Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management

Health and Social Care Studies• Level 4 Diploma in Health and Social Care• Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Health and Social Care• Level 6 Diploma in Healthcare Management• Level 6 BSc (Hons) Nursing and Healthcare –Top-Up

OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMME AIMS

HealthcareAdvanced Diploma Programme AimsThe student will:• have knowledge and critical understanding of well-estab-lished principles of healthcare delivery and have transferable skills to apply these principles• use a range of established techniques to initiate and criti-cally evaluation of evidence based practice and to propose so-lutions to problems arising within a dynamic healthcare sector • be able to effectively communicate information, arguments and proposals in a variety of forms to practitioners and service users

Diploma Programme AimsThe student will:• demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge base of health and well-being and show critical understanding of the diver-sity and changing nature of’ determinants of health • apply different methods of analysis of evidence to develop effective decision making skillsbe able to critically analyse the links between individual experience of health issues and the wider structural elements relevant to health and well-being• Understanding Research in Health and Social Care.

BusinessAdvanced Diploma Programme AimsThe student will:• have knowledge and critical understanding of recognised concepts within the business environment and have ability to apply these concepts in an employment context• have an understanding of enquiry techniques into business and management issues• develop skills that enable recognition of the limitations and strategies to acquire new competencies to enable them to as-sume significant responsibility within an business organization

Diploma Programme AimsThe student will:• demonstrate relevant knowledge and understanding of the nature of organisations, the external environmental factors in which they operate and the associated management concepts• apply a range of techniques to critical evaluate information to develop innovation solutions to problems faced in the busi-ness sector• have effective communication skills, oral and in writing, us-ing a range of media which are widely used in business such as the preparation and presentation of business reports

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TERM SCHEDULE

STUDENT SUPPORT

Spring Term / Semester 1September 23rd 2013 to December 20th 2013 Winter Term / Semester 2January 6th 2014 to March 28th 2014

Summer Term / Semester 3April 7th 2014 to August 29th 2014

Each programme schedule can be reviewed on CCL Website (Current Students-College Calendar and Course Schedule)

Within the semester there are designated weeks:Reading Weeks-guided independent study to prepare for modules

Teaching weeks –attendance of class for lectures, seminars, workshops etc

Assessment Preparation Weeks –to prepare for assessment or give assessment presentations

Central College London provides ongoing support for its students in all aspects related to their current and future studies or work related endeavours. Students should contact our Student Welfare Officer when in need of any service that might aid them in their studies.

Counselling

Our Student Welfare Officer is ready to help students to plan their study path and advise them on choosing the right set of classes in order to help them accomplish their aims. The student advisor helps the students both during their studies and also in the future, by providing them with valuable advice about options for pursuing further studies or entering the job market.

Students must identify any disabilities during the application process, however if you need to discuss any other disabilities

you may consult our Student Welfare Officer or any other member of staff. Central College London will be made aware of any disability and the appropriate measures will be taken to accommodate them within the college’s guidelines.

Visas for foreign students

Central College London is able to help visa application with the help of our consultant who is in charge for the student admission.

Please contact them for advice and assistance at:

Central College London99 Gower StreetLondonWC1E 6AAPh: 0208 099 8877Email: [email protected]://www.centralcollegelondon.co.uk/administration.php?id_1=6&id_2=4 Assistance in employment

Central College London is often approached by employers for part-time, full-time or volunteer work opportunities. Central College London maintains a section of our website that aims to help our students to secure part time work opportunities in the UK during their studies. Students should be aware that part-time work during studies should only be supplementary and cannot impact on your full-time studies. It is quintessen-tially important that you abide strictly by your visa condi-tions and only work the number of hours allowed. CCL has a mandatory obligation to report any breach of visa conditions to the UKBA. For more information of your work rights please refer to the UKBA website http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/.

Alternatively, our Student Welfare Officer is prepared to coun-sel and advise students regarding employment issues such as CV preparation assistance, job searching, employment rights and various employment related issues.

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STUDENT RESOURCES

IT Facilities

Computers are available for email and web access during regular college hours in library and Vancouver. They are avail-able for student and faculty use weekdays except when in use by classes. Please speak with the college reception staff to arrange access. You are obligated to use the computers in fair way and reasonable way, including the use of the Internet for academic or personal purposes.

All students need a valid password and username to sign in to any computer at Central College London. Contact the recep-tion desk for more information.

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

As a support system to your study, Central College London has developed a web portal that will allow you to exchange ideas with lecturers and receive study materials necessary for individual courses. This system will allow you to download the syllabus, individual lecture content, assignments, grades and perform other functions necessary for effective lecturer/student communication. The system offers many interactive features, helping to make your learning more effective.

In order to enter the VLE you will be given personal password and username. If you have not received your password and username yet, please contact our Student Welfare Officer who will provide you with the information. Training on how to use the VLE is provided for students.

Online Learning Centre – University of West London

BSc (Hons) Nursing and Healthcare top-up degree students will also have access to the University online system (Black-board), from where they can access the periodical database and other research tools that will be essential to use during the programme. You will be given Unique ID login details and guidance notes at University Induction

Library FacilitiesCentral College London utilizes both an online and on-site library in which students can access a variety of books, papers and publications to support their studies.

Our online library is operated via EBSCO and hosts a wide selection of international materials and publications. Students

are able to access this library via their student IT account both on-site in our student IT facility or off campus via any internet connection through the Virtual Learning Environment of our college website.

Our on-site library is currently under further renovation to allow for more student private study areas and provisions. There is free access to several public library around London Borough of Camden.

Textbooks and class materialsClass materials will be regularly distributed during lectures and workshops, and they will also be posted on the VLE. Extra copying is the responsibility of the student.

Textbooks and additional course materials can be purchased in the college reception.

Message boardsMessage boards remind the students of important events, announce news and provide information of general interest to all students. Message boards are located in classrooms as well as in reception of the college and serves as one of the most important communication tools at the college. Students should always check the message boards, as critical informa-tion is posted there regarding their studies. The message boards are reserved only for posting information with educa-tional content.

Student ID Cards

Students are issued with photo student ID cards. These cards are your ID while you are in the college. They enable access to Central College London during college open hours.

• ID cards are required for all students (part- and full-time)• If a card is lost or stolen, please contact the Reception im-mediately to cancel the old card and have a new card issued. • ID cards issued by University of West London are known as Unique Cards these are needed for access to University build-ings and must be worn at all times.

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POLICIES AND COMMITMENTS

Equal Opportunities and Diversity

Central College London (CCL) is committed to promoting and celebrating diversity and equality of opportunities. We wel-come diversity and differences as a great source of strength.

◆ We want your time at CCL to be enjoyable, successful and stimulating.◆ Racism, sexism or treating people disrespectfully because of their age, class, sexuality, religion, physical or mental differ-ences is unacceptable. We reject any behavior which allows this to happen, or which suggests that one group of people is superior to another.

Central College London adheres to the Disability Discrimina-tion Act 1995 and is willing to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate students and staff with additional needs.

Our Responsibilities

We will:◆ Support and respect all our students and staff in the col-lege. ◆ Enable you to study and work in a safe and motivating environment to the best of your potential.◆ Celebrate your efforts and successes and support you if things do not go well.◆ Treat you with respect and value you as an individual.◆ Make sure that all facilities are as accessible as possible.◆ Our Race Equality Policy states that we are committed to creating an inclusive learning environment for all our students and raising their success levels. In doing so we wish to : ● Work towards ensuring our student population is reflec-tive of the local community. ● Work towards ensuring our admissions and assessments procedures are fair and that any barriers faced by students or prospective students are addressed. ● Work towards ensuring that all student inductions promote an understanding of racial equality and providing information on how students can take action to challenge discrimination as part of an equal opportunities program. ● Ensure that students are aware that any form of discrimi-natory or unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated. ● Ensure that students who make racist remarks or com-mit racial harassment will be subject to investigation and may face disciplinary action.

Central College London welcomes students with additional learning and /or access needs and provides:

◆ Specifically designed programs.◆ Support on any courses, for example, signers or scribes.◆ Appropriate admissions arrangements.◆ Special examination and assessment provision.◆ Links with External Agencies.◆ Physical accessibility of the college premises.◆ Evacuation Procedures for those with restricted mobility.

Your Responsibilities

As a student at Central College London you are responsible for adhering to CCL’s policy. It is your responsibility whilst at CCL to:◆ Value and respect teachers/tutors, staff members, fellow students and others as individuals.◆ Respect the fact that as individuals we are all different and may have different experiences and needs.◆ Abide by the CCL’s procedures and codes of conduct which uphold the spirit of this policy.

We are all responsible for checking that actions speak louder than words. If you have any reason to feel our policy is not working for you or others, please tell us. All feedback will be directed to the Head of Centre who monitors and assesses the effectiveness of our Equal Opportunity Policy.

Our Commitments to You

We will:◆ Help you identify your personal goals and choose a learn-ing program which best meets your aims, taking into account your existing qualifications, skills and experience.◆ Provide an ID card so that you can gain access to the school facilities.◆ Provide you with an induction program at the start of your learning program and a learning plan which identifies your learning aims and how to achieve these aims. ◆ If you have indicated that you have a specific learning difficulty or disability, provide you with an interview with a specialist member of staff to agree on the level of support you need. ◆ Provide help and advice at the time you join CCL and dur-ing the time you are studying with CCL. ◆ Make sure that information is available to you about finan-cial matters, such as fees and financial support.◆ Make sure that you have the information you need about the services, facilities and support that will be available to you.

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◆ Provide clear and accurate information in your course handbook about your learning program, about what you will need to do to succeed, and how and when you will be as-sessed.◆ Provide teachers and support staff that have the skills, qualifications and commitment to support you, and encour-age you to succeed.◆ Provide additional learning support where a need for that support has been identified and agreed.◆ Provide all full-time students with a minimum of three written progress reviews or reports per year. ◆ Support you on work placements, where relevant.◆ Provide you with appropriate classroom, equipment, and facilities, including new technologies, within available re-sources.◆ Provide a complaints handling procedure which is easy to follow and understand.◆ Be given the opportunity to be involved in the processes we have in place to review and improve our services.◆ Inform you when reports and the results of surveys are published, and where you can find them.◆ At the end of the program, help you to prepare for your future by providing career-related information, advice and guidance.

Your Commitments to Us

We have made commitments to you to help you achieve your goals. You will also need to make commitments to us, other students and visitors to Central College London, and yourself if you are to succeed.

The Student Code of Conduct for Central College London is that you will:◆ Support and respect all staff in the work they do. Discrimi-nation and bullying in the form of racism, sexism or treating people disrespectfully because of their age, class, sexuality, religion, physical or mental differences is unacceptable.◆ Make sure you attend classes and other activities which are part of your program on time.◆ Complete your assignments and meet the agreed dead-lines for handing in your work. Be aware of the college’s academic misconduct policy.◆ If, for any reason you are unable to attend a class or any other scheduled event, inform the appropriate member of staff, by the time agreed with your assessor/tutor.◆ Always behave in a way which respects the needs and rights of others. ◆ Your health, safety and well-being is important to us.

Please familiarize yourselves with our Health & Safely Regula-tions, Equal Opportunities Policy and other college regula-tions. Comply with them and act at all times with due regard for your own safety and that of others.◆ Respect the accommodation, equipment and property of the college. ◆ Help and support staff and other students in keeping a clean and tidy environment.◆ Ensure mobile phones are switched off during teaching and learning sessions. Any misuse of phones could result in disciplinary action.◆ Do not possess or be under the influence of drugs or alco-hol or carry weapons in CCL premises. ◆ Always carry your ID card to gain access to the college premises and to show it when asked on college property.◆ It is very important that you continually update us on your status including change of address, phone number, visa status, etc. In case there is ever a need for CCL to get in contact with you, it helps if we have the correct and updated information.

The above responsibilities apply equally to students when on work placements, trips and any other college activities.

It is proposed to develop the role of Student Modules Repre-sentatives from April 2013.

Being a student representative can be a rewarding experience. In this role the student representatives are helping the fellow students who they are trying to represent, whilst developing their own communication skills. We value what students think and say about the College and their experience and we do make changes to the various modules and courses as a result of student input – both from feedback forms and what we get told by our student representatives. This also allows student representatives to prove to potential universities that they are willing to get involved and that they care about what they are doing.

Student Representatives Selection

i. Students will initially be informed of the Student Repre-sentative of the Module Policy via the Student Handbook, and in Induction.

Student Representatives

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ii. On the first day of teaching, module tutors will remind students about student representatives of the module and prospective students will be invited to submit their names to the Office Manager. The deadline for name submission is usually one week later. If no students submit their names, the module tutor will encourage students to participate and explain the position further. Ultimately, the module tutor will recommend one student for the position as a final resort if no volunteer can be found.

iii. In the second week of teaching, the student representa-tive of the module will be elected with a class vote through students raising their hands. All students will be reminded to attend class for the purpose of these elections by the module tutor, and through email via the Office Manager with a list of prospective candidates and this Module Representative Guide attached.

Note: Module tutors can give advice on the selection process.

Key Activities

Student representatives for module are the key point of con-tact between staff and the student body. Their job is to act as the channel for information.

A few things that student reps typically do are listed below:◆ Make themselves known to students in their modules.◆ Raise issues of concern to students with relevant staff.◆ Pass on information from staff to students.◆ Meet with course staff to discuss student concerns.◆ Attend the Module Assessment Board Meeting to provide the student body’s perspective or voice to senior manage-ment and academic staff.◆ Encourage peers to complete Module Survey Question-naires at the end of the module.

This guide aims to help student representatives fulfil these duties by providing useful information and advice.

Being an effective student representative for your module

The most important function of a student representative is to provide a channel for communication between staff and stu-dents. They need to raise issues that are concerning students. This section will discuss ways to gather information and ways to pass it on.

Gathering informationStudent representatives need to make themselves known

to their fellow students so that they know who to go to if they feel an issue should be raised with staff. They can ask a teacher or to the office manager at reception to help them to meet the students once a month so that they can ask the student points they want to be raised.

Once student representatives have their issues try to get as much evidence for them as and be as specific as you can. For example, saying ‘Some students felt that there should be more teaching on anatomy/ pricing’ doesn’t sound nearly as convincing as ‘I’ve had twenty students tell me that they feel there should be more lectures on anatomy/segmentation in the Marketing/ Health module, especially before we do the exam/presentation’.

Always remember that student representatives are represent-ing the other students and not just their own views. So, even if student representatives don’t agree with a point they should still raise it in a meeting

Knowing where to raise issuesKnowing where an issue should be raised (or with whom it should be raised) can be quite difficult and may well depend on the matter at hand. Matters related to course content should be raised at the Module Assessment Board meeting (there is one at the end of each module). Sometimes students may come to student representatives with personal matters in which case you might need to contact specific members of staff or student support services. The table below gives some guidance on what should be raised where.


Issue type Where it should be raised

Course-related

(problems with timetables, lec-tures, queries about examina-tions, etc.)

Raise this with the tutor concerns. If the problem persists, bring it up with the Centre Head or Dep-uty Academic Principal.

Welfare

(emotional problems, housing problems, financial problems, tu-torials, etc.)

If it is a personal prob-lem, send the student to see Student Services (Lizel)

Facilities

(suggestions for facilities, broken equipment, rooms, water cool-ers, car parking, etc.)

Student Services (Lizel) will be able to note any College-based problems

IT

(computers, data projectors, etc.)

For any IT issues, please contact the Reception

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Module Assessment Board Meeting

Student representatives will be invited to attend a Module Assessment Board Meeting at the end of the module, not the whole meeting but around the first 20 minutes of it. This may involve raising their own points, but they are also there to provide a student perspective on any committee business and proposals

If student representatives wish to raise a matter then gather information and put together a summary to remind them of specific issues

· Prepare a paper that summarises their points and evi-dence.· Contact the other students if there are matters that stu-dent representatives wish to consult them about. · If student representatives cannot attend ensure that thier module tutor is aware so that an alternative module repre-sentative can be selected.· Report back to the other students what has been dis-cussed. If student representatives want to do this by arranging a meeting with your class you can ask the Office Manager at Reception for assistance. You could also send an email to all thier classmates via the Office Manager.

The skills student representatives will gain:

◆ Meeting skills (possibly including chairing, taking minutes and drawing up agendas)◆ Communication skills (written and verbal)◆ Research and analytical skills (from surveying or talking to students, and using that information in meetings)◆ Building relationships (with students and staff)◆ Negotiation and diplomacy skills◆ Public speaking ◆ Assertiveness and self-confidence

Student representatives will be able to highlight these skills on your CV or university application.

Attendance Monitoring

What we do: ◆CCL has a computerised biometric system to track attend-ance of the students. ◆The system tracks attendance twice a day: in the morning and in the afternoon. ◆The attendance is also physically checked by teachers four times a day in a class. ◆ CCL has a mandatory reporting obligation to report :

◆ Failure to enrol onto a course ◆ Missing 10 expected contacts

What you do: ◆ Be absolutely clear about your course calendar ◆ Be absolutely clear about your monthly schedule Available at www.centralcollegelonon.co.uk◆ Make sure your biodata is collected on induction for at-tendance tracking. Excused Absence -----------authorised Sickness, important religious activities….. You have to notify the College in advance or immediately after your sickness with clear documentary evidence. In-excused Absence ---------- unauthorised Absence from without any notification to the College and or non- authorised absence.

Consequence of Prolonged In-excused Absence◆ Missing five contact points ------- trigger the 1st warning letter ◆ Missing eight contact points ------- trigger the 2nd warning letter Advise you to contact the College and further absence of two more contact points will lead to expulsion. ◆ You are required to attend an Academic Meeting when you receive your warning letters. ◆ Missing 10 contact points ------ Final letter for expulsion.

Health and safety

General Intent Central College London, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and other relevant related legislation acknowledges its responsibility to provide, and maintain as far as reasonably practicable, a working environ-


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ment which is conductive to the health and safety and welfare of its employees, learners and anyone else who may be af-fected by its undertaking.

Objectives◆ To promote a positive health and safety culture within all institute business undertakings.◆ To be proactive by management strategies to prevent injury or decay of health as a result of the business of the institute.◆ To introduce control measures to minimize or eliminate risks to health.◆ To ensure a healthy and safe working environment.◆ To comply with Health and Safety legislation.◆ To provide arrangements for safety of persons in situa-tions of imminent danger and provide First Aid arrangements◆ Where health is affected, to provide prompt corrective measures to remedy and control re-occurrences.◆ To inform, train, and educate staff as well student s in health and safety matters.◆ To maximize the opportunity of education to instil an understanding of risk management and health and safety into students for benefit of present and future working lives, involving in the institute’s H & S matters when appropriate. ◆ To accommodate as far as reasonably practical those with special requirements to ensure equality in an approach to maintain health and safety for all people.

In Case of an Emergency

Fire ◆ In case of a fire, you will alert one of the members of staff. At this point one of the staff on hand will push the alarm but-ton. When you hear the alarm you should stop what you are doing, leave your belongings and then proceed (remember walk don’t run) to the nearest emergency exit in a calm and orderly fashion. Exit signs have been placed to direct you to the closest exit. Once outside you will gather at the evacua-tion point until staff has taken a proper head count. The cur-rent evacuation point is on the grassland 10 meters opposite the college reception.

Accidents◆ If you have an accident or witness that an accident has happened please alert a member of our staff team who can get in contact with our onsite First-Aider (Paul Labelle). If you have a small accident and only require the first aid kit it can be found in the reception area. ◆ REMEMBER ALL ACCIDENTS MUST BE REPORTED NO MAT-TER WHAT THE SEVERITY OF THE ACCIDENT IS.

Access and Fair Assessment Policy

Central College London is committed to upholding fair and equal access and assessment opportunities through the im-plementation of the Access and Fair Assessment Policy. Central College London promotes the reasonable adjustments that can be made for students with disabilities and, as such, the following arrangements can be arranged:

◆ Learning support assistant◆ Extra time for exams or assessments◆ Rest breaks during an exam or assessment◆ Specifically prepared exams on coloured paper or with enlarged print◆ A reader or writer◆ An interpreter of British Sign Language ◆ Disabled access entryway

Central College London has an Equal Opportunities Policy which is reviewed at 6-month intervals at our overall policy review meeting. This meeting is attended by our staff team including senior management team and by two nominated students so as to represent the perspectives of the students.

Central College London has a unique Mentorship Program, which will further ensure that students with learning difficul-ties and/or disabilities are fully supported to achieve their learning goals.

Fair AssessmentCentral College London’s assessment process will take into account the individual needs of learners with disabilities and learning difficulties and reasonable adjustments can be made as described above, where candidates supply formal evidence of their disability.

Assessment practice will be monitored through assessor induction, observation of assessors in the workplace and monthly meetings attended by the Head of the Centre and Heads of the Programs. The internal review strategy and ap-peals procedures will also help ensure assessment is fair and consistent.

Academic Misconduct policy

Central College London takes academic misconduct very seriously and will seek at all times to protect its academic standards. Plagiarism and other forms of cheating constitute academic misconduct, for which there is an explicit range


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of penalties depending on the particular form of academic misconduct.

The penalties that can be applied if academic misconduct is substantiated range from failure in the assessed work or module to expulsion in very serious cases. It is the responsibil-ity of students to ensure that they understand the academic misconduct policy of Central College London to ensure that work submitted for assessment is their own.

In any academic activity at the College, students are responsi-ble and accountable for academic integrity. Academic mis-conduct will be disciplined according to the severity of the offence. Those who are found to have repeated offenses will be progressively disciplined, as per our published disciplinary procedure.

The following areas constitute the major types of academic misconduct and are subject to penalties. Please note that misconduct on one or any portion of a work constitutes mis-conduct; there are no partial culpability or penalty options. No fees are refunded to students who are dismissed from the College for misconduct.

For those students studying our BSc (Hons) Top Up Degree program, we defer to the Plagiarism policy of The University of West London, which will be made available to you during your course induction.

CheatingCheating is the use of inappropriate or unacknowledged ma-terials, information or aids in any academic work. Fabrication

Fabrication is the falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic work.

PlagiarismPlagiarism is the representation of the words or ideas of an-other as one’s own in any academic work. To avoid plagiarism, every direct quotation must be identified and properly cited in the text of the submitted work.

What students should doStudents must submit only their own work for assessment/evaluation. Students are not to copy other work and claim it as their own. Students are not to quote other authors as their own work ie: if a student wishes to include a sentence or phrase from a book, website or other publication they may do so, but they must name the original author that they are quot-ing. For further information on plagiarism and how to avoid it please see college academic staff for further discussion.

Facilitating Academic MisconductStudents who knowingly or negligently allow their work or portions of their work ordrafts of their work to be used by other students or who oth-erwise aid others incommitting academic misconduct are violating academic integrity. Such students are as guilty as a student who receives and uses the material or is involved in the incident directly, even though they may not themselves benefit from that act of misconduct.

Misconduct in formal examinationsThis includes having access, or attempting to gain access to, during an examination or assessment, any books, notations, unauthorized material or attempting to gain or offer aid to or from another candidate during the examination.

Academic Misconduct ProcessIn all instances, the instructor will keep and secure any and all documents related to an incident until the process is com-plete. When an instructor suspects an offence has occurred, the student(s) will be required to meet with the instructor within five working days to discuss the incident. If the situa-tion is shown to be free of academic misconduct, no record will be kept of the incident.

If the instructor or program coordinator determines that an offence has occurred, perhaps without identifying the of-fenders or severity of the offence completely, an investigative process will start and records will be kept.


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AppealsIf dissatisfied with the result of the investigative process and the College’s findings, the student may appeal following Cen-tral College London’s Complaint / Student Appeals procedure.

Penalties to be appliedThe penalties that may be applied vary depending on whether the misconduct is minor or major.

Minor Misconduct◆ For cases which are technically proven but believed to be unintentional / trivial, no further action than a caution will take place. ◆ For cases in which the work should be resubmitted the student will be required to correct their work by including references, etc. The work will then be reassessed.◆ Reduction of mark to an extent that will not cause overall failure of the course.

Major Misconduct◆ Deduction of marks which may lead to the course failure◆ Directly reducing the mark for the course to zero◆ Reduction of mark average for the course by up to 10%◆ Disqualification from candidature for the award for the course

Complaints

Stage 1: Informal Complaint We ask that you:Before making a formal complaint (or if you have a minor complaint) we ask you to discuss it with your personal asses-sor or member of staff concerned.

CCL will:◆ Explore ways of resolving the problem.◆ Explain the formal procedure and give you a copy of the complaints procedure.

If your complaint is not resolved within one month:

Stage 2: Formal ComplaintWe ask you:◆ To write a letter or complete a Complaint Form and send it to the Student Services Administrator, or give it to the Reception.◆ You should then attend any necessary meeting(s), accom-panied by a friend if you wish. (as required)

CCL will:◆ Pass details to the Head of Centre or Deputy Academic Principal who will:◆ Send a written acknowledgement to you within 2 working days having received the complaint.◆ Investigate the complaint.◆ Hold any necessary meeting(s) to resolve the complaint, which will be mintued.◆ Send a written (initial or final) response within 10 working days.

If you are not satisfied, you may lodge an appeal within 5 working days.

AppealsWe ask you:◆ To write to the Managing Director to state your appeal.◆ Attend any necessary meetings, accompanied by a friend if you wish. (as required)

The Managing Director of CCL will:◆ Send a written acknowledgement within 2 working days.◆ Investigate the complaint and the way it was handled.◆ Send a written, final response within 10 working days.

Disciplinary Procedure

This procedure applies to all students of the College. The pur-pose of the procedure is to ensure consistent and fair treat-ment for all in relation to disciplinary action taken in response to allegations of unacceptable conduct or performance.

Stage 1 – Oral WarningIf conduct does not meet acceptable standards, the student will normally be given a formal oral warning by his/her asses-sor/tutor. The student will be:◆ Informed of the nature of the misconduct. ◆ Informed of the improvement required.◆ Informed that it is the first stage of the disciplinary proce-dure.

Stage 2 – Written WarningA written warning will be given to the student by his/her as-sessor/tutor if:◆ The student fails to comply with a formal oral warning, given under Stage 1, or;◆ Despite having been given a formal oral warning, under Stage 1 for misconduct, the student commits a further offence of misconduct.


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Stage 3 – ExclusionThe Principal may give notice of exclusion to a student if:◆ The student fails to comply with the final written warning, given under Stage 2 or;◆ Despite being given a final written warning for miscon-duct, under Stage 2, the student commits a further offence of misconduct.

The student should be informed that he/she has a right of ap-peal to a Student Disciplinary Appeals Committee.

Stage 4 – Appeals against ExclusionA student who wishes to appeal against exclusion must inform the Head of the Program in writing within five working days of the date of the exclusion decision which forms the subject of the appeal. The decision of the Appeals Committee will be final and binding.

Suspension, pending disciplinary actionWhen the Principal is of the view that a student’s continued attendance at CCL, because of the severity of the misconduct, cannot be permitted, the principal may suspend the student, pending further disciplinary action.

Major disciplinary offencesCCL may be required to take urgent action against a student for major disciplinary offences such as: violent or aggressive behavior, destructive behavior against CCL property, system-atic and /or frequent racial, sexual harassment or verbal abuse towards staff or fellow students, persistent refusal to comply with reasonable requests from staff, taking, being under the influence of or being in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs or weapons on CCL premises. These may result in the immedi-ate expulsion from the college without prior notice and at the full discretion of the college.

Assessment and Mitigation Policy

Assessment Policy

Introduction Assessment is a generic term for a set of processes that meas-ure the outcomes of students’ learning in terms of knowledge acquired, understanding developed and skills gained. Assessment: • provides the means by which students are graded, passed, failed or referred. • provides the basis for decisions on whether a student is

ready to proceed, to qualify for an award. • enables students to obtain feedback on their learning and helps them to improve their performance. • enables staff to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching.

Terminology Assessment is usually construed as being formative or sum-mative; formative assessment is designed to provide learners with feedback on progress and inform them of their development. It may or may not contribute to the overall assessment. summative assessment provides a measure of achievement or failure made in respect of a learner’s performance in relation to the intended learning outcomes of the programme.

Guiding Principles The College will: 1. have effective procedures for designing, approving, su-pervising and reviewing the assessment strategies for pro-grammes.

Module leaders will design an assessment that explicitly measures the learning outcomes. The assessment method should be varied across the programme eg. essay, case study analysis, report, examination, presentations, simulation activ-ity, portfolio. All assessment strategies will be reviewed and approved by the Academic Principal

2. ensure that assessment is conducted with rigour and fair-ness and with due regard for security.

Students will be informed of submission and re-submission due dates at the beginning of each module by their module tutors. All summative written assessments should be word processed and submitted to reception by due date. Reception will record submissions on an Assessment Submission Record and inform the marker that assessments are ready for col-lection. Marked assessments will be kept in a cupboard until completion of moderation / Internal Verification (IV).

3. ensure that assessment decisions are recorded and docu-


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mented accurately and systematically. All markers will complete a Module Final Grade Sheet detail-ing marks awarded and any actions following non-submission. Module Final Grade Sheets will be verified by Assessment Board then sent to the Academic Principal and stored elec-tronically on Staff Shared Drive.

4. ensure that the scheduling and amount of assessment is consistent with an effective and appropriate measurement of the achievement by students of the intended learning outcomes. Assessments will be scheduled in such a way that formative activities enable learning development within the delivery of the module. Summative work will be submitted at the end of appropriate Assessment Preparation weeks identified in the Academic Calendar. The Module Leader will notify reception of the Assessment Submission Schedule for each semester.

5. ensure that there are robust mechanisms for marking and for the moderation/internal verification of marks. Assessments will be marked against criteria outlined in the Module Study Guide. Grading of work will be in accordance to appropriate level marking grids. Moderation/ IV will take place within 3 weeks of submission date sample by desig-nated academic team members (ie. module tutors, Academic Principal). Sample will include all fails and 10% of passes of each grading.

The first marking is carried out by the module tutor. Internal verification is carried out by a designated academic team member. The role and responsibilities of the internal verifier are to ensure that the module tutor(s) consistently and fairly applies standardised criteria to the marking of the assess-ments and provides sufficient and useful feedback to stu-dents.

6. ensure that appropriate feedback is provided to students on assessed work in a way that promotes learning and facili-tates improvement. Any formative activity feedback will be conducted by module tutor (verbal or written). Summative work will be marked within 2 weeks of submission date. All summative marking judgements will be recorded on Student Feedback sheets. Feedback must be legible and constructive in nature.

7. ensure that all staff involved in the assessment of students are competent to undertake their roles and responsibilities. All summative marking will be completed by the module tutor. It is the tutor’s responsibility to inform the Academic Principal

of any issues. The moderation process will enable opportuni-ties for quality monitoring of markers.

8. have effective mechanisms to deal with breaches of assess-ment regulations including plagiarism. Any non-submissions will be recorded on an Assessment Sub-mission Record by reception. Late student submission without an approved mitigation claim form will not be considered, and students who do not submit assessments on the due date need to give an explanation to the module tutor who will advise the student as necessary.

If the student’s explanation is not reasonable an Academic Meeting needs to be conducted and recorded including de¬tails of the re-submission date. The Student Welfare Of-ficer may be in attendance for the Academic Meeting.

If students are absent for summative exams, re-sit opportuni¬ties need to be made within Assessment Prepara-tion week. Any non-submissions also need to be recorded on an Assessment Submission Record with details of any mitiga-tion circumstances.

If marker suspects plagiarism all areas under suspicion need to be identified and reported of suspected source. Review will be conducted at moderation / IV stage. Confirmed plagiarism will result in a fail mark being awarded and implementation of the Academic Meeting process.

9. have effective procedures for resolving student complaints and academic appeals. If students have a complaint about results or the academic process this needs to be formalised through the College’s Complaint Procedure Policy.

10. ensure that External Verification is conducted in accord-ance with relevant awarding body guidelines. On completion of moderation / IV event results will be pub¬lished through the module tutor. A moderation / IV report must be completed by module leader. Sample for external verifier will include all fails and 10% of all moderated / IV work. The outcomes of assessments in this sample will be documented in the external moderation record and sent to the share drive. Once preparation for external verification is complete all submitted work to be returned to students. Academic Principle is responsible for response to external verifier/examiners reports. The response should be made in writing via emails within 5 days after receiving the external report. An action plan and completion dates of each action point should be explained and provided in the communication


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with external verifier/examiners.

This policy is informed by QAA Code of Practice: Section 6 As-sessment of Students. It will be reviewed annually or sooner following any feedback from internal or external stakeholders.

Due for review Dec 2013, then annually by the Academic Principal.

Mitigation PolicyIntroductionAssessment of students’ achievement of required learning outcomes as detailed in the module specifications is conduct-ed in accordance with the Assessment Policy. As a supplement this Mitigation Policy is in operation as outlined.

Definition Mitigating circumstances may be defined as any circumstances not within the foresight and control of the student and which the College believes might adversely affect the students’ aca-demic performance at the time of assessment. Examples in these circumstances are for illustration only and are not intended to be definitive or exhaustive • Ill-health – e.g. physical or mental • Emotional/personal difficulties – e.g. bereavement, housing, financial • Unavoidable absence from the College - e.g. Visa complica-tions • Other serious circumstances which could not be foreseen by the student Currently our Mitigation Board is represented by the Office Manager of CCL, and the Mitigation Appeal Officer is the Head of Centre.

Process1.1 It is the student’s responsibility to notify the College of any mitigating circumstances, which the student feels, will affect or may have affected the student’s performance in any assess-ment.

1.2 The student is encouraged to discuss with the Module Tu-tor who will ensure that the request is properly processed.

1.3 A Mitigation Claim Form must be completed. The student should collect a form from the Administration Officer at recep-tion.

1.4 Claims for mitigation should normally be submitted within 10 working days of the date of the examination/submission. In these procedures a working day is any day when the College’s

offices are normally open. This excludes Saturdays, Sundays, all Bank Holidays and any other designated periods of closure. 1.4.1 Mitigating claims submitted after the 10 working days will receive consideration at the discretion of the Mitigation Board and only if the applicant was unable to submit by an earlier date due to the nature of the claim.

1.5 Students presenting a case for mitigation must provide appropriate evidence in the form of medical certificates, state-ments from professionals. Legal documents etc

1.5.1 Medical Evidence Where a student is claiming that illness may have adversely affected his/her performance in assessment, whether continu-ous assessment or examination, he/she must present certifica-tion by a registered medical practitioner. Such evidence must be directly relevant to the circumstances and the timing of assessments as appropriate.

1.5.2 Personal Information Evidence of other personal problems must also be document-ed, and supported by appropriate independent professional statements/evidence.

1.5.3 The College reserves the right to contact any person named in a mitigation claim to seek clarification or further in-formation including checking the authenticity of the evidence submitted.

1.5.4 The College recognises that certain mitigating circum-stances are of a highly sensitive nature and will be treated in confidence.

1.5.5 Any costs incurred in supplying evidence are the respon-

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sibility of the student

1.5.6 It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that any docu-mentation relating to circumstances that may have adversely affected her/ his performance in any area of assessment is submitted with their application for mitigation.

1.6 Mitigation claims will be reviewed by the Module Assess-ment Board at time of moderation/internal verification.

2 The Mitigation Board

2.1 The membership shall consist of the following: •At least one other member of staff, usually the Office Man-ager. Note: The student should not be present

2.2.1 The Mitigation Board should come to a decision as to whether the student mitigation claim is to be accepted or rejected based on the evidence provided.

2.2.2 Claim upheld - Where the Board makes a decision that the claim has been successful students are permitted to re-attempt the assessments.

2.2.3 Claim rejected - Where the Board makes a decision that the claim has been rejected the student is not permitted to

re-attempt the assessment and the assessment mark that was awarded will remain.

2.2.4 Claims will not normally be considered or upheld where: • Evidence is missing • There is a mismatch between the timing of the claimed circumstances and the period of assessment

2.3 The student will be notified of the academic outcome of his/her mitigation request, in writing by the administration team.

3 Appeals Grounds for Appeal against the Decision of the Mitigation Board The student may appeal the decision of the Mitigation Board in writing under:

3.1 That the Mitigation Board has not been conducted in ac-cordance with these regulations

3.2 That there is new evidence.

3.3 Appeals shall be considered in the first instance by the Mitigation Appeal Officer (currently the Head of Centre) who shall decide whether there is a case for consideration.


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3.4 The Mitigation Appeal Officer shall have available: the written application for appeal, a copy of the Mitigation Policy, the decision of the Mitigation Board and the original applica-tion with the evidence submitted by the student.

3.5 The Mitigation Appeal Officer shall be permitted to re-quest further information from the student and/or the Mitiga-tion Board in order to assist in the determination of outcome.

3.5.1 Appeal upheld- If the Mitigation Appeal Officer decides to uphold appeal they will notify the Mitigation Board, and then the student will be informed by the administration team.

3.5.2 Appeal rejected - If the Mitigation Appeal Officer decides that there is no case for consideration, the appeal is dis-missed. The decision of the Mitigation Appeal Officer is final.

The Mitigation Policy is supplement to Assessment Policy and is informed by QAA Code of Practice: Section 6 Assessment of Students. It will be reviewed annually or sooner following any feedback from internal or external stakeholders. Any programmes that are accredited by partner Universities will be processed in accordance to the Universities’ pro-gramme regulations.

Last updated April 2013

Re-sit and Retake policy

This policy provides guidance for students if they receive a final grade below the pass mark for a module. Student may apply for a re-sit or retake with a charge of an additional tui-tion fee. It is students’ responsibilities to fully commit to their study and to avoid the need for a re-sit or retake. According to the CCL progression policy, students will be progressed to the next level of study if they achieve a 75% completion rate before the end date of each level’s study. Stu-dents achieving 50%, or less than 50%, completion will not be progressed to the next level of study until a 75% completion rate is achieved through the application of one of the follow-ing methods: 1.Re-sit If after a second assessment submission, students have re-ceived a final grade below the pass mark for the module, they may apply to re-sit the failed module assessment for a fee of £250 per assessment. Re-sits must be completed one month

before the end of each level’s study. The mark of the re-sit will be capped at the pass mark (level 4-6 -40%, level 7 – 50%). For example, a student receives a final grade below 40% for one of their level 4 modules on 20th June 2012, and the end date of his level 4 study is 31st December 2012. In this situa-tion, the student can apply to re-sit the failed assessment by 30th November 2012. If the student didn’t apply for a re-sit for the failed module one month before the end date of his level 4 study, the student would need to repeat the module, paying a fee of £1,000, before the end date of his programme study, if he wishes to successfully receive the programme certificate. 2.Retake Students who wish to successfully complete their programme must pass all the required modules before the end date of the programme. Any module receiving a grade below the pass mark (level 4-6 - 40%, level 7 - 50%) are considered to have failed that module and can repeat it once. Students can only repeat the failed module once with the payment of an ad-ditional fee of £1,000 per module. This must take place before the end date of their programme and whilst the failed module is running. Students must ensure that they have a valid visa with sufficient length of stay to cover the study period for any repeated module when applying for a retake. In the circumstance when students don’t have a valid visa with the sufficient length of stay to cover the study period of repeated module, students must seek advice on the possibility of a visa extension from admission officers before applying for a re-take.

How to apply? The request form for a re-sit / retake is available at reception. Students must fill in the form and hand in the request to the course administrator. Once approved, the fee must be paid in full to the account manager and the request form should be signed by the office manager and account manager before the re-sit/retake is undertaken. When can students receive the re-sit/retake result? Students will receive their re-sit result from their module tutor three weeks after the failed assessment is submitted. The retake result will be provided following the usual module delivery schedule. This policy comes into effect immediately at time it is an-nounced.

Deferral Policy

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PurposeDeferrals policy refers to the student who is unable to join their intake and has to defer their course to the next intake due to visa or personal circumstances.

Policy Content Due to two months rolling intakes offered at CCL, the col-lege admission will consider to defer the student to the next intake if they missed 2 months or more of the course start date which they applied for. The student can apply for a deferral before the course starts and within two months after the course starts with evidences for the reason of the delays. Students must provide evidences with the request to the admission for consideration of a deferral. If students request with a health/medical reason; evidences from a qualified medical professional (GP, consultant or specialist nurse) must be provided at the same time. The evidence should identify, •The name of the health condition•When the health condition as diagnosed/identified•How long the health conditions is likely to last •The main effects of this condition•Any side effects of any medication or treatmentThe college admission will consider and accept a request of deferral for following reasons: •a visa issue,•a health/medical reason, or •other personal reasons.

For application related to all cases above, the college ad-mission will only consider a maximum holiday period of 3 months.

In the case of pregnancy, the holiday period will normally be permitted 4 weeks before the due date and students will also be given 2 months holiday period after the due date. If more than 3 months holiday period or an extended holiday period is requested, students will be deferred to the next intake but the college will withdraw the visa sponsorship and no tuition fee is refundable.

The decision to a request of deferral will be made by the col-lege admission and informed within 5 working days after the request is made. The cover page of the deferral letter must be signed off by a member of the management team. If the deferral is granted by the management team, the college administration must notify the UK Border Agency (UKBA) about the student status according to UKBA Tier 4 visa spon-sor regulations. Please find detailed information about Tier 4 visa sponsor regulations from http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/.

Under a normal circumstance, students are eligible to request

for one deferral during their study period. A deferral request should be made and can only be accepted with submission of following documents to the college admission within the permitted timeframe.

1.Requested documentations (originals must be presented to the administration)a.Valid Passportb.Evidence of current Visa statusc.Evidences from a qualified medical professional (GP, consult-ant or specialist nurse), if the reason of deferrals is a health/ medical issue

The medical certificates have to be translated into English if it is written in other foreign languages and issued from a regu-lated medical institution within 1 month.

Once student’s deferral request is granted by the college admission, the college registrar will notify UKBA visa SMS ac-count following the reporting procedure of deferring student. Two identical copies of records of the deferring report to UKBA visa SMS account will be kept with the college registrar and to the student pack. The new acceptance letter will be issued to the student with a new course start date via post. A copy of new acceptance letter will be kept to the student pack.

ResponsibilitiesCentral College London ensures that the applicant will be assisted fairly in the circumstance of deferral. There is no discrimination against any person based on their race, colour, sex, religion, handicap, gender, in admission to the college.

* CCL Deferral Policy adheres to the latest UKBA Tier 4 spon-sor regulations.

International Students

UK Border Agency (UKBA) under UK Home Office is the only government department responsible for immigration mat-ters. UKBA has very stringent regulations on Student visa compliance. To keep up to date with the standards set forth by UKBA, we have mandatory reporting of the following:

◆ Attendance: You must have cumulative attendance of at least 80% or we must report absence to Home Office and cancel student registration◆ Satisfactory progression: Student must be progressing through the course satisfactorily. If not, we are under a duty to report their lack of progress to the Home Office and cancel

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student registration.◆ Withdrawal of student registration: Either voluntary or involuntary we are under duty to report the student’s with-drawal from the academic programs to the Home Office.

Loyalty Award Policy

Existing students of Central College London are eligible for our “Loyalty Award” program in which each time an existing student introduces an independent friend to Central College London they will receive a Loyalty Award worth 5% off of their next years’ tuition fees.

Definitions:Existing Student: a student is to be considered an “Existing Student” if the student has paid their tuition to the college in full for the current academic year, is currently attending their course of study and has a CAS/Visa Letter issued to them by the College.

Independent Friend: an “Independent Friend” is a prospective student not subject to any agent commission scheme.Loyalty Award: An official, numbered and tracked voucher equivalent to 5% off of the student’s next year’s tuition fee.

Conditions:1. Loyalty Awards cannot be traded for cash or sold back to the college.

2. Loyalty Awards cannot be used for the student’s current year tuition fees.

3. Loyalty Awards may be accumulated; multiple Loyalty Awards may be combined for a total discount of a student’s next year of tuition fees.

4. Loyalty Awards are specific to an individual student and ac-cumulated to a point that the individual student’s next years’ tuition payment may be fully discounted (100%), at which point any remaining Loyalty Awards of the student may then be transferred to another student with the written consent of the student to which the Loyalty Awards are named.

5. Loyalty Awards will only be issued to a student once their Independent Friend has paid their course fees in full and has commenced their course of study.

6. Loyalty Awards may be revoked by the College if an Inde-pendent Friend withdraws from their course of study and is

issued with a refund of their tuition fees.

7. Loyalty Awards that remain unused after 14 months shall expire.

Continuing Student Discount Policy

Independent Students of Central College London that have completed a full course of study with the college and are continuing with Central College London for another course / Academic Year will receive a 5% discount on their total tuition fee for the next academic year.

Definitions: Independent Student: “Independent Student” is a prospective student not subject to any agent commission scheme.

Full Course of Study: “Full Course of Study” is a course of 1 academic year.

Conditions:1. Continuing Student Discount is non-transferable.

2. This policy discount may not be combined with the Early Payment Discount.

3. This policy discount may be combined with the Loyalty Award Policy.

Options Following Completion of Studies

Career Advice- Job MarketJob searching:◆ International or Domestic job fair◆ Local job centre plus: http://www.jobcentreonline.com◆ Monster jobsite: http://www.monster.co.ukCVs◆ Professional CV writing https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/getajob/cvs/Pages/default.aspx Job interview◆ Interview technique and tips◆ http://career-advice.monster.co.uk/job-interview/prepar-ing-for-job-interviews/top-5-job-interview-tips/article.aspx

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UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDONREGULATIONS, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

All students enrolled in the BSc (Hons) Nursing and Healthcare programme are students of University of West London (UWL), and are thus obliged to adhere to the general and academic regulations of the university. Central College London has fully integrated the following policies into its own.

University of West London WL documents are available online at www.uwl.ac.uk , and the Undergraduate Student Hand-book that contains information on regulations that apply to students can be accessed directly at:

http://www.uwl.ac.uk/files/Current_students/student_hand-book/main_handbook.pdf

in addition to Faculty of Health Student Handbook Supple-ment accessed directly at:

http://www.uwl.ac.uk/files/Current_students/student_hand-book/fhhs_supplement.pdf

Overview of University Student Policies Admissions Policy This explains the University’s responsibility to operate a fair admissions system, one which provides equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of background, to gain admission to a course suited to their ability and which offers progression

Applicants with DisabilitiesThe University is transparent in terms of the requirements of a programme to all students, without making assumptions about disabilities and being positive about the mechanism by which the University can make reasonable adjustments. This policy reflects the University’s commitment to widen-ing participation to all those who will benefit from a higher education.

Policy and Procedure for Handling Applications from Students with Previous Criminal ConvictionsThis regulation describes the criteria and procedures to be fol-lowed when considering applicants with criminal convictions.

Assessment PolicyThis policy explains all aspects of assessment. The regulations for assessed including submission of work and the penalties for late submission are detailed in the Undergraduate Student Handbook

Mitigating Circumstances RegulationsUnder this Regulation, students who have experienced cir-cumstances outside their control, which they believe have af-fected their academic performance, may make an application under the Mitigating Circumstances Regulations. Claims for mitigation should normally be submitted within 10 working days of the date of the examination/submission.

Assessment AppealThis Regulation explains the circumstances under which a student may appeal to the University Assessment Review Committee to review an assessment decision or other deci-sion of an Assessment Board. An appeal application may only be submitted on specific grounds, as cited in the Regulations, and not where a student is dissatisfied with their mark/grade awarded. An Application for Assessment Review must be started within ten calendar days of the date of publication of results by the Assessment Board.

Regulations Relating to Academic Misconduct (Taught Pro-grammes) This Regulation explains that work submitted by a student for assessment must be their own work and any passage quoted, paraphrased or opinions relied upon must be properly at-tributed. It also explains the procedure to be followed when a suspected case of academic misconduct (e.g. plagiarism, and the associated aspects of cheating) is identified. Where a student is found guilty of academic misconduct the penalty recommended to an Assessment Board may include module failure, a reduced degree classification award, failure or ter-mination of studies. If a student is in any doubt as to how to present material then they should seek support.

Withdrawal from the programmeStudents seeking to withdraw or suspend their students are required to formally communicate their decision using the ap-propriate documentation.

AttendanceStudents must attend classes in order to maintain participa-tion in the module. It is the responsibility of the students to attend their classes, and the lecturer is required to monitor attendance. Student ID must be carried at all times and be presented on request

Disciplinary policies regarding attendance are those deter-mined by Central College London.

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YOUR LIFE IN THE UK

AccommodationTYPES OF ACCOMMODATION

HomestayHomestay is a type of accommodation living in someone’s home with a “host family”. Breakfast and evening meals are provided, usually eating together with the family. The bath-room is probably shared with other members of the family.

Bedsit A single room in which you live and sleep; the room is both a bedroom and a sitting room (living room). The cooking area (if there is one) is usually shared. There is usually a wash basin in the room, but the bathroom may be shared. Services such as cleaning and changing of sheets are often provided.

Studio flatA small flat where the living room and bedroom are combined (a flat is known as an “apartment” in American English). Usu-ally the room has its own entrance and you are free to come and go when you want. There is usually a small bathroom, but this may only contain a basin, toilet and shower. A ‘maison-ette’ is similar, but is usually not all on one floor.

Flatshare / shared houseA “flatshare” is when you share a flat with one or more other people. You may have your own room, or alternatively you may share a twin-bedded or double-bedded room with an-other person.

A “student house” usually refers to a private house which is occupied by a group of students (sometimes called “student digs”)

B&B (“bed and breakfast”), guest houseA room, usually part of someone’s home, which the owners are renting out to make some money. Breakfast is provided, but not for evening meal. The bathroom is often shared with other guests

CHOOSING A LOCATION

Some of the factors to consider when choosing an area in which to live:

Transport: Availability of transport to and from the school,

workplace or places to socialize with friends. Being near to a transport route can be convenient and could be safer. Note that buses may not run in the evenings or late at night in some areas.

Social life: You may want to live near where your friends live

Local maps: You can find street maps and aerial photographs from: http://www.streetmap.co.uk or: http://www.multimap.com

Local facilities: Check if there are local facilities you need. You can use the Find My Nearest tool at http://www.upmystreet.com (based on the Thomson directories), or you can search Yellow Pages online at http://www.yell.com

COST OF RENTING

Calculate the maximum amount that you will be able to pay. Remember to consider travel costs as well as the rent: you may be able to find somewhere with a lower rent if it is far from the college or workplace, but travel costs could be higher.

Rents are often quoted as weekly amounts (“pw” or “per week”), even though they are often paid monthly instead (“pcm” or “per calendar month”). To calculate the monthly cost, multiply the weekly cost by 52 and divide by 12 (or sim-ply multiply by 4.33). You will underestimate the cost if you simply multiply the weekly cost by 4, thinking that there are about 4 weeks in a month.

If renting a private room, remember that at the start you may need to pay a deposit (of perhaps one month’s rent) as well as the first month’s rent. You may need to pay an agent’s fee af-ter you have signed the rental agreement (ask for the cost in-cluding VAT - value added tax). Check whether you have to pay bills for gas / electricity (for heating and lighting), telephone (for line rental or installation, internet access or telephone calls), water (for water delivery or sewage removal), laundry or council tax (for local services). You will probably have to buy a TV license if you use a television in your room. Make sure that you consider all of the costs when you are compar-ing different rooms.

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CHECKING THE PROPERTY

If you go to see a room or flat, you will need to make an ap-pointment first. If you are using an agent, it may be possible to view the property during the day, if the owner has given a copy of the keys to the agent. If you are finding a room independently, you may need to see it during an evening or at a weekend, because in most cases the landlords will be at work during the day (even if you have already made an ap-pointment, you may want to phone just before going to visit, to make sure that the person will be there). If you can, go with a friend when you visit a property. If you are a woman and will be going by yourself, think about carrying a mobile phone and/or a personal alarm for your safety. If you are seeing many rooms, you may want to take a digital camera to take a photo of each one, so that you can remember them later (always ask for permission before taking a photo, and do not photograph private areas). Always take a notebook and pen with you, and make notes as you make the visits (you will quickly forget the details).

These are some of the things you may want to check when you see the property:

Money / ContractDo you have to pay a deposit, and when do you have to pay rent?

Which bills are not included in the rent? water / gas / electric-ity / council tax / telephone line rental

If you want to move out of the accommodation, how much notice do you need to give the landlord? Do you feel you can trust the owner?

If you are with a host family, what is their main reason for wanting to accept a student into their home? If the main rea-son is to make money, in some cases the family may not speak to you often, may provide very cheap meals, or may argue about small matters such as the amount of toilet paper that is being used. Problems are more likely to occur in popular student locations at time when there are many students in the town (for example, in a town on the south coast of England in the summer) - there may be a lot of demand, and too little supply of quality host families

House rulesCan you wash yourself every day if you want to (some houses have a small hot water tank)?

Can you use the telephone? Is there a separate line for your computer (if you have one) for internet connections?

Can you bring your friends back? Can you have a friend stay overnight; if so, is there a charge?

Which rooms can you use? Can you smoke cigarettes?

ServicesIs there any laundry or cleaning services provided? How can you clean your room, and wash/dry your clothes? If there is a washing machine, are there any charges for using it?

Are meals provided? If you do not want to take the meals that are offered, can you pay a lower rent? If meals are provided, what type of meals are they? If you cannot eat some types of food, check that you can be offered something else

FacilitiesCan you use equipment such as a cooker/microwave oven, washing machine, fridge or dishwasher?

Is there a shower or a bath, or both (many studio flats only have a shower)? How many people share these? How many toilets are there?

Is there a telephone line you can use, and if so are there any restrictions about when you can use it? If you do not have your own telephone line in your room, will the landlord allow you to install a new line? This may be important if you need personal access to the internet.

LocationWill you feel safe walking back to the accommodation at night?

Are the roads well lit? Is it a safe area?

How near is the accommodation to your school? Is there a park nearby?

HouseHow many other people share the property? Can they speak English?

Will you have any social contact with them; how much com-mon space is there?

Are there other people of your own nationality? If so, it may make you feel less lonely, but you may not speak English as

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25

much.

Are the other occupants all men, all women, or a mixture of men and women?

Are there smoke detectors, and is there a safe way to leave if there is a fire?

RoomHow much noise is there from the road or from neighbors? Is there a shared telephone near your room? How much privacy do you have? Is your room secure? Are there locks on the doors and windows?

How much space do you have? What is the quality of the mat-tress and sheets? How clean is the room? Note that British people usually wear shoes inside rooms?

Will the room be warm enough in winter? Is there central heating, and are the windows “double glazed”? Will the room be cool enough on a hot summer’s day? Can you open the windows?

Are there any signs of damp on the walls? Are there any unpleasant smells, for example from the kitchen or toilet, or from cigarettes?

If you are sharing a room with someone, do you think you can get on well with that person?

Is there enough storage space for your clothes, books and other belongings? Is there a desk, light and chair for studying in your room?

TENANCY AGREEMENT

It is risky to rent somewhere without a legal agreement be-tween you and the landlord (or accommodation agency).

The most common type of agreement is known as an assured shorthold tenancy (AST). As long as you pay the rent and do not break the conditions in the tenancy agreement, you have the right to stay for 6 months. After 6 months, if your landlord wants you to leave, he/she should give you details (in a writ-ten letter) at least 2 months before the date on which you are expected to leave.

If you have a license agreement (you are living in the same

place as the landlord), the notice period may be shorter than for a tenancy agreement, for example 1 month.

You should read the agreement carefully before you sign it. If you do not understand something, ask for someone to explain it to you. If necessary, you can ask for advice at a Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

Below are some of the things you need to make clear before you sign:

Term (period)How long does the agreement last?

Is there a minimum period that you can rent the accommoda-tion?

Will you have the opportunity to rent the accommodation for a longer period?

How much warning do you need to give the landlord if you wish to leave?

Rent and billsHow much is the rent? When must the rent be paid?

How often are rent reviews (when the amount of the rent can be increased)?

Does the rent include council tax? Does the rent include water charges? If not, how much are these?

How are charges for gas, electricity, telephone line rental or calls or the charges for the television licence for a shared TV divided between the people living in the accommodation?

Deposit and inventoryHow much is the deposit?

When you leave, how quickly will your deposit money be re-turned to you? Will you earn interest on the deposit while you are renting the room?

Under which circumstances will the landlord keep your de-posit?

Check the inventory carefully before you sign the tenancy agreement. Make a list of anything that is damaged (for example, note any scratches, cracks or stains) and give a copy of this to your landlord. You may want to take photographs

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26

Working in the UK

NATIONAL INSURANCE

National Insurance is a tax which is taken from pay for the UK’s health and social security system. Your payments are known as National Insurance contributions (NICs). Most people working in the UK need to pay this: there are a few exceptions (for example, if you are from an EEA country with a reciprocal agreement with the UK and you continue to pay National Insurance in your home country). After you have been offered a job in the UK for the first time, you will need to obtain a National Insurance (NI) number (this is two letters followed by a 6-digit number and a final letter). If your employer has a computerized payroll (pay-

as soon as you move into the room, to prove that any dam-age was not caused by you. If anything is missing or damaged when you leave, your landlord may try to keep part of your deposit to pay for these.

COUNCIL TAX

Council tax is a local tax in Britain. It is used to pay for local services such as libraries, the police, the fire brigade, and rub-bish collection. When you rent a new room, ask whether the council tax is included in the rent.

In some types of accommodation, there is no council tax to pay. You do not have to pay council tax if all the adults in your accommodation are ‘full-time students’ (usually this means people on a course lasting at least 1 year who study at least 20 hours per week and at least 24 weeks per year). You also do not have to pay if you live in student accommodation owned or managed by a recognized school or university.

The amount of tax depends on which local authority or bor-ough you live in, and the value of the property.

A typical level of council tax in London is about £30 per week for each property (a place with its own entrance), but this can vary a lot between boroughs.

A single person who lives on his/her own in a property may pay less than the full standard charge (perhaps 25% less).

If you live in a block of bedsits, the owner pays the tax but may ask each of the residents to pay a share of it.

You can find out the council tax bands for your borough or lo-cal authority using UpMyStreet: http://www.upmystreet.com. Enter a postcode, select Home review then Council tax.

UKCOSA produce guidance notes for students on “Council Tax and international students” at: http://www.ukcosa.org.uk/pages/advice.htm.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Once you have found new accommodation, you need to inform people about your change of address:

Take your existing TV licence to the post office and ask for the address to be changed.

Tell your doctor your new address in case he/she needs to write to you or visit you at home. You will probably need to change your doctor if you have moved to a new area; take your medical card to your new doctor.

Tell your school and/or workplace.

If you have a national insurance number, you should tell your local office of the DHSS (the Department of Health and Social Security - you can find the address at your local post office).

You may want to change your bank branch, or make sure that your existing branch sends statements to the correct address.

Ask your previous landlord to forward any mail to your new address.

Tell your own family as soon as you have moved, in case they need to contact you.

If you needed to register with the police when you arrived in the UK, you must tell them your new address.

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ment system), a temporary National Insurance number is sometimes used to allow the computer to work, but this is not a real number and you must still apply for a permanent National Insurance number. Your employer or an adviser at a Job Centre can tell you which telephone number you need to call. You will be asked to give some personal details, including the address and telephone number of your workplace and of your accommodation and you will need to make an appoint-ment at the correct local office of your Benefit Agency (now called the Department of Work and Pensions). At the Benefit Agency’s office you will be asked to complete an application form and there will be a brief interview. You will be expected to take two types of identity with you to prove your name, UK address and date of birth: usually a passport and a letter from your employer (containing your name and address and con-firming that you have a job offer). After your interview, it may take one or two months (or sometimes longer) before you are issued with your National Insurance number. When you have received your number you should tell your employer.

Further information:Applying for a National Insurance number: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/ni_number.asp

Finding your nearest Job Centre: http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/cms.asp?Page=/Home/AboutUs/OurOffices

HM Revenue & Customs: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/nicNational Insurance Helpline: (0845) 302 1487

INCOME TAX

If you work in the UK, you will have to pay income tax. This tax is collected by the government department known as the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Tax is paid based on your income during the tax year, which starts on April 6th and ends on April 5th in the following year.

Income Tax AllowancesThe Chancellor announces the rates of allowances at the Pre-Budget Report which precedes the start of the tax year to which they relate. Generally speaking, Pre-Budget Report takes place in November or December.

Taxable BandsThe Chancellor announces the taxable bands and the rates of tax at the Budget Report which precedes the start of the tax year to which they relate. Generally speaking, Budget takes

YOUR LIFE IN THE UK

place in March.

From 2008-09 there is a 10 per cent starting rate for savings income only. If your non-savings income is above this limit then the 10 per cent starting rate for savings will not apply.

Pay-as-you-earn (PAYE)You normally have to pay tax each time you are paid by your employer. This system is known as pay-as-you-earn (or PAYE). You may be sent a PAYE Coding Notice which shows your tax code, which is used by your employer’s pay system to calculate how much tax you pay (it will show your personal allowance, which is the amount you can earn during a tax year without paying any tax, and it may show the value of some benefits from your employer on which tax is payable).

At the end of the tax year (some time after 5 April), you should receive a P60 (End of Year Certificate) from your em-ployer. This shows how much you have earned during the year and how much tax you have paid on these earnings.

Soon after you have left you should be sent a form P45 by your employer. You will need to keep this and give it to your next employer if you start another job.

Tax reclaimYou may believe that you have paid more tax than you need. For example, this may happen if:

- you did not have a National Insurance number, or did not tell the number to your employer;

- your total taxable income in a tax year is less than your per-sonal allowance;

- you left your job before the end of the tax year and stopped working in the UK after this.

To apply for a tax refund ask your Tax Office for a tax repay-ment claim form (P50).

Further information:For more information about tax see the HM Revenue & Cus-toms site: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk.

There is a special section for students: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/students.

P50 form: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/payetaxpayers/fagp50.shtml

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Medical TREATMENT

If you are in the UK with a visa which lasts for six months or more, you should be able to have free treatment from the NHS from the start of your stay in the UK. You have to be ac-cepted as being an “ordinary UK resident”, which means being in the UK for a “settled purpose” (a short-term course of study may not be considered enough for this).

To be able to obtain free NHS treatment, you need to regis-ter with a doctor. You can then register with a dentist who accepts NHS patients (check-ups or treatment are not free, but the cost will be lower than if you are accepted as a private patient). Eye check-ups may sometimes be cheaper if you can show that you are a NHS member (by showing your medical card).

Even if you can have free treatment from the NHS, you will probably have to pay some charges for medicines (“prescrip-tion charges”), and for dental and optical check-ups or treat-ment.

If you cannot receive free treatment from the NHS, you should buy health insurance (if possible, before you arrive in the UK).Treatment at GUM (“genito-urinary medicine”) clinics, which deal with sexual diseases, is free for anybody.

Note that there may be some advantages in paying for private health care instead of relying on free NHS care. For example, you may be able to receive treatment more quickly, and the quality of service may be better (for example, a dentist provid-ing private treatment may be able to use more expensive materials for filling your teeth).

There is a detailed guide for overseas visitors on this site: http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/International/OverseasVisitors

You should register with a doctor in your local area as soon as you have found a permanent place to live.

The doctor’s surgery and your accommodation may need to be in an area covered by the same health authority.

When you register with a doctor, you should ask for details of when the doctor’s surgery is open, how to make an appoint-ment, and what to do if you need to contact your GP when the surgery is closed.

You should apply for a medical card, which contains your NHS Number (make a note of this number, as it will allow you to get free medical treatment from a National Health Service doctor or dentist). Your medical card is an official document containing your name and address, so you may also be able to use this card to prove where you are living.

To find a doctor, optician, dentist, pharmacy or hospital in England:Doctors: http://www.nhs.uk/England/DoctorsDentists: http://www.nhs.uk/England/DentistsOpticians: http://www.nhs.uk/England/OpticiansPharmacies: http://www.nhs.uk/England/PharmaciesHospitals: http://www.nhs.uk/England/Hospitals

To find a doctor, optician, dentist, pharmacy or hospital in Wales:http://www.wales.nhs.uk/directory.cfm

To find a doctor, optician, dentist, pharmacy or hospital in Scotland:http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/findnearest/healthservices

To find a doctor, optician, dentist, pharmacy or hospital in Northern Ireland:http://www.healthandcareni.co.uk

When you feel ill, you can telephone your doctor’s surgery to make an appointment to see your GP. (If you are not near your home, you can get free treatment from any family doctor if you tell them your NHS number).

If necessary, your GP may recommend that you make an appointment to see a specialist (this is called making a “referral”).If you need medicines, your GP will write a “pre-scription”; you fill in the back of the form and take it to a pharmacy. If you are very ill and you cannot go to the surgery, it is possible to ask a doctor to visit your house.

If you have had an accident and need immediate treatment, you can visit the accident and emergency (A&E) department or minor injuries unit of your local hospital and wait for a doc-tor to become available. You do not need to make an appoint-ment.

For sexual health problems, you can visit the GUM (genito-uri-nary medicine) clinic at your local hospital. You do not have to make an appointment, and you do not have to give your real name (the service is confidential, and free).

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Health

29

Transportation in LondonBUYING AN OYSTER CARD

The cheapest and most convenient way to travel on public transport (buses, Tubes, DLR or trams) in London is with an electronic card called an Oyster card. Cash fares are much higher: even if you are a short-term visitor to London (for example a tourist on holiday) you are likely to save both time and money by getting an Oyster card.

To get your Oyster card, ask for an application form at any underground station in London. You will be given a short form to complete and will need to pay a deposit (in 2013: £5) plus some money to add to your card’s credit (you can choose the amount, for example: £5). You can add extra credit to your card at any time either at a ticket office or by using one of the ticket machines which has an Oyster card reader. You can also use these to check your balance (this is also displayed at many ticket gates and when you use your card on a bus): if your bal-ance is too low to make a journey your card will be refused at the entrance and you will need to add more credit. If you are leaving the UK and don’t want to keep your Oyster card, you can return it to a ticket office at an underground station and you will get back your deposit and any credit which remains on your card (this can only be paid to you by cash if you used cash to buy the card).

Visitors to the UK from some countries can buy an Oyster card before coming to the UK, using VisitBritain’s online shop: http://www.visitbritaindirect.com

STUDENT OYSTER PHOTOCARDS

If you have a Student Oyster Photocard, you can buy a discount travelcard period ticket (for 1 week or more) or a discount bus pass period ticket (for 1 week or more) from a ticket office. These cards are about 30% cheaper than the nor-mal travel passes, and are put electronically onto your Oyster card. The discount travelcard allows you to travel on the Tube, bus, DLR or railway services within Greater London (excluding the Heathrow Express service from Paddington to Heathrow Airport). The discount bus pass allows you to travel on most bus services.

You should buy a Student Photocard if:- You are going to a school or university in London which deals with Student Photocards (or if you are studying at a university outside of London on a course which includes a work place-ment within London)- You are aged 18 or over- You have enrolled on a course for at least 14 weeks- You attend lessons for 15 hours or more each week (ie you are a full-time student).- You regularly travel in London by bus, Tube, tram or DLR

The Photocard usually expires at the end of course finish date. You should apply the Student Oyster card online: www.tfl.gov.uk. You can buy the card at any time of the year, but the cost of the card is always the same.

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Ask if your home country bank has a special relationship with a bank in the UK, and whether this can help you with setting up an account or in any other way.

This information covers only the major banks. Many building societies also offer banking facilities.

Banks offer many different financial services. You may wish to compare the services and costs of several banks before choos-ing one at which to open an account. Banks are competing for your business, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. When choosing a bank, you need to consider the following:

1. How easy it is for you to visit or contact the bank.2. The services the bank will offer and what charges it will make.3. What arrangements there are for transferring money from your home country, and the costs involved.4. What documents are required by the bank in order to open an account. In all cases, to open an account you will need your passport and a letter from the management institute, addressed to the bank at which you want to open an account confirming the following:

◆ Your full name◆ Your UK address◆ Your home address◆ Title of course you enrolled on◆ Start and end dates of course

TYPES OF ACCOUNT

The main types of account are the Current Account, which provides immediate access to your money but may not pay you interest, and the Deposit Account which pays interest on your savings but you may not be able to withdraw money on demand. Check with various banks what kind of accounts they will allow you to open. Many students open both types of account, especially if they have all their funds at the beginning of each academic year. In this way, most of the money can be earning interest while there is just enough money in the cur-rent account to pay immediate expenses. Money can then be transferred from one account to the other as required.

Cash CardThis is used to get money from cashpoint machines (also

called cash machine, autobank or ATM). You will be given a Personal Identification Number (PIN) so that you can use the card. Make sure you memorise it, destroy the letter telling you the number and don’t tell anyone your PIN.

Remember that this card is not a credit card. You can only withdraw as much as you have in your current account and no more. Although it may be possible to arrange an overdraft if you need one, banks will charge you a lot of interest on any overdraft you have not arranged.

Debit CardThis allows you to spend money from your account without having to use cash or write a cheque. Certain shops, such as the main supermarkets, will allow you to get cash in addition to the purchase you are making. This is called ‘cashback’.

Credit CardYou may also be eligible for credit cards e.g. Access, Visa, Barclaycard etc. Credit cards allow you to spend money even when you have no money in the bank. Banks and other financial institutions all issue credit cards. You get a bill every month and you have to pay a part of the balance. If you do not pay the full amount, interest builds up on the amount you have not paid and the interest rate can be quite high. Credit cards are convenient, but you should be very careful.

Front of debit card Back of debit card

Front of credit card Back of credit card

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Bank Account

31

All UK and European debit/credit cards now include a mi-crochip that stores data on the card. When you use the card in a shop you will be asked to enter your four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) on a keypad. Make sure that nobody can see the number which you type and that nobody else knows your PIN. Signatures are not accepted for cards which contain a microchip (you may still be able to sign if you are using a card which has been issued outside Europe). The system is known as chip and PIN. If you enter an incorrect PIN three times in a row your card will be locked - you will need to contact your bank to unlock your card. Make sure you sign the back of any new cards you are given as soon as you receive them. Write down the telephone number which you should call if your card is lost or stolen.

The last 3 digits printed on the signature strip on the back of a credit or debit card do not appear on the front of the card. They are a security number, which you may be asked to type when you order goods online using your card.

Cheque BookCheques allow you to pay for goods and services without having to use cash. Payment of large sums of money in cash is unusual and it is better to use a cheque. You can also take money out of your account using a cheque. If you are given a cheque book when you open your account, ask the bank to tell you how to complete a cheque. When your cheque book is almost finished, the bank will send you a new one automati-cally.

Cheque Guarantee CardWhen you pay for something with a cheque, you will have to show a cheque guarantee card as proof that the bank will pay the money written on the cheque up to a fiex amount. A cheque guarantee card guarantees payment up to the limit shown on the card (eg £50). Some people will not accept a cheque without seeing a cheque guarantee card at the same time. Even without a cheque guarantee card, cheques can be used for postal payments.

Bank StatementsThis is a record of all transactions on your account over a period of time. You can also request a statement from some cashpoint machines. Keep bank statements as you may need them to verify your financial status for immigration or other purposes.

In case of an emergency, on any public telephone, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO DIAL 999 FREE OF CHARGE.

The operator will ask you: “Which Emergency Service-Fire, Police, Ambulance or Coast Guard?”

The operator will then ask you for:◆ The telephone number shown on the public phone from which you are ringing ◆ The location of the emergency◆ A short description of what is wrong

I ___________________ acknowledge that I have read and understand this Student Handbook.

Signed _________________________

Dated____________/_______/_____________

YOUR LIFE IN THE UK

Emergency Contact

Contact Us: If you have any queries regarding our programmes or would like to arrange a tour of our College, please feel free to contact College Admissions.

99 Gower Street, London WC1E 6AA

Tel: +44 (0)20 8099 8877 | Fax: +44 (0)20 3051 5212 | Email: [email protected] | Website: www.cclon.co.uk

Student handbook 2013 11072013 (1)

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