Wakefield Adult and Community Education Service ACES

Learner Handbook

www.wakefield.gov.uk

2

Contents 3 Welcome and Mission Statement 4 What should I expect in the first session? 4 Wakefield on the Web 5 Online Learning Resources 5 Course Information 5 Fees - what will I have to pay? 6 Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement 6 Exams and Plagiarism 7 Accreditation 7 What if I need help with Childcare? 8 What if I need extra help with my learning? 9 Support available for 16-19 year old learners 10 Information and Advice 10 What if I am on the wrong course? 10 What happens if the course is cancelled or I decide not to continue? Can I get a refund? 11 What you can expect from us 12 What we expect from you 12 Use of Electronic Equipment Policy 13 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy 13 Data Protection Policy 14 Emergency Procedures 14 Health and Safety Safeguarding Policy 14 Compliments and Concerns 15 Sustainability 15 Learner Consultation 16 Jargon Buster

This booklet can be provided in different formats.

Please ask at your local centre or ring 01924 303302.

3

Warm Welcome

Welcome to your centre and programme. Whether you are a new or returning learner

we hope you will have an enjoyable and productive period of study with Wakefield Adult

and Community Education Service.

This booklet provides information about adult learning and the support we offer. I hope

you find it a useful reference document. If you have any comments that would help us

improve our information to you, please give these to the centre where you are studying,

who will pass them on.

Wakefield Adult and Community Education Service - in partnership with the voluntary

and community sector schools.

www.wakefield.gov.uk/adulteducation

Mission Statement

“The Service works to create a culture in which learning is sought

and valued; high standards of achievement become the norm;

and where education promotes individual and community

development and contributes to Wakefield regeneration”.

We hope that you enjoy your course.

4

What should I expect in the first session?

Your tutor will give you a thorough induction to the course and explain the Health and Safety

procedures for the centre you are studying at:

The induction process will include:

Your tutor will make you aware of what to do in an emergency (e.g. fire exits)

Your tutor will ask you to complete any required health checklist (e.g. Health and fitness

courses)

Your tutor will make sure you know where the toilets, refreshment facilities and other centre

services are (e.g. reception, telephone)

Your tutor will check you have received a course information sheet and any other information

Your tutor will check you are aware of all the course requirements such as course work,

assessment methods, assignments, time required outside the class and any minimum

attendance required

Your tutor will discuss with you the course aims, outcomes and content using the course

information leaflet

Your tutor will explore with you what you want to gain from the course either through

discussion, using a questionnaire or other method (e.g. standardised materials for your

curriculum area)

Your tutor will encourage you to identify any further individual learning outcomes and record

these in your Individual Learning Plan (ILP)

Your tutor will explain to you that if you feel you need any additional support to access the

course that you will be able to talk to them or the Centre Manager in confidence.

Wakefield on the Web

Wakefield ACES has its own website - this provides useful

information about centres, our courses and the principles of the

service.

The web address is:

www.wakefield.gov.uk/adulteducation

Wakefield ACES Facebook page is also available at:

www.facebook.com/wakefieldadulteducation

5

Wakefield ACES on-line Learning Resources Wakefield Aces Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) supports on-line communication, acces to learning resources and materials, and is available to all learners.

It is a web based system which can be accessed at any time when you are able to long on to the internet – at home, or in a centre.

This will enable you, as a learner to login to a resource and material area for course information and updates as well as to share communication with your tutor and the class group.

You will receive a login and password from your tutor.

Course Information Course information leaflets are available for all courses. They are designed to provide you with the information to help you access the right course. Please contact the centre for further details if you have not already received one.

Fees - Will I qualify for fee remission? We offer fee remission to learners in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance and Employment Support

Allowance, please talk to centre staff if you require further information.

Learner Discretionary Support Fund All learners on a low income or means tested benefit etc can apply to the Learner Discretionary Support Fund to cover the cost of fees and other costs. Please ask at your centre for more information.

Why is my learning being assessed for a course I am taking for pleasure?

• Assessment helps you and your tutor identify your starting point. • We want your course to meet your individual needs. An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is a valuable working document to help you plan your learning with your Tutor. • It provides evidence for the funding bodies of the many benefits you gain from your learning, including confidence and improved health and wellbeing.

6

What is RARPA (Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement)? RARPA is a nationally recognised measure of quality and good practice, which is an entitlement for all learners. We will ensure you have: 1 Clear programme aims and any additional information you may require relating to your course. 2 Initial assessment of prior learning to identify your starting point. 3 Appropriately challenging learning outcomes to meet your needs and support your learning process. 4 An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) where you and your tutor can record ongoing achievement and assessment of your progress during the course. 5 An end of programme assessment by your tutor on how effective the course has been for you, and an opportunity to gain advice on what to do next. All ACES programmes follow the 5 stages of RARPA. For further details please ask your tutor.

What is the examination process? If you feel that you require additional learning support whilst taking your examination e.g. additional time, please discuss with your tutor as soon as possible. If you have been entered for an exam and are unable to attend, you must notify the centre where you are sitting the exam as soon as possible. If you do not advise your centre, within reasonable time, that you will not be sitting a particular examination, you may be invoiced for the fees involved. All examinations will take place under strict conditions as set out by awarding organisations.

Certificates

All certificates will be sent to the centre where you attended your class. You will be sent a letter giving details of collection arrangements. You will need to bring proof of identity when collecting your certificate. If you are unsuccessful you will be sent details of who to contact about sitting the examination or further studies required. There may be an additional charge for exam re-sits. Some coursework will be marked internally by tutors. There is an ‘Appeals Procedure’ if you feel that this is not a fair assessment of your work. Please ask your Centre Manager for details.

7

Plagiarism

This means putting forward someone else’s work as your own. All work submitted for assessment or examination must be your own work. Material copied from another learner or from an undeclared source and presented as your own will not be accepted and the individual will be unable to achieve the qualification.

Accreditation Accreditation is offered as part of a number of courses. In some courses no exam is involved and you will produce a portfolio of your ongoing work to evidence your learning. Your tutor and the course information leaflet will give more information on accreditation and levels available.

What if I need help with childcare? (limited availability at certain centres) If you require a crèche place please contact the Centre Manager. When you have a crèche place booked whilst attending your course it is important that you: ensure your child attends regularly, inform us each week if you or your child are unable to attend i.e. through sickness, holidays etc, ensure that children are dropped off in the crèche no more than 5 minutes before the start of your course and picked up on time. If your child does not attend for 2 consecutive weeks without explanation you may lose your place.

Can I get help with childcare costs?

We may be able to help with your childcare needs. For more information on registered childcare settings within the Wakefield district contact your local centre or Families Information Service on 0800 5878042 or visit: www.wakefield.gov.uk

What help can I get for childcare fees?

Learners on full fee remission who are allocated a childcare place may have crèche fees remitted. The Family Information Service can provide information about other help that may be available for example child tax credits and Care to Learn for 16-20 year old learners. You may also apply for the Learner Discretionary Fund in cases of financial difficulty.

8

Can I get extra help to support my learning? We ensure that all learners should have equal access to our programmes, and an equal chance to succeed with them. We will make every reasonable effort to enable you to participate in the class of your choice, by meeting the requirements of the Equality Act. We recognise that adult learners come from varying backgrounds and come to their learning journey with difference experiences. We know you bring considerable knowledge, skills and experience to your learning and we aim to help you build on this. We provide additional support where necessary to enable you to access and make the most of your chosen class or centre. Please tell us what you need. Additional Learning Support (ALS) can be provided in or outside, the classroom. This will be with a support tutor, who will work with you to meet your learning needs to enable you to achieve on your course. Type of support could be: • Tape recorded notes. • British Sign Language Communicator. • Assistive hearing devices if you have a hearing impairment. • Reading or other support for certain examinations. • Extra help with assignments and course work. • One to one assistance in class. • Dyslexia assessment support. • Enlarged print handouts or course material in alternative formats. • Specialist enabling equipment and software e.g. keyboards with large keys and special mouse ball trackers. If you would like to discuss Learning Support provision or give us feedback on our service, please contact a member of our Learning Support team. Vanessa Goddard Philippa Wheeler Tel: 01924 303302 Tel: 01924 303322 vanessagoddard@wakefield.gov.uk pwheeler@wakefield.gov.uk

9

16 -19 year old learners in Adult and Community Education Did you know that we can provide a range of support to help you with your studies? It can be a difficult time leaving school and make career choices; things do not always turn out as planned.

Would you like Careers Advice? This is available at any time from one of our trained Information, Advice & Guidance staff. They can help with advice about further study, job opportunities etc. They can put you in touch with the right people to help you on your way.

Would you like one to one (1 : 1) Study Support? We may be able to provide this if you are finding your studies difficult or are finding it hard to keep on top of things and organise assignment work etc. Our support staff may be able to help with your use of written English, e.g. essay writing, planning work and proof reading.

Would you like to improve your Maths and English Skills? We have functional skills sessions at most of our centres; they run daytime and evenings across the district. Please ask for details at your local centre.

Would you like Mentor Support? We can provide this support through a range of staff including centre staff and tutors. This can include supporting applications from the 16 - 19 year olds Bursary Fund. If you would like to know more about any of the services offered above or if there is something else we can do to support you and your studies please discuss it with your course tutor. We cannot help unless we know about the issues, so let us work with you so you can succeed at your studies.

10

Information & Advice The Wakefield Adult Education Service has been awarded the MATRIX quality standard for providing information and advice. Our aims are to: • ensure you choose the most appropriate course and provide ongoing support during your course • enable you to make the most of your achievements by providing progression and job search information where appropriate • provide clear information about available courses This service is free, impartial and confidential.

What if I am on the wrong course? We try to help you as much as possible to choose the right course. If you think you have made the wrong choice, please help us to help you by telling us as soon as possible.

What happens if the course is cancelled or I decide not to continue? Will I get a refund? The following information applies to fee paying courses run by ACES. No refunds will be given after the first two weeks of the term unless the course is cancelled (due to low numbers or availability of the tutor) and we cannot offer a reasonable alternative within the district. It is not the policy of ACES to refund fees automatically. We do not refund fees when a change in circumstances prevents or discourages a learner from continuing with a particular class. All requests for refunds should be made to the centre as soon as possible. Any registration fee, examination or accreditation fee will not be refunded. All applications will be considered on an individual basis. Requests for refunds should be made in writing to the Service Manager Adult and Community Learning, Wakefield Adult & Community Education Service HQ, Manygates Education Centre, Manygates Lane, Sandal WF2 7DQ. Please state your reasons for a refund and enclose your receipt.

11

The ACES reserves the right to close or cancel courses due to unavailability of tutors, facilities or insufficient enrolment. If a course is cancelled, your fee will be refunded in full.

What can you expect from us as a service? The Adult and Community Education Service is committed to making your experience of learning productive and enjoyable. We will: • Provide you with a suitable induction programme. • Help you develop an Individual Learning Plan (ILP). • Provide an environment that is safe and accessible to you including appropriate use of equipment. • Provide high quality, appropriately qualified tutors who are specialists in their subject area. • Assess, monitor and feedback on progress regularly to help you record your learning. • Provide information on accreditation and assessment. • Ensure all learners are treated fairly in accordance with the ACES policy for Equality and Diversity. • Work with you to identify any additional needs and provide further support where appropriate. • Provide clear information and advise, where appropriate on opportunities for progression. • If your tutor is unavoidably absent we will make every effort to provide an alternative tutor. The principles are set out in our service policies. ACES policies relevant to ensuring the quality of provision include: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, Internal Verification Policy, Staff Development Policy, Fees Policy, Health and Safety Policy, Data Protection Policy and Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults Policy. If you would like to know more about any of our service policies, you can ask to view an e-copy at your centre. Although the Adult and Community Education Service will strive to achieve these standards, the standards are not intended to be contractually binding and will not form part of any contract between you and the Adult and Community Education Service.

12

What do we expect from you as a learner? During your time learning with the ACES you will: • Be committed to your development and ask your tutor or centre for help if you feel you need it. • Turn up to class regularly and on time and inform the centre if you are unable to attend. • Where appropriate finish and hand in your work within the specified deadlines. • Respect others regardless of differences in culture, race, ethnicity, disabilities, Learning difficulties, religion, gender, age or sexual orientation. • Take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and others who may be affected by your actions. • Inform your tutor if you have any concerns that are impacting on your ability to complete your work on the course. • Familiarise yourself and comply with the use of the electronic equipment policy. • Do not attend class when under the influence of alcohol and non-prescribed drugs. • Put your mobile phone on silent or turn off when in class.

Attendance

The majority of courses will have a minimum course attendance requirement; in some courses less than 80% attendance will affect your chance to succeed. We ask that you attend every session of your course wherever possible. Please contact the centre if you are unable to attend. Three consecutive absences without notification could result in you losing your place.

13

Use of Electronic Equipment Policy This is a policy for the proper use of the Council’s electronic equipment and breach of the policy may lead to action being taken against you, including prosecution. Electronic equipment includes computers, phones and fax machines. All electronic and communications equipment provided by the Council is for the appropriate use of learners and members of the general public. Learners are reminded that the downloading of pornographic, racist or otherwise offensive material is unacceptable and any learner found engaging in such activity will be disciplined and may result in the learner being banned from ACES premises. The council encourages you to use electronic equipment whilst learning. This use should comply with the standards expected and restrictions on use as set out in this policy document, which can be requested at the centre you are attending.

14

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy We are committed to ensuring that all members of the community have equal access to our programmes and an equal chance to succeed within them. We believe that qualities such as race, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or previous educational experience should not affect people’s capacity to benefit from adult education. We take active steps through work in the community to involve learners from under-represented groups. We also seek to support access to our provision through, for example, our charging policy, crèche provision, and through improving access for disabled people. We are committed to the fair and equal treatment of all learners on a day-to-day basis. This means that bullying, harassment, victimisation or discrimination in any form is unacceptable. Please talk to your centre manager if you have any concerns about how you, or other learners, are treated.

Data Protection

Confidentiality

All personal information will be treated as confidential, and will not be used for purposes other than those for which it was gathered, without the express consent of the learner apart from that detailed in the Privacy Notice: Privacy Notice How We Use Your Personal Information The personal information you provide is passed to the Chief Executive of Skills Funding (“the Agency”) and, when needed, the Department for Education, including the Education Funding Agency to meet legal responsibilities under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, and for the Agency’s Learning Records Service (LRS) to create and maintain a unique learner number (ULN) and a Personal Learning Record (PLR). The information you provide may be shared with other organisations for education, training, employment and well-being-related purposed, including for research. Further information about use of and access to your personal data, and details of organisations with whom we regularly share data are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/sfa-privacy-notice

15

Emergency Procedures Your tutor will explain fire, emergency and accident procedures during your induction. Fire notices are displayed in all classrooms and throughout the building. Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the evacuation procedures.

Health and Safety and Safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults The safety and wellbeing of both learners and staff are of paramount importance. It is the policy of the Adult and Community Education Service that all reasonable steps are taken to secure this for all learners and employees accessing our centres. All centres undertake regular risk assessments of the premises and teaching facilities. Also tutors will ask you to discuss any areas where you feel you are at increased risk as part of their own ‘health check’ of the learning environment. All safeguarding concerns, accidents or incidents, however minor, should be recorded in the accident / incident / safeguarding book at the centre. Please notify your tutor and / or centre immediately when you have a concern. The centre manager is responsible for safeguarding. If you would like to speak to them confidentially about a safeguarding concern please contact them directly. Posters are on display in each centre to help you understand our commitment to safeguarding and the support available. If you have any concerns about your own safety and / or wellbeing or that of another learner, please speak to your centre manager. We hope that you will comply with any actions taken to ensure we provide a safe learning environment for all.

16

Compliments and Concerns Your suggestions to help us improve our service are always welcome. If there are any aspects of your learning experience with us that you are unhappy about: • first see if this can resolved with your tutor or through the centre manager • if this does not lead to a satisfactory outcome, you can write to the Service Manager, Wakefield Adult and Community Education Service, Manygates Education Centre, Manygates Lane, Sandal WF2 7DQ. We will investigate any complaints or concerns and inform you of any decisions made within two weeks.

What is the Service commitment to sustainability within our courses? Sustainability is about preserving the planet for future generations and the role we can all play to ensure we are environmentally friendly. The Service is committed to raising awareness about sustainability and creating a more energy efficient and environmentally friendly service. There are a number of steps that each of us can take to reduce the amount of energy we use. These include: • Turn off computers and other equipment when not in use • Turn off lights and close doors/windows/fans when leaving a room. • Use double sided photocopying whenever possible. • Recycling equipment, paper, materials, ink cartridges, etc • Learning about environmental issues on your course and how you can transfer efficiency savings into your home. If you have any suggestions, please pass them on to your tutor, the centre or through the Learner Voice focus groups.

17

Learner Consultation We will ask you for your opinion about the service and the quality of teaching and learning in a number of ways. • Your centre may invite you to give feedback at a coffee break or other informal meeting. • Learner Satisfaction Survey. All learners are asked to complete a national online survey which is based on questions designed by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). This enables a national comparison of responses with other services. Please answer honestly giving constructive criticism so we can continue to improve our service. • The Skills Funding Agency may also conduct a telephone poll and may contact you for your views. • You may also be invited to participate in a focus group at the centre. • ACES have a learner representative on the service advisory body who will share your views from the learner consultations and feedback key messages via the learner notice boards

Jargon Buster ACES Adult & Community Education Service NVQ National Vocational Qualification MATRIX Accrediting body for the provision of Information, Advice and Guidance SFA Skills Funding Agency VLE Virtual Learning Environment