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Student Handbook    

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CONTENTS Page College Dates 3 Will I take an examination? 4 Course Information 5

What do I need to bring? 6

What do I do if I’m late? 7 What do I do if I can’t come? 7 About Grahame Park 8 Other College Centres and Facilities 8 Using the Barnet College Computer Network 9 Barnet College E-learning 10-12 How to use E-ILP 13 My Course, Be Prepared to Learn! 14 Trips and Activities 15 Student Code of Conduct 16 – 17 My Timetable 18

We wish you success at Barnet College and hope you enjoy your course!

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Dear Student, Congratulations on enrolling on to your Skills Builder course at Barnet College. The teachers on your course will deliver their best to ensure you succeed in your studies. However success actually depends on your commitment to your studies. Attendance and punctuality are key to your success. Please note that if attendance levels drop below the accepted college target, you will be withdrawn and not allowed to take your examination. Progression and re-enrolment at the college will also be affected. Please remember we are here to support you in your studies and wish you luck this year. Yours sincerely

Shahin Khan Head – School of Skills for Life E-mail Shahin.khan@barnet.ac.uk

Term Dates

12 September, 2011 – 6 July, 2012 Term 1: 12 September – 16 December Half Term 24-29 October Term 2: 03 January – 30 March 2012 Half Term 13-17 February Term 3: 16 April – 6 July 2012 Half Term 4-8 June

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Functional Skills English Functional Skills Mathematics

Functional Skills ICT Personal and Social Development

You will take Functional Skills exams in English, Mathematics and ICT. The level will depend on your ability (Entry 1 – Entry 3) You will also gain qualifications in PSD (Entry 2 – Entry 3) through producing a Portfolio of work.

Students who do not attend classes regularly or who are often late for class will lose their place on the course.

If you change your address or telephone number, remember to

tell your tutor.

Your teachers are: Personal Tutor (English and PSD) …. Androulla Wakefield Mathematics Teacher ….. Aweys Yusuf IT and PSD Project ….. Mayuri Shah

Our Curriculum Manager is Marcus Clark

Your teacher will decide which exams you are ready to take.

You must attend at least 90% of your classes to be entered for exams.

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This is a 1-year course that will enable you to:

• develop your skills in Literacy • develop your skills in IT • develop your skills in Numeracy • develop your Personal skills and confidence • Gain experience and knowledge of different life skills

You will have one Group tutorial each week where your Personal Tutor will help you with any problems and make sure that you know what the College has to offer. You will also learn about the College rules and listen to different speakers talk about topics which may help you in your daily life. For example ‘Safety on the streets’

You will also have an Individual Tutorial with your Personal Tutor at least twice a term where you will be able to talk about and record your progress and plan learning goals for yourself. You will have your own Individual Learning Plan.

Additional Learning support may be provided for learners who particularly need it.

You may go on a trip or visit during your course. It is extremely important that you are aware of the dangers and that you are very careful to avoid accidents both when you are travelling and when you are at your destination. You must follow the advice of your tutors at all times. If you are under 18 you will have to complete a short form and have this signed by your parent / guardian / adult carer in order for you to attend lessons off site. This is a very important College document and your tutor will give you one before each trip. Please ALWAYS bring it back, signed, as soon as possible.

You are asked to participate in all activities in a responsible and adult manner and to follow the Barnet College Student Code of Conduct.

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What do I need to bring? As part of your course you will need to be prepared for learning.

Things you will need include:

a ring binder file A4 paper pens, pencils, highlighters and a rubber headphones writing books for your class-work

You must organise your work.

File your work in a ring binder and use the dividers to organise it. Your folder of work will be used to check your progress.

You must concentrate in your lesson.

Please switch your mobile phone off before you go into your classroom.

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Reception and Security These are at the front entrance of College. There is someone there to help you if you have a question or if you want to make an appointment. Security will help you if you lose your student card.

Canteen The Canteen is next to the main entrance. You can buy hot and cold meals and sandwiches as well as tea, coffee and cold drinks. There are also machines for drinks and snacks. Poppins (Café) Area Poppins is near our classrooms on the ground floor. It is open between 8.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. You can buy sandwiches, chocolate, crisps, hot and cold drinks. The area around Poppins is the student common room. You can meet and sit with your friends and there are also drink and chocolate machines.

Student Services Student Services can help you with travel cards and funding. If you have a personal or a practical problem you can see a student counsellor. There are drop–in sessions or you can make an appointment at student services’ reception. First Aid If you feel unwell in class, tell your tutor and she can call for a first aider. If you are not in class, contact a teacher or Reception.

Car Park

Please park your car IN THE STUDENTS’ CAR PARKS. You must get a car disc from reception. The staffs parking area is for staff only.

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Fire Exits Make sure you know where all fire exits are in the building. These are signposted around the building. If you hear the fire alarm, go with your class to the nearest fire exit.

Wait together with the other students from your class and make sure your teacher can find you. Barnet College Centres

Wood Street Centre, High Street, Barnet, EN4 5AZ Grahame Park Centre, Colindale, NW9 5RA

There are Learning Centres at Grahame Park and Wood Street where you can borrow books, use computers and find resources to help you study. Maps to all centres are on the notice board or at Reception. Sports Facilities are at Grahame Park.

Your college ID card will allow you to use facilities at any centre

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Using the computer to improve your English and Mathematics

There are computers in the Learning Centre and many classrooms. We have special software for learning English and a list of many websites that will also help you to learn. To use a computer you must have a User ID (your

student number) and a password. Speak to your teacher or Learning Centre staff to get a password. You will also be given 500 print credits. When you have finished your credits you must pay for printing.

Keep your password safe and make sure you can remember it. You will need to change your password every 6 weeks. Your teacher may

ask your class to use computers in a lesson and you will need to know your password.

You can also use the Barnet College website to practise your English and Maths at home. Go to:

www.barnet.ac.uk

You will need to enter your User ID (this is your student number) and password. Then you can use the practice materials which your teachers will provide on Moodle. There are many websites to help you with your English and Maths including: www.english-grammar-lessons.com www.englishbanana.com www.esolcourses.com www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/number www.move-on.org.uk

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Barnet College E-Learning

The College IT Network gives you new opportunities to learn online, anytime, anyplace. You must use the college network for learning and study only.

• Be responsible and professional.

• Respect the privacy of everyone else using the college system

• Do not post material that might upset others online.

Remember to stay safe

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Moodle - Your course page Moodle is an area on the college network where students can find important information about their course and extra practice for reading, writing, listening, speaking, grammar and vocabulary. You will find out more about Moodle during the first weeks of your course.

Finding your course on Moodle

Open the Barnet college Moodle site http://moodle.barnet.ac.uk/ or via the MLE. After entering this address Moodle will appear with a Login box on the top left that looks like this:

Enter your Username and your password here then click the Login icon and you will then be logged on to the Barnet College Moodle network.

After logging on, you will be directed to a new page listing the courses you are enrolled on: Click the course you wish to enter.

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Mahara is a student’s personal learning space. It should show all the hard work that you do in college. To access Mahara click the Mahara icon on you Moodle course page: You will then see your Mahara homepage, showing you the different sections of your personal account: On Mahara you can write about yourself, list your skills/your goals, write blogs and upload assignments set by your lecturers, and so build an e-portfolio. You can submit work for your teachers on Mahara, to do this, upload the necessary file and place it in a ‘View’ – a page that can be shared with teachers/lecturers etc.

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How to see your e-ILP

On Moodle you will find your Individual Learning Plan. Click on the ‘My ILP’ link and you will be taken to your ILP page. From here, you can:

• Enter your courses, qualifications and goals on ‘My Information’

• Set targets for yourself on ‘My Targets’

• Discuss progress with your lecturer on Progress Reviews

• Keep a record of your progress on Celebrations and Concerns

• Summarise your achievements in Progression Using the E-ILP gives you a new way to show your progress through your time in Barnet College. At the start of the year your teacher will show you how to use Moodle, Mahara and your E-ILP.

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Be Prepared to Learn! Studying at College is a very different experience from compulsory education that you may have received so far. For a start, every student has chosen to remain in education and classes are smaller than secondary school so the tutors have more time for each student. We respect your maturity and give you more freedom than schools to develop as an individual. We know however, that it is easy to misuse freedom so we have disciplinary procedures to make sure this does not happen. You will see your tutor regularly and they will help you and advise you as well as monitor your progress and behaviour, both in class and around College. Your tutor can write you a reference for any courses or jobs you apply for in the future so do remember your attendance and behaviour are a very important part of your learning, as well as your final exam results. Home / College Agreement In the same way as many schools, we want to build good home / College relationships not just with our students but with their families and carers too. Your parents and carers will be invited to meet the tutors at an Open Afternoon in October and we look forward to working together. Our aim is to give you the best possible opportunities for your future. Student Services can also help you with any personal problems or welfare (money) problems. More information is in this handbook and you will meet the Student Services team during Induction week.

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Student Code of Conduct I agree to:

- respect other people in my class and College. This includes their views, religion and culture

- arrive on time

- come to class every day - tell my tutor if I cannot come to class - make appointments at times when I do not have classes. - use English in the classroom - remember the more I use English the faster I will learn it

- listen to the teachers and listen to other students in class.

- Do my best.

- Always wear my ID card and show it to tutors and security when they ask. If you are asked to give your ID to any member of staff or leave the College building, you must agree.

In English

please

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- look after books and College resources and property and keep my classroom clean. - Always put rubbish in the bins. - Not chew chewing gum in lessons. It looks horrible, sounds

horrible and makes a mess of our beautiful new College.

- do my homework , do my classwork

☺ - help others if they need it

? - ask my tutor for advice and help if I need it

- No smoking anywhere in College buildings - No spitting anywhere in College buildings

- Switch off mobile phones in the classroom

• No students are allowed to stay in classrooms during breaks without a teacher.

• Students must NOT use the teachers’ computers in classrooms. I agree to these rules.

Student name…………………………… Student signature……………………… Date……………………

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Skills Builder Timetable

Day Morning Lunch Break

Afternoon

Monday

10.00 – 11.00 Tutorial AW 11.00 – 12.00 English AW Room J105

12.00 -1.30

1.30–2.30 3.15-4.15 Maths AY PSD MS Room J105 Room D114

Tuesday

9.30 – 11.30 English AW Room J105

11.30 - 12.30

12.30 – 2.30 Maths AY Room J105

Wednesday

9.30 – 11.30 ICT MS

11.30 - 12.30

12.30 – 3.00 PSD AW Room J105

Thursday

9.30 – 12.00 PSD AW

Room J105

AW = Androulla Wakefield AY = Aweys Yusuf MS = Mayuri Shah