It starts with you
One of the most important things to be in life, if you wish to be successful in relationships and in your chosen career, is to be respectful of those around you and of your environment. People who give respect, are far more likely to be respected and respect breeds success.
At Walsall College, everyone is treated with respect and is expected to adhere to our Ready, Respect, Safe agreement at all times.
This means:
- Attend ALL timetabled lessons
- Turn up on time
- Have ALL necessary equipment with you e.g. pens, text books, note books etc.
- Have a positive attitude to learning
- For online learning be prepared to log in with a camera and microphone
- Complete classwork and homework
- Complete all examinations and assessments
- Let staff know if you are experiencing any difficulties that may affect your studies
- Only take water into classrooms, workshops
- Submit work within the agreed deadlines
- Make sure all of your work is your own
- Take pride in your learning
- Be ready to contribute and have your say
- Do not use mobile phones in lesson, unless directed by your tutor
- Use positive language
- Respect others and your environment
- Behave in a wat that does not offend others
- Keep the college environment litter free and tidy
- Promote British values
- Take pride in others
- Wear your student ID pass at all times
- Be safe and keep others safe
- Stand up in corridors
- Understand Prevent Duty
- Adhere to the College’s IT Acceptable Use Agreement
- Follow Health and Safety rules and regulations at all times
- Take pride in yourself
Our commitment to you
- Ensuring that online registers are accurately completed at the start of each lesson
- Providing support to you (should you need it) to ensure your attendance and punctuality is always good
- Following up with your parents/guardians/carers and employers when your attendance and/or punctuality become a cause for concern
- Liaising with cross-college functions to provide support, if it is required
- Developing Student Support Plans (SSPs) with you, where necessary
- Organising/Conducting Student Support and Disciplinary meetings, if they have any concerns
- You will be provided with a timetable detailing start times, finish times and the location of all scheduled lessons and support sessions that you are required to attend
- Ensure that our expectations (and the consequences for not meeting these) are clear;
- Review your progress, provide feedback and set targets on a regular basis;
- Provide you with support through our Pastoral Officers, where required;
- Always consider that students may have disabilities, learning difficulties, other support needs or circumstances that may affect their attendance, punctuality or behaviour. In these circumstances, we ask that you discuss this with your lecturer/Vocational Coach or with our Additional Learning Support Team at an early stage, so we can work with you to ensure that Reasonable Adjustments and/or support are in place.
All students and staff abide by this agreement in order to ensure a safe and welcoming learning environment for all. Students will be supported to demonstrate positive behaviours and to contribute fully to College life.
In circumstances where the Ready, Respectful and Safe Agreement (or any College rules) are breached, the College will take the relevant action laid out in our Student Support and Discipline Policy and Procedure.
Should you have any concerns about your experience at College or the behaviour of others towards you or others, please do not hesitate to contact your Personal Tutor or Student Services on 01922 657000 or email safeguardingteam@walsallcollege.ac.uk
Punctuality and How to Report Absence/Lateness
- Non-attendance and lateness (punctuality) will have an impact on your progress. Lateness will also disturb others in that session
- You are late if you are not in class at the time showing on your timetable
- Lateness will be recorded on the register (in minutes)
- You tutor will address lateness with you at the end of the class
- Persistent lateness will be discussed at your Walsall College Graduate Review and may lead to further action through the Student Support and Discipline Policy and Procedure
The only authorised absence (with supporting evidence) is listed below:
- Medical appointments (doctor, midwife, dentist or hospital)
- Interviews (job or Higher Education-related)
- Court appearances
- Proof of your appointment will need to be shared with your tutor before authorised absence is agreed
- Non-attendance for faith-based absences may be recorded as an authorised absence, if the student has discussed and agreed this in advance with the tutor. Students will be expected to complete any work that they have missed
- Call the College on 01922 657000 and select option 3, at least 15 minutes before the start of your class
- If your class is in the evening, please email your tutor directly, or contact the College, as above, before 5:00 p.m
- Your call will be taken by the Curriculum Administration Team from 8.00am
- The Curriculum Administration Team will tell your tutor you have called, if you make early contact
- You can also report absence through our website on the Contact Us Page You will need to provide the date of birth of the student, the name of the person reporting the absence and the reason for absence
- If you are absent and do not inform us of the reason, we will contact you or your parents(s)/guardian or employer.
- All instances of absence (including the reasons) will be logged on the Support Register. Attendance issues will be discussed during your Walsall College Graduate (WCG) Review and a Student Support Plan (SSP) will be agreed, if appropriate. Sickness will also be recorded and can be reviewed on WCG.
- If there is no improvement, we will progress to Level 2 of this process, which may lead to withdrawal from your course.
- If you are an adult student (19+) that is paying for your qualification, you may be withdrawn from your course of study due to poor and continued non-attendance and you will not be entitled to a refund. We will support you with attendance opportunities as far as we can, however the expectation for attendance lies with the individual student.
- If you have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or receive High Needs Funding (HNF) from your Local Authority (LA), we are required to report your attendance. It could affect your funding and you may need to attend an Emergency Review meeting.
- If you are in receipt of College Bursary, unauthorised absence may have an impact on your payment.
- If you have a Student Loan, unauthorised absence may be shared with the Student Loan Company.
| Level 1
Student Support Plan (SSP) |
Level 2
(Disciplinary) |
Level 3
(Exclusion Panel) |
|
| Procedure/
Examples |
Minor concerns will initially be raised through a Student Support Plan (SSP).
Examples (include but are not limited to): • Poor punctuality • Poor attendance (including English and maths if applicable) • Infringement of the Ready, Respectful, Safe Agreement (any College rules) • Failure to provide student ID badge • Missing Assignment/Homework deadlines • Misuse of electronic devices e.g. mobile phones, tablets, watches or any other digital device • Unacceptable behaviour in/outside of class (including minor disruptive behaviour) • Encouraging others to act inappropriately |
Examples (include but are not limited to):• Breach of the Ready, Respectful, Safe Agreement (Appendix One)/any College rules
• Breach of Student Support Plan (SSP) actions • Repeated poor punctuality for any subjects (including English and maths, if applicable) • Repeated poor attendance for any subjects (including English and maths, if applicable) • Missing Assignment/Homework deadlines • Repeated misuse of electronic devices e.g. mobile phones, tablets, watches or any other digital device • Unacceptable behaviour in/outside of class (including disruption/swearing) • Spitting anywhere on College premises – inside or outside • Smoking or vaping outside the designated areas •Encouraging others to act inappropriately |
Examples (include but are not limited to):
• Breach of Level 2 meeting actions • Further breach of the Ready, Respectful, Safe Agreement (Appendix One)/any College rules • Safeguarding breach • Possession of a weapon or any instrument that could cause harm • Possession, use or suspicion of being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol or any other substance • Breach of Health and Safety rules and regulations • Plagiarism and/or academic misconduct • Bullying • Allowing others to gain access to the premises using your ID card/misuse of College ID cards or bringing non-College students onto the premises • Using the internet to access inappropriate content/breach of the e-communications policy • Damage to College property/ equipment • Theft (on or off site) • Failure to pay fees on time |