About Penwith College - Information for Parents and Carers
We would like to highlight the support and services available at each stage of a student’s College life and to underline the importance of the role that you, as parents and carers, play in helping your son or daughter to succeed at Penwith College. Communication is a vital element of our relationship with you and we, as a College, will ensure that you are informed of all developments, reviews and significant absences concerning your son / daughter. Similarly, we hope you will support us in encouraging the 100% commitment we expect from our students.
Last year 97% of our A Level students passed their exams, with 77% achieving grades A-C. In our vocational courses, students achieved 100% passes in the BTEC National and BTEC First Diploma courses covering subjects from Public Services to Care and from Sports Studies to IT. This was due not only to the excellent tuition from lecturing staff and the hard work of our students, but also to the encouragement and support given by parents / carers.
This guide describes the many roles that you can play, from coming to College Open Evenings with your son or daughter, to joining them at their initial interview. You may also wish to visit the College at Consultation Evenings once they have started their course, as well as making sure that they let you know if they are facing any problems at College.
Penwith College is a supportive and open College. Our ambition is for your son or daughter to succeed. We see the three-way relationship between parents / carers, students and College as a partnership and will be keen to listen to any questions or concerns you may have.
Another Year of Great Results
A Level Results
Penwith College students continue to achieve outstanding results that, for the sixth year running, are above national averages.
In 2007, A Level students achieved an outstanding
97% pass rate
77% of passes at grade A-C
100% pass rate achieved in 21 A Level subjects
The Prospectus
Our full-time prospectus is an excellent way for you and your son / daughter to find out about all aspects of life at Penwith College, the courses available and the levels at which they can be studied. For your copy call 01736 335000. This information is also available on the website www.penwith.ac.uk.
Open Evenings
We have regular open evenings at the College for year 10 and 11 pupils and their parents. This is a chance for you and your son or daughter to see the College, meet the staff and experience our facilities at first hand. You can get information on the qualifications and the courses available and discuss your individual needs. This year we have also introduced advice sessions which are drop in events where you and your son or daughter can meet with our Guidance and Support Team to discuss one-to-one routes through further education and into higher education if applicable.
Application Process
Pupils at our 5 local schools apply using the form provided by their school. Other students should request an enquiry form and return it direct to the College to register their interest. Students should start thinking about which College and which course as early as they can to ensure they give themselves enough time to get the right advice and guidance.
Interviews
Applicants for all full-time courses will be invited for a course guidance interview. This is an opportunity for discussion between Guidance and Support tutor, the course tutor (where applicable), the student and the parents, if they choose to attend, to ensure the student fully understands and chooses the most appropriate course. Penwith College has achieved the matrix accreditation for guidance work, demonstrating our commitment to high quality service provision and continuous improvement.
Cost of course(s)
There are no course fees for students aged 16 -18, although students may be required to purchase specialist equipment and materials. All students are required, on enrolment, to pay a £30 refundable deposit. Many courses offer residential trips and visits, which will be at additional cost.
Educational Maintenance Allowance - EMA
EMA may be available to you for up to 3 years. It is a national scheme to provide financial assistance and an incentive to qualifying learners under 19. The amount payable is based on parental income with a maximum of £30 per week paid weekly in arrears. Bonuses of £100 may also be paid in the second and third terms of the first year of a course and in all three terms of the second year.
Application packs for EMA, can be obtained by telephoning the EMA helpline on 0808 1016219 or ordering online at www.dfes.gov.uk/financialhelp/ema.
Further details may be obtained from Student Services.
If your son / daughter studies full-time at College, any benefit entitlement you may be claiming (including child benefit) should not be affected.
The college has a small Learner Support Fund which is used to assist learners with course-related expenses. This fund cannot be used to pay the college deposit or college registration fees. Further information can be obtained from Student Services.
Welfare / Finance
If you or your son / daughter is worried about how much College will cost, or have any other concerns with regards to starting College and studying in Further Education, please feel free to contact Guidance and Support on 01736 335000.
Welcome Pack
Before students start, they will be sent a Welcome Pack which contains all they need to know for the first few days in College. It will tell them where to go on the first day, what they will be doing, details of forthcoming social events etc.
During College...
Timetable
Your son / daughter will be given an individual timetable when they start College. “Free periods” are an essential part of the course and students are expected to use them to study or to make use of the library. There are also opportunities for students to use this time to take part in the wide variety of enrichment activities that the College has to offer.
Learning Support
We have a dedicated and highly qualified learning support team, who will arrange any necessary support that your son / daughter may need. This could include help with literacy or numeracy or the provision of specially modified equipment for students with physical disabilities. All students undertake an assessment at the beginning of the academic year which helps us to identify any additional learning needs. The College works closely with the local schools to ensure that students requiring extra support are identified early so that the necessary support can be put in place from their first day.
Welfare / Counselling
You can be assured that there will always be someone for your son / daughter to talk to. Guidance and Support Tutors give advice to students on accommodation, finance and health issues amongst other matters. Counsellors are also available, offering more long-term confidential support. If you are concerned about something that your child has told you relating to College the Guidance and Support Tutors are there for you too to chat to confidentially on 01736 335000.
Childcare
All students under 20, who are parents, joining Penwith College in September 2008 will be entitled to free or subsidised childcare whilst at College through the Care to Learn programme. For more information please visit the College or the Care to Learn website at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/caretolearn/indexflash.shtml.
Personal Tutor / Reports
All students have a Personal Tutor, whom they meet with regularly and who is available to discuss and help with academic studies as well as personal issues. You will receive regular reports from tutors and will be invited to consultation evenings to discuss your son’s / daughter’s progress.
College Expectations / Code of Conduct
We expect all students to give 100% commitment to their studies. This includes punctual attendance at all classes and work placements and meeting assessment and assignment deadlines. College is an adult environment and we expect students to act accordingly, taking responsibility for themselves and their actions. The College Charter gives information about what we expect from students, and what they can expect from us. This is available from the College.
Progression
Penwith College offers a full range of courses from basic skills through to Foundation Degree’s, to encourage progression and continued development. This enables students to progress confidently and according to their individual needs.
Careers & Higher Education Guidance
We work in association with Connexions who offer regular careers advice sessions on site. All full-time students receive help with their plans for the future from careers professionals, which enables them to explore their personal skills and abilities, to consider a range of career options and to plan what to do when they leave College. Help with UCAS (University) applications is available from Personal Tutors and Student Services and the library holds a full selection of university prospectuses and other careers information.
Higher Education & University Links
In association with Plymouth University and the Combined Universities inCornwall, we offer joint delivery of some Foundation Degree courses, so that students can study at a higher level without leaving home. We have strong links with a number of universities, many of whom positively encourage applications from our students.
Our College facilities
We are continually investing in the facilities and support that we provide for all our students, ensuring they receive a first class experience. We are proud of the services we provide, our students frequently tell us how vital these services are in making their study easier and their life as a student more enjoyable.
Teaching
The College offers specialist teaching facilities, including dedicated music technology suites, a media production studio, beauty and hairdressing salons and modern science laboratories.
Library & Learning Centre
Study in a spacious centre where experienced and friendly staff are always available to help you find the information you need. The multi-media library offers:
• over 20,000 books, magazines, videos and resource packs
• use of equipment - printers, photocopiers, laminator, binder and scanner
• access to computers in order to word process assignments or search for information on the Internet
• study space to study alone or with a group
IT Facilities
The IT suites throughout the College are well equipped with computers and printing facilities. The College has both open access and teaching computer facilities often linked to white board technology. The computing equipment is continuously updated and new software packages made available as they are released.
Sport & Activities
The College has a well-equipped sports hall and gym, along with access to playing fields, astroturf pitch and facilities at the Penzance Leisure Centre, to keep students fit and healthy. Students can access a special membership rate at the Leisure Centre on production of their student card. We offer a wide range of activities, including yoga, football, badminton, basketball, hockey, Duke of Edinburgh, ceramics, drama and music. We also have teams competing against other colleges in a range of sports including: rugby, football and hockey.
If you have any other questions or comments, we will be happy to speak with you. Tel. 01736 335000 or email
enquire@penwith.ac.uk.