Guidance and Support at Penwith College
Guidance and Support
Penwith College has a well-established reputation as a friendly and caring college committed to equality of opportunity. Our aim is to provide honest and appropriate information, advice and guidance from your first encounter to the time you leave.
As a relatively small organisation, we are able to recognise students’ individual needs and to make sure that they are supported and monitored in order to achieve their potential. In the unlikely event that any disciplinary action is required, it is applied openly and fairly in accordance with college policy.
Help when you need it
The college has a dedicated team of Guidance and Support Tutors available to help students at any time during their stay. This system is unique in the southwest and enables us to provide support and advice at any time during the college day.
The Guidance and Support Team are:
- highly qualified in Advice and Guidance
- from a variety of backgrounds
- experienced in both general advice and specialist areas
- sensitive and impartial
- firm but fair
- responsible for student discipline
- separate from your lecturers
- available at all times
- interested in you as an individual
Students are also able to get advice and support from
- lecturers
- the college counselling service
- a dedicated Connexions personal advisor
- the student administration and finance team
- additional learning support
- the learning resources centre
Before you start your course
Choosing the right course for you can be a daunting task, with lots of questions to answer:
Do you have a particular career aim and, if so, what qualifications will you need to achieve? If you do not have a specific aim, what combination will allow you flexibility in future while still building on your interests and strengths?
What level of course would be best to follow on from your GCSE grades? Should you specialise in a particular area and take a vocational course or are A-levels a better route? If you take A-levels, you will start with a number of AS courses – what is the right number for you?
Initial information is provided in our prospectus and more detailed information leaflets are available for all our courses. We will also provide you with several opportunities to talk to lecturers at our open evenings.
Our Guidance Team will work with you before you start and during your time at college to ensure that the course you take matches your needs as closely as possible.
While you are studying
You should read the student handbook to make sure you are aware of the college’s expectations and responsibilities and the disciplinary procedure.
At the start of your course, you will carry out a short assessment to see whether you have any specific learning support needs. If any are identified, you will be offered specialist help to enable you to make the most of your ability.
You will be allocated a Guidance and Support Tutor who will meet with you in weekly group tutorials as well as having individual discussions. They will do their best to help you resolve any problems that arise and can refer you to the college counselling service or other outside agencies where appropriate.
Lecturers will support and encourage you to make the best of your ability. Twice a year, they will provide written progress reports and will be available to discuss these at Consultation Evenings.
Issues relating to finance, transport or examinations will be resolved by student administration.
At the end of each year
Your Guidance and Support Tutor will spend time with you discussing your future plans. If you decide to continue at Penwith College for another year, they will help to identify the best course for you. If you plan to leave they will provide guidance on appropriate progression and write references for employment or Higher Education applications.
Your lecturers will also encourage and support you to progress to further study or suitable employment.
They will contribute to your references and advise on the requirements of specific courses or careers.
There is a wide range of information on careers and Higher Education in the Learning Resources Centre and access to a selection of online resources to help in decision-making. Our Connexions advisor is also available to provide information on career opportunities as well as a range of personal issues.