A handbook for parents/guardians of students studying at Itchen .

Parents’ Guide 2017/2018

For up-to-date information on college matters, please download our free Itchen College app, available on iOS and Android devices. Contents

2 Contact Details 11 Extra Time in Exams

3 Key Dates 11 High Performance Academy

4 Key Staff 14

6 Absence and Attendance 15 Parent Information Portal (PIPS)

7 Financial Support 15 Parental Contact

11 College Fund 18 Support4Learning

11 Exam & Registration Fees 18 Work Experience

Scan the QR code to download our free Itchen College app! 1 2 Contact Details

Itchen Sixth Form College Every member of staff at Middle Road Itchen Sixth Form College has an email address which follows a simple format – the initial letter SO19 7TB of their first name, followed immediately by their surname and ending with @itchen.ac.uk. Tel: 023 8043 5636 Web: www.itchen.ac.uk For example, John Smith’s email Email: [email protected] address would be [email protected]. Itchen Sixth Form College The following pages include useful Itchen College information relevant to your son/daughter’s time at Itchen. ItchenCollege Additional information is available on our website (www.itchen.ac.uk) ItchenSixthFormCollege and on our free Itchen College app. 1 2 Key Dates

Autumn Term: 7 September - 21 December 2017

INSET: Friday 29 September INSET: Thursday 12 October Open Evening: Thursday 12 October, 5pm-8pm Parents’ Evening (2nd years): Thursday 19 October INSET: Friday 20 October Half Term: Monday 23 - Friday 27 October INSET: Tuesday 21 November Open Evening: Tuesday 21 November, 5pm-8pm Parents’ Evening (1st years): Tuesday 5 December

Spring Term: 8 January - 29 March 2018

INSET: Thursday 4 January INSET: Friday 5 January Half Term: Monday 12 - Friday 16 February Parents’ Evening (all years): Monday 19 March

Summer Term: 16 April - 6 July 2018

Information Evening: Wednesday 2 May, 5pm-8pm Half Term: Monday 28 May - Friday 1 June UCAS Evening: Tuesday 19 June Welcome Event (Year 11): Thursday 28 - Friday 29 June GATEway Event (Year 9): Monday 2 - Wednesday 4 July Taster Days (Year 10): Thursday 5 - Tuesday 10 July End of Term (Students): Friday 6 July Information Evening: Wednesday 11 July, 7.30pm-8.30pm

A Level Results: Thursday 16 August GCSE Results: Thursday 23 August

3 Key Staff

Alex Scott Vanessa Cass Principal Deputy Principal

Steve Perkins Anne Cook Assistant Support4Learning Principal Manager

Bridget Jones Debbie Finch Guidance & Safeguarding Support Manager Lead & Careers Advisor

Heads of Faculty (HOFs): • Glenn Colmer: & PE; • Steph Cooke: Maths, Science & IT; • Mark Hughes: Uniformed Services • Maria Sparks: Business; • Academy, Law & Criminology; • Kate Matthews: Visual & • Mel Lockheart: Geography, • Performing Arts; • Travel & Tourism, Humanities & MFL; 3 • Shaun O’Toole: English & Media; • James Bailey: Social Sciences & Care. 6 Absence & Attendance (023 8043 5636) to explain their absence. If you are unable to Attending every lesson is speak to a member of staff when extremely important and you call, please make sure to leave Itchen Sixth Form College expects a message so that the absence 100% attendance from every can be recorded. You or your son/ student. However, the college daughter must phone the college understands that occasionally on every day of their absence. students may be absent. If your son/daughter is going to Regardless of why your son/ be absent for an extended period daughter is absent, they will of time due to illness, they will always be asked to provide a valid need to supply the college with a reason as to why they are not in medical certificate. lessons. Planned Absences All absences are considered unauthorised until a valid reason If you know in advance that is provided. It is also your son/ your son/daughter is going to be daughter’s responsibility to catch absent from college, they must up on any work they miss due to inform their subject teacher(s) absence. beforehand and complete an Advanced Absence Notice form Attendance should not fall below from Student Services (W29) at 90%. If it does, your son/daughter least two working days prior to the will be expected to pay for their absence taking place. exam or assessment fees. You can check your son/daughter’s Medical, dental and other attendance at any time on our appointments should always Parent Information Pages (see be scheduled outside of college page 15). hours where possible. If this is not possible, your son/daughter must Attendance in tutor sessions also complete an Advanced Absence affects your son/daughter’s overall Notice form. percentage so they must attend all tutor sessions. Holidays

Informing College Holidays will always be classed as an unauthorised absence as these If your son/daughter is ill or should not be taken in term time. unable to attend college for any Holidays should only be taken reason, either you or your son/ during half terms and other college daughter should phone Reception holidays and these dates can be 6 found on the ‘Key Dates’ page of team. This could potentially lead this handbook (page 3). to a withdrawal from college. If it is absolutely necessary that a holiday is taken during term time, Students taking GCSE Maths and/ permission must be obtained or GCSE English must attend all of from the Assistant Principal by those lessons as this is a condition completing a Holiday Request of funding. form, available from Reception. Our full Attendance Policy is Signing In and Out available on our website.

If your son/daughter has to leave Financial Support college during the day and will be missing lessons, eg. due to illness Whilst your son/daughter is at or an unforeseen circumstance Itchen Sixth Form College, there is such as a family emergency, a range of financial help available. they must inform their subject teacher(s) and then go to Student Bursaries Services (W29) to sign out. Special bursaries are available for If they return to college on the students doing particular courses same day, ie. after an unavoidable or activities. Details will be given medical appointment, they through subject staff or tutors but must not forget to sign back in at the bursaries currently available to Reception or Student Services. students are:

Monitoring Attendance • The Eve Sheppard Award for Law; • The Old Issonians Awards for The college will inform you of • Music and Drama; any unauthorised absences via • The Wood-Waller Award for text message and this includes • Student Travel; absences due to illness. You should • and Academy of Sport bursaries ignore the text if you or your son/ • for high achievers. daughter have already notified the college of the reason for the Free College Meals absence. Subject teachers and tutors will also contact you about Free college meals (for students your son/daughter’s attendance who qualify) are available to those should any problems arise. in aged 16-18 and to students aged 19-25 subject If attendance does become a to a Learning Difficulty Assessment problem, the situation will be (LDA) or those on an Education, escalated to the management Health and Care Plan (EHCP). 7 7 10 If you are in receipt of one or more college for qualifying students of the following benefits, you will aged 16-19. Payments are only be able to apply directly through granted if your son/daughter the free college meals checking attends all of their lessons and service at: follows Itchen’s Attendance Policy. www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/ Your son/daughter may be eligible fe-apply if you are in receipt of any of the following benefits: Eligible benefits: • Income Support; • Income Support; • Income-based Jobseekers • Income-based Jobseekers • Allowance (JSA); • Allowance (JSA); • Income-related Employment and • Income-related Employment and • Support Allowance (ESA); • Support Allowance (ESA); • Support under part VI of the • Support under part VI of the • Immigration & Asylum Act 1999; • Immigration & Asylum Act 1999; • The guarantee element of State • The guarantee element of State • Pension Credit; • Pension Credit; • Child Tax Credit or Working Tax • Child Tax Credit (provided you • Credit and an annual gross • are not entitled to Working Tax • income of no more than £16,190, • Credit) and have an annual gross • as assessed by Her Majesty’s • income of no more than £16,190, • Revenue and Customs (HMRC); • as assessed by Her Majesty’s • and Universal Credit. • Revenue and Customs (HMRC); • Working Tax Credit run-on – paid Your son/daughter may also be • for 4 weeks after someone stops eligible for the IMA if they are: • qualifying for Working Tax Credit; • and Universal Credit. • a young person in care; • a care leaver; If you require any further • claiming Income Support in their information about free college • own name; meals, please contact Michelle • claiming Universal Credit in their Payne in Student Services on • own name; 023 8043 5636 ext. 269 or email • or a disabled young person [email protected]. • receiving both Employment • Support Allowance and Living Itchen Maintenance Award (IMA) • Allowance in their own name.

The Itchen Maintenance Award Please see the IMA leaflet for more (IMA) is intended to cover costs information about the award and resulting from attendance at about how to apply, or speak to 10 Michelle Payne on 023 8043 5636 • through no fault of the college; ext. 269 or [email protected]. • the college has not taught them • in preparation for the exam; College Fund • or if your son/daughter is absent • from an exam without good All students are asked to make a • reason. contribution of £30 towards the College Fund at the start of every Extra Time In Exams academic year. Students who have a learning This fund provides benefits for the difficulty (eg. dyslexia) and whole student body. These include who received extra time in the Student Centre facilities, examinations at school, or who sporting activities, music and are diagnosed whilst at college, drama events. can ask Support4Learning for permission from the exam boards Exam & Registration Fees for extra time to be allowed.

External exams are held For more information, throughout May and June. The please speak to Anne Cook, college pays examination and Support4Learning Manager, registration fees for most students. [email protected].

The college reserves the right to High Performance refuse to enter a student if they have not attended at least 90% Academy of their lessons for that subject, or if they have not satisfactorily The High Performance Academy completed the course. provides support for the most academically able and talented Your son/daughter may be charged students at Itchen. These students a fee for their exam(s) if: are part of dedicated tutor groups and enjoy an additional • their attendance does not meet programme of events, which • the criteria set; include trips, visits from outside • their exam entry is not approved speakers and extra support for • by their teacher, eg. their university applications. The • coursework has not been Academy also provides additional • completed or your son/daughter support for potential Oxbridge • has not worked satisfactorily to candidates. • complete the course; • an exam is being retaken; High Performance Academy • they enter late for an exam students may also complete the 11 11 14 Extended Project Qualification All of our local universities visit (EPQ), an additional qualification the college throughout the year which is encouraged by to offer expert help and advice, universities. including:

Please see the separate High • University of Southampton; Performance Academy flyer, • Southampton ; contact the High Performance • ; Lead at 023 8043 5636 or visit • ; the ‘Life at Itchen’ section on our • Bournemouth University; website for more information. • .

Higher Education Students are also given the opportunity to apply for Higher education preparation is residential visits to experience an extremely important part of what university is like and to stay the academic year. From our open in the halls of residence. evenings before students formally join the college, through to when Specialist speakers also come into they leave, your son/daughter is college to give general guidance on actively encouraged to consider funding and degree choices as well their educational future. as providing more specific advice about the different ways to fund During their first year at Itchen, education and the loans available. your son/daughter will learn about the different courses and options Itchen has contracts with a available to them post-college. number of local institutions whereby students’ personal or This is achieved through: financial difficulties are taken into account when applying, and • higher education fairs; they may have their course entry • higher education events within requirements adjusted as a result. • faculty areas; First generation students applying • university visits; for university may also have this • university taster events; taken into account. • visiting speakers from • universities and colleges; During your son/daughter’s second • higher education twilight events year at college, they are supported • for parents and students; with completing their UCAS • and specialist support for Oxford application between September • and Cambridge applications and November. • through the High Performance • Academy programme. Some university applications, 14 however, need to be submitted an interview or deciding what they early (for example veterinary would like to do post-Itchen. science courses, medical courses, and courses at Oxford and Throughout the year we have Cambridge) and students choosing careers fairs; welcoming to apply to those courses or employment agencies, institutions are given appropriate apprenticeship providers and support. other companies into college to provide our students with as much We strongly advise all of our Level information as possible about 3 students to consider university their options for the future. as an option and we will provide as much support and guidance Parent Information Pages necessary to help them complete their applications. (PIPS)

All of our students benefit from: Our Parent Information Pages (also known as PIPS) is an electronic • a UCAS programme of events for information system available to • Level 3 students; all parents/guardians who have • weekly meetings with tutors; supplied us with an up-to-date • financial advice and guidance; email address. • specialist higher education • courses for Level 2 students; PIPS provides you with real- • a Personal Statement team; time information regarding your • and a tutorial programme son/daughter’s progress and • focusing on higher education and attendance at college, along with • careers. their student reviews. Texts will be sent out to alert you when student Careers Guidance reviews are online.

We also offer support and You will be provided with log-in guidance for those students details and will be able to use entering the workplace, rather them to communicate with your than university, after college. son/daughter’s personal tutor if there are any issues. If you have Debbie Finch, our Safeguarding not received a log-in, please email Lead and Careers Advisor, is Steve Preston: always on hand to offer careers [email protected]. advice and help your son/daughter when it comes to employability. If you do not have access to the This can be anything from internet or email you can ask for a improving their CV, preparing for paper copy of your son/daughter’s 15 15 18 student review, however we Support4Learning encourage all parents/guardians to use the online PIPS system to Support4Learning is a specialist access reviews as it shows much department which provides more information regarding your academic support for any son/daughter’s progress and student who needs help to attendance than the paper copy. study. It provides a quiet space for independent study and is You can also access PIPS easily and always staffed by a team of highly conveniently on the free Itchen qualified and experienced teachers College app, as well as other key and Learning Support Assistants. college information. We support students who need Parental Contact short-term help with developing study skills as well as students We encourage all parents/ with recognised learning needs, guardians to contact us by email such as dyslexia, and students as it is a quick and effective with sensory impairments, method of communication. We physical disabilities and other also use a text messaging service needs, where long-term support as a way of notifying both parents may be necessary. and students of forthcoming events and any unauthorised At Itchen, we welcome students absences. with a variety of disabilities and different styles of learning, and are Reviews are available at the committed to ensuring all students end of the Autumn and Spring are treated fairly and have equal terms. Aspirational Target Grades opportunities to excel during their (ATGs) are recorded on subject time at college. All reasonable reviews so that you and your son/ adjustments to provision will be daughter are clear about what is made to ensure that students being aimed for and what is being who have different learning achieved. Consultation evenings requirements are supported. are also held twice a year. We can help students with using We regularly check that we have specialist software and we have your most up-to-date mobile access to a range of materials number(s) and email address(es). to support learning and do our It is therefore very important best to match each student with that you inform Reception if you the most appropriate assistive change your mobile number or technology for them. email address so that we can update the system. If you would like more information 18 about our Support4Learning Childcare, already have work services, how we can help your experience built into them as a son/daughter’s transition to regular placement. college, or what we can offer students with special educational Completing a work experience needs and disabilities (SEND), placement can help your son/ please contact Anne Cook, the daughter to decide whether or Support4Learning Manager, via not a career path might be right email: [email protected]. for them. It will also add some valuable experience to their CV Work Experience and/or UCAS application, giving them a competitive edge when It is mandatory for all Level 3 it comes to applying for jobs and students to complete at least one universities. week of work experience in their chosen field during their time at For more information about work college. All of our Level 2 students experience and for help organising have Fridays off timetable to a placement, your son/daughter complete their work experience, should visit the Work Experience and some courses, such as Coordinator in Student Services.

If you need more information about anything in this booklet or if you have a question that hasn’t been answered, please visit our website (www.itchen.ac.uk) or refer to the Itchen College app. You can also contact your son/daughter’s tutor by email or by emailing [email protected].