Parents Guide

Our Mission

To raise the aspirations and achievements of students of all ages and abilities by providing outstanding education.

Our Vision
  • We will be the centre of excellence for Sixth Form education in our locality, inspiring young people to be the best that they can be so that they have the best chance of success in adult life
  • We will be a vibrant and welcoming community, open and accessible to all, a beacon for the promotion of equality and celebration of diversity
  • We will provide a safe, exciting, challenging and sustainable educational environment which will be an example of the very best for others to follow
  • Students at Taunton’s College will be passionate about learning, and will carry this commitment forward into the rest of their lives.
Our Values
As a learning community, we:
  • are passionate about learning
  • believe in the power of education to transform lives
  • refuse to collude with low expectation
  • operate in a culture of mutual trust and integrity, where students and staff are safe and valued
  • go the extra mile to give each individual student every opportunity to succeed
  • value what students have to say
  • invest in our staff and have high expectations of each other
  • value and respect diversity, champion inclusion and believe that an international dimension enriches the experience of our college community
  • believe in the power of partnership and collaboration, based on a sense of shared responsibility, to raise aspiration and standards in our locality.
Who can help you…
Main Reception Line:
Deals with general telephone enquiries and the main switch board for other numbers within the college. Tel number: 023 80511811.
 
Student Services:
Deals with attendance queries, student welfare, course changes, letters confirming attendance at college. Telephone number: 02380514720 or by emailing studentservices@tauntons.ac.uk. The Helpdesk is normally open from 8am to 2.30pm and provides a wide variety of information, guidance and advice to support students through their time at college.
This includes careers, counselling services as well as information on travel, grants, benefits and any financial assistance that may be available from the college.
 
Attendance line
(02380514777) is to report when your son/daughter is unable to attend college, for any reason. We would prefer that parents call this number, rather than students, giving their name, date of birth and tutor group.
 
The Finance Office:
Deals with enquiries about parking permits, payment for trips and the payment portal. This is open for students from 12pm – 12.50pm.
 
Your Son / Daughter’s Personal Tutor
The Tutor is responsible for your son / daughter’s academic progress and social welfare and will help to review student progress and career planning.
 
The Senior Management Team
  • Principal, Alice Wrighton
  • Deputy Principal, Matt Atkinson
  • Assistant Principal Students Safeguarding, Glenda Gardiner
  • Assistant Principal Students & Learning, Liz Lee
  • Assistant Principal Finance, Phil Berry
Learning Areas
Your son or daughter will be tutored by a Tutor within one of eight learning areas led by a Learning Area Manager (LAM) who maintains overall
responsibility for the students’ progress and courses whilst at college. You will be informed who your child’s Tutor and LAM is shortly after enrolment.
 
what you can do to help us ...
YOUR PERSONAL DETAILS
It is crucial to our successful communication with you that we have your up to date address, mobile number and email address along with your son/daughter’s current mobile number. If they change please let Student Services know.
 
IN CASE OF ILLNESS
We ask that you, rather than your son/daughter, phone us as early as possible on the first day of sickness on 023 8051 4777 leaving the students’ name, date of birth, the tutor group and when the student is expected to return.
Alternatively, you can email us at attend@tauntons.ac.uk
If they are taken ill whilst they are in lessons we ask that they carry on if at all possible. If not, then they must sign out in Student Services before going home.
If your son/daughter is suffering from any long term illnesses, please do let your tutors know.
 
DOCTOR/DENTIST/HOSPITAL APPOINTMENTS
We ask that you avoid such appointments, if at all possible, during timetabled hours of 8.30 am to 3.55 pm. If it is absolutely unavoidable, then your son/daughter must bring in evidence of this appointment when they sign out at Student Services.
 
HOLIDAYS IN TERM TIME
We strongly discourage this. There is ample evidence that students’ results suffer if they miss classes for whatever reason. If you believe there is a particularly good reason for a holiday, you must write or email your son or daughter’s Learning Area Manager.
 
EXAM WEEKS + EXAM DATES
Please be aware that during the academic year there are various exam sessions often falling in November, January, March, May and June. The information is available through websites e.g. www.aqa.org.uk or from the Exams Office in Room 203.
 
PROGRESS REVIEWS AND PARENTS’ EVENINGS
Progress Reviews will take place during the college year between your son/daughter and their Tutor. Formal written reviews from each subject teacher will be sent to the Tutor which will be discussed along with their progress and achievement to date. Parents can also attend this meeting. Targets will be set for each course. A copy of this will be sent to you for students under the age of 18. If the student is over 18 theProgress Report will be sent to the student. An invitation to attend Parents Evening will be sent to you with  your Progress Review.
 
ACCESSING STUDY SUPPORT
If your son/daughter feels that they need extra support in any subject area, please encourage them to talk to their subject teacher in the first instance. All students take a diagnostic test during enrolment. This allows us to identify learning styles and additional learning supports needs. Teaching staff are made aware of this information. However, students are always welcome to approach our Study Skills Team in Area 78 or in the upgrade centre to discuss this. Subject workshops will be run throughout the year to support students with their learning. If you have any concerns regarding study support please contact Roger Jones, Study Skills Manager.
 
EXAMINATION ENTRIES AND FEES
Students will be normally be entered into the examinations for the appropriate courses that they are taking. Usually the college pays for all the first time exam entries for 16 – 19 yr olds, unless following appropriate action under our disciplinary code the college feels that it would be inappropriate for public money to support a students’ entry. For example, if a student chooses not to complete some other aspect of a
qualification such as coursework. All students will be given a Statement of Exam Entries for checking and to inform them of their individual exam timetable. Students needing to pay must obtain a payment form from the exams office and must adhere to payment deadlines and other requirements.
 
COMPLAINTS
We are committed to continual improvement to all aspects of our work as a college and recognise that sometimes things do not always work out correctly. We therefore welcome complaints and have a procedure for investigating them to try and resolve and learn from our mistakes. If you wish to make a complaint, please address this to the Principal’s PA.
 
Tutorial System – Prep Time
Tutors
The Tutor is a student’s first point of contact and is the person your son/daughter can talk to about any matters that concern them. The Tutor will oversee your son/daughters progress and try to support and help them throughout their time here. He/she will usually be one of your son/daughter’s subject teachers.
 
The Tutorial Session
The tutorial sessions are timetabled as 1 to 1’s and as a group session, once a week. This is known as Prep Time. The purpose of prep is to develop and encourage independent study skills as well as offering the opportunity for group and 1 to 1 meetings. Students must attend their timetabled prep sessions. During prep the Tutor will discuss progress and achievement along with a range of events/activities. Students also
use this session for individual study. Formal written reviews will be undertaken by subject teachers and Tutors every term, and will include the setting of targets for each course. Parents are given the opportunity to attend these meetings. You will be sent a copy of the Review, and you will be invited to Parents Evenings during the year. We pay particular attention to target setting as well as records of punctuality and
attendance and the completion of set work.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of you son/daughter’s progress, their Personal Tutor is your first point of contact.
 
Learning Area Managers (LAMs)

Taunton’s has eight Learning Area Manager’s, each working with a team of tutors and teachers. Each LAM works closely with a Learning Area Administrator (LAA). Your son/daughter’s LAM oversees their overall academic progress and pastoral care and is responsible for any course changes.

Code of Conduct
The Student code of conduct sets out our general expectations of students.

Students in the Taunton’s Learning Community are expected to:
  • work hard, attend lessons and tutorials, and be on time
  • behave responsibly and considerately, towards each other, towards college staff and visitors, and towards our neighbours in the community
  • obey the law
  • follow policies designed to protect the college community e.g. zero tolerance on alcohol, drugs and bullying
  • have due regard to their own and people’s health and safety
  • respect the environment, including college property and resources
What this means in practice:
Positive Attitudes to Study
Make the most of your learning opportunity, know what’s required and be ready for lessons
  • Switch off your mobile phone/MP3 player before lessons
  • Come to lessons with everything you need to learn - e.g. books, pens, notes, files, equipment
  • Be attentive in lessons and work hard on tasks
  • Follow instructions and take advice seriously
  • Take an active part in class and group activities and answer questions when asked
  • Do homework and research ready for deadlines
  • Expect to remain in the classroom for the whole lesson
  • Explain any absences and arrange to catch up on missed work
  • Use the Library/Study Areas when not in lessons
Positive Attitudes to Yourself and Others
Treat other people as you’d like others to treat you:
  • Be considerate and polite - to other students as well as staff, visitors and neighbours
  • Behave appropriately, with consideration for others
  • Value each other’s opinion and use language that does not cause offence.
Recognise other people have different values and concerns:
  • Respond positively to instructions from any staff
  • Be sensitive about how your behaviour or dress code might affect other people.
Look after yourself:
  • Wear your ID card visibly at all times
  • Follow the expectations of college policies designed to protect you
  • Eat healthily - including breakfast - but not in class
  • Develop a sustainable lifestyle ensuring the right balance between study, paid employment and socialising
Look after the environment you work and relax in:
  • Leave areas as you would expect to find them i.e clean, tidy, no litter, graffiti or any other damage!
  • Avoid unnecessary waste: adopt sustainable practices - e.g recycle litter and minimize printing and copying
  • Only smoke in the designated smoking area
Our expectations of the students ...
ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to attend and be punctual to all timetabled lessons including tutorial. Any unexplained absence will automatically trigger a text to your mobile. (Please ensure we have yourcorrect mobile number at all times). Any attendance issues should be dealt with by your son/daughter’s Tutor or Learning Area Manager.
 
STUDENTS IN PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT
We encourage students to either work part-time or do voluntary work as this will broaden their life experience but we ask that they limit this to no more than 8 hours per week. Research has shown that just two or four more hours per week reduces students’ achievements by a grade in each subject.
 
PRAISE
For any student who has excelled in any area of work or college life, a Praise Certificate will be sent home to parents from the teacher awarding the Certificate by way of a commendation to recognise this effort.
 
HOMEWORK COMMITMENT
Each student will be given a timetable unique to them. On it there will be timetabled lessons and time for private study, as well as time for supervised study during tutorial. For every hour spent in a lesson, students should expect one hour of homework. We encourage students to make good use of their study periods, either at college in the library, or study areas or at home.
 
MOBILE PHONE USAGE
All students must ensure their mobile phones are turned off in class, or they may be confiscated until the end of the lesson. If you need to contact a student in cases of emergency, please call Student Services on 023 8051 4720 and we will do our best to help you.
 
CAFÉ AND FOOD
The Café is open from 8.30am to 2pm every day for hot and cold beverages, snacks and meals. However, it is essential to students’ concentration that they eat breakfast and lunch, so please encourage them to do so!

 

Learning partnership
The Student Code of Conduct sets out our expectations of students within a learning partnership which also
involves staff.
Within this, Teaching Staff are expected to provide lessons and tutorials which will be:
  • Interesting and engaging
  • Started and finished on time
  • Challenging, motivating, rewarding, and relevant to the Specification delivered
  • A safe place with no intimidation or bullying
  • Somewhere where you can express your ideas and creativity
Teachers and tutors will:
  • Be on time and well prepared to lead the lesson/tutorial
  • Notice and respond to individual needs
  • Set regular homework or independent study tasks
  • Prepare students thoroughly for exams and assignments
  • Use a range of learning activities
  • Provide good and timely feedback on how to improve your work
  • Praise student efforts and celebrate success.
Working together, all staff at the College are committed to:
  • Maintaining a positive attitude by:
  • Providing helpful and knowledgeable support to all in a professional manner;
  • Treating all individuals with respect and promoting our commitment to equality of opportunity
  • Adopting a positive and proactive approach, without blame or prejudice.
Creating positive behaviours by:
  • Facilitating and supporting learning;
  • Taking a solution - focused approach and responding to all communication within a specified amount of time.
  • Being flexible to working with other areas of the College when required.
  • Maintaining outstanding communication by:
  • Ensuring that we have effective communication with our students, staff and everyone belonging to the College community
  • Listening and providing a solution wherever possible;
  • Reviewing our processes and procedures to ensure that we are providing the best possible service to all.
There are, of course, consequences of not keeping to the Code of Conduct. The college operates an Alerts and Warnings system which is designed to keep students on track. Details of the Behaviour Management procedures are available on Moodle which is the college Virtual Learning Environment.

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