ADULT &

COMMUNITY
LEARNING SERVICE

LEARNER HANDBOOK 2018/19

‘Trail blazing – the path to excellence’

CONTENTS
Page
Welcome 1

Your course details 2

Learning agreement 3

Support for your learning 5

Recording your progress and achievement 6

Equality 7

Staying safe 8

Safer learning 9

Promoting British Values 10

Cyberbullying 11

Stay safe online 12

Quality 14

Information and advice 15

Your feedback 16

Learner View 17

Compliments, complaints and ideas 18

Contact information 19
 WELCOME YOUR COURSE DETAILS
Welcome to your course!
We hope that you learn new skills and develop your Name of course
interests.
We will help and support you as much as possible.
Please let your tutor know if there is anything we can Name of your tutor
do to help you.
In this book, you will find details about what you can
expect from your course. Who to contact:-

We will ask you to give us feedback about your course

at the end.Your views are important to us. Name

We hope you enjoy your new course and let us know if

you need any more information.
Telephone number
Adult and Community Learning Team

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 LEARNING AGREEMENT In return we would like you to:

We want you to have a really good experience and do  come to every session of your course at
your best while you are learning. the agreed time

We promise to:  inform your tutor if you can’t attend

 give you a good learning experience  respect other people’s views and opinions

find out what you would like to achieve and help you
   t ake part in a course induction where you agree the
to do this ground rules for the class with other learners and
the tutor
make sure that you have the best support when you
 
need it  not show any prejudice towards others

 listen to your worries and help to solve any  take care of any materials and equipment
problems you might have  follow health and safety regulations
make sure that your course is in a safe and
   feel safe and be safe in the classroom
comfortable place
give you the right information and advice to help you
 
to make choices Respect each
others views

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 SUPPORT FOR RECORDING YOUR
YOUR LEARNING PROGRESS AND
We welcome all learners to our courses and are ACHIEVEMENT
committed to fully supporting you in your learning.
As part of your course, you and your tutor will set goals
At the start of your course, your tutor will ask you if that you would like to achieve.
you need any help with your reading, writing, maths or
using the computer. These will be recorded in your Individual Learning Plan (ILP)
to help you to:
You will also need to tell your tutor if you have a
learning difficulty or disability that needs additional  say what you can already do
support so that you can fully take part in the class.  set new goals
For example, you may need adapted equipment for the  get feedback from your tutor about how you are
computer, a hearing loop or larger print font handouts. doing
It is important to let your tutor know if you need any  check that you have met your goals
help in an emergency so they can make arrangements to  decide what you would like to do next
help you.
For example, if there was a fire and you needed help to
hear the alarm or leave the building.
If you need to bring an assistance dog into the class, you Individuallan
P
need to let your tutor know before the course starts so Learning
arrangements can be made for the lessons.
Please let you tutor know as soon as possible if you
need any other support for your learning.

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 EQUALITY
We want you to feel that you have the same chances as
everyone and we will do this by:
 making sure that everyone has the chance to learn
 making sure everyone is treated fairly
 making sure that there are suitable learning
resources and support available
 understanding people’s backgrounds, needs
and worries
 celebrating people’s differences
 having classes in local places
If you feel you have not been given the same chances
as everyone else or treated unfairly, please speak to
your tutor or contact:
Preeya Buckley
Community Learning Manager
 Tel: 01785 277147
: Email: Preeya.buckley@staffordshire.gov.uk
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STAYING SAFE
Whilst you are on your course your health and
wellbeing is very important to us. We want to make
sure you and our staff are safe.
We will do this by making sure:
 you are taught in safe and caring places
 we follow strict rules to make sure we employ the
right people
 all tutors plan activities that help keep you safe
 we give advice to staff on how to deal with someone
that may be experiencing harm, or at risk of
experiencing harm
To stay safe on the course we expect you to:
 respect each other’s rights and dignity
 follow the rules, which include not drinking alcohol
or taking drugs
 follow rules about where you can and cannot smoke
cigarettes
 follow safety and emergency rules, like fire drills
know that you cannot behave badly, for example
 
fighting, bullying, damaging property or swearing. If
you behave badly like this, you will be asked to leave
the course.
 ADULT COMMUNITY LEARNING
PROMOTES BRITISH VALUES

Democracy The rule of law

You have the right to feel safe where you learn. Other people should not hurt or abuse you.
Your opinion counts
 No one is above the law

Your responsibilities are:
• to respect other people’s rights to safety; Laws protect everyone

• not to hurt or abuse others; and
• not to threaten to hurt or abuse others.
Innocent until proved guilty


Physical abuse Sexual abuse Psychological or

People should not touch you in a People should not touch you or emotional abuse
way that hurts. make you touch them in a way People should not upset you by
that makes you feel bullying or teasing you.
uncomfortable or upset.

Respect and tolerance

Financial, money or Neglect
material abuse If you have personal care
People should not steal support, people who are there
from you. to help you should not neglect
you or ignore you.
All backgrounds and cultures

All ages
 Individual
All genders and sexualities

Discrimination liberty
People should not treat you All religions and beliefs

badly because of your age, Freedom of speech

disability, gender, ethnicity,
religion, or who you choose for
your girlfriend or boyfriend.

What should you do if you think you are being hurt or abused?
If you think you have been hurt or abused by another student or learner,
member of staff or visitor, you should report this as soon as possible.
Tell a trusted member of staff what is happening

You can contact:

• Samaritans – 08457 909090
• Victim Support – 0845 3030900

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 CYBER BULLYING STAY SAFE ONLINE
Cyberbullying is when a person uses technology i.e. Whilst on your course we want you to stay safe online.
mobile phones or the internet (social networking sites, You can do this by:
chat rooms, instant messenger), to deliberately upset  keeping your personal information safe
someone.
 protecting your password

“Report incidents. Don’t share personal Hello... remembering that not everyone online is who they
 
information or passwords. Don’t share say they are
any personal lifestyle information - never agreeing to meet up with anyone you have
 
relationships, family, friends etc.”
met online
never opening emails from people that you
 
Don’t respond to and don’t forward
don't know
cyber bullying messages. Keep evidence  checking your privacy settings
of cyber bullying.”
Do not reply to any
one you don’t know.”  thinking carefully before uploading photos
 tell someone you trust if you see something online
that makes you uncomfortable

If you use social networking sites, remember that

THE PREVENT DUTY it's not a game to add as many people as you can to
We need to give you information about staying safe look more popular!
within the law that is known as The Prevent Duty.
This law keeps you safe from people who may want you
to get involved with political or religious views that are If you see anything on
harmful to you or others. the internet that makes
you feel uncomfortable,
Your tutor will talk to you about this at the beginning of tell someone you trust.
your course and the poster on the previous page gives
more information on what the British Values are.

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 If you feel like you have been hurt or abused in any way,
please tell someone as soon as possible
QUALITY
We have teaching and learning rules to make sure that
Tell your tutor is doing a good job, and you get the most out
someone of your course.
We may also visit the lesson and ask you your opinion on
your learning experience.
We have other information available on our website
about how the quality of your learning is checked and
improved if needed.

Here to help

SOMEONE YOUR
YOU TRUST TUTOR

Please report any safety concerns you have on your

course to your tutor or:
Preeya Buckley
ACL Designated Safeguarding Lead
 Tel: 01785 277147 or 07815 633209
: Email: Preeya.buckley@staffordshire.gov.uk

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 INFORMATION AND ADVICE
Your tutor should be able to give you all of the
information that you will need to go onto your next
steps.
You can find more information about courses on our
website:
YOUR FEEDBACK
At the end of your course you will be asked to fill in a
survey about your experiences on the course and tell
us about your next steps.
The survey will be given to you by your tutor.
If you prefer to use the computer, you can find the

: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/education/
adultcommunity/home
survey on the internet on our website
https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/acl

If you need more information and advice,the National

:
Careers Service helps people aged 19 and over to make
decisions about their education.

: Their website is:

www.nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk

Their telephone number is: 0800 100 900

 The local office number is: 01926 461600

www.staffordshire.gov.uk/acl

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 LEARNER VIEW COMPLIMENTS, COMPLAINTS
Learner View gives you the chance to tell Ofsted AND IDEAS
directly what you think about course.
We want to know if you have any good or bad
comments or any ideas.
Learner View asks for your opinion on a range of 10 You can speak to your tutor, or contact
aspects: from whether the lessons/training sessions
are well taught to if you would recommend the Preeya Buckley
course provider to a friend. Ofsted will use the Community Learning Manager
information you provide when making decisions  Tel: 01785 277147
about which providers to inspect, and when.
:Email: Preeya.buckley@staffordshire.gov.uk
You can also contact the Staffordshire County
By sharing your views, you’ll be helping your Council Contact Centre.
provider to improve.You will also be able to see
what other learners have said about your provider.  Telephone: 0300 111 8000
: Email: customer.feedback@staffordshire.gov.uk
Or you can text:
You can complete the questionnaire here:
https://learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk/  ‘STAFFS CORP and your
message’ to 60003
The text message costs the same as
your other text messages.

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 CONTACT INFORMATION
If you think that we can help in any way or if you would
like further information, please contact us:
Adult and Community Learning Service
Staffordshire County Council
2 Staffordshire Place
Tipping Street
Stafford. ST16 2DH
 Tel: 01785 278010
:Web: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/acl
Email: acl@staffordshire.gov.uk

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Adult and Community Learning Service
Staffordshire County Council
2 Staffordshire Place
Tipping Street
Stafford ST16 2DH

SYN9272