Student Support and Enrichment
Every student is allocated to a tutorial group made up of about twenty-three students drawn from the same academic year. The tutor is responsible for overseeing the general welfare and academic progress of their students and provides help and advice on academic and personal issues. There is a programme of individual and group advice and guidance ranging from induction through to university and careers advice.
Student progress is reviewed throughout the year, this includes performance reports and Parents’ Evenings. Parents are encouraged to contact their son's or daughter's tutor at any time to discuss any issues relating to academic progress or the college in general. We attempt to develop a clear sense of individual responsibility in each student but realise that this needs to be supported by appropriate guidance and an open, responsive relationship between students and staff.
Higher Education and Careers
In addition to the guidance students will receive from their tutor there are a number of other sources of help and guidance to assist students in considering the various options after Collyer's. The college has close links with Babcock (formerly Connexions) who regularly give careers interviews in college.
Our Learning Resources Centre has a well equipped Careers and Higher Education section. This houses a wide range of information on all aspects of employment and colleges of further and higher education, including prospectuses and a range of informative and advisory books. Each May we hold a Higher Education Evening, and students are encouraged to attend careers events. Our aim is to equip all students to make informed decisions and examine the wider implications of higher education and career choices.
The Learning Resources Centre & the Student Enquiry Desk
Our Learning Resources Centre is equipped with good quality up to date resources and equipment, reflecting the needs of the curriculum. It includes a computerised library, stocking a wide variety of books, magazines, DVDs and careers and Higher Education material. The college intranet provides access to the ‘Virtual Learning Environment’ which covers both academic and personal resources and materials for students.
Both black and white and colour photocopying facilities are available as are open access networked PCs with free internet access, colour printers and a scanner. Staff are on hand throughout the day and on four evenings until 8 p.m. to advise and assist students with their research needs. The Learning Resource Centre is also open every half-term, providing a much used and valuable resource to students. On the ground floor of the LRC the Student Enquiry Desk provides a ‘one stop’ source of information on a whole range of issues relevant to students.
Equality and Diversity
Collyer’s aim is to treat everyone with respect and consideration, and therefore welcomes applications from all members of the community regardless of gender, learning difficulty and/or disability, ethnic or national origin, race, religion or belief, age, socio-economic status, marital or family status, sexual orientation, politics and trade union membership. A copy of the detailed Equality and Diversity Duty is available from the student enquiry desk. If you have any questions relating to the implementation of the duty and associated schemes, please contact the Admissions Manager who will put you in touch with the relevant member of staff.
Study Support
There are study support staff available to help individual students with, for example, dyslexia or exam preparation and guidance. Individual needs can be discussed with the Co-ordinator of Additional Needs who has specific responsibility in this area. Contact the Admission Manager or, once enrolled, the student enquiry desk for a copy of the ‘Supporting Learning at Collyer’s’ booklet.
We are also able to offer a confidential Student Counselling Service.
Access for Disabled Students
If you need help with mobility, please contact Reception for advice on the best entrance to use. For wheelchair access to the Duckering Hall; the Richmond Road entrance and car park are recommended.
Recreational Activities
The college has an excellent variety of physical activities on offer to a wide and diverse range of students and has an array of versatile facilities that can accommodate most sporting activities. Collyer’s extensive playing fields have space for two football pitches, a rugby pitch, space for 5-a-side football and volleyball. The multi-use games area (MUGA) is available for student use for a range of activities including tennis, 5-a-side football and netball. The Sports Hall can be used at lunchtimes for one activity or be divided up to provide for activities that include: 5-a-side football; short tennis; basketball; Netball; Volleyball; badminton; table tennis; trampolining; pilates and aerobics.
Collyer’s also has its own Fitness Suite where students and staff can all use the facility. The recently built fitness suite is well equipped with a range of cardio-vascular machines as well as fixed and free weight equipment. The fitness suite is open to all with an inclusive timetable
Development Squads
The college runs rugby, hockey and football Development Squads where our student athletes have high quality coaching throughout the college week through performance based and fitness based training sessions. They also compete in National Cups alongside their respective Sussex County Leagues and Cups. In recent years Collyer’s has built a healthy reputation for consistently producing successful teams. The Rugby Development Squad has a 1st XV, 2nd XV and a 10’s team who compete in the British College Regional Championships and the National Daily Mail Cup. The Hockey Development Squad has achieved national success, winning the U18 cup for boys and the plate competition at national level with our mixed team. We are the current U18 national cup holders for boys and won the plate competition at national level with our mixed team. Our girls represented the south east region at the British Colleges national championships held at Loughborough University. The Football Development Squad is widely regarded as one of the strongest teams in Sussex who regularly compete for trophies. The squad has consistently produced County representatives for a number of years, some of whom have won National Trophies with the County team.
The netball, women’s football, basketball and women’s rugby teams also train and compete in the Sussex Leagues and Cups.
Performing Arts
All students are encouraged to take part in Performing Arts subjects at Collyer’s. No previous experience is necessary; any student with enthusiasm and commitment is welcome.
Performers but also designers, lighting, backstage and sound crew are all needed (particularly in Drama and Theatre Studies). The subsequent performances are always great fun and they give students the opportunity to broaden their horizons, skills, friends and their SFBac. Each term there are Performing Arts events featuring either dance, drama or music. There are also more informal groups that are involved in a range of performance activities which you can join in Freshers' Week.
The College Council
The College Council is a lively and active group that meets regularly to discuss matters of concern to the whole college. Student members are elected by their fellow students and various sub-committees organise such things as social events and fund raising for charity. The College Council is affiliated to the NUS.
Other Enrichment Activities
There are a wide variety of other enrichment activities that students can get involved in. The exact programme varies from year to year as we try to respond to students’ interests and new opportunities as they occur. Some examples of recent groups or activities are: The Yearbook Committee, Christian Union, Multi-Cultural Group, OUTSET (voluntary work), Duke of Edinburgh scheme and Young Enterprise. In addition debating groups and other interesting and interested groups of students get together to set up and develop a mutual interest on an annual basis. If you are prepared to get involved you will not be disappointed. Many subjects have trips, residentials and visiting speakers as part of the learning programme; these always prove very popular with the students.
Discretionary Financial Support
Now that the Education Maintenance Allowance has ended, The Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) have organised a new financial scheme which will be run and administered by the College. It is to support Learners facing genuine financial barriers.
To be eligible for financial support students must be under 19 on 31 August 2011 and qualify under either of the categories below:
Vulnerable Learners as defined by the YPLA - Children in Care: Care Leavers: Carers: Receiving Income Support and living independently: a young parent: disabled and those who are currently in receipt of free school dinners. The award is £1200 per annum
Discretionary Support - For students whose family income is less than £21,000. Application to be made on basis of need.
All applications must be accompanied by the relevant evidence of income.
Students will be monitored and expected to have 100% for attendance, performance and effort in compliance with College’s Student Financial Guidelines which will be signed by each student awarded funding.
Application forms will be available by the middle of July. They can be obtained by contacting the Student Support & Finance Office. Should you have any queries, please contact us on 01403 216556 or cab@collyers.ac.uk.
The College Fund
The College Fund is a single payment of £140 requested on entry to the college which covers the provision of those social and recreational ‘extras’ not otherwise provided for by public funding. It funds, for example, the provision of recreational facilities in Sport, Leisure and Fitness, and in Music, Drama and Dance; minibus transport for local trips, visits and matches; the student magazine and student social facilities. It encourages students to participate fully in the enrichment and social activities the college provides and enables the college to provide them free to students instead of having to make charges for their use.
Payment is made at enrolment by cash, cheque (payable to ‘Collyer’s’), Mastercard or Visa. In the event of insufficient contributions being made, the college would have to consider withdrawing the above facilities or charging for them, which would in either case penalise students and remove opportunities. A refund of the contribution for the year can be claimed if a student leaves before 1st October of that year; no refunds will be made after that date.