PARENT & CARER INFORMATION

Frequently asked questions:

• Does my young person have to come to college all day every day?

  Young people must attend all of their timetabled lessons, ASPIRE tutorials and ASPIRE+ activities every week; their timetable is available for you to view at any time after the start of the academic year, on CEDAR. We expect 100% attendance; evidence strongly suggests that students with full attendance achieve better outcomes.

  The College day is 8.30am to 4.30pm from Monday to Friday. We expect all young people enrolled at the college to be available between these hours every day, since additional lessons and other activities can be added to the timetable throughout the year, so timetables may change.

  Some ASPIRE+ events and societies also run between 4.00pm and 5.30pm (more information on these will be provided during the induction period). Your young person can complete their college work at home, in the College’s Learning Resource Centre (LRC) or elsewhere, during the periods they are not in timetabled lessons.

• What is CEDAR?

  Click here to log in to CEDAR.

  CEDAR is the College information system which stores the personal data of your young person, including contact details and information on their attendance and academic progress.

  Parents/carers are able to access this data at any time via the Parent Portal. Once your young person has enrolled at the College, you will be sent details on how to log in, so it is important that we have the correct contact details for you. If you are having difficulty logging in, please email cedar@stokesfc.ac.uk in the first instance. We encourage parents/carers to check this information at least once every half term, and before parents’/carers’ evening appointments. Please contact College if you have not received the log in details by the end of September.

• How much independent study (PREP) should my young person be doing outside of lessons?

  Your young person will be set PREP tasks by their teachers; these must be completed outside of lessons and by the deadlines they are given. We expect learners to gradually increase the amount of time they spend on PREP as they progress through their course, building up to at least 14 hours each week by the end of their first year of study (in addition to attending all of their lessons, ASPIRE tutorials and ASPIRE+ activities). Teachers will set structured tasks to be completed during this time; your young person can complete this work in the College’s Learning Resource Centre (LRC) or at home.

• How can I support my young person in their journey to becoming an independent learner?

  Please encourage your young person to:

  ·         Attend all lessons, ASPIRE Tutorials and their chosen ASPIRE+ activities on time, and complete all PREP work set after each lesson by the deadlines given.

  • Come to College fully equipped and ready to learn (e.g. pen, paper, folder, if available their own fully charged electronic device etc.)
  • Check their Progress Grades after every Progress Point Assessment; these will be available for you and your young person to view on CEDAR.
  • Speak to their teachers or Progress Coach if they have worries or concerns.
  • Behave in a mature and responsible manner at all times in College and be respectful to all other members of the College community.
• Who should I contact at College to discuss my young person’s progress?

  All young people enrolled at the College are allocated a Progress Coach. The role of the Progress Coach is to lead weekly tutorials and to conduct regular 1-1 discussions with all of their students. If you have any concerns, or would like to discuss any issues, please contact your young person’s Progress Coach in the first instance; their name will be available on CEDAR via the Parent Portal. The Progress Coach will liaise with teaching staff or Student Services as appropriate, on your behalf.

• When will I receive progress reports from teachers?

  We carry out regular Progress Point Assessments in all subjects. The grades achieved at each Progress Point Assessment are entered onto CEDAR and these are available for you to view at any time via the Parent Portal. However, if you have any concerns at any time, please contact your young person’s Progress Coach; their name will be available on CEDAR.

• What is the ASPIRE Programme?

  College life is about more than courses and qualifications; it’s about gathering experiences and skills that will prepare students for their next steps, whether that’s university, employment or an apprenticeship.

  The ASPIRE Programme combines our ASPIRE+ programme, our ASPIRE tutorials and Futures programme, and is closely linked to the curriculum. The Programme aims to support both academic achievement and personal development, so that our students are ready to take their next steps at the end of their time here. During the Programme, students will work towards improving the ASPIRE characteristics of Achievement, Skills, Participation, Independence, Respect, Endeavour. 

• What is the ASPIRE+ Programme?

  All of our young people are expected to choose from, and become involved in, a range of enrichment activities, clubs and societies during their time at the College. Examples include the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, sporting activities and a variety of skills-based curriculum enhancement activities. Some of these events and societies run after normal college hours. More information on these will be provided during the induction period.

• What is the Futures Programme?

  The Futures Programme is designed to inform, support and inspire students to be positive and ambitious about their future plans and to equip them with the skills they need to progress into either higher education or the world of work. The Programme includes opportunities such as educational and university visits, guest speakers and employer encounters.  Your young person will also be supported to develop employability skills including CV writing, making applications, interview skills and apprenticeship or job searches.  

• What happens if my young person is ill and cannot attend their lessons?

  Full attendance in all lessons, ASPIRE tutorials and ASPIRE+ activities is a college expectation; research shows that attendance is key to achieving a young person’s full potential.

  On the rare occasion that your young person is too ill to attend College, they can log into their CEDAR account and add their absence from the side menu Presence – Absences – Absence Entry. Alternatively, you can call the College absence line on 01782 854203; this number is also displayed on the back of your young person’s ID badge. However, this will count as an unauthorised absence. Your young person must contact their teacher and complete any missed work. Staff will attempt to make contact with your young person if they are absent from lessons for any reason. If contact cannot be established, staff will contact the next of kin listed on CEDAR, therefore please ensure that your contact details are kept up to date.

  If a young person has not attended College for 4 weeks and we have not had any contact with them, their place at College will be withdrawn.

• How will the College address and support underperformance, below expected attendance, or behaviour concerns?

  All students are expected to attend all lessons, ASPIRE tutorials and ASPIRE+ activities on time, show positive behaviour for learning, and make progress in their studies. Young people who cannot meet these expectations will be supported through our Student Performance Management process Please click here for more details: Link to parents’ guide. If your young person does not engage with the support offered, or still finds it difficult to meet College expectations despite additional support, their place at College may be at risk.  

• Are there opportunities to meet my young person’s teachers?

  Yes. The College holds a Parent/Carer Information Evening for new parents/carers at the start of the academic year. We also offer you the opportunity to meet your young person’s subject teachers on one of our Parents’/Carers’ Evenings; the dates and times for these are advertised on our website.

  The College uses software called ‘tes SchoolCloud’ to allow you to book appointments with teaching staff on one of the Parents’/Carers’ Evenings. As long as you have supplied an up to date email address, you will receive an automated email when bookings open for these events. Parents’/Carers’ Evenings are usually held via video call; more information on Parents’/Carers’ Evenings will be sent out to you nearer the time. However, if you have any concerns at other times, please contact your young person’s Progress Coach; their name will be available on CEDAR.

• What opportunities are there for work experience at the College?

  T Level students are required to undertake 315 hours in an industry placement; this is a compulsory element of their programme of study and can be completed in blocks during their two year course or on a day release basis.

  BTEC/CTEC courses at College strongly advise young people to find a regular, relevant work experience placement for up to 4 hrs per week. This is also recommended for young people studying A Levels who want to enter the medical or care related professions.

  In addition, all Year One students are expected to attend a work placement for at least one week. To facilitate this, all Year One students are taken off timetable for one week in January. Please encourage your young person to arrange their own work placement if possible. The College has a Futures Team who can support students in finding appropriate work placements. Please contact the college for more information on work experience opportunities.

• Can my young person also have a part time paid job whilst at College?

  College should be regarded as your young person’s ‘full time job’, so please limit any part time paid work to no more than 8 – 10 hours per week; this must be outside of college hours i.e. after 5pm weekdays or at weekends.

• Can I apply for financial support and free school meals to support my young person whilst at the Sixth Form College?

  Yes. There is a variety of financial support available, including free school meals and different types of bursary. In order to qualify for these, you must meet the criteria which are based on household income and family circumstances. You can find more information on financial support, including on how to apply, by clicking on this link. Whilst you are encouraged to apply for support at the start of the academic year, if your family circumstances change mid-year, you can still apply at any point in the year.

• How does my young person apply for a university place?

  All young people at the College are encouraged to make an application for university through the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) at the end of their first year of Level 3 study. Progress Coaches work closely with young people, providing the support they need to fill in the online UCAS application form, which includes a personal statement. The deadline for submitting applications varies depending on the courses applied for; the College sets internal deadlines to ensure that young people submit their entries in time for checking before being submitted to UCAS.

  The dates for 2024 applications are as follows:

  •  Oxbridge/MDV & Admissions Tests and Conservatoire applications – Friday 8th September 2023
  • Russell Group, Competitive Health (Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Paramedics), Competitive Dance & Drama, Education (Primary Education, Early Years, Education Studies), & Competitive Sciences (Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Pharmacy) – Sunday 1^st October 2023
  •  Local/National (non-competitive courses) – Sunday 15th October 2023

  A fee is charged by UCAS. For 2024 entry, the application fee is £27.50 (up to a maximum of 5 choices). Young people in receipt of a bursary will have this fee paid on their behalf.