IFY Student Handbook

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for choosing to study an NCUK qualification. NCUK is a consortium of leading universities dedicated to giving international students guaranteed access to universities worldwide and helping students succeed when they get there. Our qualifications are recognised by universities around the world See www.ncuk.ac.uk/our-universities for further information on where your qualification can take you.

NCUK qualifications have been created to give international students the best preparation possible to study at university. If you pass your NCUK qualification, you are guaranteed a place on a suitable course at an NCUK University, provided you meet the university entry criteria. Please visit the NCUK website for a list of the NCUK Universities and an explanation of our guarantee: www.ncuk.ac.uk/guarantee

During your studies, NCUK will help you to apply for a university course, offering valuable support and advice on the best course to suit your needs. When you have accepted an offer from an NCUK University, our dedicated Student Support team will work with you and the university to make all your arrangements as easy as possible.

This Student Handbook contains important information about studying for your NCUK qualification. If you read a word or term and do not know what it means, please check the Glossary at the back for a definition (the words and terms are listed alphabetically).

To help give you the best possible start, NCUK has produced an induction (orientation or introduction) about the International Foundation Year which gives you an overview of what you can expect from the course and the university progression options available to you. You can access it on our website: www.ncuk.ac.uk/induction/ and should only take 15 minutes to complete.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Registration

BSC Central London will register you with NCUK in the Welcome system. To do this BSC Central London will need your:

 name as it is printed in your passport (or birth certificate, if you do not have a passport yet)

 passport (if you have one)

 email address (if you do not have an email address you need to set one up)

 certificate or certificates that show you have the qualifications (entry requirements) needed to study your NCUK qualification

When you have been registered in Welcome, you will receive an email from NCUK asking you to check and confirm your details. You must tell BSC Central London as soon as possible if any registration details are wrong. If the details in Welcome are incorrect it could affect your university applications, NCUK Certificate and any documents you may need to obtain your visa to enter your university destination country.

NCUK will store your personal data so that we can provide all your assessments and record your academic progress. If you would like to know more information about how NCUK uses your personal data, please read the NCUK Privacy Notice on the NCUK website at www.ncuk.ac.uk/ncuk-policies/ BSC Central London will inform you about any other information they need to register you on your qualification.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching methods in NCUK Universities are quite different from those used in many other countries. The aim of your NCUK qualification is to give you the skills and knowledge to succeed when you go on to study with an NCUK University.

 All teaching will be conducted in English. You will be encouraged to use English as frequently as possible and at all times whilst on BSC Central London premises.

 BSC Central London will introduce you to the teaching methods used by NCUK Universities, for example lectures, seminars, tutorials and workshop classes. You will also practise a wide range of study techniques, including individual and group presentations, project work and extended essay writing.

Your NCUK qualification is designed to help you develop the skills to plan your workload and find the motivation, discipline and time to study and learn. BSC Central London will provide you with opportunities to become a confident, independent learner who is able to recognise and react appropriately to your strengths and weaknesses.

Taking responsibility for your own learning is important to being a successful NCUK student.

Support and Resources

BSC Central London aims to support you throughout your studies. To help you get the most out of your NCUK qualification, BSC Central London will provide access to appropriate pastoral and academic support and you will be able to discuss your progress through regular tutorials. The staff at BSC Central London will tell you about the resources available, including any additional tutorial support if you have a specific problem with an element of your qualification. You will also receive advice on how to use computer-based resources and the library (or learning resource centre).

Special Educational Needs, Disabilities or Temporary Illness/Injury

You should talk to Sofia Papadimitropoulou, Director of Studies or Hannah Tucker-Bloom, Group Programmes Manager for Pathways as soon as possible if you:

 have a permanent disability or specific learning needs

 have temporary illness/injury or learning needs at the time of an assessment

 are affected by something beyond your control at the time of an assessment e.g. the death or serious illness in your immediate family (i.e. brother, sister, mother, father, grandmother or grandfather).

Access Arrangements Special Consideration

If you have a permanent disability or specific learning needs, NCUK may give permission for access arrangements to be put in place. Access arrangements are changes to reduce the effect of your disability or condition.

For example, a student with a diagnosed learning difference may be eligible for extra time to complete an exam Their work will be marked in the same way as all other students for that qualification.

If you are ill, injure yourself of have another problem that affects your performance on the day of an exam or when you are completing coursework, you may be eligible for special consideration. If there is evidence that your performance was affected by the problem NCUK will take this into account. This may mean that a mark is changed, that an assessment component is discounted (is not used to calculate your final mark) or that you are given the opportunity to be reassessed.

It is your responsibility to inform BSC Central London by talking to Sofia or Hannah if you think you are eligible for access arrangements or special consideration. BSC Central London will make sure that your application is completed properly and send it to NCUK

Please note:

 An application for access arrangements must be made before coursework is completed/an exam takes place.

 Special consideration cannot be requested after you receive your final results

 Information about your personal circumstances is confidential: it will be stored securely by NCUK.

NCUK and BSC Central London want to make sure that you get the most out of your NCUK qualification. From time to time, BSC Central London will ask for your feedback (what you think) about your experience studying your NCUK qualification e.g. you will be asked about the teaching and the facilities and resources at BSC Central London. It is your chance to tell BSC Central London what is going well and what could be improved. Don’t be afraid to say what you really think!

BSC Central London and NCUK want to learn about your experience and find out if we can make any improvements that will help you or future students.

Please raise any issues you have with BSC Central London, your first point of contact is your tutor. Most issues can be resolved informally However, if you feel that the issue has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you may wish to follow BSC Central London’s formal complaints procedure.

NCUK has a complaints process, but you must first go through BSC Central London’s procedure before you can bring the matter to NCUK To access a copy of the NCUK Complaints and Compliments Policy please visit www.ncuk.ac.uk/ncuk-policies/

Leaving the Qualification Early (Withdrawal)

If you need to leave your NCUK qualification for any reason, you must contact the administration department at BSC Central London. Remember that if you leave the qualification, you will not be able to apply for a study visa through BSC Central London or NCUK.

CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY

The NCUK University Course Finder (available at www.ncuk.ac.uk/ncukqualifications/ncuk-entry-directory) gives detailed information about entry requirements for courses at each of the NCUK Universities.

During the year, there will be opportunities to find out more about the NCUK universities you can apply to. Staff at BSC Central London will provide advice and give presentations on how you should choose a university and course NCUK will also contact you via email to provide advice and resources to help you better understand each stage of the application process. In addition, university representatives and NCUK staff may visit BSC Central London, so you can ask them any questions you may have.

Your BSC Central London tutors will tell you what grades they expect you to get at the end of your NCUK qualification and this will help you to choose the most appropriate university course.

Once you have chosen which universities you want to apply to, staff at BSC Central London will help you to complete your application. After you have applied, the universities will tell you if your application has been successful, and, if so, what grades you will need to achieve at the end of your qualification. If you have any problems receiving offers, NCUK will help to find you an appropriate university course.

When you have taken your final exams, you must wait for your results to be published. If you have not achieved the grades you need, BSC Central London will advise you on what to do next. Remember that if you do not achieve the grades you need, NCUK will find you an appropriate university place providing you have achieved the minimum pass requirements (see www.ncuk.ac.uk/guarantee)

Students Applying for Undergraduate Degrees

The NCUK Student Support team will help you with applications to NCUK Universities all over the world Our close connections with NCUK Universities mean that, as a student, you can just concentrate on your studies. If you have any questions about studying abroad, please contact your BSC Central London student counsellor, visit our website www.ncuk.ac.uk/study-abroad or email student@ncuk.ac.uk for more information.

UCAS is an organisation that manages the application process for undergraduate degrees in the UK. You will use the UCAS online system to make your UK applications and NCUK will manage the process for you.

The UCAS system allows you to make five university choices. However, as an NCUK student, we strongly recommend to only make three choices to NCUK Universities. If your initial applications are unsuitable and you do not receive an offer, keeping two choices free allows NCUK to make additional applications for you as quickly as possible. It also ensures that you will benefit from the NCUK Guarantee. If you use all five choices, the process of finalising your university offers may be delayed. This may decrease your chances of obtaining a visa in time to begin your studies.

ASSESSMENT (EXAMS AND COURSEWORK)

Assessment is designed to measure what students know, understand and are able to do. NCUK modules are assessed by coursework and/or examination (exam). During your studies you will be given different types of assessment, designed to be similar to the assessments used at NCUK Universities.

NCUK Learning and Assessment Platform

You will complete your coursework and exams in the college building, under examination circumstances.

The Study Centre will provide a suitable examination venue which is quiet and comfortable (e.g. heated or air-conditioned). The number of students taking an exam may mean it is necessary for the Study Centre to use more than one room.

Tests/exams are closed-book and must be invigilated in accordance with the NCUK Academic Handbook, In-Centre Paper-Based Exam Invigilation Guide and Regulations.

Coursework

BSC Central London will give you a calendar of all coursework with hand in dates. The dates will be arranged so that the work is evenly spread through the year.

Here is some essential information about the coursework system for your NCUK qualification:

 All work that you hand in must be entirely your own and written in your own words If your tutors think you have presented someone else’s work as your own, they will treat this very seriously and it might result in you receiving no marks for your work or you may even be asked to leave. The section on Academic Misconduct (cheating) explains this in more detail and you can also ask your BSC Central London tutors

 Your BSC Central London tutors will instruct you on the arrangements for submitting (handing in) coursework.

 If you submit work late and do not have a valid reason, marks will be deducted (taken away). This is explained on the next page.

 All coursework will be marked (graded) by your BSC Central London tutors and they will provide some written feedback to help you with your learning.

 If you do not pass a piece of coursework that counts towards your final grade, BSC Central London will tell you if you can resubmit the work. In some cases, NCUK rules will not allow you to resubmit.

 You will be given coursework (or homework) that does not count towards your final grade. This coursework is an extremely important part of your development. It will help you improve your skills in particular areas or give you practice for an assessment that does count towards your final grade.

Late Coursework Penalties

Coursework that is submitted late (handed in after the deadline) will have marks deducted (taken away): 10% for each late day. The table (Figure 1) shows how the marks will be deducted.

Figure 1: Late Assessment Penalties

Multiply Original Mark by:

For example, if a piece of your coursework is given a mark of 50/100, but you submitted it one day late, the mark will be multiplied by 0.9 (minus 10%) so you received a mark 45/100.

Examinations

The details of the examinations (exams) for each of your modules will be given to you by your tutors.

You must follow NCUK’s regulations when you take your examinations People called invigilators (these might be your tutors) will make sure that all students follow the regulations.

If you will take your exams remotely (e.g. not at BSC Central London but at home or another suitable location), you will be monitored by a remote proctoring service to ensure that you do not cheat. The remote proctoring system uses video and sound capture via your computer to monitor your activity during an exam The system will provide a report to BSC Central London and any suspicious activity will be investigated. BSC Central London will provide you with more information about remote proctoring before your exams and the NCUK exam regulations for these circumstances.

NCUK Exam Regulations

Preparing for the exam

a. Be on time. If you are late you might not be allowed to take the exam.

b. If you will handwrite any part of the exam, you should use only black or blue pen.

c. You must not take any of the following items into the exam room:

 Notes, books or an electronic dictionary

 A calculator case or calculator instructions (please refer to NCUK’s Calculator Regulations)

 Any product with text/data/storage/digital facilities, such as a mobile phone, iPad, MP3/4 player, a reading pen, a smartwatch or watch that has a data storage device

 Food

d. Bags, cases or other items must not be taken to your exam desk. Small handbags and pencil cases may be left on the floor by your desk.

e. BSC Central London will tell you if a calculator can be used for the exam. NCUK has regulations about the type of calculator which can be used (see NCUK Calculator Regulations). Before you take your calculator into the exam room you must remove any parts - such as the case, lid or cover - that have printed instructions or formulae on them.

In the exam room and during the exam

f. Sit where the invigilator tells you: there will be a seating plan.

g. Put your BSC Central London student ID card on your desk. If you do not have an ID card, BSC Central London will ask you to bring another type of identification to the exam.

h. Listen to the invigilator and follow their instructions at all times. The invigilator will tell you when you can start the exam.

i. Do not talk or try to communicate with any other student or with other persons either inside or outside the exam room.

j. Do not disturb or distract other students or do anything which may disrupt the exam.

k. Do not try to help another student during the exam.

l. Do not borrow anything from another student during the exam.

m. Do not answer more than the required number of questions.

At the end of the exam

n. Stay seated and remain silent until the invigilator allows you to leave the exam room.

o. For exams taken on the NCUK learning and assessment platform:

 You must hand any handwritten work and any rough work to the invigilator.

p. For paper-based exams:

 Do not remove any question papers, answer booklets or other items of examination stationery from the exam room.

 You must hand in your answer booklets, including any notes or rough work to the invigilator. Any rough work should be crossed out before you hand in your answers.

If BSC Central London suspects that any of NCUK’s exam rules have been broken, BSC Central London will investigate the matter. The student(s) concerned will normally be permitted to complete all their exams and BSC Central London will report the outcome of the investigation to NCUK. Confirmed cases of academic misconduct will normally result in failure and exclusion from NCUK qualifications.

If you have any questions about NCUK’s exam regulations, please speak to your tutor and he or she will advise you.

Your Marks and Grades

Your exams and coursework are marked by the tutors at BSC Central London. NCUK module marks are given out of 100.

Your assessments will be reviewed by NCUK moderators (who are experts in their subject). It is their job to help NCUK ensure that every student studying the same NCUK qualification has been assessed fairly and receives the correct mark for their exams and coursework. It would not be fair if students in one study centre got different (higher or lower) marks for the same standard of work as students at another study centre.

Once the moderators have reviewed student work there is a meeting - called an Exam Board - to discuss the marks and confirm the results.

You will be awarded a mark (and for some qualifications, a grade or classification) for each module you complete; this shows your level of achievement. Offers made by NCUK Universities are expressed in terms of these marks and grades.

Further information about the mark and grade system will be given by your tutors.

BSC Central London will inform you of the date when you will receive your final results. For further information you should read the section called Official Publication of Results on the next page.

NCUK will set the date for the Official Publication of Results: the day when you will be given your final results. BSC Central London will tell you the date before the end of your study.

NCUK will produce a certificate and transcript of results for you. Following the Official Publication of Results, NCUK will send your certificate and transcript to BSC Central London, who will then send these to you.

Note that if you do not finish your NCUK qualification, you will not usually receive a certificate, although you may be eligible for a transcript.

Enquiry about Results

If you think your results may not be accurate, you must talk to Sofia or Hannah to discuss whether to submit an Enquiry about Results to NCUK. Sofia or Hannah will explain how your final marks were decided and advise you about the Enquiry process, how long it will take and what it will cost. It is important you are aware that:

 NCUK must receive the Enquiry – and the fee for this service - no later than 101 working days after the Official Publication of Results.

 NCUK will only accept Enquiries submitted by BSC Central London. Enquiries from you or your parents will not be accepted by NCUK.

It is very important that you understand that with an Enquiry, your mark and grade may go down as well as up.

If the Enquiry shows that a mistake has been made, the fee (cost) will be refunded.

Appeal

If you still have concerns about your results after completing the Enquiry about Results process, you should discuss the issues with Sofia or Hannah. You cannot appeal against the academic judgement of the NCUK Exam Board. An appeal must be concerned with whether NCUK’s policies and procedures were applied properly and fairly. Sofia or Hannah will help you understand what this means.

The appeal must be submitted no later than 5 working days after the date NCUK informed BSC Central London of the Enquiry decision. There will be a fee, but if your appeal is successful this fee will be refunded.

Please note that the timeframe to conduct a thorough appeal investigation may delay the university placement process.

1 For enquiries into resit results, NCUK must receive applications no later than 5 working days after the Official Publication of Results.

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT (CHEATING)

Academic misconduct is where a student does something dishonest or unacceptable to try and their marks. Academic misconduct is taken very seriously in UK universities and by NCUK. Academic misconduct will result in a penalty (losing marks) and could mean that you fail the assessment, module or even the qualification. For this reason, BSC Central London will train you in how to avoid problems when presenting your work.

Academic misconduct can be classified into six types:

1. Plagiarism

Copying information, thoughts or ideas from a published or unpublished source without acknowledging (showing in your work) where that information, thoughts or ideas came from

• During your NCUK studies you will learn how to use sources (e.g. books, websites, articles) and reference them properly.

• BSC Central London may check your work using an online plagiarism detection system such as Turnitin.

2. Collusion

Where two or more students work together to produce individual assessments that contain the same ideas and text.

• It is important that you prevent your work from being seen and used by others.

• Even lending coursework to a friend or leaving work on a shared computer, not knowing that it will be copied, could result in a penalty for collusion.

3. Fabrication of Results

Where a student presents a set of results that are not from their observations or calculations.

Penalties

4. Subcontracting

Where a student asks someone else to write part of all their assessment The student will normally pay for the work, but if a family member or friend produces all or part of the work that is also subcontracting.

5. Use of Translation Services

Where a student uses one or more of the following to produce or help produce their EAP, EAPPU or RCS coursework:

• a paid for translation service

• online eTranslation tools (e.g. a translation website)

• friends or family

This type of academic misconduct affects only the work where your English language skills are assessed e.g. in your EAP, EAPPU or RCS coursework.

6. Examination misconduct

Where a student seeks to gain unfair advantage in an examination.

For example, by using notes, communicating with someone inside or outside the exam room, using a pre-programmed calculator or copying from someone else.

It is your responsibility to make sure that all work you submit is your own and that any sources you used are properly referenced.

For collusion, fabrication of results, subcontracting, use of translation services and examination misconduct the coursework or examination mark will be set to zero.

For plagiarism, the penalty level (the amount that a mark will be lowered by) will depend on the following:

• if the you have plagiarised before

• how much of the work is plagiarised (the level of plagiarism)

• the qualification being studied

• the value of the assessment in relation to the total module mark

• if you deliberately tried to conceal the plagiarism

The NCUK Academic Misconduct Policy details the penalties for plagiarism. Please ask BSC Central London if you would like a copy of the NCUK Academic Misconduct Policy.

What will happen if you are suspected of misconduct?

a. BSC Central London will invite you for an interview. You will be asked to bring any evidence that might help show that the work is all your own, such as notes you may have made when researching the assessment.

b. You will be interviewed by two members of staff (one of these people will normally be the Academic Manager - Hannah). They will explain why they suspect you of academic misconduct and they will take notes of the meeting.

c. If BSC Central London has found the original source of the work during its investigation (i.e. a journal article or website) then this will be shown to you in the meeting. If BSC Central London identified the misconduct using Turnitin, the similarity report will be shown to you.

d. The BSC Central London staff at the meeting will discuss the evidence to decide whether you have committed an act of academic misconduct. If they agree that you are guilty, they will use the NCUK Academic Misconduct Policy to decide the penalty (mark reduction) that should be applied. (See below for more details about penalties.)

e. A letter will be sent to you explaining that a penalty has been applied and whether you are permitted to resubmit the work. The letter will also tell you that the case will be reviewed by the NCUK exam board and that, if you want to appeal, you should follow the NCUK appeal process. (Information about NCUK appeals is in this Student Handbook.)

f. BSC Central London will provide support to help you improve your academic skills. It is important that you understand what you did. If you commit academic misconduct again, the penalty will be bigger.

Please note: if an NCUK moderator finds evidence of academic misconduct, BSC Central London will be informed and your tutors will be asked for their opinion. Where possible, NCUK will ask BSC Central London to contact you. The NCUK Exam Board will consider what BSC Central London has said about you and your work. If the NCUK Exam Board decides that the work is not your own, a penalty will be applied. BSC Central London will inform you about the NCUK Exam Board’s decision. If you want to appeal, you should follow the NCUK enquiry about results process.

APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Academic Calendar

Please note that coursework deadlines, university visits and other compulsory attendance events will be added to this document and sent to you once you have joined your classes and BSC Central London.

CounsellorSessionsforPersonalStatements(Octobercohort)

Wednesday 11th January Lecture Series: Academic Misconduct 2 (Octobercohort)

11:30-12:00BUS13:00-13:30HUM

Appendix 2: BSC Central London Information

Welcome to BSC London, we are delighted to be able to welcome you to this centre of excellence. You will enjoy excellent levels of personal care and attention from a friendly team of highly committed and dedicated staff. We’re going to introduce you to everyone very soon!

Centrally located mere steps from chancery lane tube station, with its beautiful High Street full of cafes, shops and restaurants, the college is also within walking distance of many of London’s major locations. We would like to show you as much of London as possible, so why don’t you join us on as many activities as possible.

(a) MEET THE TEAM!

We are really excited to have you here, we would love to get to know you as quickly as possible. To help us do this here is an introduction to our team and an outline of how we can help while you are here.

Ed Brandt Director

of Operations

Steven Langley Student Experience Manager

Steven leads a team of experienced Student Facilitators, we will introduce you to them throughout your stay.

Sofia Papadimitropoulou Director of Studies

Sian Hanson Group Academic Director

Hannah Tucker-Bloom Group Academic Manager (Pathways)

Ed oversees all of our College Operations and will frequently visit. Ed will be available to act as intermediary should the need arise.

The student experience team will make sure your needs are being met for all non-academic aspects of your stay with us. He is trained to administer first aid.

Sofia is responsible for the Academic Team and all our teachers and courses. She will help you with any changes to your timetable and classrooms.

Sian oversees all Academic Programmes at BSC and is available to offer any support in the absence of the Programme Manager (see below).

Hannah can help you with your academic plan and progress and any aspect of your NCUK IFY qualification.

Stuart Boyce - Crispin Julian

Taghrid Ahmed –Emma Falk

These are some of your English for Academic Purposes teachers

Taghrid Ahmed – Douglas Williams – Jessica Crouser – Andrew Haniff

These are some of your Subject teachers, specialising in Business, Economics, Maths & Global Studies

If you want to discuss your class, course, or anything else about your studies, you can make an appointment with the Academic Team at reception. You will have regular sessions and tutorials with the IFY Academic Manager throughout your course.

(b) FACILITIES AND SERVICES

Opening times – We have a fantastic team waiting to help you. We are open from 08.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday.

Internet access – There is free Wi-Fi available throughout the school.

Wi-Fi network: BSC_Student

Password: SurfSafely!

University and education advice – We are a registered UCAS Centre and our UCAS representative is Stuart. In addition to your Academic Manger, he can help you with any questions or give you advice on university applications. If you would like to book an appointment, please come and speak to us at reception.

Collaboration Hub – We like to work alongside our students. The Welcome and Collaboration hub is there for your use during break times

Reflections Space

this space is available during break times for students who require a place to reflect or pray. It is located within Room 4.2

(c) WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY

If you have an emergency then please call us on +44 (0) 7921 458813 –Whatsapp can be used if you prefer to message

To call the police in an emergency dial 999 but this number should only be used in a real emergency.

WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FIRE

If you hear the fire alarm you must leave the building immediately.

DO NOT STAY IN THE BUILDING!

Please leave by the nearest exit and go to the school assembly point. Please wait until your teacher tells you to go back into the building.

(d) ATTENDANCE

We measure attendance by touchpoints and if you miss too many we are legally required to inform the UK Home Office and this may result in your visa being cancelled without notice. Touchpoints can be classes, tutorials, homework or any formative and summative assessment.

Students who are more than 15 minutes late will be marked absent which will affect your attendance. The teacher may also choose not to let you into the classroom if you are more than 15 minutes late. If you cannot come to school you MUST tell the school as soon as possible. You can email london@bsc-education.com. If you do not tell us your attendance percentage will go down. You must come to 85% of your lessons to successfully complete your course.

You will see your attendance as a percentage on your leaving report.

Your attendance hours will NOT be reduced if you are absent because of:

▪ Visit to police station or embassy for documentation

▪ Certificated sickness (you have a note from the doctor)

Please also remember that we must have a record of your address in the UK for the entire time that you are studying with us. If you move you must inform us of your new address immediately.

(e) STUDENT EXPERIENCE SERVICES

Student card –You can use THIS as an ID and as a discount card for student discounts at some museums and attractions.

Letters – if you need to open a bank account, get a travel card or apply for Council Tax you can ask for a letter at reception. You need to show reception proof of your address before you can get a letter.

(f) STUDENT RULES

Diversity – Here at BSC London we’re proud of our diverse mix of staff, host families and students. We welcome individuality and want to ensure all visitors to our school share our respect for others. Abusive behaviour is not tolerated. If you feel you are being unfairly treated by another student, member of staff, homestay host or member of the public, please report this to reception immediately. Anything you tell us will be dealt with in strict confidence.

Smoking – Smoking is not permitted.

(g) SCHOOL SAFETY

Lost property – do not leave valuables unattended anywhere in the school. Lost items are often handed in –please ask at reception if you have lost something.

Crossing the road – the school is next to a very busy road. It is very important that you always use a pedestrian crossing where you can when crossing the road (there is one right outside the school). If there is not a pedestrian crossing, find a safe place to cross where there is a space to reach the footpath on the other side. Remember that cars drive on the left of the road in the UK so they may be travelling in a different direction to your home country. Always look both ways before crossing, listen out for traffic and make sure you have plenty of time to get across the road before crossing. You should also look out for motorcyclists and cyclists who may be travelling between lanes of traffic.

(h) ACCOMMODATION

Homestay

Staying in a London home is a very exciting and interesting experience. You can learn a lot about British culture and it is an excellent opportunity to make friends and practise English.

What is Homestay accommodation?

Homestay accommodation is available for students wishing to live with a local family or a single person in their home. It is suitable if you want a more supportive environment and to improve your English language skills. There are two types of Homestay accommodation – half board or bed & breakfast.

What does ‘homestay’ mean?

You will live in an English speaking home, sharing with your host and sometimes with other students. It is an opportunity to experience home life in England and importantly, to practise your English language skills. You will be expected to live as part of the family, sharing meal times and taking part in home life.

What facilities are provided in homestay accommodation?

▪ A private bedroom with a bed, study desk and clothes storage space.

▪ You will have access to the house bathroom.

▪ Wi-Fi

There is normally one bathroom in the house, used by all those living there. You should use the bathroom at reasonable times of day and leave it in a clean condition afterwards.

What will my homestay be like?

Many homestay families have years of experience welcoming students into their home. When you arrive, your homestay host will discuss any house rules to help avoid misunderstandings and you may receive your own set of keys. Some typical rules may be about not smoking in the house or the time you need to be home at night. There may be other students living in the homestay, but our school tries not to put students of the same nationality or language together.

Students staying in their own accommodation

For immigration purposes and for your welfare we must have up-to-date contact details for all of our students (this means your address in London, phone number, email address and emergency contact details). Please make sure you complete your first day contact details form and return it to reception on your first day. If your details change during your studies, please notify reception or our student services team.

(i) MEDICAL CARE

For urgent medical attention you can visit the Accident & Emergency department of any hospital.

Our nearest hospital is:

If you have a medical problem, staff will help you as much as possible and refer you to a professional. Please tell reception or your teacher as soon as possible of any medical conditions you have already.

Doctors & pharmacists

If you need less urgent medical treatment you should find a local doctor’s surgery (office) close to your accommodation or visit a walk-in centre where you do not need to make an appointment.

Pharmacies give advice about minor illness such as cold and flu. Speak to a pharmacist to get immediate medical advice.

Dental services

If you have a problem with your teeth or mouth then please speak to a member of the team or visit the local dentist.

Attendance note: if you miss class because of illness you will be marked absent. With a note from a doctor, we might be able to authorise your attendance so it is not affected.

(j) VISAS AND COMPLAINTS

Students studying on visas need to follow strict regulations set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). If you are on a Short-term Study Visa, this means you were granted entry to the UK to study – if you have bad attendance without medical authorisation we will inform the Home Office that you are not meeting the conditions of your visa. You must comply with all conditions of your visa and inform the school if your visa status changes. This means that you must:

▪ Attend at least 85% of your classes and tell us if you are going to be absent

▪ Not miss more than 3 consecutive days of classes or we will try to contact you by phone, email and through your agent.

▪ Always provide the school with your London address, email and telephone number.

Biometric Residence Permits (BRPS)

If you have to collect a BRP once you have entered the UK, you will need to visit a Crown Post Office (main Post Office) to have your biometrics taken (photo and fingerprints). The address of the Post Office you need to visit should have been provided by your agent/embassy when you made your visa application. If you do not know where to enroll your biometrics, a list can be found at www.postoffice.co.uk/foreign-nationals-enrolmentbiometric-residence-permit or you can call the helpline on 08457 22 33 44

When you get your BRP card, it is very important that you show it to the college’s Student Hub so that a scan can be taken for our records.

If you have any questions about visas or BRPs, please speak to the Student Experience Team.

Arrival in the UK – Immigration and Border Control

London is a very busy place and lines at airport immigration and border control can be very long, particularly around holiday season. Please ensure that you come with all of your school confirmation papers and have your passport open to the photograph page. Hats and sunglasses are not allowed at immigration.

(k) Complaints Policy

We want our students, and all who come into contact with BSC London, to enjoy their classes and all services provided by the College.

If you have any complaints, you should immediately notify a member of the staff,

If your complaint cannot be resolved immediately, you may be asked to put it in writing anf give the complaint to the Director of Studies or Academic Programme Manager for academic related complaints and the Student Experience Manager for non-academic related complaints.

In the unlikely event this is not resolved to your satisfaction; You can either email the Operations Director (Ed Brandt) at ed.brandt@bsc-education.com or write in English to the company’s Head Office

BSC Unit 7, The workshops, Marcus Street, Birkenhead CH41 1EU United Kingdom

The Company will investigate Your complaint and will provide an appropriate response. In order to be given a reasonable chance of addressing Your complaint, please speak to us as soon as the problem arises as we cannot deal with issues retrospectively. If the complaint is not resolved to Your satisfaction, You may contact English UK (the national association of accredited language centres) at https://www.englishuk.com/complaints.”

English UK

219 St John Street

London, EC1V 4LY

Tel: +44 (0)20 7608 7960

Fax: +44 (0) 20 7608 7961

Email: info@englishuk.com

(l) Policy Statement: Dealing with Abusive Behaviour

Statement of Intent (our Code of Conduct)

BSC London is committed to providing an environment in which students and staff members can thrive and progress without fear of bullying, misconduct or discrimination of any kind. Your well-being is our priority.

Everyone who works here will:

▪ Help you in any possible way

▪ Speak to you in a polite and patient manner

▪ Resolve any problem with your class, accommodation or welfare immediately, or tell you how and when it will be resolved

▪ Encourage you to make the most of your time in London

If you have any concerns or problems please ask to speak to the Welfare Officer or a member of the front desk team.

BSC London is committed to quality. We adhere to, and are inspected under, the strict guidelines provided by the following accreditation bodies:

▪ British Council

▪ EAQUALS

We are members of English UK, the world's leading language teaching association.

Definition of Abusive Behaviour

Abuse is defined as wrongful or hurtful behaviour, where somebody is hurt or injured in some way by another person or group of people. Abuse can be:

▪ Bullying:

▪ Physical – e.g. hitting, kicking, theft

▪ Verbal – e.g. racist or homophobic remarks, threats, name calling

▪ Emotional – e.g. excluding somebody from an activity, isolating somebody

▪ Sexual – e.g. forcing somebody to have sexual intercourse against their will

▪ Cyber – bullying – negative remarks in text messages, through instant messenger services or social media such as Facebook

People who are the victim of abuse can be extremely distressed and this can affect their health, happiness and development.

If you are witness to or victim of any kind of abusive behaviour, please report this to a member of BSC London’s team immediately.

(m) Responsibilities

Senior Management Team (Student Experience Manager, Director of Studies or Pathways Manager) is responsible for:

▪ Introducing appropriate procedures to protect staff members and students from violence or abusive behaviour in the college;

▪ Involving external bodies (Police, local council, ISA etc) where necessary

▪ Ensuring that staff members are made aware of this Policy Statement;

▪ Ensuring that all staff members are aware of their responsibility to report incidents of violence or abusive behaviour;

▪ Encouraging all visitors to the school to be courteous to follow the school’s rules, policies and procedures.

Staff members are responsible for:

▪ Ensuring, as far as is practicable, that they do not put themselves or their colleagues at risk of violence or abuse;

▪ Ensuring they take reasonable steps to minimise confrontation;

▪ Reporting incidents to their line manager;

▪ Co-operating with any investigation following an incident;

▪ Co-operating with any measures to improve safety in the school.

Reporting and Recording Incidents of Violence or Abusive Behaviour

Incidents of violence or abusive behaviour should be reported by the staff member to their line manager or by the student to the Welfare Officer as soon as is practicably possible. The line manager or Welfare Officer will record the incident and discuss the matter with the Head of School, or another member of the senior management team. The senior management team will discuss and confirm and implement consequential actions.

(n) Student dismissal

According to our terms and conditions:

When a student makes a booking through us, they accept responsibility for the proper conduct of all parties included on their booking.

We reserve the right to cancel at any time any student's course, or course and accommodation, with no refunds, in the event that, in the reasonable opinion of the Company or the school, the student's behaviour is disruptive or unsatisfactory (including without limitation causes or is likely to cause danger, upset or distress to anyone else or damage to property). Our decision is final.

We shall be under no obligation whatsoever to pay compensation or meet any costs or expenses the student(s) may incur as a result of their course, or course and accommodation, being terminated.

NCUK CALCULATOR REGULATIONS

Where the use of a calculator is allowed they must conform to these regulations.

• Before taking calculators into the examination room, you must remove any parts that have printed instructions or formulas on them e.g. the case, lid or cover.

• You (the student) are responsible for the following:

o the calculator’s power supply;

o the calculator’s working condition.

Calculators must be:

• of a size suitable for use on the desk;

• either battery or solar powered.

Calculators must not:

• be designed or adapted to offer any of these facilities:

o language translators;

o symbolic algebra manipulation;

o symbolic differentiation or integration;

o communication with other machines or the internet.

• be designed or adapted to offer any of these facilities:

o language translators;

o symbolic algebra manipulation;

o symbolic differentiation or integration;

o communication with other machines or the internet.

• be borrowed from another student during an examination for any reason*;

• have retrievable information stored in them – this includes:-

o databanks;

o dictionaries;

o mathematical formulas;

o text.

*During an exam or test, an invigilator may give you a replacement calculator

For the International Foundation Year Maths (Business/Engineering/Science) and Further Maths modules, in addition to the standard functions of a scientific calculator the following are required:

• Functions related to the normal distribution

• Functions related to the binomial distribution

• An iterative function (eg ANS button)

Calculator models that have the required functions include:

• Casio fx-991EX

• Casio fx-C650 (must be put into examination mode during NCUK tests and examinations)

GLOSSARY

Academic Manager

The Student Handbook uses the job title of Academic Manager to refer to a senior member of staff at your Study Centre who manages an NCUK qualification. This senior member of staff might also be known as the study centre principal or study centre academic director.

Academic Misconduct

Any unacceptable or dishonest act by a student that is done to try and improve their marks. For example, a student presents someone else’s written work as their own.

Access Arrangement

Something that reduces the effect of a disability or other difficulty that a student may have, so that he or she is not disadvantaged. For example, if you have a visual impairment your doctor might tell you that it will help if exam papers are printed for you in large text.

Appeal

Assessment

A process for requesting a formal change to a decision made by NCUK.

An exam or piece of work that is designed to measure knowledge, understanding or ability in a particular subject module or skill. See also Coursework

Certificate

The official document produced when a student completes their qualification by attaining at least the minimum grade for a subject module or whole qualification.

Classification

A level of achievement. NCUK uses classifications to express student achievement in the International Year One (Distinction, Pass and Unclassified) and in Master’s Preparation and Pre-Sessional (Distinction, Credit, Pass and Unclassified).

Coursework

A type of assessment that is an alternative to examination and which can take a variety of forms; for example, coursework could be a written project or essay, a portfolio or presentation.

Credits

Enquiries about Results (EAR)

Exam Board

A student on the International Year One will receive credits for each module he or she has passed. Universities specify credits as part of their entry requirements.

The process a student may apply for to request checks on a module result.

A meeting held to confirm student results. Exam Boards ensure that all matters of assessment have been conducted fairly and according to NCUK regulations.

Grade

Guarantee / NCUK

Guarantee

A level of achievement for a module e.g. A, B, C, D, E or U (ungraded). NCUK uses grades to express achievement levels in EAP, EAPPU, RCS and the IFY subject modules.

The promise that all students who successfully complete an NCUK qualification are assured a place on a suitable course at one of the

Invigilator

Minimum Pass Requirements

NCUK Universities. It is explained here https://www.ncuk.ac.uk/guarantee/

A person employed by BSC Central London who is responsible for supervising an exam or assessment.

The minimum marks (or grades) required in order to be eligible for the NCUK Guarantee (https://www.ncuk.ac.uk/guarantee/).

Moderation

The process during which student work is reviewed. This is done to ensure that each student is assessed to the published NCUK standard and receives a grade that is an accurate reflection of their ability.

Moderator

A person employed by NCUK to ensure that academic standards are maintained, meaning that every student is assessed by the same standards.

Moderators are subject specialists and have experience teaching in UK universities and colleges.

NCUK Universities

Pastoral

The universities that accept applications from students who are studying or have completed an NCUK qualification.

Non-academic support. Pastoral tutors are concerned with students’ general welfare.

Points

NCUK points are allocated to each IFY student based on performance in each module. Each grade has a points allocation e.g. an A grade is worth 48 points. Some universities give their entry requirements in points. EAP, EAPPU and RCS results do not contribute to NCUK points totals.

Special Consideration

After an assessment, an Exam Board may take action to reduce the effect of a temporary illness, injury or other problem experienced by a student at the time of assessment. This may involve a small change to the assessment mark or the student may be given permission to retake the assessment.

A personal number issued to each student when they are registered with NCUK.

Student ID Number / NCUK ID

You must put your NCUK ID number on every assessment and examination answer booklet you complete.

Study Centre (or Centre) A school, college or similar institution that is approved to deliver NCUK qualifications e.g. BSC Central London

Transcript

An official document which lists a student’s academic record, including the titles and marks of the modules studied for your NCUK qualification.

You will receive an NCUK transcript provided that you complete your qualification. The transcript is normally issued with the Certificate.

Turnitin

An online plagiarism detection system that compares student work with material on the Turnitin database, including web pages, publications (e.g. books and journal articles) and every student paper ever uploaded to Turnitin. If you have copied part of your work, Turnitin will show this.

UCAS

Universities and Colleges Admissions System. This is the organisation that is responsible for the handling of applications to universities for undergraduate students e.g. students studying NCUK IFY or NCUK IYOne qualifications.

University Course Finder

Welcome

Withdrawal

A guide to the minimum entry requirements needed to progress to courses at NCUK Universities.

The NCUK online system for registration, university application and placement.

When a student decides to leave their study centre. Students who withdraw are not eligible to take final examinations and will not be issued with results or certificates or transcripts.

Working day

Any day other than Saturday or Sunday or a UK national holiday.

NCUK – The University Consortium

76 King Street, Manchester, M2 4NH

Tel: 0161 549 9220

Email: enquiries@ncuk.ac.uk | www.ncuk.ac.uk

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