CALAT Croydon Adult Learning and Training
Search
Close this search box.

New learner's guide

Thank you for choosing CALAT for your studies.

Here you will find all the information you need to make your time with us a success. Enjoy your course!

  • Equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusiveness
  • Trust, fairness, mutual respect and helping others
  • Safe, healthy, creative and sustainable learning and work environments.
  • Achievement of personal potential (social and family responsibility, good citizenship and independent living)
  • Achievement of skills (skills for employment and progress to jobs or further study)
  • High expectations and high performance

CALAT is committed to the advancement of equality and diversity throughout all of its activities and centres of learning.

We encourage everyone to respect other people with particular regard to the protected characteristics of the Equalities Act 2010.

CALAT is an open and inclusive place to study, all are welcomed regardless of faith, age, gender expression, race ability, disability, sexual orientation and economic status.

We challenge and eliminate discrimination and prejudice in all its forms to help create a stronger and fairer community and we value and encourage all learners and staff to succeed and move forward positively in their lives.

We are an equal opportunities training provider, which means that we are committed to a policy of equality of opportunity aiming to offer a high quality service no matter what your personal circumstances.

The Learning Support Service is here if you have a specific learning disability or difficulty, or you require specialist assistance on an accredited course.

The Learning Support team can:

  • discuss with you and assess the support you may need
  • arrange support where possible within the classroom either by the loan of equipment, technology or by one of our experienced support staff working with you in the classroom
  • support and advise you and your tutor during your course
  • BSL interpreters / note taking
  • Advise and support learners to make access arrangements for exams, such as extra time or the provision of a scribe

Additional tutor support for learning

Once you are attending a course, we can provide additional learning support and study skills for learners with disabilities and/or specific learning difficulties.

Our tutors can provide additional support for your learning, such as 1-1 sessions after class. Please talk to your tutor if you have not already approached the Learner Support team on enrolment to your course.

Dyslexia Support

We provide initial advice and guidance to support learners. Dyslexia support is offered on a one to one basis by the tutor. Assistive technology may be provided as appropriate such as computers in class or coloured in-lays.

Please inform us if you need dyslexia support on enrolment or within the first week of attending your course by speaking to your tutor.

Can you spare two hours a week?

We need volunteers to work alongside learners with disabilities and learning difficulties who need extra support in the classroom. Can you commit to work 2 hours per week, for a 10-week term?

Please email learnersupport.referrals@croydon.gov.uk if you can help.

Confidentiality

CALAT and the Learner Support department gives you every opportunity to disclose your disability, learning difficulty or medical condition. The information that you give us will be classed as ‘sensitive’ and will not be passed on without your consent.

You have the right to confidentiality, including complete confidentiality. The right to confidentiality can only be breached in exceptional circumstances under Safeguarding procedures.

Our aim however, is to gain as much relevant information about you as possible in order to provide you with the most appropriate support to ensure you have a good learning experience and achieve your learning goals and qualifications.

Safeguarding our learners, staff and visitors is an important issue, CALAT is committed to providing a secure environment for students, where learners feel safe and are kept safe.

All staff at CALAT recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility irrespective of the role they undertake or whether their role has direct contact or responsibility for learners or not.

You have the right to feel safe where you learn and it is the responsibility of every learner and every member of staff to respect other people’s right to safety, not to hurt or abuse others and not to threaten others.

If you have a concern, have witnessed or have knowledge of abuse please speak to your tutor or use our Safeguarding contact form.

As an education provider CALAT has a duty to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and radicalisation. To fulfil this duty CALAT will not accept expressions of extremist views of any kind or source from learners, staff or visitors to our centres. In addition we are committed to safeguarding our learners who may be vulnerable to radicalisation.

We will follow the procedures as set out by Croydon Council and
Croydon’s Safeguarding Children’s Board agreed processes and criteria for safeguarding individuals vulnerable to extremism and radicalisation and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support.

CALAT ensures that fundamental British values are actively promoted
throughout your course. These are: democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

If you have a concern, have witnessed or have knowledge of radicalisation taking place please speak to your tutor or use our Safeguarding contact form.

CALAT actively seeks to involve learners and other users in all aspects of its service delivery. We believe that listening and engaging with learners and other users and responding to feedback is a key method of improving the quality of provision and outcomes.

CALAT uses this feedback to plan improvements to the service and the learner experience. The following methods of consulting with learners are currently in place:

  • Course Evaluation forms
  • Observation of teaching and learning
  • Complaints, compliments and comments forms
  • Surveys and questionnaires
  • Learner consultations

All policies are available here or on request from a centre office.

You are encouraged to follow us through our social media channels on:

Facebook (@CALATCroydon)

Instagram (calatcroydon)

The ICT Acceptable Use Policy prohibits learners abusing the ICT facilities. Use of ICT facilities is monitored and inappropriate use will result in learners being excluded from all CALAT centres in accordance with The CALAT Contract. In particular, learners are not allowed to:

  • Access or view websites which contain pornographic or
    offensive material.
  • View, send or retrieve inappropriate files.
  • Use e-mail or any social media in an inappropriate manner, for example to send menacing, abusive or harassing communications or to attach illegal files. This applies to emails sent from a CALAT site or sent to CALAT staff or learners from another location.
  • Use the CALAT learning platform, Google Drive / Google Classrom, in an inappropriate manner.
  • Download, add or remove software and/or take any action that could
    destroy, modify or abuse hardware or software.
  • Use a computer for any form of illegal activity, including music,
    gambling and software piracy.
  • Attempt, successfully or not, to gain access to another persons email files or data.
  • Change or attempt to change the settings on any computer except with tutor supervision.
  • Use their own memory stick, CD / DVD Rom or any other storage
    device without running a virus check first.
  • Use chat rooms, play games, listen to audio or any other inappropriate use of the internet except with Tutor supervision.
  • Use mobile phones, video and digital cameras to take any pictures of video film of learners or CALAT employees and visitors without their knowledge and permission having been first obtained.
  • Post video or photographic material obtained during your course (i.e. videos of fellow learners or other people) on to YouTube, Facebook, or any other public site, unless it is part of your course and is posted to a private area within the relevant site and has the agreement of all involved.

You will be made aware of online security during your course and will agree to abide by any rules or requests made by CALAT in order to keep you and fellow learners safe online, as well as the regulations of the sites you access. 

Some tutors will allow use of your own devices (e.g. smart phones or tablets) during the class and some courses will in future encourage this. Please note that you bring your device at your own risk and that you will never be required to bring a device.

During classes where mobile devices are used please note the following:

  • Mobile devices are to be used only for work relevant to the class and not for personal communication.
  • All the points above should be followed while using your own device during a class.

Please do not send friend requests for your Facebook or other social media accounts (such as twitter). Tutors will not accept these requests. Your accounts are personal and for your own safety you should limit them to your own family and friends.

As new technology becomes available, we will review this policy to ensure that both learners and CALAT are kept digitally aware and safe.

Learners are reminded that they must abide by Government legislation relating to ICT, for example The Computer Misuse Act, Copyright laws, Data Protection Act.

In the event of hardware failure, software failure, or virus outbreaks, CALAT cannot be responsible for any damage occurring to a learner’s property.

Your learning entitlement

As a learner we want your time with us to be enjoyable, stimulating
and successful.

You have a right to:

  • A wide choice of courses with up-to-date information, advice and
    guidance and sources of financial help.
  • A step-by-step introduction to the course.
  • Teaching and learning methods to meet your needs, with teaching by
    experienced and qualified staff using a varied range of learning styles,
    including e-learning.
  • Extra help and support if appropriate, and an individual learning plan
    when needed.
  • Appropriate learning material and equipment.
  • Regular reviews of progress, opportunities to progress and a
    recognition of achievement.
  • Equality of opportunity and treatment with respect, with a serious response from CALAT if you are discriminated against.
  • A safe and healthy learning environment, and access to all learner services including the canteens, reception and information areas.
  • Opportunities to comment on the quality of the service.
  • Information on all our policies, including the CALAT Learner Code
    of Conduct.*
  • Access to the CALAT Examination Policies & Procedures.

Your learner responsibilities:

When you join a course you will be asked to complete necessary paperwork in order that we can claim the government funding that subsidises your course. Once you have completed your enrolment, you will have a 14 day cooling off period during which you can cancel your course and request a full refund of any fees you have paid.

Once the cooling off period has expired, CALAT will not refund fees unless we cancel your course or there is a service failure. In some circumstances, you may be able to transfer your enrolment to a different CALAT course. Please see our refunds page or course transfer page for full details.

We expect you as a learner to:

    • Take responsibility for your own learning and to talk with your tutor if you think you are not achieving your learning goals.
    • Seek additional support if you think you need it.
    • Arrive on time and attend your class regularly.
    • Tell us if there are any important changes, for example, if you move house.
    • Respect the values of others and their right to learn.

Additional learner responsibilities:

  • Do not accept any form of discrimination and report it if it happens.
  • Respect property belonging to others, including that of CALAT.
  • Comply with health and safety requirements.
  • Participate in learning surveys to let CALAT know how it can improve.
  • Switch your mobile phone off during classes and refrain from taking food and drink into classrooms.

Our Learner Support Fund can pay for 90% of your course and exam fee up front and can pay your childcare (OFSTED registered) costs while you are attending classes at CALAT.

If you are on a low income paying the full fee and on a course leading
to a qualification, you may be eligible to apply for the Discretionary Learner Support Fund.

When you enrol on the course – 90% of the course fee (including any exam fee) will be deducted up front, you will only need to pay 10% of the total fee at the time of enrolment. You will be contacted by a CALAT member of staff to make this payment or be sent a Croydon Council invoice.

The fund could help pay towards the cost of course tuition fees, exam fees, course materials and childcare. A new application will need to be submitted for each new enrolment on a CALAT course when your course reference number changes.

Applications for funding must be made via the the online form here.

Adults with learning difficulties or disabilities (Independent Living) may be eligible to apply for support with travel costs.

For details of eligible courses please use the CONTACT US form or ask at one of our receptions.

Please be aware, if you receive Learner Support funding but do not complete the course you will be liable to pay back the Learner Support fund amount that you were granted.

Paying for your course by instalments:

CALAT may offer the option of paying for their course in a limited number of instalments if their course costs over £120 (after any deductions) and runs for 6 weeks or more. 

Further information on payment methods can be found here

We will normally offer 2 payments of 50% of the fee for each payment but this can be negotiated at the time of enrolment. All payments must be made before the course end date. Payments will be requested by card over the telephone.

If you need assistance in job searching, obtaining information about additional training opportunities, apprenticeships, or guidance on creating CVs, completing application forms, and improving interview techniques, you have four options to access confidential and unbiased career advice and guidance:

  1. At our Thornton Heath Centre, you can book an appointment with a Careers Adviser on Thursdays (appointments available between 9.30 to 4.30pm)
    To book appointment contact the front desk at Strand House.
  2. You can access one to one employment support at our Croydon Clocktower centre on Thursday mornings between 10.00am and 1.00pm. To book appointment: email: Andrew.gee@croydon.gov.uk
  3. The National Careers Service – provides free, personalized advice and guidance. To book an appointment call: 0800 100 900 or visit their website.
  4. Croydon Works – Job and Training Hub offer a free recruitment service. They have a range of vacancies, apprenticeships and traineeships and work experience placements. To register: visit their website or contact them via email: info@croydonworks.co.uk or Tel: 020 8604 7471

How CALAT will use your information in accordance with Data Protection law

CALAT are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy when you use our services. All your personal data is treated in strict confidence and dealt with in accordance with Data Protection Law in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). To ensure that the service you receive is effective, we may need to share your information with our partner organisations.

This data sharing, among other things, supports our funding and financial planning; monitoring performance and our educational attainment policy; enables us and our partners to produce statistics and research; determine the destinations of our learners after they have completed courses with us; and evaluate Government- and European-funded programmes. Your personal data may be converted (‘anonymised’) into statistical data in such a way that ensures that you cannot be identified from it .

CALAT collect personal information about you to pass on to the Department for Education and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). The EFSA’s Privacy Notice can be read here. The information collected on your enrolment form is a requirement to fulfil the funding contract with the ESFA and will be retained for 6 years from the point of enrolment, and for the purposes of the Department for Work & Pensions as a data controller, where learner data is used to match on the 2014-20 ESF programme, the data will be retained until 31st December 2030, so that the ESFA can claim match funding from the European Social Fund (ESF). The ESF supports and invests in a number of projects aimed at raising skills and job prospects.

Your data will also be used to enter you for exams with awarding bodies. CALAT also collect your data to share internally with the Council’s Finance Department to process standing orders and refunds, and to access the Discretionary Learner Support Fund. Anonymised data is also used to report to the CALAT Governance Board, the Council’s Senior Management Teams and Ofsted. Your information may also be shared internally with the Council’s
Complaints Team, Business Intelligence Team, the Finance Team and others so that they can carry out their roles and support our service.
Data Protection Law gives you a number of rights to control what personal information is used by us and how it is used by us. Additional information about your information rights is listed in the Council’s Corporate Privacy Policy which can be found here.

You will be contacted after you have completed your programme of learning to establish whether you have entered employment or gone onto further training.

Your data is stored on a secure database and this form will be destroyed after 3 months.