Welcome from the Principal
Firstly, may I extend a really warm welcome to you, as parents and carers of students joining (or re-joining) us, here at Colchester Institute.
These pages are designed to provide you with information which will help you to support your son or daughter to enrol and settle quickly in to College, so they can have a productive, enjoyable and successful time on their programme of study.
We have tried to include everything that you may need to know, but please use the contact details found further down the page to phone or email us if you still have other questions.
Our aim is to ensure that all our students have the opportunity and encouragement to engage positively with their programme of study; to attend regularly; to work hard and to achieve the best results that they can.
In doing this, we also hope to prepare and inspire our students to take their next steps into interesting and rewarding careers or higher level programmes of study.
Experience has shown us that students are most successful when Colleges work in partnership with parents to support them. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with you, and your son or daughter, and hope to see you at future College events.
With best wishes
Alison Andreas
Principal and Chief Executive
Key Information and Communicating with the College
How students keep in touch
When applying for a course, applicants provide an email address which is used for all communications right up to their enrolment, and many applicants use their parent’s email address.
Once enrolled, all new students are given a Colchester Institute email address, and from this point we will no longer use the email address supplied on the application form.
It is recommended that, where possible, students sync their college email accounts to their phone or other mobile device so that they can keep in touch and be updated easily. This will be covered in their college induction in September.
In addition, new students will be asked to download the CI Connect app if they have a smart phone. Use of this app allows them to access a range of college systems including viewing their timetable, communicating with course tutors and college friends, receiving exam results, updates and notifications, searching the library catalogue and reporting an absence. This is a really great resource for students and we strongly recommend its use.
Communication with parents
At enrolment, all students who are aged 17 and under on 31/8/2024 give consent for the College to communicate with their named Next of Kin(s) for the full academic year, even if they turn 18 mid-year. If parents/carers have been named as Next of Kin on the application form then we will be able to talk to them about their son or daughter’s attendance, progress and achievement. More than one Next of Kin can be named.
If you have any concerns about your son or daughter’s progress at college, you don’t need to wait to hear from us first so please do not hesitate to get in touch. The “Contact Us” section at the end of this page provides contact information for different teams within the College. If you know the name of your son or daughter’s tutor you can also email them by using the format: firstname.surname@colchester.ac.uk
Helping students to settle in
We know that for some students, settling into college can be difficult. The environment is very different to school, not least because of the size, and whilst most students thrive some will find the transition more difficult. If your son or daughter is struggling, then they must tell us how they are feeling as soon as possible so that we can work together to support them and discuss their options.
Staff know that settling in will be hard for some, they will be on hand to talk to students about their worries and concerns, and to help them adjust to their new surroundings. Every year there are some students who feel they have chosen the wrong course. In these cases our careers team are available to discuss options and, where possible, support a change of course.
We have a safeguarding and welfare team who are on campus to support any students who may need some help with anxiety, wellbeing or mental health concerns. The team’s contact details can be found at the end of this page and parents/carers
are welcome to contact the team to discuss any concerns they might have, provided they are named as the student’s Next of Kin. The team also offer a referral service to counselling and many external agencies if this is deemed suitable and appropriate.
Money Matters
Costs of studying
There are no tuition fees for students aged between 16 and 18 on 1st September 2024 (dates of birth between 1/9/2005 and 31/8/2008) however, there are some programmes which have additional costs which could include:
- Equipment costs – such as uniforms, kits, boots and so on
- Trips and enrichment activities
- DBS Checks
Payment for these will need to be made via our online store which is accessible at: colchester.ac.uk/online-payments
Information about any other costs will be discussed with your son or daughter, either at their welcome day or during induction in September.
Financial Support
There is a range of financial support which may be available for families who are on low incomes or in receipt of certain benefits; we can support students with the costs associated with their studies, including those listed above and also:
- Support with transport costs
- The College equivalent of Free School Meals (Free Meals at College)
Please note: Trips and enrichment activities will only be funded if they are a mandatory aspect of your son or daughter’s programme and, in most cases, are within the UK.
Eligibility criteria
Eligibility to the fund is dependent on your family claiming one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit (universal credit payments plus take home pay totalling less than £30,000 per annum)
- Working Tax Credit (total tax credits plus net income totalling less than £30,000 per annum)
- Child Tax Credit (not entitled to Working Tax Credit)
- Income Support
- Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
Applications from households with a net income exceeding £30,000 (benefit payments + take home pay) are not normally considered. However, if you feel that your household is in financial hardship, please submit an application, together with a supporting statement and evidence of the serious financial difficulties being experienced.
The bursary application form will be available online from 1st July 2024 on our website at colchester.ac.uk/finance. You will find detailed guidance on how to complete the form and what financial evidence is required.
To successfully complete and submit the application you must upload supporting evidence of your financial status, including income and benefits. You are strongly advised to prepare and save your supporting evidence before starting to complete the form as you cannot save and return to it later. Please read the guidance thoroughly for more information on the process.
Please apply early to ensure funding is in place by the start of term as applications are assessed in date order. Applications received after the start of term may take longer to assess. You will receive notification of bursary decisions by email to the email address provided on the bursary application form. Please make sure you use an email address which you are able to check regularly; this can be your own email address or one for your son or daughter.
Food and Drink at College
Free Meals at College
When bursary applications have been assessed, students who request meals and meet the statutory eligibility for Free School Meals will be awarded £5.00 per day for each day of college attendance. In these cases, students will have £5.00 uploaded to their College ID card which they can use as a cashless payment to buy food and drink in college cafés and refectories.
If this applies to your household, please encourage your son or daughter to use this allowance, it is really simple to use, and we work with our catering providers to ensure meal deals and offers are available for £5.00.
This allowance is not transferable and is only available on days students are in college. If the allowance is not used, it cannot be rolled over to another day.
Cashless campuses
We operate an entirely cashless environment, and no cash payments can be made for food, drink or other services. Our cafés and refectories all accept contactless payment methods, inlcuding tap and pay, and we offer an optional cashless catering system called Upay.
You can upload credit to a Upay account, and then students use their College ID card to pay. This is supported by an app where you can see your balance, top up and review expenditure.
You can set up an account as a student, or for a student, as soon as you have a student ID number, this will be quoted on all emails relating to their college application. More information can be found here: colchester.ac.uk/student-finance/cashless
Food and drink at college
There are a number of in-house options for food and drink, with refectories offering a selection of breakfast options, main meals, drinks and snacks. Students can choose between healthy meals cooked on the premises, sandwiches and grab-and-go options.
At our Colchester Campus students can also eat food prepared and served by our catering students and there are also Costa Coffee and Starbucks branded outlets. There are daily meal deals offered at each campus with a selection of hot or cold options to help students to budget, and to fit in with the ‘Free Meals at College’ daily allowance, as well as snacks, fruit or a cheeky bit of chocolate!
Post-application and Enrolment
Enrolment Information 2024
All communications regarding enrolment are sent to the email address used throughout the application process. It is essential that all applicants are able to access their emails easily, and that they are checking them regularly.
Please note: In previous years we have found that some Colchester Institute emails went into spam or other email folders, to avoid this, applicants are advised to add us to their contact list and to keep checking spam folders. This is particularly the case for Gmail, Outlook, iCloud and Hotmail.
We know that enrolment can be an anxious time for some, and there will be staff from our admissions team on hand to help throughout, either by phone on 01206 712777, email at admissions@colchester.ac.uk or our online chat function. We don’t close over the summer.
Enrolment consists of a few separate steps, but for the vast majority of applicants, it is quite a straightforward process. Information about each enrolment step will be published in due course as we head further into the application cycle and will be accessible from this page.
Online Enrolment Current Step – Step 1
Once you have your offer you will be asked to upload two photos. One to give official proof of your identity, and the other a photo for your ID card.
Applicants for full-time study programmes will begin to receive email instructions for Stage 1 of enrolment as we head further into the application cycle. If you have received your offer and are yet to complete stage 1 please follow the link below and proceed to our online enrolment section, where you will find instructions on how to do this.
Study Programmes
Colchester Institute’s purpose is to develop students’ academic, technical and professional skills along with the knowledge and behaviours to succeed in life, work, and to help support the local economy. This means that a student’s time on campus covers lots more than just the subject qualification that they have enrolled on.
Students on a full-time study programme will usually have around 15 hours of timetabled classes per week, over three or more days, although some will have more. Each course is different and timetables will vary according to the student’s chosen subject area, their level of study and their GCSE English and Maths results.
All courses will include the four mandatory aspects outlined on these pages, and we have high expectations of student attendance, behaviour and conduct in all aspects of their course.
Student safety and security
We take our responsibility for student safety seriously at Colchester Institute and we endeavour to offer a safe and healthy environment. All students will be given a photo ID card and coloured lanyard during their induction in September. Entry to our campuses, and some buildings, is controlled using their ID cards and students must wear their lanyards at all times on campus. Your support in reinforcing this message is appreciated!
Ultimately, students must also take responsibility for their own wellbeing and safety, by following the College policies and procedures, and behaving respectfully and appropriately on and off campus, including on-line.
As parents/carers, if you have any concerns regarding safety or security there is a ‘report a security concern’ form in the ‘Contact Us’ section of our website, which can be accessed using the link below.
Additional Learning Support
Colchester Institute welcomes students with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND), and we are committed to ensuring that all students feel valued, respected and supported at college. Reasonable adjustments to provision will be made to ensure students with SEND are not disadvantaged.
It is important we are told if additional learning support is needed as soon as possible so we can ensure correct support is in place. Additional learning support can include:
- Learning support in and out of the classroom
- Exam Access Arrangements
- Support for hearing or visual impairment
- Assistive technology support
- Physical support
Applicants with a current Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are asked to provide us a copy of this as soon as possible. The College will work with them towards the outcomes in the plan, and to review their support needs whilst at college. The College will support these students through the Annual Review of their plan to ensure it remains up to date and to support students to prepare for adulthood.
Applicants who have Exam Access Arrangements at their current school/college should tell us so that we can review this. They may need an assessment with our specialist team to ensure the correct access arrangements are given and that this is the usual way working. These may include:
- A reader
- A scribe
- A prompt
- Small or separate room
- Extra time
To find out more about Exam Access Arrangements click here to visit our examinations information section.
Examinations Information – Colchester Institute
Getting Here
By car or bike
By car or bike There is student parking at our Colchester and Braintree Campuses, but as spaces are limited, ideally these should be used by students who need to travel some distance to college. Students will need to apply for a parking permit, and they must have their ID card with them to gain access to the campus.
There is a daily charge of £2.50* for parking at the Colchester Campus. We operate a cashless parking system using the “Just Park” App, which can be downloaded onto students’ phones, or payment can be made by SMS or by phone. Information on parking is clearly displayed on signs in the students’ car park area. *correct at time of publishing.
Both campuses have bicycle racks for student use, and if used, students are advised to bring bike locks with them and use these at all times. In addition, there is moped and motorcycle parking at Colchester, which is free to use.
Electric scooters cannot be brought onto any campus.
By public transport
There are a number of bus and train routes that serve our Colchester and Braintree Campuses. The College has negotiated preferential rates with First Bus Group and Arriva Bus Group, which means that our students can get cheaper fares than members of the public, including a range of season ticket options. You can also order tickets for Abellio Greater Anglia Trains at a significantly discounted scholar rate.
As travel arrangements are varied and dependent on students’ ages and where they live, you are advised to visit the travel section of our website for the most up-to-date information.
For further information on travel, please contact our Student Finance team, using the contact information below.
Contact Us
| General Enquiries | 01206 712000 | info@colchester.ac.uk |
| Course Enquiries and Admissions | 01206 712777 | admissions@colchester.ac.uk |
| Student Finance | 01206 712078 or 01206 712446 | student.finance@colchester.ac.uk |
| Student Welfare (Safeguarding) | 01206 712354 or 01206 712828 | student.services@colchester.ac.uk |
| Additional Learning Support | 01206 712995 or 01206 712073 | als@colchester.ac.uk |
| Career Guidance | 01206 712679 | careers@colchester.ac.uk |
While these telephone numbers all have Colchester dialling codes they can be used for questions regarding all campuses. Please note: the College does not close over the summer, staff are here all year to answer any enquiries.
If you have concerns, compliments or complaints that you want to tell us about then you can do so via our website here: colchester.ac.uk/contact-us.
Student Absence
Students must report absences using our online reporting form, which is accessed through the Learner Hub.
Simply click on the button below to login and enter your details.
Please try to ensure that you make your report your before 9am on the day of your absence
Please note: Students need to notify their tutor directly for lateness notifications.
FAQ
This section contains answers to our most common questions about travel options, help with travel costs and parking onsite. If you require further advice then at the end of this section is a link to our course enquiry form, where you can contact our admissions team directly.
Is there support for travel to College?
The College offers several attractive options to support students travelling to College. Please contact Student Services on (01206) 712078/712446 for more details.
There may be financial assistance towards the cost of travel for families on a low income or where it can be demonstrated that travel costs will cause financial hardship.
Please contact Student Services on 01206 712078 to discuss travel options.
Can I park on site?
There is student parking at both the Colchester and Braintree campuses, however this is limited and there is no guarantee of a space.
Colchester Institute is a cashless campus, our car parks are managed by ANPR barriers and we use app-based technology to pay for Pay and Display parking with JustPark. Please go to the Apple App Store or Android Play Store to download the app and add your details prior to parking on campus.
Parking Tariff
- Pay and Display – £2.50 per day
- Staff – £11.90 per month deducted monthly for 10 months [Sept-June]
- CLMG – £ 24 per month deducted monthly for 10 months [Sept – June]
How do I pay for my Pay and Display Parking?
There a number of ways to pay for your parking now online or by phone, but please be aware there are no onsite payment facilities. Failure to pay for parking as above will mean you will not be able to park on campus.
Staff Parking – How are monthly deductions taken?
Prior to the new academic year, a staff survey will be sent to capture registration details of vehicles and for you to advise what tariff you will be using. Please ensure that this is filled out accurately and returned as soon as possible. Failure to do so will mean you will not be able to access the campus in the new year without having registered.
Staff parking on campus is now operated on an opt out basis. A survey will be sent each summer for the purpose of updating any registration details. At any point during the year if your details change, or you wish to cancel your permit please get in touch with facilities.helpdesk@colchester.ac.uk.
There is no charge for any student parking at our Braintree Campus on production of a valid student ID.
Please note: all vehicles are left at the owner’s own risk. The College accepts no liability for loss or damage to vehicles or belongings left on premises.
Can I buy a bus pass on-line?
Bus and Train passes can be purchased on line through the Colchester Institute Online Store. More information can be found in our Travel Information section.
Creating an online account
Parents wishing to purchase travel passes will have to create an online store account by following the instructions below (please note that if you have two children studying at Colchester Institute, a separate account must be set up for each student to avoid any confusion):
Before making any purchase from the online store, you will be required to register with the store. To do this you should click on My Account and then click on the link under New Customer
Please enter your email address and provide a password. This is the email address to which all confirmations and receipts will be sent.
Enter your personal details.
Under Your Address, enter your postcode and house number. Then click find address. A list of addresses matching those provided will appear. Click in the circle next to the right address. The address fields will populate with the one chosen. You must give this address a name (e.g. Home / Work).
If the postcode look up cannot find your address, click the link to enter your address details manually
Click Continue to register your account
Forgotten your password? At each login stage, you will see a forgotten password button, where you enter your e-mail address and a reminder of your password is then sent to you, by e-mail, almost immediately
Purchasing a travel pass
Once you have created an account:
Click on ‘Product Catalogue’ under Navigation
Click on ‘Getting Here’
Click on ‘First Bus Passes’
Click on the links under ‘Detailed Description’ if you need confirmation of the cost of your travel pass
Enter the cost of the pass in the ‘amount’ box the ‘add to basket’
Fill in the questionnaire
Click ‘next’
If details are correct, proceed to checkout
Once the transaction is complete, you will receive an email confirming your purchase.
Bus tickets can be collected from the College at the start of term.
If you have any queries regarding travel, please call Student Services on 01206 712078.
Need further information?
Click on the button below to make an enquiry to our admissions team:
If your enquiry does not sit with the above categories then please contact us via our general enquiry form and we shall endeavour to help:
