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Colchester Institute students are automatically members of Colchester Institute Students’ Union and are entitled to use Union facilities, create their own clubs and societies, and vote and stand in Union elections. Colchester Institute’s degree programmes are validated by the University of Essex and all Colchester Institute Higher Education students are welcome to attend and join Essex University events and activities.

Student Life at Colchester Instiute

A full-time programme of study will require a minimum of 18 hours attendance in class per week, although some will have more. This will usually be over three or four days. Full details will be provided when timetables are issued. It is expected that all students will attend all timetabled classes.

The College is open from 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday, with evening classes, salons and restaurants being open up to 9pm or 10pm on Mondays to Thursdays in Colchester and Braintree.

As well as their chosen subjects there will be elements of enrichment and work related experience for all students – which may include work placements, depending on the course being studied.

English and Maths

In addition, all students who have not achieved grade C or above in English or maths will need to keep studying these. Students who got a grade D may be able to retake their GCSE in the summer of 2017.

Students often take up part-time work whilst studying, but please be aware that there is an
expectation that students will study in their own time. There will be assignments and extension activities for all programmes with supporting information available through our Virtual Learning Environment ‘moodle’.

Course targets and communication with Parents/Carers

All students will agree an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) with their tutors at the start of the year and will set targets for their own achievements. In most cases this will be done through a web based ILP system called ProPortal, which students will have access to, both at College and at home.

Students will be encouraged to share their targets with you, and we are aiming to develop parental access to ProPortal in the next academic year. Evidence shows that students achieve best when Colleges work in partnership with parents, and so reports will be sent home at certain points throughout the year. There will also be opportunities for you to meet with teaching staff to discuss progress.

We expect students to attend all timetabled classes promptly and we have high expectations in terms of behaviour and conduct at College. Although we treat our students as adults, we still reserve the right to contact parents about any concerns relating to attendance, behaviour and achievement until the end of the academic year in which they turn 18.

Online Store

Payment for trips and other products can be made via our online store. You will need to register and create an account before enrolment to ensure payments can be made.

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Student Activities at CI

At Colchester Institute there is a wide variety of activities for students to join in. This varies throughout the year and from campus to campus. Based at the Colchester campus, The Sports Federation deals with all competitive sports teams at the college.
Currently these are:

Basketball Football

The Basketball Academy Boys Team Two Under 19 Boys teams
The Basketball Academy Girls Team One Under 19 Girls teams

In addition to our sports team there are fitness classes such as Street Dance, Self Defence, Volleyball, Cheerleading, Boxing and Yoga and team sports including Dodgeball, Basketball and Futsal.

As well as sports activities students are able to attend a range of events, starting with Fresher’s Fair which is an event focused on introducing students to both the college and our surrounding area as well as a range of student trips and enrichment activities such as first aid classes.

Higher Education students are also able to join University of Essex’s sport teams.

For more information on any of our activities please contact the Students’ Union

Colchester Institute College Expectations set out what we expect of our students from the outset, and these feed into the learning agreement that all new students sign up to:

As a Colchester Institute student it is expected that, at all times, you will

• Set yourself challenging targets, and push yourself to do your best work
• Take responsibility for your own behaviour, showing consideration and respect to others
• Take pride in your College environment and follow all Colchester Institute policies and procedures
• Attend all sessions on time with the correct equipment to learn, and report all absences to the College in a timely manner
• Participate fully in all aspects of your programme, including tutorials and progress reviews, and submit coursework by the set deadline
• Contact your tutor to discuss any concerns or issues which affect your programme of study

In return, Colchester Institute will provide

• An appropriate induction to the College and your course, with the opportunity to read and understand your learning agreement
• A programme of study designed to meet your learning needs, delivered by suitably qualified and experienced staff
• An Individual Learning Plan, and regular tutorial reviews, to help you monitor your progress and maximise your achievement
• Timely and appropriate feedback on all assignments and assessed work
• Opportunities to access materials and additional information through the Virtual Learning Environment
• A named member of staff who will be your main point of contact during your studies to raise concerns and complaints
• Access to impartial information, advice and guidance on educational, career and personal matters, including discussing your options after your course.