Doncaster College – Welcome Guide for Apprentices

When joining the College you can expect the highest standards of teaching and you can also expect that during your time here we will equip you with the employability skills, working alongside employers and providing the experience you need to give you the best opportunity to move into higher education, higher apprenticeships or secure a job. We pride ourselves on being a gateway to employment and a successful career.

Your accounts

Creating a ‘My apprenticeship’ account

When starting your apprenticeship, your employer and DN Colleges Group will give the Education and Skills Funding Agency your apprenticeship details. You will then receive an email invitation to join the My apprenticeship service.

On the My apprenticeship service, you will have to review and confirm your apprenticeship details are correct when starting your apprenticeship.

You can also use this service to:

understand what’s expected of you during your apprenticeship
understand what’s expected of your employer and your training provider during your apprenticeship
find support and information for your apprenticeship

We will use your College email address and once registered after enrolment, you will receive an email invitation to create a ‘My apprenticeship’ account.

Whilst the setting up of a ‘My apprenticeship’ account is encouraged, it is not mandatory and will not impact on your apprenticeship.

Visit the My account page on the Apprenticeships website

Your College ID card

You must wear a lanyard with your College ID card at all times when in College. You will be expected to show your card, which is proof that you are a College apprentice, when asked you must produce it. If you lose your card, you must obtain a replacement from Reception at the College.

All students can add money to their cards for use in the Diner. Full instructions can be found in the Catering section on how to register.

The Students Association offers automatic membership to all enrolled students, regardless of age or patterns of attendance. The membership card is free and arrangements will be made to have your photograph taken for identification.

Your card entitles you to:

Use the Learning Resource facilities (library/open access computers)
Join the student council and influence the Student Association activities.
Join the trips such as London, University Open Days and the Clothes Show.
Discounts on the goods and services listed in the Students Association booklet. You can obtain a copy of this from Customer Services or see Moodle for more details

NUS extra card

The Students Association is also affiliated to the NUS (National Union of Students), where you can obtain your ‘NUS extra’ student discount card from.

Find out more about the NUS extra card here

Supporting your apprenticeship

Some intro text about how apprentices are supported during the programme

Support for Apprentices

Information, Advice and Guidance

Wifi and IT Support

Additional Learning Support

British Values

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Safeguarding and Prevent

How you'll study

Intro text about programme/standard, typical days at College, assessment methods.

Smart assessor is the college’s e-portfolio. Smart Assessor is an electronic collection of your skills and knowledge, which is assessed by your tutor against a training standard or qualification and replaces paper portfolios.

Assessors and tutors can track your progress dynamically to achieve timely completions. Smart Assessor also contains a learning log where you are able to record all of your off-the-job training.

Students are expected to provide all the necessary equipment (e.g. calculator, pen, pencil) for the examination. Students must provide photographic identification (College ID card, Driving Licence, Passport) prior to taking any examination. For further information on exams, please go to our website and click on ‘Exams’.

iPads, mobile phones, IMP3/4 players or smart watches are not permitted in any examination room whatsoever. Candidates found with any of these devices, even if switched off, will be disqualified.

The majority of careers require good English, maths and digital skills. As a result, these essential subjects are embedded into every course at every level.

When it comes to digital skills this can worry some people, some of that worry might be around access to a laptop or computer at home.

Lack of access to relevant technology is known as digital poverty, we have worked really hard to ensure no Doncaster College student is disadvantaged as a result of lack of access to digital technology or the internet at home.

Every 10-12 weeks your assessor will conduct a formal review with you at your workplace covering all elements of your programme. During your review your assessor will comment on your progress to date and you will both set targets for future work.

In addition, both you and your employer can add comments and are required to sign the form to ensure your employer is kept informed.

Campus Facilities and Travel Information

With a gym, hair and beauty salon, as well as sport pitches and music rehearsal and recording facilities, there is something for everyone at Doncaster College.

Facilities are provided alongside other forms of support to ensure that the social, cultural and religious/spiritual needs of all students are met.

Discover more about our facilities

Travel and parking information

Sat around a table containing flyers and booklets, two people smile while chatting, focussed on two members of staff sat opposite them. In the background, various plants break up the large open space where a few people can be seen walking by.

Responsibilities and Expectations

Each apprentice will receive and will be asked to sign appropriate copies of the College’s Learning Agreement documentation. Rights and Responsibilities are a part of the Learning Agreement which should be signed during induction.

In your Student Agreement you have agreed to observe and follow the College Rules. They are a framework for the standards of behaviour we expect from our students.

These rules will be supplemented by specific codes of conduct in the Learning Resource Centre and the catering outlets. It is behaviour that you can expect to see modelled by the College staff. Failure to observe the College Rules will lead to disciplinary action being taken against you. If you are unclear about what any of these rules mean, please ask your tutor for an explanation.

As an apprentice, your use of our systems and services must comply with our Acceptable Use Statement.

You can read this on our IT Support page in full

Malpractice consists of those acts which undermine the integrity of your assessments. The following are examples of situations which would be considered malpractice:

Plagiarism – by copying and passing off as your own work, the whole or part(s) of another person’s work.
Pretending to be someone else in order to produce the work for another or arranging for another to take one’s place in an assessment/exam or test
Cheating to gain an unfair advantage

If you are suspected of malpractice, a thorough investigation will take place and you could find yourself being disciplined for the incident. There is an appeals procedure should anyone believe they have not been treated fairly.

The advice is to make sure your work is your own, don’t copy from the Internet or anyone else and don’t allow anyone to have copies of work you have produced.

The College has a commitment to treat all students fairly and equally. Appeals procedures are part of the process of ensuring this is achieved. A range of procedures exist to allow students to appeal against decisions they perceive as unfair. If there is no appropriate procedure, a complaint can be made.

Most discipline problems can also be resolved through informal counselling. However, there is a formal procedure which will be implemented in the event of serious incidents, or failure to adhere to an agreed contract of behaviour.

Students may be contracted if their behaviour, attendance or progress is a cause for concern. You may be asked to work at home for a period if an investigation is being carried out.

Disciplinary penalties include contracting, written warning, suspension and finally, exclusion.

If any disciplinary proceedings take place your employer will be fully informed as you are an employee.

Further details may be obtained via the Anti-Bullying and Anti-Harassment Policy Students and Apprentices Feb 2022 on our Safeguarding section

Student records will be stored electronically and in paper files for administrative and legal reasons.
Extracted information for statistical purposes will be sent to external bodies. The Data Protection Act 2018 requires us to gain your consent before we can do this. Since we cannot operate the College effectively without processing information about you, we need you to sign your consent (this is done on the enrolment form).

If you do not do so, we will be unable to offer you a place on the course, and may withdraw any offer already made. If you require further information contact Customer Services.

The College routinely takes photographs of students as part of their college activities. These photographs are used mainly for recording college events and also as a way of collecting images for
marketing and publicity purposes – you have an option to opt out of these. If you are asked by the College Photographer to allow your image to be taken, please advise of your decision to opt out.

Please remember that you should gain the consent of other students and staff before taking their
photograph.

For your safety and security, CCTV cameras are in operation and in use across the College.

Reporting an Absence

At work you must comply with the terms and conditions stated in your contract regarding your hours of work and informing your employer of absence and sickness. If you cannot make an appointment with your assessor then please cancel by text or by communication through the Smart Assessor system.

In addition, you must report your absence to us using the following link:

Click here to report your absence to the College

Welcome Guide for Apprentices