Lowestoft College - Learner Services
Welcome, Learner Services offers a full range of impartial information, advice and guidance covering all aspects of the learner journey from pre-course to exit. The department is most often the first point of contact for learners, we aim to ensure that time at Lowestoft College is a positive and rewarding experience. The following members of staff are available to offer advice, support and assistance.
Learning Advisors (LAs)
LA's are the first point of contact for enquiries and applications. They are there to support and advise you through the application and enrolment process and throughout your time at college. After receiving your application the LA will invite you for an interview where they will talk to you about fees, travel, childcare and any issues you may have.
LA's also administer the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and Adult Learning Grant (ALG).
LA's are available throughout the year in the Advice Centre located in the Horizon Building,
which is open:
Monday - Thursday 08.30 - 17.00
Friday 08.30 - 16.30
If you would like any information, advice or guidance please telephone 0800 854 695
Contact details for each Learning Advisor are below;
Sharon Brewer |
Art & Design, Animal Care, Hair, Beauty, Holistic Therapies, Preparing for Employment, Opportunities, Get on Track, GCSE's. |
01502 525030 s.brewer@lowestoft.ac.uk |
| Debby Jopson | Health & Social Care, Autocad, Plumbing, Electrical Installation, Electrical Engineering, Welding, North Suffolk Skills Centre, Boatbuilding, Teaching Assistants | 01502 525040 d.jopson@lowestoft.ac.uk |
| Karen Lawless | Teacher Training, Higher Education and Degrees, Access, Catering, Sport & Leisure, Travel & Tourism, Uniformed & Public Services, Air Cabin Crew. | 01502 525050 k.lawless@lowestoft.ac.uk |
| Paula Webster | Childcare, Mechanical Engineering, Painting & Decorating, Carpentry & Joinery, Motor Vehicle, Basic Construction, Information Technology, Operations & Maintenance, ESOL. | 01502 525070 p.webster@lowestoft.ac.uk |
| Vandana Khurana | All overseas students including Maritime & Offshore | 01502 525195 v.khurana@lowestoft.ac.uk |
| Vanessa Brown | Welfare and Finance - Learner Support Fund, Care to Learn. | 01502 525124 v.brown@lowestoft.ac.uk |
The work of Learner Services is enhanced and supported by the presence of a Personal Adviser from Connexions Suffolk, two Community Police Officers and the College Chaplain. Cross College Enrichment includes presentations and workshops from Suffolk Fire Brigade, Suffolk Constabulary and Great Yarmouth and Waveney Primary Care Trust.
Feedback
If you would like to give feedback on the service offered by Learner Services there are survey forms available from Learner Services or you may put your views in writing to Jenny Carter Head of Student Services Lowestoft College St Peters Street Lowestoft NR32 2NB.
Careers Service
Careers Education and Guidance forms part of your entitlement through the Tutorial Guidance Programme. The aim is to enable you to make the choice between higher education and employment, and to give you the necessary skills to explore either choice with confidence.
Careers information, in the form of books, brochures, magazines and software packages, can be accessed through the Careers Library - situated in the Learning Resources Centre. The staff will help you access the information you need.
A Personal Adviser from Connexions Suffolk is based in The Advice Centre at regular times each week and can offer information and advice on a range of issues including careers.
You can make an appointment through the staff at the reception desk in the main building. While this service is aimed at the 16 - 19 year old students, the Guidance and Information Officers can offer advice and guidance to mature students.
Support for Learners
Learning Advisors are there to support and advise learners from the enquiry stage right through application to the enrolment process and throughout their time at college. After receiving the application, they will invite learners for an interview where they will talk about fees, travel, childcare and any other issues they may have.
Lowestoft College is continuously supporting students to participate in the Student Forum, where any student in the college can come to talk about their ideas and opinions on everything to do with College life. The meetings are held every half term during a lunch time.
The department is dedicated to Safeguarding and the pastoral care of learners. The Head of Learner Services is a dedicated Safeguarding member of staff, oversees the tutorial framework and works with learners at risk.
Tutorial Support
You will be given support and advice throughout your programme of study. This includes feedback on academic progress, help with target setting, careers advice and support with the UCAS application process should you decide to go on to higher education. We can also offer help with matters of a personal nature or refer you to our counsellor.
Learning Advisor - Welfare
The Learning Adviser for welfare is available in the Advice Centre in the Horizon Building to talk to you about any concerns you might have that could affect your studies.
These may be financial matters, travel problems, course issues, bullying or other personal worries - the Student Adviser is there to listen. If you prefer, you can speak to the Learning Adviser in a quiet, confidential room. In all cases the Learning Adviser will do their best to help and offer guidance.
The Learning Adviser for welfare helps with the administration of the College's Learner Support Fund, the Student Forum and the Student Chat (the students' own newsletter) as well as having contact with other College staff and local support groups. In addition to this, the Learning Adviser is a member of the College's Equal Opportunities Committee and will do all that they can to help you to make the most of your time at Lowestoft College. If you would like to contact Vanessa for any reason, her number is 01502 525124.
Study Support
Debbie Kerry and Jenny Varley (01502 525191) During your first few weeks in College, you will be finding out about the skills you have and where you may need extra help to enable you to complete your course successfully. Students require varying types of support and the College welcomes applications from students with disabilities and learning difficulties. Please ask for a copy of our Disability Statement.
The College can provide a range of support, which may include: Dyslexia support, reader/note-taker service, a support assistant for personal care requirements, help with literacy/numeracy, special arrangements for exams, a British Sign Language communicator, help with English if this is not your first language, help with additional equipment if you have a physical disability.
Counselling Service
Fiona Newman-Oldfield, the College Counsellor, is available free of charge to all students. Appointments with our counsellor can be booked through Reception or Learner Services and is a totally confidential and independent service.
Student Finance
The Learner Advisors administer the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) which includes monitoring attendance and behaviour.
The Learner Adviser dedicated to Welfare is Vanessa Brown.
Money to Learn
If you have set your mind on a particular course of study but are concerned about the costs involved there are several means of support available:
For 16-18 year olds
For 19+ year olds
Tuition fees could be waived if you are in receipt of an income based benefit such as Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Council Tax Benefit or Housing Benefit.
For more details including how to apply, please contact
Vanessa Brown
Student Advisor
Tel: 01502 525124
Email: v.brown@lowestoft.ac.uk
Student Facilities
The Core
There are all sorts of hot and cold meals and snacks on offer in the student refectory which offers a choice of a cafeteria or a cafe style eatery.
It is open from 8.15am to 7.00pm from Monday to Thursday, and until 3.30pm on Friday.
Outside these hours, there is a variety of vending machines.
East Restaurant
This is the college's training restaurant staffed by students learning the art of fine catering and hospitality.
Here anyone, whether members of the public or students, can eat a haute cuisine meal served by trainee staff, which you would find at some of the country's finest restaurants, at very competitive prices.
Reservations can be made on 01502 525073
Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy
One of the perks of coming to college is being able to use the skills of the students studying on other courses such as hair and beauty.
Here you can have a makeover, massage or hair cut at cost, which is a lot less than you would pay elsewhere.
Call them: Hairdressing on 01502 525139, Beauty Therapy on 01502 525142
Student Social Areas
Student social areas are situated on the ground floor of the Horizon Centre and the first floor of the Sir Christopher Cockerill (Construction Building). The HE common room is located on the ground floor of the main tower block. Vending machines offer a variety of snacks, confectionery and drinks.
Learning Resources Centre
The library is open during term time Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 8.00pm and Fridays 8.30am to 5.00pm. It is also open during the holidays but times vary.
The Learning Resources Centre online library catalogue can be accessed HERE
Student Forum
The Forum is where any student in the College can come to a meeting to talk about their ideas and opinions on everything to do with College life.
The meetings are held every half term during a lunchtime.
Minutes are taken at each meeting and passed on to all the relevant managers. At the next meeting we discuss any actions or progress made on items which have been discussed.