Tameside Adult and Community Education

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Learners' Charter

As a learner you are entitled to:

• Speak out for themselves and on behalf on others
• Have a say in what you learn
• Information, advice and guidance
• Learn in a way that meets your needs
• Be treated as an individual and with respect
• Enjoy learning in an accessible and safe environment
• Receive support to help you succeed
• Have clear information that can be understood
• High quality teaching with appropriate resources and environments that meet your needs
• Make compliments, complaints and suggestions
• Confidentiality where confidential and personal information is collected. This is used and stored in accordance with Tameside Council's Policy

Learners' commitment

As a learners you will need to:

• Attend on your agreed days for at least 80% of the course
• Inform your centre if you cannot attend for any reason (if you miss 4 sessions you may be taken off the course) 
• Be punctual for all your lessons
• Bring a pen and paper to class
• Complete course/homework and meet deadlines
• Be considerate to other learners
• Ask for help if needed
• Follow the rules of your centre/course
• Pay course/exam fees that are due on time
• Inform us of any changes to your personal details
• Be responsible for any personal/valuable items brought into the centre, as we cannot be accountable for them
• Switch mobile phones to the silent setting

Complaints and Compliments

We welcome complaints and compliments. You can get details of how to make either by asking any member of staff at any of our centres. If you have a complaint you can speak directly to the Quality Manager who will ensure that it is properly dealt with or you can use the Council’s website (www.tameside.gov.uk A-Z ‘C’ for complaints) so you don’t even need to talk to us. Please tell us if something is bothering you as we can make things better for you and other learners. We will inform you of what action will be taken. Complaints are logged for monitoring purposes. If you are dissatisfied with an assessment decision or how the process was carried out by your tutor, you have the right to appeal. For further information contact any member of staff.

We welcome complaints and compliments! If you have any reason to make a complaint, please do so. We can offer you help (if you want it) to make a complaint. You can get details of how to make a complaint by asking any member of staff at any of our centres. You can also make a complaint online so you don't even need to talk to us. Please tell us if something is bothering you as we can make things better for you and other learners.

What is a complaint?

A complaint is anything that you think is not right with the service you receive from us. It can be something very serious like you feel you are being racially harassed or something less serious but still annoying like the room is too hot. A complaint can be about the centre, the staff and even fellow learners. Our learner charter, which you can find in your Learner Handbook and in posters around centres, tells you what to expect from us. If we don't deliver, we want to know so that we can do something about it.

Fees and Funding

Entitlement to Free Study

You may be entitled to free tuition if you are unemployed and in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit or Income Support and the course you are studying will help you find employment. If you are 19-23 and do not already hold a Level 2 qualification, you may also be entitled to free tuition on qualification courses.

Payment of Fees:

• If you believe you are entitled to fee remission or free tuition, please bring proof when you enrol
• You will need to pay your fees in full as soon as you are invoiced after enrolment. If your total fee comes to £50 or less, you must make full payment. If your total fee amounts to more than £50, we can accept payment in 3 equal instalments over 3 consecutive months, please contact TMBC Creditors Department on 0161 342 2323.
• If your employer is paying for your course you must provide a letter of confirmation on letter-headed paper from your employer. We will then send an invoice to your employer.
• Course fees include the cost of examinations, an additional fee may apply for the re-taking of exams previously failed or for tests without Tutor support.

Learner Support Fund:

The Learner Support Fund is available to help learners on qualification courses who have difficulty meeting any part of the costs. Please ask for further information and an application form at enrolment or contact Student Services. Learner Support Funds are limited and subject to availability.

Refunds:

Tameside Adult and Community Education operates a strict refund policy. Course fee refunds will only be issued to learners who withdraw from the course by giving written notice and return of any material given. This must take place before 10% of the total course hours have been delivered, thereafter learners will be required to pay the full cost of the course.

Learning works!

• "Learning new skills is enjoyable and a boost to my confidence. I will continue to learn new computer skills."
• "I enjoyed getting to grips with and having the confidence to actually take a computer apart and rebuild it."
• "It made me believe in myself again."
• "I like being able to come to this small centre it's much more friendly."
• "Computers frightened me but now I am doing a qualification and know nearly as much as my kids."
• "You can learn at your own pace, and always a friendly face and a helping hand, for when you go wrong, no one rushes or interferes and does not treat you as if you were still in school, a nice place to learn."
• "I made new friends and I had a good tutor and course."
• "I was nervous of using a computer, but the ease in which I found the step by step instructions to introduce me to the course, put me at ease straight away.

A Learner's View

Tribute to the staff at Tameside Adult and Community Education

“I stood on the doorstep trying to decide, do I want to go inside?
My confidence was at a low, just hoping that my nerves don’t show.
I needn’t have worried all the Tutors were kind, and I really wanted to broaden my mind.
They taught me computers, English and maths. I made mistakes and we had some laughs.
As I study now I’m really aware, that all the staff really do care.
So to all the staff at Tameside ACE I can’t thank you enough. My brain’s no longer a piece of fluff.
Being taught by you has been a pleasure, it will be a part of my life I will always treasure”.

Rene, D