Full Time Student Handbook - British Council · Singapore – British Council – MAN – Student...

Singapore – British Council – MAN – Student Handbook – 7 – Ling Ai Chan 12.02.2015

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. British Council (Singapore) Limited is incorporated in Singapore (UEN 201202363R) and registered as a charity.

Full Time Student

Handbook

Singapore – British Council – MAN – Student Handbook – 5 – Ling Ai Chan 11.02.2015 of 36


About this handbook The purpose of this handbook is to give our full-time students the information you need to study with us. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Director’s Message 3 Vision and Mission 4 British Council Profile/History 4 Our Commitments 5

Our beliefs about learning Classes Teachers Examinations services

Accreditation and Awards 6 Napier Road Centre Location 7 Private Education Act 8

Student contract and Advisory Note to Students Fee Protection Scheme (FPS) Medical Insurance

Course Registration Academic Structure 9 Eligibility to Study 16 Placement Test 16 Mode of Payment 17 Student Support Services Student’s Pass Application 18 Attendance Policy 21 Assessment Procedures 21 Withdrawal and Refund 23 Transfer/Deferment 24 Student Duties and Obligations 25 Other Administrative Services 26 Student Data 26 Counselling and Advice 28 In-House Services 29 Facilities 29 Feedback and Grievance Procedures 32 Feedback Channels 32 The Full-time Board 34 Academic Board 35 Examinations Board 35 Visitor Information List of Embassies 36 Hospital 24-hour Emergency Assistance 36



DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE A leader in English language Welcome to the British Council, a leader in English language teaching and teacher development. With more than 70 years of experience, we have 126 centres offering English courses to various age groups throughout the world. We provide our students with easy access to a variety of excellent English language resources which include a cohort of over 2,000 experienced teachers, quality learning materials and state-of-the-art learning facilities. Why British Council Singapore for Full-time English? Our intensive full-time classes are multi-national, giving you the opportunity to get to know people from different cultures and encouraging you to communicate in English all the time. Outside class we run a range of free activities to help you keep learning, whilst having fun and meeting new people. The courses start at Elementary level and continue up to exam classes. The materials are a combination of course books and our own resources, specially designed and written to meet your needs as you progress through the levels. If you are aiming for IELTS, our higher level courses will help prepare you for the exam while our excellent library provides you with a range of practice activities. British Council Singapore is a vibrant and lively centre, open seven days a week, where you can come and achieve your goals. Contact us anytime We strongly believe students learn better when working together with teachers. Hence this handbook is our first step towards helping you understand our methodology and services better. We will be happy to answer any further questions and can be contacted at any of our five centres. Our contact information can be found on our website. Yours sincerely Roland Davies Director British Council (Singapore) Limited



VISION AND MISSION In Singapore, the work of the British Council includes teaching English; providing the latest information about studying in the UK; promoting British education and training; and demonstrating the innovation, creativity and excellence of British science, arts, literature and design.

Our mission is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and Singapore and to increase Singaporeans’ appreciation of the UK’s creative ideas and achievements. This work is driven by our strong belief in internationalism, valuing people, a commitment to professionalism and an enthusiasm for creativity. We hold ourselves to the highest possible standards of integrity. We believe that cultural relations can help individuals and the world community to thrive. As the United Kingdom’s principal cultural relations organisation we are strongly committed to Equal Opportunity and Diversity, which means that we want all kinds of people to participate in our programmes independent of race, gender or ability. As we develop relationships with people from a wide range of backgrounds through our work, engaging positively with diversity is central to what we do and in line with our core values.

BRITISH COUNCIL PROFILE/HISTORY We have been in Singapore since 1947, and have built a strong and credible track record. Our long-term experience and visibility have enabled us to build strong relationships with generations of government leaders, policy makers, opinion leaders and the wider public.

In line with our values, we are strongly committed to the Equal Opportunity and Diversity agenda. We work to promote the United Kingdom’s achievements in this area and to showcase relevant British Council work. The British Council has five core organisational values - valuing people, integrity, mutuality, creativity and professionalism. These govern our organisational culture, the decisions we make and how we behave internally and in our dealings with clients, customers and suppliers. These values underpin how we implement equality of opportunity and how we value diversity.

A WORLD LEADER IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING As a world leader in English language training, we can customise English language business solutions to meet the exact requirements of you and your organisation. We are familiar with the needs of the Singapore market; every year, some 20,000 children, young adults and professionals attend courses at one of our five centres. If your aim is to raise English and communication skills in a targeted group, we would be happy to talk to you.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/singapore-english-courses.htm?mtklink=singapore-english-courses

http://www.britishcouncil.org/singapore-educationuk.htm

http://www.britishcouncil.org/singapore-uk-education.htm?mtklink=singapore-uk-education

http://www.britishcouncil.org/new/science/

http://www.britishcouncil.org/new/arts/

http://www.britishcouncil.org/singapore-about-us-equal-opportunity-and-diversity.htm

http://www.britishcouncil.org/singapore-about-us-equal-opportunity-and-diversity.htm



OUR COMMITMENT OUR BELIEFS ABOUT LEARNING We believe that you learn English by using it. This means that you will be very active in class. You will spend a lot of time practising new language and speaking with other students. Our teachers will listen to you, correct your mistakes, build your confidence, and give you advice on how you can improve. We will also show you ways to practise your English outside class so that you can make progress more quickly.

We offer a wide range of full-time courses for students aged 14 and above. Our courses progressively develop your English language skills and are carefully structured to help you: • gain confidence in English • develop grammatical accuracy • improve your pronunciation, intonation and rhythm • strengthen your speaking and listening skills • expand your vocabulary • develop your reading and writing skills • succeed in your further studies in English CLASSES • There will be a maximum of 16 students in your class, but often fewer than that. • You will use well-respected British textbooks. Please buy your coursebooks before the course starts • On our Higher 1-3 courses we also use materials written by us to help you develop further • We also use interesting video, audio, and IT-based activities to add variety to your lessons. • You are expected to complete 2 hours of directed self-study each day. • You will receive counselling every month and a progress report every 3 months. Each level is four weeks long and will involve 80 hours of classroom tuition and at least 40 hours of homework and self-study. TEACHERS Our teachers are all qualified and highly-experienced, and they have taught in many countries around the world. They are: • excellent course developers and planners • experts in their knowledge of English and ability to explain the language • excellent in evaluating and assessing your progress and achievement • committed to promoting independent learning This means: • your courses have clear learning objectives which our teachers help you achieve • you learn standard English while developing a deeper understanding of how English works • you will be active in your learning • you will become much more confident in the language • you will know what your strengths and weaknesses are and where to focus your attention • you will be better equipped to continue learning English on your own after your studies with us EXAMINATIONS SERVICES The British Council is a centre for internationally recognised qualifications such as IELTS, the Business English Certificate suite and the Cambridge ESOL suite. Our courses at suitable levels help you prepare for these examinations.



ACCREDITATION AND AWARDS

AWARDS

Cert No: EDU-2-2018 Validity: 29/04/2011 – 28/04/2015 EduTrust Awarded by the Council for Private Education (CPE), the EduTrust mark is only awarded to Private Education Institutes who have distinguished themselves in having higher standards in management and provision of educational services.

TrustSG The British Council (Singapore) Limited has been a TrustSg, BusinessTrust and ConsumerTrust accredited organisation since 4 February 2005. We are compliant with the Business Trust code of practice.

BusinessTrust We have been on the BusinessTrust Global Reliability Programme since 4 February 2005. The programme serves to provide assurance for buyers and sellers engaging in B2B transactions.

ConsumerTrust We were accredited as a ConsumerTrust business on 4 February 2005. Consumer Trust aims to encourage best business practices by merchants and to assist consumers in identifying merchants they can trust.



NAPIER ROAD CENTRE LOCATION

ADDRESS 30 Napier Road Singapore 258509 CONTACT US Telephone +65 6473 1111 Fax +65 6472 1010 Email [email protected] www.britishcouncil.org.sg PUBLIC BUS SERVICES SBS Transit - 7, 105, 111, 123, 132, 174, 174M, 502 TIBS - 75, 77, 106, NR8 NEAREST MRT STATION Napier Road Centre is just a 5-minute bus ride from the Orchard (NS22) station. You can take SBS Transit 7, 111, 123, 174 or TIBS 75, 77 or 106 to our centre from the Orchard Boulevard bus stop.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

This centre is wheelchair accessible. CAR PARK There is no parking available at the Napier Centre. The nearest parking space is in the basement of Tanglin Mall, diagonally across from the Napier Road Centre. Entrance to the Tanglin Mall basement parking is at Tanglin Road.

http://www.britishcouncil.org.sg/public/contact/default.aspx

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.britishcouncil.org.sg/



PRIVATE EDUCATION ACT Private Education Act In September 2009, the Singapore Parliament passed the Private Education Act which aims to ensure quality of courses offered to more than 1,000 private education institutions (PEI) in Singapore. The Council for Private Education (CPE) was formed to regulate and promote best practices among private education institutions in Singapore. Compulsory Requirements You must do the following:

1. Student Contract and Advisory Note to Students All students must sign a Contract and Advisory Note to Students with the British Council. Before you do so, please read the terms and conditions carefully and make sure that you understand them. Each contract is valid for admission to only one course. If you enrol for three courses, you need to sign six contracts (the second set is for you to keep). If you want to take a holiday break in between your courses, you need to re-sign your contract(s).

2. Fee Protection Scheme (FPS) via Insurance The Fee Protection Scheme is to protect the fees of all new and existing students. If the British Council closes down, your fees will be refunded through this scheme. We have chosen Lonpac Insurance Bhd as our Fee Protection Scheme provider and Aegis Insurance Services Pte Ltd is its administrative agent and support in Singapore. British Council is allowed to collect a maximum course fee of 12 months. If you would like to enrol on an additional course at a later stage, you can still enjoy the re-registration discount of $100 per course. However, you need to pay the Fee Protection Scheme insurance for your new registration. The cost of Fee Protection Scheme insurance is 1% of the total course fee or $25; whichever is higher. If you want to take a holiday break in between your courses, you need to re-sign your contract(s), so that we are able to change the Fee Protection Scheme duration to the new end date of your deferred course. This must be done within 3 working days.

3. Medical Insurance

All international students on a Student’s Pass must buy medical insurance. Only Singapore citizens, permanent residents and foreign students not on a Student’s Pass have the choice not to buy medical insurance if they can show proof that they are already covered (minimum annual coverage of S$20,000) by their own medical insurance. British Council has put in place a medical insurance by AXA Insurance Singapore Pte Ltd. This insurance scheme has an annual coverage limit of S$20,000 to cover for hospitalisation, outpatient and related medical treatment for the entire course duration at government hospitals. If you decide to re-register for another course with British Council and the gap between your last course and new course is less than 90 days, you do not need to pay for the medical insurance again. The medical insurance fee is $45 per student.

For more information about the above, please visit the CPE website at: www.cpe.org.sg

http://www.cpe.org.sg/



COURSE REGISTRATION

ACADEMIC STRUCTURE

Our Certificate in General English full-time courses are for people who want to improve their English and/or are preparing to enter tertiary education in an English-speaking environment. These courses are for students who want to attend classes every day to improve their level of General English and then progress to improving their academic English skills and take the IELTS examination.

Module Objectives Coursebook

Beginner

You will be able to:

• Introduce yourself • Use the present simple of the verb ‘to be’ • Use the present simple of other verbs • Make positive and negative sentences • Make plural nouns • Read about places in the world • Talk about food and drink • Understand and use basic English pronunciation • Use words to talk about:

o Numbers 0-100 o Rooms in a house o Sports

New Cutting Edge Starter

Elementary 1

You will be able to: • Make sentences with the verb ‘to be’ • Introduce yourself • Form sentences, make questions and negatives using

the present simple • Use adverbs of frequency • Talk about what people like doing • Understand how to use word stress • Read simple paragraphs about daily activities • Comprehend basic information from short listening

texts • Write personal data for a website and a description of

a friend • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Everyday objects o Everyday activities and actions o Travel

Cutting Edge 3rd edition/English File 3rd edition Elementary



Elementary 2

You will be able to: • Make simple requests • Use words to talk and ask about quantities • Talk about the past • Compare people and objects • Differentiate between the present simple and present

continuous • Understand how to use sentence stress • Read about films • Listen and understand the gist • Write a short life story and a description of a picture • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Food and drink o Describing Films o Shopping o People’s appearance


Elementary 3

You will be able to: • Talk about what you can and can’t do • Discuss simple plans in the future • Understand how to use the present perfect with

experiences • Understand basic modals of obligation and possibility • Understand how to use sentence stress and weak

forms • Read texts about learning • Listen and understand further detail • Write an application and an email • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Shopping o People’s appearance o Animals o Education and learning


Foundation 1

You will be able to: • Give advice • Talk about habits • Understand the different uses of the present

continuous • Use comparatives and superlatives • Scan for information in short articles • Listen for specific information • Construct a paragraph in a cohesive manner • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Leisure activities o Jobs o Dates and special occasions o Celebrations

Cutting Edge 3rd edition/English File 3rd edition Pre-Intermediate ‘The Fugitive’ (graded reader)



Foundation 2

You will be able to: • Tell somebody about your intentions and wishes • Make predictions • Distinguish between the present perfect and the past

simple and use suitable time expressions • Understand when to use articles • Write long sentences using appropriate linkers • Discuss possibilities in the future using different modal

verbs • Understand the difference between the past simple,

continuous and used to • Listen and make effective notes • Read and make inferences from texts • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Holidays o Ambitions and dreams o Life now and in the past o Everyday health

Cutting Edge 3rd edition/English File 3rd edition Pre-Intermediate ‘Around the World in 80 days’ (graded reader)

Foundation 3

You will be able to: • Use gerunds accurately in speaking and writing • Use the lexical item ‘like’ and be aware of the use of it

in a variety of phrases and lexical chunks • Use the grammar of present simple and past simple

passive correctly and to recognize its form and use • Make suggestions • Recognise the differences between the present

perfect simple and the present perfect continuous • Talk about the past using past simple, continuous and

the past perfect with appropriate time phrases • Discuss hypothetical situations • Identify attitudes of a speaker in listening texts • Read texts and summarise each paragraph • Write basic discursive essays • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Likes and dislikes o Personal characteristics o Money o Music

Cutting Edge 3rd edition/English File 3rd edition Pre-Intermediate ‘Jane Eyre’ (graded reader)



Foundation 4

You will be able to: • Use different auxiliary verbs to make questions and

negatives • Use the past simple and continuous and ‘used to’ to

relate experiences in the past • Use different phrases and structures for comparing

and contrasting • Understand the different uses of the present perfect

simple and continuous • Read and compare two texts • Give your opinions on a listening text • Write e-mails giving news • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Relationships o Memory o Towns and cities o Life events

Cutting Edge 3rd edition/English File 3rd edition Intermediate ‘Notting Hill’ (graded reader)

Foundation 5

You will be able to: Understand all future forms Talk about possible situations in the future Differentiate between adjectives ending –ed/-ing Request using informal and formal structures Understand all the uses of the modal verb ‘will’ Link sentences using relative clauses Use quantifiers appropriately Listen to different texts and make comparisons Read different texts to identify common themes Write short narratives Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Issues at work o Extreme situations o Social behaviour o Machines in modern life

Cutting Edge 3rd edition/English File 3rd edition Intermediate ‘The Sign of Four’ (graded reader)

Foundation 6

You will be able to: • Make sentences using ‘if’ + past sentence and ‘would’ • Understand the form and uses of reported speech • Talk about obligations and permission in the present

and the past • Use different structures to discuss hypothetical

situations in the past • Read texts for global meaning and to find specific

information • Listen to long texts and identify key points • Write essays giving an opinion with supporting

evidence • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Society and change o Your favourites novels/stories o Rules and regulations o Problems and solutions

Cutting Edge 3rd edition/English File 3rd edition Intermediate ‘Great Expectations’ (graded reader)



Higher 1

You will be able to: • Understand the tense system • Know which verbs are followed by the gerund or the

infinitive • Use narrative tenses correctly • Understand the rules of the continuous aspect • Understand all the forms and uses of the passive • Talk about having something done • Differentiate between the reading sub-skills • Summarise information from a long listening text • Write a report identifying key data from a diagram • Write an essay using appropriate cohesive devices • Complete a flow chart using information about

studying • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Family o Emotions o Accidents and Disasters o Learning English

Cutting Edge 3rd edition/English File 3rd edition Upper Intermediate In-House materials written by the British Council to help develop General English and IELTS skills.

Higher 2

You will be able to: • Use different perfect tenses correctly • Recognise when to use articles • Emphasise using different grammatical structures • Use relative clauses to join sentences • Understand how to use quantifiers • Write a report comparing and contrasting data • Guess meaning from context in a reading text • Write an essay evaluating evidence • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about:

o Achieving Success o Life o Cultures o Being Famous


Higher 3

You will be able to: • Identify the different functions of modal verbs • Use modal verbs to talk about the past • Understand the uses and forms of the future

continuous and future perfect • Differentiate between hypothetical situations in the

present and the past • Report people’s exact words • Use reporting verbs to summarise what people say • Skim and scan a long text to answer true/false/not

given questions • Write a report describing information in a bar chart • Write an essay with a balanced viewpoint • Use suitable words and phrases to talk about;

o Mysteries o Friendships o Genetics o Media mania




Advanced Red

You will be able to: Use key grammar areas:

• Linking words • Narrative tenses • Speculating and deducing • Adverbs and adverbials as discourse markers • Permission, obligation and necessity • Talking about future plans and arrangements • Compound nouns and possessives

Use vocabulary to talk about: • Work • Sounds and the human voice • History and warfare • Travel and tourism • Preparing food

Improve your writing: • a letter of application and an article

Use colloquial English: • Fact or Fiction, Cooking around the world

New English File Advanced ‘A’ Modules

Advanced White


• The verb ‘have’ • Distancing yourself • Using inversion to add emphasis • Whether to use the infinitive or gerund after a verb • Verbs relating to the senses • Ellipsis and substitution to avoid repetition and to

sound more natural • Using so and such correctly

Use vocabulary to talk about: • time • books • place and movement • the natural world

Improve your writing: • a review and a discursive essay

Use colloquial English: • Family secrets, time and technology, art and artists

New English File Advanced ‘B’ Modules

Advanced Blue


• Using pronouns • The verb ‘get’ • Unreal situations using the past tense • Using conditionals • Gerunds and infinitives • Using cleft sentences to add emphasis • Comparing

Use vocabulary to talk about: • Money • Phone language • Health and medicine • Humour

Improve your writing: • Discursive essay, Letter of complaint

Use colloquial English: • Women and money; encounters with animals

New English File Advanced ‘C’ Modules



Advanced IELTS Red

You will be able to: Develop all IELTS skills, with particular focus on:

• Reading: Choosing section headings; flow chart completion

• Listening: Section 2 • Speaking: Parts 1 and 3 • Writing Task 1: Describing graphs; process; • Writing Task 2: Advantages and disadvantages essay

Use key grammar areas: • Present simple and continuous, and past simple • Transitive and intransitive verbs • Conditional sentences • Defining and non-defining clauses • Substitution and ellipsis

Use vocabulary to talk about: • People • Conservation • Work • Money

Ready for IELTS/Focus on IELTS

Advanced IELTS White


• Reading: Table completion • Listening: Section 1 and 4 • Speaking: Part 2 • Writing Task 1: A table, map • Writing Task 2: Opinion essay, Agree/ disagree essay

Use key grammar areas: • Past simple and present perfect • Past habits • Ways of Comparing • Referencing • Conditional sentences

Use vocabulary to talk about: • Technology • Sports • Geography – and the history of it • Psychology and Sociology


Advanced IELTS Blue


• Reading: Summary completion; Identifying writer’s views/claims

• Listening: Section 3 • Speaking: Parts 2 and 3 • Writing Task 1: Piecharts, table • Writing Task 2: Cause and effect essay

Use key grammar areas: • Countable and uncountable nouns • Ways of looking at the future • Modal verbs • Articles • Concessions

Use vocabulary to talk about: • Global problems • Beauty • Travelling • Infrastructure and systems




ELIGIBILITY TO STUDY To register for our Full-time courses, the student will need to be at least 14 years of age at the time of the Course Commencement Date and present to us one of the following permits:

Singapore NRIC Singapore PR NRIC Work Permit Employment Pass Long Term Social Visit Pass (if your Long Term Social Visit Pass is to accompany a minor

studying on a Student’s Pass, please let us know) Dependant’s Pass

The above permits should have an expiry date that is later than the last course of your Full-time programme. If the student is not holding on to any of the above passes, he/she will be required to apply for a Student’s Pass. While we will assist in this application, there are documents that the student will need to prepare and provide. For more information on Student’s Pass applications please email us at [email protected] PLACEMENT TEST New students are also required to undergo a Placement Test to determine their level of English to identify the correct English course to start from. If the Student is overseas please email us (see below) for:

An application form A copy of the placement test. Once you have completed them send them back to us by email or fax:

Email: [email protected] Fax: +65 6475 3885

We will acknowledge receipt of the documents within three working days. The test will be marked and a course recommended within one week. Please note, when you arrive in Singapore, you will be required to undergo another Placement Test at the British Council to confirm the results from your overseas test. If the Student is in Singapore

Contact us to book a placement test. This is necessary for all new Full-time students. The student will be interviewed by a teacher, then given a 40-minute written test. The speaking

and writing results will help us to recommend the best course for the student.



http://www.britishcouncil.org/singapore-about-us-contact-us-centres-and-opening-hours.htm



MODE OF PAYMENT You can pay your fees through any of the following ways:

1. Cash

2. NETS

3. Cheque

4. Credit card

5. 0% interest instalment plan

6. Direct Bank Transfer Please check with Customer Services Staff.

You should make sure you are given official receipts by the school upon payment of fees. Please keep all official receipts for verification of payment status when required. All fees are subject to changes.



STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES STUDENT PASS APPLICATION

Application If you are an international student wishing to study in Singapore, you are required to apply for a Student Pass. The applicant is required to provide the following documents:

1 recent passport-sized photograph A photocopy of your travel documents (ie. Passport)* A photocopy of your highest educational certificate and transcript* A photocopy of your birth certificate* A copy of the Student pass application form duly completed. Bank statement if applicant is from a visa required country

*If these copies are not in English, the applicant is required to provide translated and notarised copies for processing. Student Pass processing fees There will be a $500 Student Pass processing fee for new students and a $250 Student Pass processing fee for renewal applications made within a year from the previous student pass application. On approval Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will issue an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter once the Student Pass is approved. Our Student Welfare Officer will email a copy of the In-Principle Approval letter and book a date for you to collect your Pass from Singapore Immigration. To collect your Student Pass, please prepare the following documents to present to ICA, if necessary:

Travel document / passport Original birth certificate Original educational certificate(s) and transcript Medical report*

*If ICA requires you to undergo a medical examination, we will contact you and arrange for this to be done prior to the Student’s Pass collection.



Application: Important information It is important to fill in your Student Pass application forms clearly and correctly.

1. Please ensure that all forms are duly signed and completed by the applicant. 2. No part of the form should be left blank and it must be completed in block letters. If any section or

part of the form is not applicable, it should be filled as NIL or Not Applicable (N.A.) 3. Please make sure that the names written in the forms match the names on the submitted

supporting documents. If they are different, please indicate the reasons.

4. Please use only a 'tick' (√) - not a 'cross' (x) - on the application forms. 5. All information provided must be written in a logical order, i.e. either in ascending or descending

order. 6. All supporting documents can be photocopies, but the original must be produced for verification

upon Immigration & Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) request when collecting the Student Pass. 7. If your documents are not in English, please have them translated with an official notary. 8. Applications with incomplete forms or documents will NOT be accepted for processing. This will

delay your application and studies.

Student Pass Renewal If you wish to continue your course and renew your student pass, please inform us at least 1 month in advance. We will then register you for your new courses and apply for a renewal of your pass.

Return of a Student Pass When you wish to leave Singapore, you must inform us one week before your departure or refer to the ICA website at www.ica.gov.sg for more information. Upon completion of your studies, you will be granted a 30-day Social Visit Pass to wind down your activities in Singapore and make arrangements for leaving. Please contact our Student Welfare Officer if you wish to obtain a 30 days Social Visit Pass.

http://www.ica.gov.sg/



ATTENDANCE POLICY If you are holding a Student’s Pass, you must attend all classes at the designated times. Punctuality is necessary and you must be in class five minutes before the start time. If you are late by 30 minutes to 2 hours, this will be counted as an absence of half a day. In excess of that will be counted as a full day’s absence. You must not leave the country during class times without the approval of the British Council. The British Council will consider the following situations as reasons for non-attendance;

• Sickness supported by a medical certificate • Family emergency, such as illness or death of a relative

If your attendance falls below 90% (ICA requirements), the British Council may take steps to cancel your Student’s Pass. Please see details below: Student Duties and Obligations, no.7. Disciplinary Action. If you feel that you have been treated unfairly, you can make a written appeal to the Academic Board at [email protected] within two days of being notified of your expulsion. Please put ‘EXPULSION APPEAL’ in the subject line and write your full name and British Council ID number. The Academic Board will reply within two working days and their decision is final. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

We have a system of continuous assessment. This is carried out in the following ways

• Class participation: 40% of overall result

This is based on your teachers’ observations in class using the following criteria

o Ability and willingness to participate in class activities o The range of grammar and vocabulary you use in class activities o How well you pronounce words and phrases so as to make yourself understood o Ability and effort made to communicate with your classmates

• Completing homework to a suitable standard: 10% of overall result

• Progress tests: 50% of overall results

The tests will take place on the last Wednesday of each term in your classroom and will last the

whole lesson. They will be conducted by an invigilator, not your usual class teacher. If you are absent from the class on that day, you must present suitable documentation for your

absence. The Senior Teacher adults will set up an alternative time for you to do the test. You will not receive your test papers after the test, but you will be given your results in the second

half of the last class on the last Friday. The results of all these assessments will be used to give you feedback on your future studies. If you

are not achieving a satisfactory level of progress, we will put you on a study plan. This will be directed self-study with the help of the Academic Officer. It is your responsibility to carry out this self-study.



You will be given a certificate of attendance every four weeks if you have been present for 90% of the course.

If you wish to appeal against any of your results, you can contact the Examinations Board at

[email protected] within two days of receiving the results. You must write ‘TEST RESULTS QUERY’ in the subject line with your full name and British Council student ID number. The Board will reply to you with two days of receiving the appeal. The Examination Board’s decision is final.

You will be given the following tests

Beginner to Foundation 6

o Reading o Listening o Writing o Structures and Vocabulary

Advanced Red, White, Blue

o Reading o Listening o Writing o Structures and Vocabulary

Higher 1-3

o Reading (IELTS) o Listening (IELTS) o Writing (IELTS) o Structures and Vocabulary (at

Higher 3 this is replaced by a speaking assessment)

Advanced IELTS Red, White, Blue

o Reading (IELTS) o Listening (IELTS) o Writing (IELTS) o Speaking (IELTS)



Opt out Medical Insurance Any request to opt-out of the medical insurance (for students who are eligible to opt-out) will require the student to present their existing medical insurance policy that clearly shows the annual coverage limit of not less than S$20,000.00. For further details please ask at Customer Services for a copy of AXA GHS Product Summary & FAQ. STUDENT DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS As an enrolled student of the British Council, you have certain duties and obligations. 1. General Conduct You have an individual and collective responsibility for maintaining a healthy working and learning environment by observing proper conduct at all times within the British Council premises. 2. Appropriate Conduct You must refrain from disruptive behaviour at all times. Here are some examples of appropriate/inappropriate conduct: - You adhere to all ICA’s requirements and will not breach any ICA’s regulations which may lead to your dismissal. - You will not be rude or behave aggressively towards teachers and staff. - You will not instigate other students to cause disruption to the smooth running of the school. - You will switch off your mobile phone, tablet computer etc during lessons. - You will not leave the class during lessons without permission to answer or make phone calls. - You will adhere to the lesson schedule and be punctual for your classes. - You will not use vulgarities in the school. - You will not vandalise the school property or cause damage to school equipment. - You will not drop litter in the school. - You will not download illegal software or visit inappropriate websites. 3. Appropriate Dress Code You will wear proper attire when you attend courses in the school. 4. Disciplinary Actions for Breach of Regulations You are liable to be disciplined for any serious misconduct and/or breach of the school’s rules and regulations. If you persistently violate the school’s rules and regulations you will be issued a written warning. You will face serious disciplinary action, including dismissal, if you continue to violate the school’s rules after receiving a written warning. 5. Consumption of Food and Drinks All food and drinks will be consumed in the café. 6. Smoking Smoking is NOT ALLOWED within the school’s premises. 7. Disciplinary Action & Dismissal If you persistently breach school rules and regulations or ICA rules and regulations, you will be liable for disciplinary action. At first, you will be given a verbal warning; if the situation/behaviour persists you will receive an official Warning Letter; if again there is no improvement you will receive a Second and Final Warning Letter. You may have to appear before a disciplinary committee. If you are dismissed on disciplinary grounds, your Student’s Pass will be cancelled immediately, all your fees forfeited, and you will be required to leave Singapore within 5 days. 8. The School’s Decision The school’s decision in all matters pertaining to the rules and regulations, and terms and conditions shall be final.



OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES British Council Student Card You will receive a BC student card upon enrolment to help you use our library and to speed up enquiries at Customer Services. Please keep it with you at all times when you are at the British Council. STUDENT DATA Update of Students’ Particulars Students who are on student pass are responsible for providing (and updating) British Council customer service staff with correct contact details. At registration, please provide telephone number, mobile phone number, email address and residential address. Please contact Customer Service to update your student records. It is important that you provide the school with your updated contact information so that the school can advise Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) appropriately. Privacy, Personal Data Protection and Fair Collection Policy Your privacy is important to British Council (Singapore) Limited. British Council (Singapore) Limited is committed to preserving the confidentiality of students’ personal information and undertakes not to divulge any of the students’ personal information to any third party without the prior consent of the student. Our privacy policy can be found on our website. The following statements outline British Council (Singapore) Limited’s compliance with Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) and the Do Not Call (DNC) provisions under the PDPA. Your Personal Data We will safeguard the privacy of your personal data, whether you interact with us personally, by telephone, mail, over the Internet or via other electronic media. We hold personal data in secure computer storage facilities as well as paper based files and other records and take steps to protect the personal data we hold from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Where we hold personal data or have particulars or information which may identify individuals, we will destroy that information when it is no longer required. We are required by law to manage any personal data securely and only for specified purposes. These are as follows:

• To maintain integral academic and education records on our students • To maintain accurate financial records • To be able to cater for any special needs our student may have • To provide academic records for our students’ sponsors where applicable • To write to our students to make them aware of our services and events • To inform our students about UK events and activities in Singapore



DNC Provisions The DNC Provisions, which became effective on 2 January 2014, introduce certain changes to the way in which we may send you promotional and marketing messages and call you via your Singapore telephone number(s). Marketing messages are those sent to individuals with the intention of advertising, promoting or offering to provide goods or services. These changes will not affect sending other types of messages via your Singapore telephone number(s), such as informational and service related messages, messages that are for business to business marketing, market survey or research or which promote charitable or religious causes, and personal messages sent by individuals. Contacting you

• British Council (Singapore) Limited aims to comply with the requirements of the PDPA and respects your choices.

• If you have registered your telephone number with the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry, we will not send you promotional and marketing messages. However, if you have previously given consent allowing us to send you such messages via your telephone number, we will continue to do so until you withdraw your consent.

• Also, if you currently have an existing, ongoing relationship with us, depending on the nature of that relationship, we may continue to send you promotional or marketing messages via SMS or fax about products and services which are related to that ongoing relationship (exempt messages) notwithstanding your registration with the DNC Registry, unless you opt-out of receiving these exempt messages.

• British Council (Singapore) Limited will use the information that you are providing for the administration of your English course in Singapore. We may want to use your information to send you details of our activities, services and events (including social events) which you might find of interest. If you do not wish us to contact you regarding these services please contact +65 6473 1111 or speak to a member of customer service.



COUNSELLING AND ADVICE

JAPANESE AND KOREAN SPEAKERS The British Council employs a number of staff who are proficient in Chinese, Korean and Japanese as well as European languages to help you with your enquiries. Please approach our Customer Services for help. STUDENT COUNSELLING SERVICE

We provide a Student Counselling Service to help you with any personal, emotional or study-related difficulties affecting your studies. Our in-house counselling staff (Counsellor - Ali Daud) is trained to provide counselling and advice. If you need to have a session with our counselling staff, please ask your customer services staff or your teacher to help make the arrangements. Ali has successfully completed, among others, the following qualifications: Graduate Dip. of Social Science in Professional Counselling (2014) Specialist Dip. In Workplace Counselling (2009) Specialist Dip. In Counselling Psychology (2007) Note: professional counselling is available by appointment only.

STUDENT WELFARE OFFICER (SWO) Our SWO, Ms Christina Goh, will be available to assist you should you have any questions related to the following:

• Student’s pass • Accommodation • Opening of a bank account

She can be contacted at 6470 7153 or [email protected]




IN-HOUSE SERVICES ENGLISH COURSES AND UK EXAMINATIONS

Our Customer Services Executives are happy to assist you in all your queries about our wide range of English language courses and UK accredited examinations, which include IELTS and Cambridge English language examinations.

EDUCTION UK

You can contact us for free information and advice about UK education. You can also sign up to be on our mailing list to receive email alerts of education events.

ARTS

Our Arts department brings you the latest news and information about the UK’s innovative and dynamic creative output, and which UK arts events are coming your way.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES We offer a huge range of courses, from effective email and letter writing to Managing and Communicating Change. Our Professional Development courses will add value to any participant seeking to enter the professional world as well as those who are already a part of the working world. It will equip them will relevant skills and knowledge to handle the changes in the working world.

FACILITIES

MULTIMEDIA COMPUTER LABORATORY AND LEARNING ZONE We have modern, up-to-date computing learning facilities. Our computer room is used for in-class activities, while the Learning Zone is equipped with key resources for all students to make use of. It is a key resource for you and provides you with an efficient and up-to-date database. There is a very wide range of materials - books, audio-visual items including CD-ROMs, iPad apps and the latest British films. There are also dedicated computer facilities you can use for your research and assignments. Our Learning Zone staff are available to help you to make the best use of these resources and services. We also provide photocopying facilities on the ground floor for a fee of 20 cents per copy. The Learning Zone is open from: Monday to Friday 9.00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Saturdays 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Sundays 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Public Holidays Closed



NOTICE BOARD You will find that our notice boards located on the ground floor and on level 2 & 3 stairways are very important sources of information such as rules & regulations, policies and procedures. Please visit the notice boards regularly to keep in touch with the latest updates and information on the events and the various activities. CAFÉ

6 Stone Jars Our own café located within the building, serving up meals and refreshments. Make a date with your classmates and practice speaking English over lunch!

INTERNET SERVICE

We provide FREE internet access for all our students on our premises. You can learn more about the UK today or access links to English language learning websites.

COMPUTER AIDED LANGUAGE LEARNING (CALL)

You can also access our CALL programmes through the computers. These are self-access English learning programmes especially for the use of our students.

STUDENT EXCURSIONS We regularly organise trips to places of social interest in Singapore. This will give you an insight into the diverse culture of Singapore. Detailed information will be available on our notice boards.



STUDENT CLUBS At the British Council, we believe that interacting in English is crucial in learning the language. To make this learning process more fun and engaging, we have a large number of resources, clubs and activities that you can participate in – an opportunity to use English with others and get to know new friends! In the Learning Zone, you can: • Meet a teacher in our Learning Zone for help with your studies • Have your questions answered • Ask how you can make a Self-Study Plan • Find out about our library of books and CDs • Learn how to use the computers for language practice • Access our Audio Library of listening materials • Get advice about our collection of British film and TV DVDs and award-winning literature On www.bookeo.com/myclass, you can get information and book in to the many clubs and activities we run each month, such as:

• Conversation Club • Literature Club • Pronunciation Doctor • Grammar Doctor • Vocabulary Doctor • Listening Doctor • Film & TC Club • Games Club • Basketball • Football • Excursions • Monthly Parties • Culture-sharing workshops

CHECK THE CALENDAR EACH MONTH FOR AN UPDATED EVENT LIST.

http://www.bookeo.com/myclass



FEEDBACK AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES FEEDBACK CHANNELS We welcome feedback from our students as such input will help us to improve the school. This section tells you what the British Council will do on receiving feedback and suggestions from our students. You can provide feedback through various channels and we will always seek to address it promptly:

• Course evaluation survey for students to fill in online - it assesses academic content, course delivery and student support services.

• Focus group sessions are conducted by academic staff with selected classes as part of our

Teaching and Learning Review. • Re-enrolment talk/ end-of-course counselling to assist students to make more informed choice

for academic progression.

• Students are encouraged to provide feedback on any matters via e-mail, over the customer services counters or by approaching a Senior Teacher.

• Feedback/ Suggestion Box (located at Customer Service Centre)

GRIEVANCE / COMPLAINT If you have a grievance or complaint that you wish to make, you should approach a member of the Customer Services team on duty. Where possible, the Customer Services staff will try to help you and offer relevant advice on your issue. If the staff cannot resolve the issue on the spot, they will contact the appropriate officer to help you. For academic issues, this will be one of the Senior Teachers. For non-academic issues, it will be the Student Welfare Officer. In both cases, you are required to fill in a feedback form available at our front counters or send an email to [email protected], with details regarding your grievance/complaint. Both the Senior Teacher and the Student Welfare Officer concerned undertake to contact you to discuss the details of your complaint within 2 working days (Mon to Fri) and do their best to provide you a solution to your issue.




DISPUTE RESOLUTION POLICY While the British Council ensures that all decisions made are fair and unbiased, should you disagree with a decision made against your request, you may wish to file an appeal. Please approach the CS staff and inform them of this decision if you wish to do so. We will refer the issue to the Heads of Department, who will respond within 2 working days (Mon to Fri). Their initial response may include further meetings or discussions as part of his investigation. The decision made by the Head of Adults will be the final decision of the British Council. If you still feel that this final decision is not acceptable, you may approach the Council for Private Education (CPE) Student Services Centre for advice. CPE is a government statutory board in charge of regulating the private education industry. They will then provide appropriate advice, depending on the nature of your issue. For more information on CPE and their Student Services Centre, please visit them at www.cpe.gov.sg. Mediation If CPE recommends both parties to go for mediation, the services of the Singapore Mediation Centre may be requested. If a settlement between the student and the private education institution could be reached at the mediation stage, a settlement agreement would be drawn up and endorsed by the respective parties, and the dispute resolved. For more information on the Singapore Mediation Centre, please visit them at www.mediation.com.sg Arbitration If the parties fail to reach a settlement through mediation, CPE may then recommend to progress on to arbitration for a resolution to his dispute. The Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIARB) is the appointed provider of arbitration services. For more information on SIARB, please visit them at www.siarb.org.sg. At British Council, we welcome feedback from all our students and the public, regardless of the nature or content as we firmly believe that such feedback is vital to the continuous improvement to our services.

http://www.cpe.gov.sg/

http://www.mediation.com.sg/

http://www.siarb.org.sg/



THE FULL-TIME BOARD The following staff are on hand to help you should you require any assistance or advice.

Senior Teacher (Adults)

Steven Shaw Ed Gibbons Adults Support Coordinator Adults Coordinator

Wendy Naylor Lesley Brooks

Student Welfare Officer Counsellor

Christina Goh Ali Daud



LIST OF EMBASSIES It is important that you telephone ahead to check on the office hours before visiting the embassies. You can also go to the following website to find out where they are: Foreign Embassies and Consulates in Singapore (http://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/missions/foreign_mission/mission_locator.html) AUTHORITIES / GOVERNMENT BODIES

Ministry of Education Singapore 1 North Buona Vista Drive

Tel +65 6872 2220 www.moe.edu.sg

Fax +65 6775 5826

Tourism Board Tourism Court 1 Orchard Spring Lane Singapore 247729

Tel +65 6736 6622 www.stb.gov.sg

Fax +65 6736 9423

Singapore Police Force New Phoenix Park 28 Irrawaddy Road Singapore 329560

Tel

995 (Toll-free) www.spf.gov.sg

+65 6353 0000 (Police Emergency Hotline) Hotline: 1800 255 0000

Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA)

10 Kallang Road ICA Building Singapore 208718

Tel +65 6391 6100 www.ica.gov.sg

Fax +65 6298 0837 +65 6298 0843

Council for Private Education (CPE)

2 Bukit Merah Central #01-05 Singapore 159835

Tel +65 6592 2108 www.cpe.gov.sg

Fax +65 6275 1396

CPE Student Services Centre

1 Orchard Road #01-01 YMCA International Building Singapore 238824

Tel +65 6592 2108 www.cpe.gov.sg

Fax +65 6337 1584

Civil Defence Force 91 Ubi Avenue 4 Singapore 408827 Tel

995 (Fire Engine / Ambulance) www.scdf.gov.sg

1777 (Non-emergency Ambulance) 1800 286 5555 (General Enquiries)

HOSPITAL 24-HOUR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE GOVERNMENT / RESTRUCTURED HOSPITALS Alexandra Hospital (65) 6472 2000

National University Hospital (65) 6779 5555

Changi General Hospital (65) 6788 8833 Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (65) 6472 2000 Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (65) 6555 8000 Singapore General Hospital (65) 6222 3322 PRIVATE HOSPITALS Mount Elizabeth (65) 6731 2218

Gleneagles (65) 6470 5700

Raffles Hospital (65) 6311 1555

http://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/missions/foreign_mission/mission_locator.html

http://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/missions/foreign_mission/mission_locator.html

http://www.moe.edu.sg/

http://www.stb.gov.sg/

http://www.spf.gov.sg/

http://www.ica.gov.sg/



http://www.scdf.gov.sg/

Full Time Student Handbook - British Council · Singapore – British Council – MAN – Student...

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