Student Welfare

At NCG, not only do we inspire our new college students to achieve academic excellence, but we also want their experience with us to be a rewarding one on a personal and social level.

We are aware of the potential issues international students may face, and we understand the concerns that families and friends may have when their loved ones – particularly the younger ones – travel abroad.

That’s why each NCG school offers both a dedicated Safeguarding and Welfare Team as well as a range of measures aimed at ensuring that students have access to the advice they need and feel supported at all times. In addition, multilingual staff can help translate for those students who may feel more comfortable speaking in their own native language.

WELFARE SERVICES AND MEASURES IN PLACE FOR ALL STUDENTS

A friendly and approachable Safeguarding and Welfare Team is available 24/7 (that’s right, you can speak to us even when the school is closed via the emergency phone!) to provide assistance, advice and information on a wide range of personal problems including mental and physical wellbeing.

• NCG staff, homestay hosts, transfer drivers and external contractors (where applicable) have all gone through rigorous vetting procedures (which include strict police checks and referencing)
• A colour-coded lanyard system helps identify staff, students and visitors:
  • Staff – yellow
  • Adult students – purple
  • Under-18 students – pink
  • Visitors –red
• Emergency First Aid and Fire Safety trained staffare normally present on the school premises during opening hours
• A range of First Aid equipment is available within the school premises as well as during off-site activities
• Various health and safety events run periodically, such as residence hall safety, keeping safe when out etc.
• Health and Safety posters are displayed in each classroom as well as on noticeboards around the school premises
• Health and safety improvement boards are conducted periodically with the input of student representatives
•  Strict processes are in place for monitoring health and safety standards of accommodation that students are placed in by NCG
•  A variety of guidance and advice leaflets are available at reception for students
• In addition to the above, the premises of our Manchester and Liverpool schools feature CCTV cameras and controlled access via ID cards

ADDITIONAL MEASURES IN PLACE FOR 16 AND 17-YEAR OLDS

• They receive additional guidance about what is legal/illegal at different ages in the UK.
• They have a 10 PM curfew.
• They cannot stay anywhere other than their accommodation unless they have parental consent.
• They cannot take a holiday without parental consent.
• Their photos cannot be used without parental consent.
• They must attend every class.
• They must attend every class on time.
• They are not supervised during break/lunch times or after lessons end.
• If they are missing from a class at any point we will contact the student. If we cannot get hold of the student, we will contact their parents/legal guardians. If we are unable to contact the student or their parents/legal guardians, we will inform the police
• We get 2 references from all our homestay hosts
• All hosts who host under 18s have undergone suitable Police checks
• Staff at each school can be contacted on the emergency phone 24 hours per day (please see the handbooks below)
• Some social activities may be deemed unsuitable for certain ages and as a result, they may not be allowed to take part in some school activities. For more details or clarification of what trips your child can/can’t attend, please contact us for more information.

FURTHER MEASURES FOR UNDER- 16s

For teenagers under 16 years of age restrictions are somewhat stricter and the following measures apply in addition to those above:

• They have an 8 PM curfew
• They will only be placed in accommodation where no students aged 18 or above are present at the same time
• At least one responsible adult who has undergone suitable Police checks will always be present in the accommodation overnight
• They cannot join adult classes under any circumstances, they must be taught in a closed group or in a private class with teachers who have undergone Police checks
• They will be assigned class times and breaks that limit the time they are in contact with adult students
• They will not be allowed to leave the school premises unaccompanied during their scheduled time at the school
• The social programme will be appropriate for the young age of the students, who will be supervised by at least 1 responsible adult per 15 students. Unsupervised time on trips may be curtailed or not allowed at all, depending on the location. This will be decided on the basis of a risk assessment conducted by the school. Generally, the younger the student, the more likely these restrictions are to apply.