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Bury College - Freedom of Information
Introductions
1. Legal requirement
1.1 Adopting a publication scheme is a requirement of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This Act promotes greater openness and accountability across the public sector by requiring all `public authorities' to make information available proactively, through a publication scheme.
1.2 `Public authorities' are defined in the Act and include universities, further education colleges and sixth form colleges.
2. What is a publication scheme?
2.1 A publication scheme is a document which describes the information a public authority publishes, or intends to publish. In this context, `publish' means to make information available, routinely. These descriptions are called `classes of information'. The scheme is not a list of the actual publications, because this will change as new material is published or existing material revised. It is, however, the public authority's commitment to make available the information described.
2.2 A publication scheme must set out the classes, or categories, of information published. It must also make clear how the information described can be accessed and whether or not charges will be made.
3. The `model' publication scheme for further education
3.1 Bury College has adopted the model publication scheme developed for the FurtherEducation sector and is therefore committed to publishing the information it describes.
3.2 This model is designed for further education colleges and sixth form collegesacross England, Wales and Northern Ireland.The purpose of the model is to save institutions duplicating effort in producing individual schemes and to assist the public in accessing information from across the sector. However, to reflect the diversity in size and function of institution, a number of optional classes of information are included. As a result, models within the sector will vary slightly. Any optional classes relevant to us have been included in our scheme.
3.3 To assist with the development of the model, a number of institutions across the sector volunteered as pilots. Information about the pilot exercise is available from the JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) website at: www.jisc.ac.uk/
4. Who we are
Bury College is a tertiary Beacon College serving the needs of Bury and surrounding areas. Bury College has approximately 4226 full time and 7466 part time students studying at the College’s main campus in Bury. Bury College has a highly successful Employer Engagement provision through Business Solutions and Bury College Apprenticeships and a comprehensive outreach provision to encourage accessible learning in the community.
Bury College has been nationally recognised as one of the best Colleges in the country following a detailed Government Ofsted Inspection. The Inspectors awarded Bury College Outstanding Grade 1, the highest grade possible, in every single area of provision.
Bury College is proud of the way it continues to develop close links with local high schools, welcoming students from Bury and the surrounding areas, including Rochdale, Bolton, and North Manchester. The College has an excellent record for A Level results, which are consistently above the national average, and achieve exceptional Vocational successes.
Over £26 million has recently been invested in the Bury College campus to ensure the best possible environment for all learners. In 2007 the College completed another building to add to the impressive modern campus. The Aspire Centre accommodates examinations, on-line assessments and two specialist fitness studios. In July 2008 PlayFootball Bury was opened, which enhance the College’s existing sports facilities and provides wonderful opportunities for enrichment.
5. Accessing information covered by the publication scheme
5.1 The classes of information we publish are described in the second part of the scheme.
5.2 Next to each class we have indicated the manner in which the information described will be available. We have also indicated whether charges apply to material in each class.
5.3 To request information available through our publication scheme, please contact:
Alison Todd, Director of HR and Organisational Development, at the college.
5.4 Please note that a publication scheme relates to `published' information. Therefore, material covered has already been prepared in a format ready for distribution.
6. What about information not covered by the publication scheme?
6.1 From 1 January 2005 you have the right, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to request any information held by a public authority which it has not already made available through its publication scheme.
6.2 Requests have to be made in writing and, in general, public authorities will have 20 working days to respond. They may charge a fee, which will have to be calculated according to Fees Regulations. They will not be required to release information to which an exemption in the Act legitimately applies. However, public authorities may be required to explain to the applicant why they are not releasing information and they may also have to justify this to the Information Commissioner.
7. Feedback
7.1 It is important that this publication scheme meets your needs. If you find the scheme difficult to understand, please let us know. We also welcome suggestions as to how our scheme might be improved. Any questions, comments or complaints about this scheme should be sent in writing to the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator below.
Alison Todd
Executive Director Learners and Staff
Bury College
Market Street
Bury, BL9 0BG
Telepone: 0161 280 8261
e-mail :- alison.todd@burycollege.ac.uk
7.2 If we are unable to resolve any complaint, you can complain to the Information Commissioner, the independent body who oversees the Freedom of Information Act:
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
8. Further information
More information about the Freedom of Information Act is available on the Information Commissioner's website at:
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Bury College Publication Scheme
- Governance
This section covers information relating to the way the institution is governed and how decisions are made. It includes information on the legal status of the institution, which individual member of staff or group within the organisation is responsible for specific functions and where they fit in the overall structure of the organisation. In some instances information from committee minutes will be exempt from disclosure where it contains personal information, information that may damage the commercial interests of the institution or that may threaten the health and safety of specific individuals.
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Class
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Manner
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Fee
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1.1
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Legal framework
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Instruments and Articles of Government
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Paper
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£15
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1.2
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How the institution is organised
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- Organisational structure charts
- Description of work/responsibilities of units
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All paper
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£15 each
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1.3
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Information on the institutional context
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- The FE corporation's mission statement
- Relevant sections of the FE corporation's corporate plan
- Statement of the FE corporation's quality assurance policies and procedures
- Names of members of Corporation
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All paper
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£15 each
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1.4
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Management structure
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- Codes of Conduct for members of governing bodies
- Description of the sub-structures and committees supporting them. Including Academic Boards, Boards of Governors and Steering Groups and Standing Orders'.
- Objectives on which the structure is based
- Terms of reference, membership and mode of operation of all boards and committees in the formal structure
- Code of practice for college elections and committee procedures
- Minutes and papers of Governing Body, Corporation meetings and Steering Groups etc
- Appointment committees and procedures
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All paper
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£15 each
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- Financial Resources
This section covers information on the institution's strategy and management of financial resources. The Finance Directorate provides accounting, procurement and contracting services, helping to make best use of resources and fulfilling statutory responsibilities. Information that may damage the institution's commercial interests will be excluded from publication.
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Class
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Description
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Manner
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Fee
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2.1
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Finance
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Paper
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£15
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2.2
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Resource planning
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Paper
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£25
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- Human Resources
This section covers information on the institution's strategy and management of human resources, rather than information relating to individual members of staff which is exempt from disclosure as personal information. The information available covers personnel policies and procedures (including terms and conditions of service including all current versions of the information specified in each class).
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Class
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Description
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Manner
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Fee
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3.1
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Employment and employee relations
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- Policies, statements, procedures and guidelines relating to recruitment and induction
- Generic terms and conditions of employment
- Collective bargaining procedures and consultation with recognised trade unions
- Grievance procedures and policies
- Disciplinary procedures and policies
- Harassment and bullying policy
- Health and Safety policy and procedures
- E-mail and Internet policy
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All Paper/ Electronic
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£15 each
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3.2
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Equal opportunities /Diversity
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- Policies, statements, procedures and guidelines relating to the provision of equal opportunities with respect to age, race/ethnic origin, gender, religion and belief, sexual orientation, and disability
- Race Relations/Race Equality Policies
- Disability Equality Scheme
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All Paper/ Electronic
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£15 each
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3.4
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Staff development
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- Policies and procedures relating to probation
- Policies and procedures pertaining to staff review
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All Paper
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£15 each
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- Physical Resources
Institutions are often substantial land and property owners in their own right. Classes in this section cover information at a strategic level relating to the institution's management of its physical resources. Information that provides specific details of the institution's future plans to alter its estate (eg proposals to purchase additional property) may be exempt from disclosure where such disclosure would damage the institution's commercial interests.
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Class
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Description
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Manner
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Fee
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4.1
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Estates
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- Building maintenance and upkeep
- Address of main site and any other locations
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All paper
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£15 each
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- Student Administration and Support
This section contains information on how the institution manages the administration and progression of their students from admission to course completion, including student support services. Information available within this section does not include specific student personal details, by virtue of being personal information.
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Class
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Description
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Manner
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Fee
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5.1
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Information on student admission, progression and completion
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- Student qualifications on entry
- The range of student entrants classified by age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background, disability and geographical origin as returned to LSC
- Student progression, retention and completion data
- Data on qualifications awarded to students
- Data on employment/training outcomes for graduates/students
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All paper Electronic
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£15 each
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5.2
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Student accommodation
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Paper
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£15
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5.3
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Student administration
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- Registry student records policies and procedures documents
- Registry security and data protection policy and procedure documents
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All paper/ Electronic
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£15 each
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5.4
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Student admission and enrolment
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- Admissions and enrolment policies and procedures documents
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Paper / Electronic
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£15
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5.5
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Student discipline
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- Code of student discipline and other policy and procedure documents
- Internal student complaint and appeals procedures
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All paper
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£15 each
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5.6
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Student learning support services
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- Learning development and support
Personal development advice
- Services for students with special needs
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All paper
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£15 each
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5.7
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Student liaison
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- Terms of reference of staff/student liaison committee(s)
- Minutes of previous staff/student liaison committee(s) meetings
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All paper
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£15 each
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5.8
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Student policies
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- Policies relating to students not included elsewhere in the Publication Scheme
- Reference to student policies included elsewhere in the Publication Scheme
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All paper
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£15 each
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5.9
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Student welfare
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- Sports and recreational facilities
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All paper
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£15 each
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5.10
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Student Associations and Activities
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- Students' Union Constitution, Code of Practice, List of Officers and any other related documents
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Paper
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£15
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- Information Services
This section covers those functions within the institution that provide access to information to the student body and both academic and administrative staff. These include libraries, computing services and information support services.
Such functions may be managed separately from each other, or in various combinations. These services routinely explain their facilities (and the conditions of their use) to students, staff and the general public, and it is information of this nature that is included within this section.
Information services inevitably hold large quantities of personal data that are exempt from general disclosure.
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Class
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Description
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Manner
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Fee
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6.1
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Availability and conditions of use of facilities
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- Opening hours of libraries, helpdesks, etc, scheduled maintenance times of systems
- Who is allowed to use the facilities (for example, categories of persons and their associated rights/levels of access)
- The general rules and conditions of use (eg no smoking/drinking/eating, the existence of policies with regard to law such as copyright, computing code of practice, data protection). For other student policies, see reference to other relevant student policies in PS
- Some of the information may be covered in the student registration details or staff conditions of employment, but it will be necessary to advise how other categories are accepted as users, short course or conference use, `taster sessions' etc
- There should be a pointer to other codes of conduct or rules external to the institution which may apply to the user (eg JANET acceptable use rules, Athens registration rules)
- Access to/use of Archives, including how far back in time information exists and if so to what extent it is available.
- Details of logging, monitoring and procedures followed in case of breach of conditions of use should also be included here.
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All paper
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£15 each
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6.2
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Mission statements and related documents
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This class should include information regarding the aims of the department in context of its place in the organisation, a definition of the service provided and, where appropriate, service level agreements.
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All paper
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£15 each
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6.3
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Policies with regard to data and information
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- Security policies (ie how the data is protected). It could be argued that provision of information on this could risk a crime being committed, so it might be exempt or certain parts would not be published. (This is only really an issue where the security policy is explicit enough to include detailed description of implementation. Clearly disclosure of this sort of information could potentially lead to a crime under the Computer Misuse Act).
- Data retention and archive policies (how long it is kept for, what happens to it after the need for it has passed, anonymising data to keep for statistics),
- Data protection statements/policies.
- Policies on CCTV monitoring, RIPA etc
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All paper
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£15 each
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6.4
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Procurement and disposal policies
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- Policies relating to the procurement and disposal of equipment
- Collection management/preservation strategy (including policy on disposal of stock)
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All paper
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£15 each
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6.5
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Scope of collections held
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- Scope and availability of catalogues
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All paper
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£15 each
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- Teaching and Learning
This section contains information regarding the management of teaching and learning within the institution including mechanisms for reviewing and ensuring the quality of teaching provided. (Institutions may be required to make available much of the information included within this section as part of the recommendations of the Information on quality and standards in higher education (`Cooke Report') see above).
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Class
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Description
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Manner
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Fee
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7.1
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Academic year dates
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Dates for the current academic year (Calendar)
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Paper
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£15
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7.2
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Further course information
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All paper
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£15 each
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7.3
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Information on internal procedures for assuring academic quality and standards
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a) Information on programme approval, monitoring and review:
- Annual monitoring and review processes
- Accreditation and monitoring reports by professional, statutory or regulatory bodies
b) Information on assessment procedures and outcomes:
- Assessment strategies, processes and procedures
c) Information on student satisfaction with their college experience, covering the views of students on:
- Arrangements for academic and tutorial guidance, support and supervision
- Library services and IT support
- Suitability of accommodation, equipment and facilities for teaching and learning
- Quality of pastoral support
d) Information and evidence available to teams undertaking internal reviews of quality and standards in relation to:
- The availability and use of specialist equipment and other resources and materials to support teaching and learning
- Staff access to professional development to improve teaching performance, including peer observation and mentoring programmes
- The use of external benchmarking and other comparators
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All paper
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£15 each
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7.4
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Staffing structure of Departments
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- Contact details for each department
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All paper
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£15 each
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7.5
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Student assessment strategy
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- External examination bodies
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All paper
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£15 each
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7.6
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Tuition fees
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- Information for home/EU students
- Information for international students
- Information on other charges
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All paper
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£15 each
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- External Relations
This section covers information relating to the institution's relationship with its external environment. These include the formal reports the institution is required to provide to its funding bodies, arrangements with other institutions, how it manages its relationship with the local community and how it retains contact with its former staff and students.
By virtue of its nature most institutions will probably find that the majority of these classes are already made available to the public in some means. Members of the public are also likely to find the same or related information is available from the external partners with which the institution has links.
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Class
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Description
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Manner
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Fee
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8.1
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Government and Regulator relations
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- Reports/returns to the Learning and Skills Council
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All paper
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£15 each
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8.2
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Marketing and recruitment
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Website
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Free
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