East Durham College - Student Charter Statement 2026-27

This Charter explains what every student can expect from the College and the standards we expect in return. It applies across all campuses, learning environments, work placements, educational visits, and online activity connected with the College.

The College will:

• Provide a high-quality, inclusive learning experience, clear course information and an effective induction.
• Use appropriate teaching, learning and assessment approaches, including reasonable adjustments where needed.
• Give clear assessment guidance, constructive feedback, and regular opportunities to review progress and next steps.
• Provide access to English, maths, careers guidance, enrichment, employer engagement and progression opportunities.
• Explain when and how digital tools and artificial intelligence may be used in learning and assessment.

As a student, I will:

• Attend all parts of my programme, including English, maths, tutorials, work experience and other required activity, and arrive on time.
• Come prepared with the correct equipment, clothing or PPE and engage positively in learning.
• Complete work to the best of my ability, meet deadlines and act on feedback.
• Submit work that is genuinely my own, reference sources properly and acknowledge any permitted use of artificial intelligence.
• Tell the College promptly if I am absent, late, struggling or need additional support.

The College will:

• Treat students fairly, with dignity and respect, and promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Make reasonable adjustments and provide appropriate support to remove barriers to participation and achievement.
• Challenge discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, victimisation, hate incidents and other unacceptable behaviour.
• Provide accessible ways for students to raise concerns, seek support, make a complaint, or challenge a decision through the correct process.

As a student, I will:

• Treat other students, staff, visitors, employers, and members of the public with dignity, fairness, and respect.
• Use appropriate language and behaviour in person, online, and on social media.
• Not bully, harass, discriminate against, intimidate or deliberately exclude others.
• Respect different backgrounds, identities, beliefs and viewpoints, and report concerns rather than ignoring them.
• Respect College buildings, animals, equipment, displays and the wider environment.

The College will:

• Safeguard and promote the welfare of all learners and take concerns seriously.
• Provide clear routes to the Safeguarding Team, Progression Coaches, counselling, wellbeing, learning support, and other specialist services.
• Provide suitable health and safety information, safe equipment and guidance relevant to each learning environment.
• Maintain appropriate online safety, filtering, monitoring, data protection, and information security arrangements.
• Take proportionate action when behaviour creates a risk of harm to the student or others.

As a student, I will:

• Wear my college ID badge and lanyard, follow security arrangements and challenge concerns through a member of staff.
• Follow health and safety rules, wear required PPE, use equipment responsibly and report hazards, accidents or concerns immediately.
• Never bring weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol, corrosive substances or other prohibited or unsafe items onto college premises or activities.
• Only smoke or vape in designated areas and during designated breaks.
• Use College systems and my own device responsibly, protect passwords and personal information, and report suspicious online activity.
• Speak to a trusted member of staff or the Safeguarding Team if I am worried about myself or someone else; call 999 in an immediate emergency.

The College will:

• Apply behaviour expectations consistently, fairly and with an emphasis on support, restoration and improvement.
• Recognise and celebrate positive conduct, effort, progress, and achievement.
• Explain concerns and give students an opportunity to respond before formal decisions are made, in line with the relevant procedure.
• Consider individual circumstances, SEND and reasonable adjustments when support or disciplinary action is required.

As a student, I will:

• Follow the College behaviour standard: Ready, Respectful and Safe.
• Keep mobile phones silent and out of sight unless a member of staff has authorised their use for learning or support.
• Follow reasonable instructions from staff and avoid disrupting the learning, work, or safety of others.
• Behave professionally on placements, visits, transport and employer-related activities, including meeting the standards of the host organisation.
• Take responsibility for my choices and engage constructively with support plans, restorative meetings, and agreed improvement actions.

The College will:

• Provide inclusive opportunities to give feedback through surveys, class representatives, forums, the Student Union, and student governance.
• Listen to feedback, explain what action is being taken and close the loop through college communication and “Together We Changed” activity.
• Handle concerns and formal complaints fairly, sensitively and through the published process.
• Protect students from victimisation when they raise concerns or participate in an investigation in good faith.

As a student, I will:

• Give honest, constructive and respectful feedback and participate in surveys, forums and representation opportunities.
• Raise concerns early with the appropriate member of staff where possible and use the formal complaints route when needed.
• Help represent the views of others fairly if I am a class representative, Student Union member or student governor.
• Allow the College a reasonable opportunity to investigate and respond, while sharing relevant information openly and accurately.

The College will:

• Promote physical and mental wellbeing and provide information about available support.
• Offer appropriate financial-support information and advice on eligibility.
• Provide impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance, including progression to employment, apprenticeships, further study or higher education.
• Create opportunities to develop confidence, resilience, employability, digital capability and wider personal skills.

As a student, I will:

• Engage with wellbeing, careers, enrichment, work-experience and employer opportunities that support my goals.
• Ask for help early if health, wellbeing, finance, travel or personal circumstances are affecting my attendance or progress.
• Use financial support appropriately, provide accurate information and meet any agreed responsibilities.
• Act professionally and safely in the workplace and take responsibility for planning my next steps.