1. Learners,
their work and
studies
Policy
Thispolicycoversmattersrelatingtolearners,theirstudies andinvocational studies,
theirwork role. These include:
 Appropriate behaviour
 Attendance,keepingappointments,andmeetingdeadlines
 Vocational learnersinthe setting
 Studyreferences
Proceduresexplainwhatwillhappenif learners’behaviourfallsbelow acceptable
standards.
If you are viewingthisdocumentonacomputeryoucan clickon these linksto open
these sections:
Appropriate behaviour
What will happenif youbreakthe rules?
Explainingthe basicgroundrules
Attendance,keepingappointments,andmeetingdeadlines
Vocational learnersinthe setting
StudyReferences
ReviewJuly2015

2. Appropriate behaviour
If you are luckyenoughtoworkwithchildren
and familiesyouhave aduty to behave well.
Thispolicywill explainhowwe expectyouto
behave while youare learninginclassand at
work caring for children.Itwill alsoexplain
whatwill happenif youdon’tbehave well.
Why is this important?
 Bad, inappropriate orrude behaviour1
can be upsettingandfrighteningto
childrenandtheirfamilies;
 Childrenmightthinkthat this
behaviourisOK,andthiscouldleadto
themgettingintotrouble themselves
or comingto harm.
 Childrenneedtosee adultsbehaving
well sothat theycan learntobehave
well too.Evenif youregardyourself
as still young,toa youngchildyouare
a grown up.
As a learneryouneedtobehave well inclass
because:
 It isa workplace.You needtobehave
as well inthe classroomasyou would
at work.
 Good behaviourleadstogood
learningforyouand forother
learners.
Your tutor expectsyoutobehave well andshe
or he will take actionif youdo not.
1 There are many forms of unacceptable,
inappropriate,rude or bad behaviour.They would
includeswearing,spitting,throwing objects,
displaysof anger or violence,usinga loud voice or
shouting,texting secretly in class.
Our basic ground rules
 Show respectforothers
 Respectconfidentiality
 Show self respect
 Show kindness toothers
 Helpkeepthe classroomahealthy
and safe place
 Be dedicatedtoyourstudies
 Be an honestlearner
To be a successful learneryoumustmake
these thingsyourpriority:
 Arrive foryour learningsessions,on
time andready tostudy,
 Be fullypreparedforyourworkplace
assessmentappointments,and
 Make sure that yousubmityour
evidence forassessment ontime to
meetdeadlines
We expectyoutoattendand take part in at
least80% of learningsessions. Classregisters
record all attendance, includinglate arrival
and earlydeparture fromsessions.
All evidenceforassessmentmustbe
submittedbythe lastlearningsessionof a
course.
Unlessmobile phones are beingusedaspart
of learningactivitiestheyshould be turned off
or switchedto silentduringlearningsessions.
Make sure that social communicationsdonot
distractyour studies.
Bullyingorintimidatingbehaviourtowards
anyone isunacceptable. Thisincludesface-to-
face bullying,orbyphone,bytextor onsocial
networks,forexampleonFacebookor
Twitter.

3. Tutors will helplearnerstodevelopthissetof
rulesforeach learninggroup.
What will happen if you break the rules?
If you behave badly yourtutorwill warnyou
and expectyoutoimprove.
Suspension –If youhave behavedbadly you
may be askednotto attendclassesforup to
14 days while thisis investigated.
Dependingonhowseriousthe behaviouris,
and howmanytimesthishas happened, you
may be given a:
 verbal warning,
 secondverbal warning,or
 final writtenwarning.
A recordof bad behaviourandwarningswill
be kept.
A signedcommitment –if you have behaved
badlyyoumay be askedto signa commitment
to not doso again. An actionplan may be
writtentohelp youto meetthe behaviour
standardswe require.
You may be advisedtoseekcounselling,or
medical advice andsupport.
Where incidentsof badbehaviourare serious
or keep happening, oryoufail tokeepyour
commitmentyou will eitherbe:
Requiredtoleave the programme –youwill
leave the course.Anyunpaidfeesmustbe
paid.You will be givenadvice onhow youcan
findanothertrainingproviderorcareers
advice,or
Excluded –you will leave the course.Any
unpaidfeesmustbe paid. Youremployeror
hostsettingwill be toldthat youhave been
excluded.If we receive arequestforastudy
reference,the factsabout yourbehaviourwill
be given. If youmay have brokenthe law,we
will reportthistothe Police.
The Alliance will be fair,keeptothe principles
of natural justice andwill onlyexclude a
learnerinveryseriouscircumstances.Itaims
to act in the bestinterestsof all.
What will happen if you are the victim of
bad behaviour?
You will be listenedto.The Alliance will doall
inits powertohelpyouand protectyou from
harm while studying.
Appeals
If you are excludedorare requiredtoleave
the programme youcan appeal againstthis
actionto a panel.
The panel will be made upof the Directorof
QualityImprovementandone otherof the
SeniorManagementTeammembernot
involvedinthe originaldecision.
Detailsof how to appeal will be providedto
youon requestat the time of the original
decision.
Learnerswhoreceive awarningmaynot
appeal tothe panel.

4. Explaining the basic ground rules
Rules Examples
Show respect
for others
- Listen to what others say, without interrupting and think about what
they say.
- Not chatting to your neighbour while another learner or the tutor is
talking.
- Think about what others say. Although they may have different
opinions to you, their ideas should be respected.
- Not taking mobile phone calls during a class session.
Show self
respect
- Not being honest with yourself about finding time to do homework.
Show kindness
to others
- Listen to people who need a friend to talk to.
Help keep the
classroom a
healthy and
safe place
- Tell the tutor about any risky things that you notice, such as a patch of
spilled water on the floor
- Don’t damage the classroomor the building where you have classes.
Be dedicated to
your studies
- Tell your tutor about any difficulties or disabilities you have, so that he
or she can help.
- Ask for help if you need it.
- Take part in discussions.
- Read and think about the subjects you are studying.
- Think about how you do your work and how you can provide the best
childcare.
- Do your homework and hand it in or upload on time.
- Turn up to classes on time, every time.
- Be a reliable employee or volunteer who turns up for work on time
and as agreed.
Be an honest
learner
- If you use the words written by another person in your own written
work always make this clear. Put the words in quotation marks. Make
a note of which book or website you used at the end of that piece of
work.
- Tell the truth. Don’t invent reasons for going home early from class
when you don’t really need to.

5. Attendance, keeping
appointments, and
meeting deadlines
Attendance at learning sessions
Missinglearningsessions,arrivinglate and
leavingearlycanbe a signthat a learneris
experiencingdifficulties. If a learner’s
attendance ispoorher or histutor will discuss
thiswiththem,andmake a planto improve
attendance.Thiswill be reportedtothe
course manager. If attendance continues to
be poor thiswill be reported tothe Training
Manager.
Our data showsthat,on longprogrammes
learnerswhodeveloppoorattendance
patternsare at riskof withdrawal andfailing
to complete theirqualification.Poor
attendance mustbe addressedbefore the
situationdeterioratesfurther.
Learnerswhoattendsessions regularlyare
more likelytoenjoyarewardinglearning
experience.Theywill gainsupportfromtheir
tutor,assessorand fellow learners.
Attendance iskeytoachievement.Itisalsoa
vital part of employability.
Ill healthorotherlegitimate reasons may
preventlearnersattendingsessions, ortheir
workplace. Learnersare responsible for
informingtheirtutor/assessorof these
circumstances.
Poorattendance shouldbe dealtwith inthe
same way as otherbehaviourmattersinthis
policy.
Workbased programmes – maintaining
contact
Learnerson workbasedprogrammesneedto
maintaincontactwiththeirtutorand
assessor. Thiswill helpthemmake good
progressand meetthe disciplineof keepingto
plansand deadlines.Theymustbe incontact
withtheirtutor/ assessorat leasteveryother
week. These communicationsshouldbe
made inthe e-portfoliocontactdiary.
Workplace attendance
Where an employedlearnerhaspoor
workplace attendance,thiswill be amatter
for the settingemployeediscipline policy.
If a learneronvoluntaryplacementfailsto
attenda workplace asagreedthiswill be
treatedinthe same way as poor learning
sessionattendance.
Workplace assessment appointments
If a learnerfailstobe available fora
workplace assessmentsession,withoutnotice
or satisfactoryexplanation,onlyone further
replacementappointmentmaybe made.
Missedappointmentswill delayassessment.
Assessorsare oftennotable tore-make
appointmentsquicklybecauseof other
teachingandassessmentcommitments.
Meeting deadlines
Learnersmustsubmitall evidence for
assessmentbythe final learningsessionof a
course.
In orderto meetthisfinal deadline, learners
mustmake good progresswithsubmissionof
theirevidence throughouttheirstudies. This
iswhy tutorsand assessorssetdeadlines
duringthe course.

6. Failure tomeetdeadlines shouldbe dealtwith
inthe same wayas otherbehaviourmattersin
thispolicy.
Vocationallearnersand the
law
Disclosure and Barring Checks
(formerly CRB checks)
Providersmustensure thatadultslooking
afterchildren,orhavingunsupervisedaccess
to them,are suitable todo so.
Enhanced DBS checkscost £44 perperson.
The recentlyintroduced DBSsystemwill mean
that thischeckonlyneedstobe carried out
once. Learnerswho work or whowishto
workin the childcare orhealthand social care
sectorsare strongly advisedto registerforthe
DBS Update service. Thisservice costs£13
peryear (2013) and allowsemployersor
potential employerstoaccess a person’s
checkonline.
https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
These are the specificlegal requirementsof
the Early Years FoundationStage2
(p.16)
These are:
“3.9 Providersmustensure thatpeople
lookingafterchildrenare suitable tofulfil the
requirementsof theirroles.Providersmust
have effectivesystemsinplace toensure that
practitioners,andanyotherpersonwhois
likelytohave regularcontactwithchildren
(includingthose livingorworkingonthe
premises),are suitable.
2 Statutory Framework for the Early Years
Foundation Stage, 2012
3.10 Ofstedisresponsible forcheckingthe
suitabilityof childmindersandof persons
livingorworkingona childminder’spremises,
includingobtainingenhancedcriminalrecords
checksand barredlistchecks.Providersother
than childmindersmustobtainanenhanced
criminal recordsdisclosure inrespectof every
personaged16 and overwho12:
 worksdirectlywithchildren;
 livesonthe premisesonwhichthe
childcare isprovided;and/or
 workson the premiseson whichthe
childcare isprovided(unlesstheydo
not workon the part of the premises
where the childcare takesplace,ordo
not workthere at timeswhenchildren
are present).
3.11 Providersmusttell staff thattheyare
expectedtodisclose anyconvictions,
cautions,courtorders,reprimandsand
warningswhichmayaffecttheirsuitabilityto
workwithchildren(whetherreceivedbefore
or duringtheiremploymentatthe setting).
Providersmustnotallow peoplewhose
suitabilityhasnotbeenchecked,including
througha criminal recordscheck,to have
unsupervisedcontactwithchildrenbeing
cared for.
3.12 Providersotherthanchildmindersmust
record informationaboutstaff qualifications
and the identitychecksandvettingprocesses
that have beencompleted(includingthe
criminal recordsdisclosure,reference
number,the date a disclosure wasobtained
and detailsof whoobtainedit).For
childmindersthe relevantinformationwillbe
keptby Ofsted.
3.13 Providersmustalsomeettheir
responsibilitiesunderthe Safeguarding
VulnerableGroupsAct2006.”

7. Young people
“3.28 Onlythose aged17 or overmaybe
includedinratios(andstaff under17 should
be supervisedatall times).Studentsonlong
termplacementsandvolunteers(aged17or
over) maybe includedif the provideris
satisfiedthattheyare competentand
responsible.”
At the beginningof theirperiodof studya
representative of the Alliance (oftenthe tutor
or assessor) will visitasettinghostingayoung
learner(agedunder18 year) to establishgood
partnershipcommunicationswiththe setting
managerand mentor.
Ratios
A learnerona short termplacementshould
not be countedinthe staffingratios.
However,where avolunteerisworkingfora
substantial periodof time inthe same setting,
for example,duringtheirperiodof study,it
wouldbe reasonable toinclude themin
ratios,if theyare consideredcompetent.
Insurance
“3.62 Providersmustcarry publicliability
insurance.”
Setting induction and policies
From 3.18 “Providersmust ensure thatall
staff receive inductiontrainingtohelpthem
understandtheirrolesandresponsibilities.
Inductiontrainingmustinclude information
aboutemergencyevacuationprocedures,
safeguarding,childprotection,the provider’s
equalitypolicy,andhealthandsafetyissues.”
Children first
Settingsmustalwaysputthe needsof the
childrenandfamiliestheyserve first.Learners
workingat the settingsmustnothinderthe
setting’sessentialwork.
Co-operation
The Alliance expectssettingsto:
 co-operate withlearners’tutorsand
assessorsinorderto helplearnersto
fulfil the requirementsof theircourse
of study.
 communicate apositive messageto
studentsaboutthe value of
qualificationsandtraining.
 ensure thatvoluntarytraineesare
engagedinbonafide earlyyearswork
that relatestotheirtraining,and
providesthe necessarybackground
understandingof children's
developmentandactivities.

8. Study References
The Pre-school Learning Alliance is willing
to provide study references for learners.
The type and style of reference provided
will depend on the behaviour and
performance of the learner in her or his
learning and assessment.
Procedure
Strictly factual reference
All learnersmayreceive astrictlyfactual
reference thatisgiving:
 the type of qualification,
 datesof the studyperiod,and
 confirmingachievementstatus
(successful,partiallysuccessful,assessment
incomplete,ornoachievement).
Enhanced reference
Where the tutor and assessorcanconfirm
that a learnerhas:
 Attendedsessionsregularly,
 Keptgoodtime keeping
 Showngoodstudycommitment
 Shownthe professionalstandardsof
behaviourinclassandin theirwork
/placementsetting,
 Notsubmittedworkthatisplagiarised
The reference will includethe additional
phrase confirmingthe successagood conduct
of the learner.