2019/20 Key Information applicable to the provision of the University’s Educational Services for Apprenticeships

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Introduction

Your employer will be responsible for ensuring that your role within your workplace provides the opportunity for you to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to achieve the relevant apprenticeship standard that applies to your apprenticeship. The University will provide the academic training of your Apprenticeship Programme to you with reasonable care and skill and make arrangements for your end-point assessment, alongside your employer.

Successful provision of your academic training relies upon a strong partnership between you, your employer and the University. Underpinning the partnership are a number of policies and procedures and you will find these within the Policies, Regulations and Procedures for Students document relevant to your year of study.

Please do read this Important Information for Students on Apprenticeship Programmes document and all other information provided to you with your offer letter carefully to make sure you understand what the University agrees to provide and what you will need to comply with and do. It is your responsibility to make sure that all the information you provide to the University is accurate and true. It is not possible to provide the full detail of every policy or procedure that may apply to your studies within the text of this document. You will find a number of links included within this document or the documents referred to within them that will allow you to access more detailed information on particular areas. From here on in, we will refer to Manchester Metropolitan University as “the University” and to you as “you” or a “student” or an “apprentice” and an educational programme of study as an “apprenticeship programme”. Please note that during your time as a student with us, it is the University’s policy to use your University email address to communicate with you. Please check your emails regularly to make sure you stay up to date.

1. KEY APPRENTICESHIP STUDENT DOCUMENTS

There will need to be a written agreement in place between your employer and the University concerning your apprenticeship. A number of key documents set out important information applicable to your studies on your degree apprenticeship at the University (we call them the “Key Apprenticeship Student Documents”). These are:

this Important Information for Students on Apprenticeship Programmes document and any other document referred to herein;
the University’s guide on Policies, Regulations and Procedures for Students and the policies and procedures referred to in those documents as applicable to your year of study;
you will find further information on the University’s key policies and procedures within this guide. There is a helpful summary of each policy or procedure and you can follow or enter the link to read the full policy, procedure or guidance. These policies and procedures are very relevant to your studies so please familiarise yourself with them so you know what to expect. It is worth adding that your particular faculty may have additional policies or procedures which will be brought to your attention;
your offer letter and any other document referred to within that letter including the commitment statement. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) requires you, your employer and the University to enter into a commitment statement. The commitment statement will be signed by you, your employer, and the University, setting out how we will all work together to support the successful achievement of your apprenticeship; signature forms a condition of your offer. This is different to the general University Commitment Statement. Your offer may contain further academic or non- academic conditions. You will only be able to register with us if you meet both the academic and non-academic admission requirements. If you need to satisfy any conditions, you may need to fulfil these before a set date, otherwise we may withdraw your offer or be unable to allow you to register. The University’s Recruitment and Admissions Policy provides further information on the student recruitment process. If you have a complaint about our recruitment or admission process, please see our Student Appeals and Complaints policy for Applicants for further information. The University may withdraw or amend an offer at any time up until you accept it, or after acceptance if it comes to the University’s attention that your application contained incorrect or missing information or you do not meet any conditions of offer;
you will also need to abide by a number of terms and conditions relating to access to and use of particular University services, for example, those relating to use of the University’s computing and information technology services. You will have the opportunity to read and consider these before you access or use those services.
by accepting your offer of a place on your Apprenticeship Programme and registering with the University you accept the information and terms set out here and agree to abide by the University’s Policies, Procedures and Regulations.

2. WHAT DOES THE UNIVERSITY EXPECT OF YOU?

Alongside the obligations in this document, the University has developed the University Commitment Statement. The University Commitment Statement sets out the intention of the University and the Students’ Union to work in partnership with you as a University student in supporting your learning and helping you succeed, and sets out your own role in ensuring that success, and the standards of behaviour and personal responsibility expected of our students.

Although the University would like to draw your attention to the University Commitment Statement, it is not intended to be legally binding or to form part of the Key Apprenticeship Student Documents. The University Commitment Statement is different to the written commitment statement (provided with your offer pack) that you, the University and your employer are required to sign to meet the requirements of the ESFA.

Specific obligations

In addition to all obligations set out within the Key Apprenticeship Student Documents that apply to you, you are required to:

play a full and active role in progressing your studies at the University and fully engage with any attendance registration or monitoring methods that are in place in line with the Student Engagement Policy. You should let the University know if you cannot attend classes or cannot continue to engage with your Apprenticeship Programme for any reason;
comply with the terms of your written commitment statement and all other terms, policies, procedures or regulations described in the Key Apprenticeship Student Documents. You should also familiarise yourself with any specific information provided to you in connection with your Apprenticeship Programme;
keep all information provided to us up to date and notify us promptly of any changes in your information. You should provide us with up to date contact information;
meet any conditions set out in your offer letter and continue to satisfy these conditions (where relevant);
comply with all codes, regulations, policies and procedures as amended from time to time and adhere to all terms and conditions applicable to use of particular University services such as those relating to use of the library or IT services;
register/enrol with us before the start of your Apprenticeship Programme and re-enrol/re- register with us each academic year unless you have a valid interruption of study authorised by us. Please note that students on Apprenticeship Programmes may not follow the standard academic year calendar of other University students;
when you enrol you will receive a student card which you must collect and should then carry with you when you are on campus. You may need to show this to authorised representatives of the University and will need this to access a range of University services;
take responsibility for your learning by engaging with your Apprenticeship Programme in a timely manner, spending appropriate time on private study and complete all required assessments by the dates set, unless, exceptionally, a variation is approved through the appropriate University procedure. You agree to participate in any attendance monitoring procedures of the University and will meet any minimum attendance requirements for your Apprenticeship Programme;
act in a courteous and responsible manner during your time as a student and within the community including taking reasonable care for your own safety and the safety of others. You must comply with any reasonable instructions we provide to you about health, safety and security including within our Health and Safety Policies;
behave in a manner consistent with the Student Code of Conduct on campus and within the community;
complete the end-point assessment process associated with your Apprenticeship Programme. End-point assessment is an independent assessment of the knowledge, skills and behaviours which have been learnt through an apprenticeship standard. The requirements for end-point assessment are set out in the assessment plan for your specific apprenticeship standard.

3. THE UNIVERSITY’S REGULATIONS

Are there any Particularly Important or Surprising Terms?

There are some policies and procedures which we need to draw your particular attention to as they can result in a disciplinary process and ultimately mean you may not be able to continue at the University.

These include:

Please see Section B (Key Policies & Procedures) below for more information on these policies and procedures. Please note that some Apprenticeship Programmes may have specific requirements for an occupational health check or a relevant criminal record check with the Disclosure and Barring Service.

4. PROFESSIONAL SUITABILITY AND FITNESS TO PRACTISE

Some Apprenticeship Programmes will require you to register with a professional, statutory or regulatory body and/or to practice under licence. It is your responsibility to ensure that all necessary declarations (including but not limited to criminal records, medical conditions, disabilities) are made to the University during the admissions process and during the period of study, and that you comply with all relevant rules and regulations during study including maintaining any licences, registrations or consents. The University will use reasonable endeavours to support students in attaining fitness to practice but accepts no responsibility in the event that a student is declared not fit for practice.

5. CHANGES TO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME (AND OTHER CHANGES)

The University will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your Apprenticeship Programme in accordance with the content and learning plan agreed with your employer. However, the University is entitled to make reasonable changes to ensure the University delivers the best quality of educational experience to you.

Some examples of these changes include: 1.keeping our Apprenticeship Programme content and delivery up to date and relevant. We may need to implement technical adjustments and/or improvements, for example: to reflect developments in academic teaching, research and/or professional standards/requirements; to address any external examiner feedback received as part of their annual reports and/or results from our regular student feedback sessions. We may make adjustments to: aspects of the curriculum – to ensure that this is current and reflects developments in the subject area; the methods of assessment, assessment weightings, and the word length of individual assignments; to reflect changes in the relevant Apprenticeship Standard and adjustments to the learning outcomes and how these are assessed;
changes as a result of a Apprenticeship Programme review. It is standard practice for the University to undertake a formal review of all of its taught provision in line with national, professional body and regulatory requirements. The aim of each programme review is to ensure, on a periodic basis, that the design, academic standards and quality of learning opportunities of existing programmes remain appropriate to the awards to which they lead, and are informed by reference to institutional regulations and policies, national benchmarks and relevant professional and employment demands. Programme review is normally carried out at 6-yearly intervals, but can take place at a more frequent interval where required. Programme review may result in certain changes to a programme of study. These changes will be made to enhance the quality of provision we provide to students;
to reflect changes in relevant laws, statutory, regulatory and/or professional body requirements and/or sector regulation;
reviewing and refreshing optional modules. As indicated within our online prospectus the optional modules listed are indicative and may be subject to change. We do not guarantee that an optional module will always run in any given academic year, as options may be dependent on student choice, numbers and staff expertise;
altering the location of the programme. For example, following campus consolidation to allow the University to provide the best facilities and academic provision for its students;

In making any such changes, the University will aim to keep the changes to the minimum necessary to achieve the required quality of experience. Sometimes circumstances may arise which are beyond the control of the University. Examples (without limitation) of such circumstances include:

industrial action by University staff or third parties;
the unanticipated departure of key members of University staff or unavoidable specialist staff absence;
acts of terrorism or a security threat;
damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment;
severe weather conditions; or
the acts of any governmental or local authority.

6. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

The University’s standard intellectual property policy relating to the intellectual property rights of students will not apply to apprenticeship students and the position on ownership of intellectual property developed during your Apprenticeship Programme will be detailed within your written commitment statement.

7. COMPLAINTS

The University recognises there may be occasions where you wish to raise legitimate complaints relating to your Apprenticeship Programme, or the facilities and services provided by the University. The University has in place a Student Complaints Procedure, which details procedures and parameters for making a complaint, alongside what action may be taken in response to complaints, which we refer to in further detail below in this document. If having exhausted all stages of the University’s internal complaints procedure, a student considers that the University has failed to consider and respond to their complaint appropriately, the student can refer their complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, which provides an independent scheme for the review of student complaints.

The employer and the apprentice may at any time contact the National Apprenticeship Helpline (further detail is provided within the commitment statement) regarding apprenticeship concerns, complaints and enquiries although the University consider that this should be a last resort and encourages apprentices and employers to discuss any issues with their key contact (as set out in the commitment statement) directly.

8. DATA PROTECTION

Whilst you are studying with us, the University will hold and process your personal data including some sensitive personal data. For example, we will process the personal data you provide in your application form to register you for study, retain your contact details, record information about your eligibility to undertake the degree programme, administer the financial aspects of the programme and maintain information about your progress on the programme such as attendance data and academic results.

This information is processed in order to enable the University to comply with its contractual obligation to deliver, manage and administer your degree programme. More detailed information about how we will use the personal information you provide to us can be found in our Data Protection Notice to Students.

The University will be the Data Controller in respect of the personal data you process whilst you are studying with us and will process your personal data in accordance with our Data Protection Policy. The University is registered as a Data Controller with the Office of the Information Commissioner. The University will hold and process your personal data in accordance with its Data Protection Policy.

You acknowledge that the University and the employer will each process your Personal Data, including Sensitive Personal Data, (as defined in the General Data Protection Regulation) relating to you for our respective legal, personnel, administrative and management purposes, and transferring such Personal Data, including Sensitive Personal Data, to the other for the purposes of management and administration of the Apprenticeship. For example, you acknowledge that the University will share details on attendance, progress, or any issues arising during the Programme, with your Employer.

In addition, the University is required to share your information with ESFA (who may transfer your information to other government agencies or to bodies or agencies of the European Commission). You acknowledge that the ESFA or their delegate may contact you directly in relation to the Apprenticeship. Further detail about how the ESFA processes apprenticeship data is available in their privacy policy. For the avoidance of doubt, the University may also share your personal data with government agencies in order to allow the University to comply with any funding requirements relating to its provision of the Apprenticeship.

You have certain rights in relation to your personal data including the right to request access and in certain cases the right to request that your data is erased or rectified or that processing of your data is restricted. If you have any queries relating to

access to or storage of data, please review the Data Protection Policy which will provide guidance

as to how to address any queries you may have and explain in more detail how you may exercise your rights under the Data Protection Act 2018. For further information about the retention and secure destruction of your personal data please refer to the University’s Records Management Policy and Records Retention and Deletion Schedule.

Examination pass lists and/or degree classifications may be published. If you do not wish your results to be published in this way, you must notify the Director of Registry Services stating your reasons in writing by no later than seven days before you complete your examination or assessment. Your reasons will be considered and, where it is felt that publication of your results is likely to cause substantial damage or substantial distress and that this would be unwarranted, publication will be withheld.

You are obliged to provide the University with up to date contact details and you will be responsible for maintaining the accuracy of this information whilst studying with the University.

9. HOW WE MAY END YOUR REGISTRATION AT THE UNIVERSITY

We may end your registration at the University on notice to you (such notice as may be appropriate having followed any relevant University policies or procedures but where the circumstances dictate, immediate notice) or may withdraw your offer, or decline to register you as a student as a result of:

us becoming aware that information you have provided to us is untrue, inaccurate, incomplete and/or misleading and/or at any point becomes untrue, inaccurate, incomplete and/or misleading;
you failing to comply with your obligations as a student as set out above and below or within our regulations, policies and procedures;
you failing to comply with requests for information, to make declarations and/or to meet specific requirements of your Apprenticeship Programme as specified in the offer letter or this document;
your circumstances changing so that we are no longer required to deliver the training. Examples include (but are not limited to) where you are no longer employed by your employer or where our contract with your employer ceases to apply. Your relationship with us will end if you cancel or withdraw. The ESFA confirms how a change in circumstances should be managed.
A change in circumstance generally means a situation that affects the ability of an apprentice to complete their apprenticeship;
you failing to meet the requirements to register for your programme or failing to re-register in subsequent years within the required timescale;
following disciplinary action under our Student Code of Conduct;
you failing to meet the minimum academic and/or professional performance requirements that are set out in the University’s Assessment Regulations and other applicable regulatory documents.

10. HOW YOU MAY END YOUR REGISTRATION AT THE UNIVERSITY

Your registration with us will end if you formally withdraw. Find further information on withdrawing from your studies. Please ensure that you discuss any plan to withdraw with your employer directly and notify the Apprenticeships Unit appr enticeships@mmu.ac.uk (0161 247 6043).

11. LAW

Our Key Apprenticeship Student Documents shall be governed by English law and subject to the jurisdiction of the English courts.