VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS BTEC LEVEL 3 MUSIC
COURSE HANDBOOK 2013 – 2014
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BOSTON COLLEGE BTEC LEVEL 3 MUSIC COURSE HANDBOOK Section 1 WELCOME Welcome to Boston College. The Music and Performing Arts department, based at the Sam Newsom Centre and the Peter Paine Performance Centre, is part of the Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum. STAFF Richard Chambers Neil Percy
Head of Curriculum Programme Area Manager
Mike Wallaard Jamie Hancock Linda Thompson-Wild James Bastow Pat Devlin Jayne Harrison Larry Basham Kerry Smith
HE Course Co-ordinator/Tutor L3 Music Technology Course Co-ordinator/Tutor L3 Performing Arts Course Co-ordinator/Tutor L3 Music Course Co-ordinator/Tutor Performing Arts Subject Lecturer Performing Arts Subject Lecturer Technician Receptionist
Your Tutor is: James Bastow YOUR PERSONAL TUTOR All full-time and some part-time learners have a Personal Tutor. Your tutor will welcome you to the College, help you to settle in and be there to give you help and information. Your tutor is usually your first point of contact with the College and your main source of help. You will meet your tutor every week, as part of a group session or for a one-to-one discussion and review of your progress. It is important that you attend your tutorials as they will support you and make sure you get the most out of College. You will meet your tutor at Induction. The Induction programme introduces you to staff, other learners, your course and the College. A more detailed description of the tutor’s role can be found in your handbook.
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Section 2
QUALIFICATION AIM The BTEC Level 3 Music This two year course is recognised within the creative industry. You will learn the skills to be professional and multi-disciplined. This course offers the potential for a very rewarding career, in a wide variety of fields, to people with a genuine dedication to music performance and music technology.
COURSE FRAMEWORK This course will be run in dedicated computer rooms, rehearsal rooms and recording/production studios. The main components of the course are aimed at the fundamentals behind production techniques, performance techniques and the music business. You will gain hands on experience working towards professional products to be used in your portfolios. These portfolios will be actual proof of your professional progress and can be used to promote yourself within the industry. All of the BTEC units are assessed without formal ‘sit down’ paper examinations. The assessment is continuous on this course and provides a good way of judging ability, but remember that you will have to work consistently to keep up with the course work (there is no last minute cramming on a continually assessed course). ASSESSMENT Your work in a particular project may be assessed in a variety of ways. Tasks All coursework tasks are located on the virtual learning environment (Moodle). These will be listed in lecturer names and project headings, which are further sub divided into individual tasks. Projects provide the most involved and ‘vocational’ form of assessment on a BTEC course. In them, several units can be combined which relates very closely to a professional work situation. Often several months of teaching and course work can culminate in a project. The number of tasks per term can vary, depending on their size and work involved. Throughout your project you will be set work by your lecturers. You will be given a project brief showing the tasks that are needed to be completed before the assessment process. The lecturer will also discuss the brief and marking criteria to make sure you understand what evidence is required. Work must be submitted on time so that feedback can be given back quickly. This is imperative because it allows work to be improved upon where necessary before a final grade is given.
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Tasks are graded:
PASS, MERIT OR DISTINCTION
Each task is designed in a way that assesses your developing skills. Tasks can be practical as well as written, where finished products or performances are assessed. Often you will be asked to write tasks about practical work that you have carried out. You will be given your marks back by the lecturer either in written feedback or witness statement form. Task submissions are expected to look as professional as possible. Presentation is an important part of this course and you will be marked down for submitting work which is poorly set out or full of errors. When you have completed a task you need to submit all material asked for – reports, audio CDs etc. PLAGIARISM The use of other people’s work and the submission of it as though it was your own is known as plagiarism (plagiarism means theft of other people’s ideas). Any work forming part of an assignment, project, test or other assessment must be your own and must not contain any plagiarised material. Evidence of plagiarism will result in failure of the assessment. Any new assessment arrangement will be given with a strict completion date. You will also be subject to the College’s disciplinary proceedings. If you wish to quote material from a textbook or other source then this should be referenced in your assignment. Your subject lecturer or Personal Tutor will show you how to do this. ATTENDANCE MONITORING We want you to be successful on your course and to achieve your qualifications. It is therefore important that you attend all classes as good attendance is the key to being successful. The Attendance Monitor will work with you and your Tutors to promote good attendance. What will they do? offer support if you are having problems which affect your attendance refer you to Learner Services who can help with a range of personal problems and barriers to learning and attendance refer you to your Tutor who will discuss your attendance and take action where appropriate What can you do? Avoid unnecessary absences, for example, by making appointments outside College hours Inform the Attendance Monitor if you are going to be absent for any reason Telephone (01205) 365701, option 2, or e-mail absent@boston.ac.uk, or text “BCABSENT” to 88020. Texts are charged at standard network rate. This information is also on the back of your ID badge Please remember to give your name, ID number and reason for absence The Attendance Monitor is: Gail Bevan
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PROGRESS REPORTING Parents Evenings Parents are invited to visit the College regularly to find out more about your course, how you are progressing, options after your course has finished routes and any other details. There will be an opportunity to speak to key staff as well as your Personal Tutor. Progress Parents are encouraged to visit the College with or without their son/daughter to discuss progress with your Personal Tutor and teaching staff. Reports All College learners are assessed by the course team at the end of November to confirm continuation onto the full programme. If there is any doubt as to suitability to continue, learners and parents will be consulted in December.
COLLEGE CALENDAR 2013/2014 2013 September 2nd September 3rd September 26th October 3rd October 8th October 10th October 16th October 21st – 25th October 29th October 30th & 31st November 5th November 7th November 14th November 15th December 19th
Autumn term starts. Learner Services Induction week Spalding Enrolment Higher Education Fair at BCUC HE Parents’ Briefing ‘Going to University’ BCUC Spalding College in Action Boston College in Action Volunteer Fair at BCUC Half term HE Open Event Parents’ evenings School Taster day Boston College in Action Spalding College in Action Closing date for UCAS applications (internal) End of Autumn term
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2014 January 6th January 23rd February 6th February 11th February 17th - 21st March 3rd - 7th March 4th & 5th April 4th April 22nd May 5th May 26th June 10th June 12th June 26th
Spring term starts HE Open Event Boston College in Action Spalding College in Action Half term for learners Careers week Parents’ evenings End of Spring term Summer term starts Bank Holiday Bank Holiday Spalding Open Event (Information) Boston Open Evening (Information) Summer term ends
Note Any learner taking holidays outside of holiday periods will be considered absent from the course. Learners receiving support from the College Bursary Fund need to be aware that they will not be paid for holiday periods taken outside the academic breaks. REQUIRED PURCHASES All PAM students are required to pay £30 towards equipment and maintenance charges. College provides the professional equipment for use so students do not have an unrealistic financial outlay. All students must provide themselves with stationery for all classes: paper and pens are vital for making notes in lectures. Financial Assistance If you have financial difficulties you can apply for help from the College Bursary Fund, 19+ Learner Support Fund or 24+ Advanced Learning Loans Bursary Fund. This may help to meet the costs of: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Travel Books and equipment (16-18, 19+ only) Food (16-18, 19+ only) Specialist clothing required for your course (16-18, 19+ only) Childcare costs whilst at College (19+ and 24+ only) Exams/tuition costs (19+ only)
Some learners aged 16-18 are guaranteed help from the Bursary Fund – this includes: learners living in care recent care leavers learners receiving Income Support or Universal Credit in their own right learners receiving Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment in their own right. For further details please check with Learner Services staff
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Childcare If you are under 20, you may qualify for Care to Learn payments for childcare costs. Please go to Learner Services for more information, or contact Care to Learn on 0845 600 7979 or visit the website at www.gov.uk/caretolearn SUPPORT SERVICES The College Mission Statement The College Mission Statement describes the type of College we provide for all our learners and staff. ‘to be a brilliant college that transforms people’s lives and makes an outstanding contribution to the economic, social and cultural life of Lincolnshire’. All learners at the College attend voluntarily so there is not a set of ‘College Rules’. We do however have a range of policies which describe the standards we expect and what we offer in return. To access all the learner related policies and procedures please look on Moodle, or ask your Personal Tutor for details.
SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT Boston College places a high priority on the safety and wellbeing of our learners. We are committed to creating and maintaining a friendly, welcoming and safe working environment for all young people and vulnerable adults, whether learning is taking place on or off College premises. We have a duty to safeguard all learners, and we will respond immediately if there is a concern that a learner might be the victim of bullying, harassment, abuse or neglect. All staff are trained in safeguarding and there is a designated specialist Safeguarding Team to help with any concerns you might have about your own or someone else’s safety. If you need to contact the Safeguarding Team please go to:
Main reception Learner Services The ‘Stay Safe’ button on Moodle E-mail staysafe@boston.ac.uk
If you need to contact someone out of College hours about safeguarding contact:
Children’s Social Care on 01522 782333 In an emergency situation dial 999 and call the police
An important part of safeguarding is making sure only authorised people are on our College premises. Please help us with this by carrying your ID badge at all times and showing it if asked by a member of College staff.
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At Boston College we respect everyone within the College community. We also emphasise respect for personal property and for the facilities of the College. We therefore, expect learners to work with us to create an environment where everyone feels safe and valued and can work to achieve their full potential.
Student Policies At the College we have a range of policies detailing what the College will offer you and how we ensure high standards are maintained. To access the policies click on the links below. If this is not possible please ask your Tutor to provide you with a copy. Admissions Assessment and Examinations Assessment Malpractice Bullying and Harassment Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Car Parking for Residential Learners Compliments & Complaints Procedure Computer Services Unit: Code of Conduct and Practice and Equality Impact Assessment Coursework / Self Study Drugs and Alcohol Financial Support for Learners Functional Skills Hall of Residence Disciplinary / Sanctions Higher Education Admissions Induction Code of Practice Information, Guidance and Support International Student Late Enrolment Learner Attendance Learner Disciplinary Policy and Procedure for Further Education Learners Mobile Electronic Equipment Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Safeguarding Learners Skills for Life and Learning Support Tutorial – Full Time Learners – Appendix 1 Weapons and Search Work Experience Equality and Diversity – see our page on Moodle
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Examination Policy Students Copy Important Exams Information for Candidates Access arrangements – General Access arrangements – International Students Examination Clashes Conduct of Exams Internal Appeals Procedure – Students Copy Appeals Procedure – Externally Marked Exams
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Boston College Skirbeck Road Boston Lincs PE21 6JF Telephone: 01205 365701
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