College goals

A guide for students and tutors

Compact college goals have been designed by business people and teachers to help students work harder and achieve more in their studies, and to prepare better for continued education, training and the world of work.

You can enrol to achieve Compact college goals when you start your college course. You get Compact college achievers certificate when you complete the goals.

Compact goals relate to the different sections of the National Record of Achievement (NRA). When you complete each goal you should fill in the relevant section explaining what you have done. You should also mention Compact goals on your CV to help you when you apply for jobs or higher education.

Foundation students are only asked to achieve the first two goals: attendance and punctuality, together with a good attitude to work.

Both students and tutors should work through this guide together.

Attendance

If you are not at college you are cannot benefit from lessons. Your attendance is worked out from your presence in lessons, tutorials, work placements, visits or other approved activities. Notes or messages to explain your absence will be taken into account.

You must reach and maintain 95% attendance in college for the length of your course.

If a student's attendance is badly affected by illness, the tutor can still recommend that they achieve the attendance goal. Your tutor will confirm your attendance rate and tell you whether or not you have achieved this goal.

Punctuality

If you are late you might miss some work and disturb the lesson when you come in. Your punctuality is worked out from your presence at lessons and tutorials, as reported by subject teachers.

Your tutor will confirm your punctuality rate, bearing in mind your personal circumstances such as illness or disability of a family member, and transport difficulties.

Key skills

Key skills include communication, information technology, personal skills, number skills and problem solving.

Communication skills should be judged by these factors:

• people involved
• use of facial expression
• subject matter
• use of the written word
• use of voice
• time available
• use of gesture

Information Technology skills should be developed in:

• handling numerical information
• communicating information and passing it from one place to another
• creating computer models of real or imaginary situations
• using the computer to control heat, light, sound, or movement