I am delighted to welcome you to the new academic year at Derby College Group (DCG). It has been a busy summer at DCG enrolling new students online and preparing for the new academic year ahead.

For Year 1 students these first weeks of term are classed as an induction period. Your child will have received an introduction to their study programme, been given access to an online student handbook, their own Derby College email address and access to our online learning space, Moodle. They will also have been allocated a personal coach who will work with them throughout their time at College and help ensure they achieve a positive destination after their study programme.

We hope you enjoy reading your monthly e-newsletter from Derby College Group.
MANDIE STRAVINO OBE
Chief Executive

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Current students at DCG

Term Dates

Parents Evening Dates

Prospective students of DCG

DCG Open Days

PARENT AND CARER WELCOME EVENTS

FOR THE PARENTS AND CARERS OF FIRST YEAR STUDENTS

Parent/Carer Induction – The Joseph Wright Centre – 03/10/2023
Parent/Carer Induction – Broomfield Hall – 04/10/2023
Parent/Carer Induction – The Roundhouse – 05/10/2023

EVENTS FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

The Joseph Wright Centre Open Evening – 25/10/2023
The Roundhouse Open Evening – 09/11/2023
Broomfield Hall Open Evening – 15/11/2023

EVENTS FOR ADULTS

The Community College, Ilkeston Open Day – 18/10/2023

EVENTS FOR THE FAMILY

Halloween Themed’ Animal Unit Open Day (Family Event) – 22/10/2023

Christmas Themed’ Animal Unit Open Day (Family Event) – 03/12/2023

View all of our upcoming events on the DCG website.

EPQ SHOWCASE EVENT

Students at the Joseph Wright Centre have been engaging in a qualification alongside their A levels using their creative, analytical and organisational powers to devise and develop their own independent projects involving the production artefacts and delivery of events in a variety of academic and creative fields.

Come along to our Extended Project Qualification Showcase at the Joseph Wright Centre to see our students showcase their work.

Extended Project Qualification Showcase Tickets, Tue 24 Oct 2023 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

Dropping off students near the Joseph Wright Centre

Unfortunately we have received a number of complaints from our neighbours concerning parking.

Parking near the end of Willows Row, and inside Willows car park has been causing restricted access to residential car parking and the ambulance station.

If you need to drop your student off at The Joseph Wright Centre, please do not do so at the end of Willows Row or in Willows car park. Please drop your student off in a safe manner, even if that means a longer walk for the student.

Careers

As a new academic year gets into its stride, we would like to raise awareness of the DCG Careers Guidance Service and how students and parents/carers can contact the team.
The team are on hand to support all students with a range of areas, including making decisions about their next step options, ways to identify and develop their strengths, skills, and abilities in relation to their next step and practical help with making applications and preparing CVs. The team do this via tutorial sessions, bespoke sessions, one to one appointments and events and activities.

The team can be contacted by email: careers@derby-college.ac.uk or drop in to one of our offices on site;

The Roundhouse – Room K101, The Careers Centre
The Joseph Wright Centre -The Library
Broomfield – Student Services Ilkeston (Thursdays only) – Café area

Support online

In addition, there are a range of helpful resources on our Careers SharePoint pages, which can be found accessed at: Careers Guidance Services – Home (sharepoint.com)

Students can access the site anywhere, via the Derby College website. They just need to use their log on details to access SharePoint via the College intranet. The College also has access to Kudos, which students can use to explore a range of career options. Kudos is especially useful for those who are unsure about which way to go next as it suggests a number of job areas the user may better suited to, based on them answering a range of questions about their skill, interests, likes, dislikes and motivations.

The resources will also help students explore their options, at set points of the college year, known as ‘Careers Pitstops’- which take place, once a term, within tutorial sessions.

Students can ask their tutors or the Careers team for access to the Kudos site.

Higher Education focus

Across all sites, Level 3, Year 2 students will have recently received a tutorial session giving information and support about the option of applying for Higher Education (university level study).

Students can access a comprehensive booklet covering areas such as the Higher Education research and application process, key college and national deadline dates and guidance on writing a personal statement (the booklet can be accessed on the Careers’ SharePoint pages and the team also have paper copies available).

In addition, level 3, year 2 students who wish to look at alternative, non-Higher Education options such as apprenticeships/employment will soon participate in a tutorial session focussing on those options.

PARENT AND CARER SUPPORT

Join the DCG Parent and Carer Support Group…

We have created a Parent and Carer Support Group on Facebook, as a place for you to:

• Access resources and content related to well-being, careers, study skills
• Ask questions and offer suggestions related to College
• Network and support other parents and carers.

The page is managed by the Student Pastoral Coaches from each campus who can answer your queries.

Join the DCG Parent and Carer Support Group

Access the Parents Portal

We have a dedicated online Parents Portal for you to log onto. The Parents Portal enables you to view your child’s live attendance, progress reports and SMART Targets. Parent Portal

Parent Voice

Your views matter to us and the feedback you provide will help us shape the service we provide your son, daughter or child in your care at Derby College. If you would like to tell us your views please email Parent Voice

VIEW ALL DCG’S LATEST NEWS STORIES

More information for Parents and Carers can be found on the DCG website.