In Collaboration With

HND
Student Handbook
Academic Year 2010/11

Guildhall College

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CONTENT

Table of Contents
HND ........................................................................................................................................... 1
Student Handbook ............................................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction / Welcome from the Principal .......................................................... 4
2. Key staff and contact details ....................................................................................... 4
3. Assuring the quality and standards of the award .................................................. 6
Appointment of external examiners ........................................................................... 6
Internal Verification .......................................................................................................... 6
4. Equal Opportunities Policy............................................................................................. 8
Summary: ............................................................................................................................ 8
Guildhall College: Equal Opportunities Policy ......................................................... 8
The statutory framework ................................................................................................. 9
5. Health & Safety Policy ................................................................................................... 10
Summary: .......................................................................................................................... 10
Health and Safety Policy Statement ......................................................................... 10
Introduction .................................................................................................................. 10
General Policy ............................................................................................................. 10
6. Assignment and Exam Submission Policy ................................................................ 12
7. Appeals against Assessment Decision ..................................................................... 12
Grounds for Appeal ....................................................................................................... 12
Grounds for non –appeal ............................................................................................. 12
8. Equal Opportunities for Fair Assessment .................................................................. 13
9. Special Consideration Policy ...................................................................................... 13
The accepted causes are: .......................................................................................... 13
Eligibility .............................................................................................................................. 14
Supporting evidence ..................................................................................................... 14
In what circumstances would special consideration not be granted? ......... 14
What happens to Special Consideration Request? ............................................. 15
10. Procedure for reporting and investigating cases of Malpractice ................. 15
Learner malpractice ...................................................................................................... 15
Investigating alleged malpractice ............................................................................ 16
11. The Assessment Board ................................................................................................ 18
Regulations and Operations of Assessment Boards ............................................. 18
Terms of Reference ........................................................................................................ 18
Scheduling of boards .................................................................................................... 18
Membership ..................................................................................................................... 18
Appeals ............................................................................................................................. 18
Assessment of students with disabilities .................................................................... 18
Anonymity of students in assessment........................................................................ 18
12. Introduction to the Programme(s) .......................................................................... 19
HND Computing:............................................................................................................. 19

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 Rationale of the Programme Aims: ....................................................................... 19
Higher-level skills .......................................................................................................... 19
HND Business: ................................................................................................................... 20
Aims of the qualification ........................................................................................... 20
Professional body recognition ................................................................................ 21
Higher-level skills .......................................................................................................... 21
HND Travel and Tourism ................................................................................................ 22
Higher-level skills .......................................................................................................... 22
13. Course Structure ........................................................................................................... 23
Teaching, learning and assessment .......................................................................... 23
Assessment instruments ................................................................................................. 23
Grading Higher National units ..................................................................................... 23
Unit Format........................................................................................................................ 24
Unit title, learning hours and NQF level ................................................................ 24
HND Computing Programme Structure ................................................................... 24
Grade Descriptors .......................................................................................................... 24
Unit specification: ........................................................................................................... 26
14. Programme Structure .................................................................................................. 27
HND Computing .............................................................................................................. 27
HND Business..................................................................................................................... 28
HND Travel and Tourism ................................................................................................ 29
15. Programme Management ........................................................................................ 30
Daily Management of Programme: .......................................................................... 30
16. Attendance Policy ....................................................................................................... 30
Attendance Rules ........................................................................................................... 30
Attendance Warning Letters ....................................................................................... 31
First Warning Letter - Sent to student only:............................................................... 31
Final Warning Letter - Sent to student only; ............................................................. 31
Notification to UKBA Letter – Sent to UKBA and student: .................................... 32
17. Feedback ....................................................................................................................... 33
18. Student Support ............................................................................................................ 34
Resources .......................................................................................................................... 35

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 1. Introduction / Welcome from the Principal
Welcome to Guildhall College, London. We are in a unique position in East London,
ideally situated between The City, and the „skyscraper‟ commercial developments in
Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs. I am delighted that you have selected our college
and this programme in particular. This programme will assist you to face the
challenges of today‟s enterprises and business with confidence and provide a
foundation for your abilities to manage and direct the businesses of the future.

As a student of the programme, you will have the access to a wide range of facilities.
Guildhall College, London has been providing programmes, the number of students
attending our programmes has grown considerably, and we now have students
attending our programmes from all over the world.

Part of our success is due to our friendly and approachable staff. GCL staff members
are always ready to listen and help students with any problem; we have the systems
and resources to resolve most problems. This Student Handbook is a useful reference
tool, which I am confident will answer all of your immediate questions. All we ask is, if
you have a question, please ask our staff to help, before it becomes a bigger
problem.

2. Key staff and contact details

a) Principal of Guildhall College:
Mr. Robert Greenwood
E-mail: rpgreenwood@yahoo.com
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext: 240)

b) Registrar of Guildhall College:

Mr. Peter Rainey
E-mail: p.rainey@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext: 222)

c) HND Centre Coordinator

Mr. Amir Islam
E-mail: amir@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext: 294)

d) Quality Assurance Coordinator/Examination Officer

Nazim Uddin
E-mail: n.uddin@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext: 295)

e) Learning Resources Liaison Person at Guildhall College:

Mr. Amir Islam
E-mail a.islam@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext: 294)

f) Programme Delivery Manager:

Programme Leader – HND Computing
Ms. Elvy Kollasseril Velayudhan
E-mail: elvy@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext: 223)

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g) Program Leader – HND Business
Mr. Jawad Hassan
Email: j.hassan@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext: 248)

h) Program Leader – HND Travel and Toursim

Mr. M. Noorani
Email: noorani@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext 225)

i) Program Administrator
Ms. Mercy Msisya
Email: m. msisya@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext 226)

j) Program Administrator
Ms. Anna Jachimczak
Email: a.jachimczak@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3 (Ext 224)

k) Program Administrator
Ms. Jelena Kandrataviciene
Email: k.lena@guildhall.ac
T. 020 7480 9000/1/3

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3. Assuring the quality and standards of the award
You are registered this programme of study, leading to the award from the Edexcel.
As such, you are regarded as a student of Edexcel and as well as Guildhall College.
Both institutions work together to ensure the quality and standards of the programme
on which you are registered.

Some of the ways in which we ensure the quality and standards of the programme
include:

Before the programme starts, we check that:

There would be enough qualified staff to teach the programme;

Adequate resources would be in place;
The programme met any professional/statutory body requirements;
The proposal met other internal quality criteria covering a range of issues such
as admissions policy, teaching, learning, and assessment strategy and student
support mechanisms.

Appointment of external examiners

All BTEC centers and programmes are subject to quality assurance checks. The main
form of quality assurance is through an external verifier. Centers may also be subject
to checks through the regional office working with staff based centrally in London.

External examiners are formal representatives of Edexcel, working in partnership with

centers to provide a regular and consistent review of Higher National and NQF Level
4/7 Short Course programmes.

Their work involves ensuring that:

The national standard of qualifications is maintained
Student achievement and performance is assessed in accordance with
published specifications and regulatory requirements
Students are aware, and understand, the basis of their assessment. In
particular, that they are made aware of what is expected of them to achieve
Pass, Merit and Distinction grades.
Centers are committed to maintaining and improving quality.

Internal Verification

a) The internal verifier is at the heart of quality assurance in all programmes, both within
the national framework and within the quality and management systems. The role in
terms of managing assessment is that it consistently meets set standards.
b) Internal verifiers will have the knowledge and qualifications relevant to the vocational
qualification(s) and other competence-based award(s) for which they are
responsible to enable accurate judgments to be made regarding candidate
performance in relation to competence criteria.
c) Internal verifiers will be qualified in units.
d) Internal verification will be carried out by using the college policy in conjunctions with
relevant bodies like Edexcel and Universities Wales and Gloucester.

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 ndidates satisfaction

assurance systems.

g others in placements

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4. Equal Opportunities Policy
Summary:
This policy sets out why equal opportunities are important to Guildhall College, the basic
principles to be followed.

Guildhall College: Equal Opportunities Policy

Definitions of Equal Opportunities

We define Equal Opportunities in two ways:
as the process by which we strive to ensure that everything we do is fully inclusive
and so meets the needs of and is fair to those who are disadvantaged by
prejudice and indifference;
as combating the injustice faced by some groups and individuals when, both
directly and indirectly by organizations and society as a whole, prejudice is put
into effect.

Responsibilities

The Registrar has overall responsibility for the implementation of this policy and is
accountable for it to the Management Committee. Managers are responsible for
ensuring the Equal Opportunities policy is implemented in their part of the company,
for ensuring staff understand the policy and their roles within it, and for providing
reports and monitoring information.
Everyone in Guildhall College has a responsibility to ensure proper implementation of
the policy.

Principles: Guildhall College will uphold Equal Opportunities:

- In employment, by developing policies which ensure that no job applicant,
employee, volunteer or trainee is unfairly discriminated against because they are
a refugee or asylum seeker or on the basis of their race, ethnic origin, culture,
gender, sexuality, disability, age or religion;
- In service delivery, by providing appropriate, sensitive and impartial services and
being accessible to all learners
- By fostering a co-operative working environment which is free from harassment or
victimization and which promotes good relations
- Among staff, to create the conditions for the full development of their potential;
- By promoting the values contained in the Policy in our relationships with other
organizations.
In implementing these principles, Guildhall College will ensure that it meets all the necessary
legal requirements and, particularly as an umbrella organization, strives to set standards of
good practice that others will follow.

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People:

Lesbians and Gay

We want Guildhall College to be a place where the lesbians and gay among our students
and clients feel it is safe and comfortable to be open about their sexuality. We will challenge
negative views and provide training so that there is a better understanding of the issue
amongst our students.

Disabled People
We will increase awareness in the organization about the needs of disabled students, users
and visitors. We will work to ensure our practices do not restrict use of our services or the
contribution people with disabilities can make to our work.
We will actively seek opportunities to improve access to our premises and services for people
who use mobility aids and who have sight and hearing restrictions.

Age
As current legislation does not protect all members of society from discrimination, we ensure
that we do not unfairly discriminate in the recruitment of students or the provision of services
on grounds of age.

The statutory framework

This Policy sets out how Guildhall College intends to meet its obligations under the following
legislation:
- The Race Relations Act;
- The Sex Discrimination Act;
- The Disability Discrimination Act.
- The Equal Pay Act
- The Human Rights Act

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5. Health & Safety Policy
Summary:

This policy sets out Guildhall College‟s responsibilities in respect of the Health & Safety of its
students, and anyone else working in or visiting Guildhall College property.

Health and Safety Policy Statement

Introduction
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act of 1974 requires Guildhall College to produce a
written statement of policy, for all students, explaining its procedures and commitment to the
health, safety and welfare of the students.
General Policy
In accordance with Sections 2 and 3 of The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974,
Guildhall College and its managers will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health,
safety and welfare, of all students and members of the general public where they have
access to, or contact with, places where the business of
Guildhall College is transacted.

To this end Guildhall College will, as far as is reasonably practicable, comply with all
appropriate legislation and Approved Codes of Practice as may be issued by the Health and
Safety Commission. Additionally, the Guildhall College will take steps to ensure the health,
safety and welfare of its students on Contract Sites by bringing the content of this Safety
Policy and Mode of Implementation to the attention of Contractors.

Our statement of general policy is:

- To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work
activities;
- To consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety;
- To provide and maintain safe plant and equipment;
- To ensure safe handling and use of substances;
- To provide information, instruction and supervision for employees;
- To prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health;
- To maintain safe and healthy learning conditions; and
- To review and revise this policy as necessary at regular intervals.

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Learners
All Learners have a responsibility to do everything they can to prevent injury to themselves,
their fellow students, Guildhall College employees and any other person whilst on Guildhall
College premises. Learners shall ensure they are familiar with emergency evacuation
procedures.

Learners are required to report any accidents or near misses which have occurred, whilst on
Guildhall College premises or at any location where Work Placement is being undertaken, to
their Tutor or other Guildhall College employee, as soon a practicable Learners shall use any
equipment provided in accordance with the training that they have received. They are
required to report any problems they foresee in any protection arrangements and inform
their Tutor or other Guildhall College employee, of any potential hazard, imminent danger or
risk, no matter how small they seem at the time.

Learners are required to inform their Tutor of any personal health and safety need or
requirement they may have.

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6. Assignment and Exam Submission Policy

Students will be given the assessment brief 3 week into the course.
Assignments are to be submitted on stipulated date failure to do so
would result to non acceptance and would lead to a resubmission
charge of £75 per Assignment.
Exams are to be attempted by students in their relevant courses failure
to do so would result to a re-sit charge of £75 per subject.
If a student fails to achieve a pass in a submission, the students will be
liable to pay £25 per Assignment for resubmission.
The students will be allowed only one resubmission. (1 submission and 1
resubmission)

Students should place their hard copy , soft copy - CD and the Assignment front sheet in a signed A4
envelope, on which you should indicate
1. your full name
2. Student ID number,
3. Course name,
4. Intake,
5. Subject – module name
6. Lecturer’s name

7. Appeals against Assessment Decision

The aim of the centre is to offer all candidates fair and equal access to assessment against
the national standards including provisions of constructive feedback as appropriate. It is
hope that the assessor and candidates work together during this process and both agree on
the decisions made. However there may be times when candidates disagree with
assessment judgment. The purpose of the Appeals procedure is to provide the candidate
with the means to appeal against any unfair decision by the assessment center.

Grounds for Appeal

Student can appeal against a decision by an assessor if you can show that the awarding
body‟s guidelines were not followed or you were not given:

- Sufficient notice of the date, time and place of assessment

- Any special equipment that you require was not available – i.e. larger than usual
monitor, larger print.
- Your special needs were not discussed at the pre assessment meeting
- The work place supervisor was unable to accommodate the assessment or was
unprepared for the assessment
- You were not given access to the appropriate resources or venue in which to
carry out your assessment.
- Your assessor was not appropriately qualified or supervised during the assessment.

Grounds for non –appeal

You cannot appeal against a decision made by the assessor or verifier for the following
reasons:

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 - If you disagree with the assessor for personal reasons
- If you feel that the awarding body‟s methods of assessment is not appropriate
- If you feel that the awarding body does not accept or recognize your prior
learning.

Note: Records of all appeals will be maintained and available for examination by
representatives of the awarding body for a period of 3 years

8. Equal Opportunities for Fair Assessment

Guildhall College is fully committed to providing equal access to their services irrespective of
the candidate‟s sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, color, religion, ethnic or
national origin or appearance.

In order to achieve this, the college will:

- Provide resources to meet the needs of individual candidates taking into account
special assessment needs as defined within the said policy.
- Provide candidates with a full induction programme and information on their role
and responsibilities along with those key centre personnel and the awarding
body.
- Provide candidates with a written copy of the centre‟s complaints and appeals
procedures
- Provide candidates with constructive feedback to enable them to achieve the
award
- Maintain records of assessment and verification judgment‟s in a format, which is
available for inspection by candidates and the awarding body

The college will actively promote good practice through an integral quality assurance
system. As part of the commitment to equal opportunities key personnel will attend regular
refresher training in this area, which will include updates on relevant legislations.

9. Special Consideration Policy

The purpose of Special Consideration is to give a student, whose work for a particular piece
of assessment has been adversely affected by exceptional circumstances beyond their
control, a further opportunity to demonstrate their ability by doing that piece of assessment
again.

The accepted causes are:

- Serious or significant medical conditions or illness (including both physical and
mental health problems).
- Exceptional personal circumstances (e.g. serious illness or death of an immediate
family member or close friend, including participation in funeral and associated
rites; being a victim of significant crime).
- Exceptional travel circumstances beyond your control.

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 - Hardship/trauma (e.g. victim of crime, sudden loss of income or employment,
severe disruption to domestic arrangements.
- Ailments such as very severe colds, migraines, stomach upsets, etc., ONLY where
the ailment was so severe it was impossible for you to attend to hand in your work.

This list is not exhaustive

Eligibility
Students applying for special consideration must produce supporting documentation, unless
this requirement has been waived, which demonstrates that
they have:
- Suffered illness or other circumstances beyond their control which have affected
or are likely to affect their academic performance in a subject or which has
prevented them from meeting scheduled assessment requirements;
- Been unable to sit for the standard examination for religious reasons;
- Have validated conflicts between scheduled assessments and other
commitments such as their carer‟s duties, court appearances, participation in
sporting or cultural activities at a national or international level. These conflicts
must be notified well in advance and as soon as the need is identified, to the
relevant Programme Leader.

Supporting evidence
When a student submits a special consideration request they must provide independent
supporting evidence from an appropriate third party. Requests without such evidence will
not normally be considered. It is the responsibility of the student to organize and provide
supporting evidence which confirms to his tutor that the request has a valid reason.

In what circumstances would special consideration not be granted?

The following are examples of circumstances NOT normally considered for special
consideration:
- Minor ailments such as colds, headaches, hangovers, etc.
- Inability to prioritise and schedule the completion of several pieces of work over a
period of time.
- Problems caused by English not being your principal language. You should seek
advice in good time from the Study Support Centre or the English Language Tutor.
- Poor time management or personal organisation (e.g. failure to plan for
foreseeable last-minute emergencies such as computer crashes, printing
problems or travel problems resulting in late submission of coursework).
- Circumstances within your control (e.g. a holiday; paid employment if you are a
full time student; something considered more important).
- Requests made after the published deadline for their receipt, i.e. by the
coursework submission date except where you were unable to meet the
submission date for exceptional reasons which can be validated.
- Requests without independent supporting evidence.
- Requests which do not state clearly how your inability to hand in your assessment
on time was caused.

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What happens to Special Consideration Request?
Requests will be considered by the Examination Assessment Board and communicated to
the student by another member of staff delegated to do this. Requests are treated as
confidential documents; only those members of staff who are involved with the decision
making process will see the student request form.

10. Procedure for reporting and investigating cases of Malpractice

As a requirement of “The statutory regulation of external qualification in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland” (2004) and the “NVQ Code of Practice” (2006), Guildhall College are
required to have in place the following procedure for the reporting and investigation of
malpractice within centers. For the purpose of this procedure malpractice may be defined
as the deliberate falsification of records or interference of systems within centers in order to
obtain certificates without a proper assessment process being followed.

Guildhall College is required to report any suspected malpractice on the part of candidates,
centre staff and any others involved in providing the qualification.

Learner malpractice

Attempting to or actually carrying out any malpractice activity is not permitted. The following
are examples of malpractice by learners:

- Plagiarism by copying and passing off, as the learner‟s own, the whole or part(s)
of another person‟s work, including artwork, images, words, computer generated
work (including Internet sources), thoughts, inventions and/or discoveries whether
published or not, with or without the originator‟s permission and without
appropriately acknowledging the source
- Collusion by working collaboratively with other learners to produce work that is
submitted as individual learner work. Learners should not be discouraged from
teamwork, as this is an essential key skill for many sectors and subject areas, but
the use of minutes, allocating tasks, agreeing outcomes, etc are an essential part
of team work and this must be made clear to the learners
- Impersonation by pretending to be someone else in order to produce the work for
another or arranging for another to take one‟s place in an
assessment/examination/test
- Fabrication of results and/or evidence
- Failing to abide by the instructions or advice of an assessor, a supervisor, an
invigilator, or conditions in relation to the assessment /examination rules,
regulations and security
- Misuse of assessment/examination material
- Introduction and/or use of unauthorised material contra to the requirements of
supervised assessment/examination/test conditions, for example: notes, study
guides, personal organisers, calculators, dictionaries (when prohibited), personal
stereos, mobile phones or other similar electronic devices.
- Obtaining, receiving, exchanging or passing on information which could be
assessment/examination/test related (or the attempt to) by means of talking or
written papers/notes during supervised assessment/examination conditions

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 - Behaving in such a way as to undermine the integrity of the
assessment/examination/test
- The alteration of any results document, including certificates
- Cheating to gain an unfair advantage.

Investigating alleged malpractice

Malpractice investigations will normally rest with the center manager; however, there may
be special circumstances, which require the awarding body to be involved. Guildhall
College is required to notify the awarding body when commencing an investigation and
provide an estimated time scale for its completion. In exceptional circumstances, the
regulatory authorities may need to take over an investigation. In such circumstances the
regulatory authorities will provide written instructions to the awarding body informing them of
this and the reason for taking such action.

Guildhall College Appointed Investigators will meet with the Centre Co-ordinator of the
centre and begin an investigation to discover the irregularity that has taken place. The
investigation may require the co-operation of anyone connected to an irregularity that has
occurred.

Any such investigation will endeavor to:

- Establish the facts relating to the complaint/allegation in order to determine
whether any irregularity has occurred
- Identify the cause of the irregularity, including whether accidental or deliberate
- Determine whether remedial action is required
- Develop an action plan to implement any identified remedial action
- Prepare evidence to determine the level of any sanction to be imposed on the
centre or members of centre staff. Appendix 4 “Sanctions for non-compliance
with the approved centre criteria” of The NVQ Code of Practice (2006) will be
used as a guide to determine the level of sanction.

Typically investigations will concentrate on evidence that:

- The assignment/script assessed is not the candidate‟s own work.
- The candidate is still working towards the qualification after the certificate has
been claimed.
- The certificate has been claimed on the basis of falsified records.
- The awarding body has issued certificates contrary to the NVQ Code of Practice
and the Accreditation Agreement.

When investigations have been completed, Guildhall College will prepare a report of its
findings. A copy of this report will be sent to the regulatory authorities

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The report will detail:
- The origin of the complaint or mode of discovery of the alleged irregularity(ies)
- The investigation carried out
- The evidence collected
- The conclusions drawn
- The recommendations for action and resolution of the matter
Guildhall College will maintain the confidentiality of individuals, materials and evidence
gathered during all such investigations. All materials and evidence collected as part of the
investigation will be held in a secure environment and will not normally be disclosed to a third
party.

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11. The Assessment Board
The Assessment Board is responsible for undertaking a selection process that achieves a
selection decision based on the principles of equity and merit. What this means is that every
candidate has the opportunity to compete via fair and open competition based on his or
her own skills, qualifications, personal attributes and experience.

Regulations and Operations of Assessment Boards

The rights, responsibilities and conduct of the board shall be in accordance with the college
policies and regulations which should include Edexcel guidelines.

Terms of Reference
The board‟s terms of reference are to make recommendations on:
- The grades achieved by students on the individual modules or units
- Extenuating circumstances
- Cases of cheating and plagiarism
- Referrals and deferrals
- To communicate results to the awarding body so that awards may be conferred
upon students
- Progression of students onto the next stage of the programme
- The awards to be made to students

Scheduling of boards
The boards shall normally meet up to here to four times per year.

Membership
The membership of the board shall consist of the Chair, Secretary and Members of the
programme team.

Appeals
The board shall judge if a candidate or any other person establishes that there has been a
material administrative error, or that the assessments were not conducted in accordance
with current regulations or that some other material irregularity has occurred.

Assessment of students with disabilities

The board will determine how and when students who need special arrangements (for
instance those with dyslexia medical conditions and mental health problems) are to be
accommodated

Anonymity of students in assessment

The board will not reveal the identity of students to markers and/or the assessment board.
However they may be a point towards the end of the assessment process where anonymity
ends.

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12. Introduction to the Programme(s)
HND Computing:

Rationale of the Programme Aims:

The BTEC Higher Nationals in Computing have been developed to focus on:
- Providing education and training for a range of careers in computing
- Providing opportunities for facilities managers to achieve a nationally recognised
Level 4 vocationally specific qualification
- Providing opportunities for full-time learners to gain a nationally recognised,
vocationally specific qualification to enter employment in computing or to
progress to higher education vocational qualifications such as a full-time degree
in computing or a related area
- Developing the knowledge, understanding and skills of learners in the field of
computing
- Providing opportunities for learners to focus on the development of higher-level
skills in a computing context
- Providing opportunities for learners to develop a range of skills and techniques
and attributes essential for successful performance in working life.

This qualification meets the needs of the above rationale by:

- Equipping individuals with knowledge, understanding and skills for success in
employment in the computing industry
- Enabling progression to an undergraduate degree or further professional
qualification in computing or a related area
- Providing opportunities for specialist study relevant to individual vocations and
contexts
- Supporting individuals employed or entering employment in the computing
industry
- Developing the individual‟s ability in the computing industry through effective use
and combination of the knowledge and skills gained in different parts of the
programme
- Developing a range of skills and techniques, personal qualities and attributes
essential for successful performance in working life and thereby enabling learners
to make an immediate contribution to employment
- Providing flexibility, knowledge, skills and motivation as a basis for future studies
and career development in computing.

Higher-level skills

Learners studying for BTEC Higher Nationals in Computing will be expected to develop the
following skills during the programme of study:
- Synthesis of a range of concepts, knowledge and skills relating to computing
- Application of complex theories to practical realistic work situations in the
computing sector

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 - Independence of approach to study and the generation of computing evidence
- Ability to engage with complex and/or unpredictable situations in computing
contexts
- Ability to take responsibility to manage and direct their own and others‟ activities
- Insight and judgement in relation to the margins and consequences of error
- Research and investigative skills
- Responsiveness to change and ability to multi-task
- Ability to innovate and work in a creative way.

HND Business:

A key progression path for BTEC Higher National Certificate and Diploma learners is
to the second or third year of a degree or honours degree programme, depending
on the match of the BTEC Higher National units to the degree programme in
question.

The BTEC Higher Nationals in Business have been developed to focus on:
• providing education and training for a range of careers in business such as
administration, personnel, marketing, finance, law, purchasing and management
• providing a general qualification which allows flexibility of study to meet local or
specialist needs
• providing specialist options which meet the needs of the major functions in
business and allow specialisation with career progression and professional
recognition in mind
• providing opportunities which underpin some of the knowledge and
understanding required for the relevant NVQ level 4 units in Accounting,
Management, Personnel, Administration and Procurement
• providing opportunities for learners to focus on the development of higher-level
skills in a business context
• providing opportunities for learners to develop a range of skills and techniques and
attributes essential for successful performance in working life
• providing opportunities for individuals in employment to achieve a nationally
recognised level 4 vocationally specific qualification
• providing opportunities for learners to gain a nationally recognised vocationally
specific qualification to enter employment in business or progress to higher
education vocational qualifications such as a full-time degree in business or a
related area.

Aims of the qualification

This qualification meets the needs of the above rationale by:

• equipping individuals with knowledge, understanding and skills for success in a
range of administrative and management positions in business
• providing specialist routes of study which relate to individual professions within the
business world in which learners are working or intend to seek employment
• enabling progression to an undergraduate degree or further professional
qualification in business or a related area
• supporting individuals employed or entering employment in the business field

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• developing the individual‟s ability in the business field through effective use and
combination of the knowledge and skills gained in different parts of the programme
• developing a range of skills and techniques, personal qualities and attributes
essential for successful performance in working life and thereby enable learners to
make an immediate contribution to employment

Professional body recognition

Higher National qualifications in Business, especially the endorsed title routes, have
been developed with career progression and professional recognition in mind. The
following professional bodies recognise the Higher Nationals in Business.
• Association of Accounting Technicians
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
• Association of International Accountants
• Chartered Institute of Bankers
• Chartered Institute of Management
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• Chartered Institute of Marketing
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountants
• Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply
• Chartered Insurance Institute
• Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
• Institute of Financial Accountants
• Institute of Legal Executives
• Institute of Personnel and Development
Varying degrees of exemption from professional body examinations are available,
details are available from individual professional bodies.

Higher-level skills
Learners studying BTEC Higher Nationals in Business will be expected to develop the
following skills during the programme of study:

• cognitive skills of critical thinking, analysis and synthesis

• effective problem solving and decision making using appropriate quantitative and
qualitative skills including identifying, formulating and solving business problems
• effective communication, oral and in writing, using a range of media widely used
in business eg the preparation and presentation of business reports
• numeric and quantitative skills including data analysis, interpretation and
extrapolation; the use of models of business problems and phenomena
• effective use of communication and information technology for business
applications
• effective self-management in terms of time, planning and behaviour, motivation,
selfstarting, individual initiative and enterprise
• developing an appropriate learning style
• self-awareness, openness and sensitivity to diversity in terms of people, cultures,
business and management issues
• effective performance within a team environment including leadership, team-
building, influencing and project-management skills
• interpersonal skills of effective listening, negotiating, persuading and presentation
• abilities to conduct research into business and management issues.

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HND Travel and Tourism

A key progression path for BTEC Higher National Certificate and Diploma learners is
to the second or third year of a degree or honours degree programme, depending
on the match of the BTEC Higher National units to the degree programme in
question.

BTEC Higher Nationals in Travel and Tourism Management have been developed to
focus on:
• providing education and training for a range of careers in the travel and tourism
sector
• providing opportunities for employees of travel and tourism facilities to achieve a
nationally recognised Level 5 vocationally specific qualification
• providing opportunities for learners to gain a nationally recognised vocationally
specific qualification to enter employment in travel and tourism or progress to higher
education vocational qualifications such as a degree in a related area
• developing the knowledge, understanding and skills of learners in the field of travel
and tourism
• providing opportunities for learners to develop a range of skills, techniques and
attributes essential for successful performance in working life.

This qualification meets the needs of the above rationale by:

• equipping individuals with knowledge, understanding and skills for success in
employment in the travel and tourism industries
• enabling progression to an undergraduate degree or further professional
qualification in a related area
• providing opportunities for specialist study relevant to individual vocations and
contexts
• supporting individuals employed or entering employment in the travel and tourism
industries
• developing a range of skills and techniques, personal qualities and attributes
essential for successful performance in working life, thereby enabling learners to
make an immediate contribution to employment
• providing flexibility, knowledge, skills and motivation as a basis for future studies
and career development in travel and tourism.

Higher-level skills
Learners studying for BTEC Higher Nationals in Travel and Tourism Management will
be
expected to develop the following skills during the programme of study:
• cognitive skills of critical thinking, analysis and synthesis
• effective problem solving and decision making using appropriate quantitative and
qualitative skills including identifying, formulating and solving problems
• effective communication skills, both oral and written, using a range of media
widely used in travel and tourism eg the preparation and presentation of reports
• numeric and quantitative skills including data analysis, interpretation and
extrapolation; the use of models of travel and tourism problems and phenomena
• effective use of communication and information technology for travel and tourism
applications
• effective self-management in terms of time, planning and behaviour motivation,
self-starting, individual initiative and enterprise

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• developing an appropriate learning style
• self-awareness, openness and sensitivity to diversity in terms of people, cultures
and travel and tourism management issues
• effective performance within a team environment including leadership, team
building, influencing and project management skills
• interpersonal skills e.g. effective listening, negotiating, persuading and
presentation
• ability to conduct research into travel and tourism management issues.

13. Course Structure

Teaching, learning and assessment

Learners must pass all 10 units on their programme of learning to be awarded a BTEC Higher
National Certificate and all 16 units to be awarded a BTEC Higher National Diploma. The
assessment of BTEC Higher National qualifications is criterion-referenced and Guildhall
College is required to assess learners‟ evidence against published learning outcomes and
assessment criteria. All units will be individually graded as „pass‟, „merit‟ or „distinction‟. To
achieve a pass grade for the unit learners must meet the assessment criteria set out in the
specifications. This gives transparency to the assessment process and provides for the
establishment of national standards for each qualification.

The units in BTEC Higher National qualifications all have a standard format which is designed
to provide clear guidance on the requirements of the qualification for learners, assessors and
those responsible for monitoring national standards.

Assessment instruments

Assessment instruments are designed by Guildhall College and these should collectively
ensure coverage of all assessment criteria within each unit and should provide opportunities
for the evidencing of all the grade descriptors. Our assessor is trained to clearly indicate
assessment criteria and contextualized grade descriptors on each assessment instrument to
provide a focus for learners (for transparency and to ensure that feedback is specific to the
criteria) and to assist with internal standardization processes. Tasks/activities should enable
learners to produce evidence that relates directly to the assessment criteria and grade
descriptors.

Each assessment instrument is moderated by Guildhall College to ensure that the instruments
are valid, reliable and fit for purpose, building on the application of the assessment criteria.
Our assessors are encouraged to place emphasis on practical application of the assessment
criteria, providing a realistic scenario for learners to adopt, making maximum use of work-
related practical experience and reflecting typical practice in the sector concerned. The
creation of assessment instruments that are fit for purpose is vital to achievement and their
importance cannot be over-emphasized.

Grading Higher National units

The assessment of BTEC Higher National qualifications will be at unit level and there will be no
overall grade for either the Certificate or the Diploma. This means that learners are able to
access the qualification through a unitised approach. Each unit will be graded as a pass,

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merit or distinction. A pass is awarded for the achievement of all outcomes against the
specified assessment criteria. Merit and distinction grades are awarded for higher-level
achievement.

Unit Format

Each unit is set out in the following way:

Unit title, learning hours and NQF level

The unit title is accredited by QCA and this form of words will appear on the learner‟s
Notification of Performance. In BTEC Higher National qualifications each unit consists of 60
guided learning hours.
Each unit is assigned a notional level indicator of H1 or H2, indicating the relative intellectual
demand, complexity and depth of study, and learner autonomy.

At H1 level the emphasis is on the application of knowledge, skills and understanding, use of
conventions in the field of study, use of analytical skills and selection and organisation of
information.

At H2 level the emphasis is on application and evaluation of contrasting ideas, principles,

theories and practices, greater specialisation in the field of study, and an increasing
independence in systematic enquiry and analysis.

HND Computing Programme Structure

Grade Descriptors

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Achievement of a pass grade

A pass grade is achieved by meeting all the requirements defined in the assessment
criteria for each individual unit.

Achievement of a merit or distinction grade

All the assessment criteria and merit grade descriptors need to be completed within
a unit to achieve a merit grade.

All the assessment criteria, merit and distinction grade descriptors must be
completed within a unit to achieve a distinction grade.

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Unit specification:

Your assessor will supply you with unit specification.

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14. Programme Structure
HND Computing

Unit Unit Name Status Unit Semester

No Level No
1 Computer Platforms Core H1
3 Programming Concepts Core H1
1
4 Database Design Concept Core H1
5 Networking Concepts Core H1
6 Personal Skills Development Core H1
22 Human Computer Interface Block B H1
2
19 Website Design Block B H1
14 Management in IT Block B H1
2 Systems Analysis Core H2
8 Information Systems Project Block A H2
3
16 Information Systems Block A H2
7 Quality Systems Block B H2
23 Project Management Block B H2
42 Visual Programming Block B H2
4
12 Networking Technology Block B H2
24 E-business Strategy Block B H2

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HND Business

Unit Unit Name Status Unit Semester

No Level No
9 Management Accounting: Costing and Budgeting Specialist H1 1
5 Common Law I Core H1
2 Managing Financial Resources and Decisions Core H1
29 Introduction to the Internet and E-Business Specialist H1
6 Business Decision Making Core H2 2
7 Business Strategy Core H2
22 Managing Human Resources Specialist H2
13 Managing Professional Development Specialist H2
32 E-business Planning and Implementation Specialist H2 3
10 Financial Reporting Specialist H2
33 Information Systems Specialist H2
8 Research Project Core H2
1 Marketing Core H1 4
4 Business Environment Core H1
3 Organisations and Behaviour Core H1
54 Computer Platforms Specialist H1

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HND Travel and Tourism

Unit Unit Name Status Unit Semester

No Level No
1 The Travel and Tourism Environment Core H1
2 Management Perspectives in Travel and Tourism Core H1
1
13 Hospitality Management Specialist H1
6 Marketing in Travel and Tourism Core H1
7 Contemporary Issues in Travel and Tourism Core H1
9 Tourism Destinations Specialist H1
15 Tour Operations Management Specialist H1 2
Public Relations and Promotions in Travel and Specialist H2
25 Tourism
Finance and Funding in the Travel and Tourism Core H2
3 Industry
Law and Ethics in the Travel and Tourism Industry Core H2
4 3
Human Resource Management for Travel and Specialist H2
19 Tourism
24 Tourism in Developing Countries Specialist H2
8 Tourism Development Planning Core H2
10 The Developing Manager Specialist H2
4
12 Travel and Tourism Entrepreneurs Specialist H2
5 Research Project Core H2

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15. Programme Management
Daily Management of Programme:

1) On registration at Guildhall College, you will be given full details of the

timetable of lectures for each semester.
2) All students have the opportunity to raise any questions with the administration
and teaching staff at the Induction meeting at the start of each semester, this
will cover all aspects of the programme, timetable, and facilities at Guildhall
College.
3) Personal issues should be raised with the counselling staff.

16. Attendance Policy

Preamble

The student attendance policy is intended to assist the college in enabling

students to achieve their learning potential and simultaneously comply with
the UKBA requirements. The college recognizes the enormous investment that
students make, both in time and money, in choosing to pursue a programme
of higher education and, as a responsible Institution, believes it has a duty to
follow-up promptly on matters of non-attendance so that students can be
supported and given every opportunity to succeed.

Attendance Rules

1) Attendance is compulsory and students must attend all contact

periods as per the timetable. If a student cannot attend a teaching
session then the student must immediately inform the college and
provide a valid reason for absence using a Concession Request Form
for Absence and this should be supported by documentary evidence
wherever applicable, such as medical certificate.

2) The minimum attendance requirement is 80% and the students are also
required to adhere to the “expected contact period” rule
requirements stipulated by the UKBA.

3) It is very important for students to be punctual for all lectures. Students

who are 30 minutes late may be marked as late and students who are
over 30 minutes late may be refused admission to that teaching session
and their attendance will be recorded as absent. If a student has more
than 3 late classes in total for the current term then the student will be
marked absent from the next late class.

4) It is the responsibility of the student to sign the attendance register and

any failure to do so will result in marking the student absent. A student
will not be given another chance to change his status in the register.

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5) The College has NO tolerance policy towards proxy signature for fellow
students. If any proxy signature is found, both students may be
subjected to disciplinary actions, which may include suspension from
the college.

Attendance Warning Letters

A day equivalent teaching (8 contact hours) will be counted as one

expected contact period for a student. The College will monitor the contact
periods attended by the student as well as the cumulative percentage of
attendance for a term. Students will be monitored each term separately for
their attendance; i.e.- attendance rate is not carried forward to the next
term.

First Warning Letter - Sent to student only:

This letter will be issued AFTER missing four contact periods and/or less than
80% attendance at the end of fourth teaching week. Such letter may:
Remind the student that classes have been missed.
Remind the student of the importance of attending all classes.
Request an explanation as to why classes have been missed.
Invite the student to contact the college.
Remind the student that UKBA will be notified if the student misses
10 contacts.
Place a copy of the warning letter in the student‟s file.

Final Warning Letter - Sent to student only;

This letter will be issued AFTER missing seven contact periods and/or less than
80% attendance at the end of seventh teaching week. Such letter may:
Remind the student that classes have been missed.
Remind the student that he/she has already been issued with the
first warning letter.
Remind the student of the importance of attending all classes.
Request an explanation as to why classes have been missed.
Invite the student to discuss with their programme leader or
programme administrator any problems they might be
experiencing that could be the cause of their poor attendance.
Remind the student that UKBA will be notified in case if the
student misses 10 contacts and subsequently terminated from
the course and college.
Place copy of the warning letter in the student‟s file.

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Notification to UKBA Letter – Sent to UKBA and student:

This letter will be issued AFTER missing ten contact periods and/or less than
80% attendance at the end of tenth teaching week. Such letter may:

Remind the student that classes have been missed.

Remind the student has already been issued with the first
warning and final warning letters.
Invite the student to discuss the reasons for their absence with
the attendance committee.
Inform the student that UKBA has been notified.
Remind the student that s/he will be terminated within 10
working days if s/he does not contact the College.
Place both copies of the warning letter in the student‟s file.

Notification of Termination Letter – Sent to UKBA and student:

This letter would be issued if the student has NOT contacted the College
AFTER ten days of the notification to UKBA. Such letter may:

Remind the student that he/she has already been issued with
the first warning, final warning and notification to UKBA letters.
Remind the student that s/he is being terminated from the
College and no longer holds the college student sponsorship
and membership.
Remind the student s/he should return all the belongings of the
college including student ID card etc.
Remind the student that UKBA has been notified of the
termination.
Place both copies of the warning letter in the student‟s file.

Attendance Maintenance and Access Policy:

All attendance in the current term is collected and processed by the

documentation team and then filed for that Term only. Access to
attendance records are limited to the documentation team and programme
leaders. Attendance record files are NOT allowed to be taken out of the
documentation room except for exceptional reasons with the permission
from the Students Records Manager.

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Attendance Storage Policy:

Only the current Term attendance sheets are maintained after entering into
the Student Information Management System. At the end of each Term all
the attendance sheets are destroyed in a secured way and only e-records of
attendance are maintained for all students. The College has a policy of only
having physical attendance records for the current Term.

17. Feedback
Listening to the views of students

The following methods for gaining your feedback are used on this programme:

Module evaluations and feedback (every semester)

Administration and non-teaching feedback (twice a year).
Focus group interviews conducted with random sample of students (twice a
year).
Student Complaints form

Academic Feedback

You will receive accurate and useful feedback of your assessments within four weeks
of assessments deadline about your academic performance. You need to keep
track of your academic progress, and therefore you must look at feedback and use it
to see where you went wrong/right, for improvement, which will become an
automatic process. We believe the feedback process should include:

Positive, formative and constructive - the most constructive feedback is frequent,

on-going, and based upon your needs identified in present levels of academic
performance
Provide both verbal and written feedback – all assessments will require a
submission and feedback sheet, and this will be returned to you within four weeks
Provide cohort feedback as necessary – common mistakes or learning aspects will
be given to the entire cohort on completion of assessment tasks, where there is
opportunity for learning by the group – you should use this for personal
reflection/improvement
Vary the method of providing individual feedback – sometimes privately,
sometimes in front of the class (positive feedback only), sometimes written,
sometimes verbal, and also during public events such as presentations/assemblies
Regular tutorials - personal academic tutorials should be held with you at least
twice during a grading period, more often if you are having problems with
attendance or may be performing poorly
Provide feedback on learning skills - feedback can be given on organization and
management skills such as keeping good notes, diaries, report plans etc., which
allows you to develop your skills
Display students‟ work in the classroom - create a wall chart that indicates
progress on the cohort‟s behavioural or academic goals. The purpose of the

33
 display is to celebrate cohort achievement. Individual student grades will never
be disclosed in public

18. Student Support

Guildhall College provides a full range of support services for students. On initial
registration at Guildhall College, our student Counsellors and Advisors will arrange the
following:

List of Guildhall College Services:

A) Accommodation – when you advised the College on initial application of

your need for accommodation, this will be provided as appropriate. You are
responsible for paying rent directly to your landlord.

B) Student identity card for Guildhall College – provided on registration

C) Opening a Bank Account – the College will provide all of the necessary
information and forms to enable students to open a Bank Account

D) Council Tax – the College will provide all of the necessary documentation to
enable students to claim exemption

E) London Student Photo card Scheme – the college will provide all of the
necessary documentation for students to take advantage of this fare
reduction scheme

F) Registering with a doctor – the College will arrange for students to be

registered with NHS – this will enable students to use NHS services for free

G) English Study Support - GCL provides blended English language and

academic support for students to develop language skills essential to
succeed on their programmes. Classes are face-to-face, but additional
exercises and practice uses multi-media based language software called
Quartet. Quartet Blended is a unique system, which uses and brings all of the
advantages of the computer into the classroom. All work is monitored
individually on the computer, enabling the teacher and administrative staff to
track and record progress. Please ask your Programme Leader if you think this
will be useful to you.

H) Personal Tutor - All students will be allocated a named personal tutor at the
beginning of the programme (within three weeks). Your Personal Tutor is a
member of academic staff from GCL to whom you may turn with queries
relating to the academic side of the programme. The Personal Tutor will also
act as a professional mentor to guide, help and support you.

I) Library Facilities - The GCL library will carry core and recommended books for
each module, relevant articles, journals and periodicals.

J) Student Welfare and Support - The GCL Student Welfare Officer offers a range
of services, support and advice in key areas, which includes accommodation
services, bank account opening, visa extension and counselling, airport
pickup, reference letters for work, and general assessment queries. Please do
not hesitate to approach the Administration team, and they will make sure
that where possible your needs are taken care of.

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Resources

Guildhall College has the following resources:

Library – covering main text books required for programme

IT Lab with high speed Internet access
English Support classes for all students who feel that this will enable them
to take full advantage of the course
Photocopying facilities
Academic and Pastoral Care
Counselling –advice – help with visa
Personal Tuition
Careers Advice
Soft copies of Study materials are uploaded on the website but if students
feel they need hard copies they could request for them from their tutors at
a small fee.

All London boroughs have a public lending library – on request, you will be provided
with the necessary covering letter to enable you to become a member.

The City of London has extensive specialist libraries, and the British Library is located in
London (Kings Cross) for which you can register.

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