Policy · Student policies
Student charter
Version [0.X] · Owner [DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION] · Last reviewed [DATE] · Next review [DATE]
How to read this charter
Two lists, taken together
Working draft — not yet formally adopted
This charter is a working draft pending adoption by [COMMITTEE NAME] on [DATE], and is due for review by [DATE]. It summarises the college’s published policies; where the charter and a policy differ, the policy is the definitive document. Timescales referred to in the charter are set out in full in those policies.
What you can expect from the college
Ten undertakings. Each one corresponds to a policy or a published process, so it can be checked.
Teaching that is planned and competently delivered
Sessions taught by staff with relevant qualifications and current practice, following a published programme structure and learning outcomes.
Clear information before you commit
Entry requirements, programme content, assessment methods, term dates and the fee position set out in writing, and honest advice if a programme is not right for you.
Assessment that is fair and explained
Published assessment criteria, marks returned with feedback within a stated period, moderation of results, and an appeals route that does not penalise you for using it.
Safe, supervised clinical practice
Every patient assessed by a qualified supervisor before treatment, every student supervised in the clinic, and no student treating anyone unsupervised at any stage.
A safe environment
Safe premises, safe systems of work, trained first aiders, and the right to stop any activity you believe to be unsafe without penalty.
Respect and equal treatment
Teaching and clinical practice delivered without discrimination, and reasonable adjustments made so that you can take part on equal terms.
Information about your progress
Feedback on assessed work, a named point of contact for academic questions, and prompt notice of anything material that affects your programme.
Support when things go wrong
Someone to talk to about study difficulties or personal circumstances, and a clear procedure when you need to interrupt, defer or withdraw.
Policies you can actually read
Every policy published in full on this website, with review dates shown, plus a complaints procedure with published timescales.
Your data handled properly
Personal information used only for the purposes we have explained to you, shared only where necessary, and kept no longer than we need it.
What the college expects from you
Ten expectations. None of them is unusual, and all of them are assessed or monitored in some way.
Turn up, and tell us when you cannot
Attend taught sessions and all assessed practical sessions, and let us know in advance when you cannot. Persistent unexplained absence is followed up, because it usually means something is wrong.
Do your own work
Submit work that is your own. Plagiarism, collusion and the fabrication of clinical hours or case records are treated as serious academic misconduct.
Take safety seriously
Follow sharps, infection prevention, consent and hygiene protocols exactly. Safety is an assessed competence, not a formality, and it is the one area where there is no room for improvisation.
Be honest about your fitness to practise
Tell the college promptly about any change in your health, or any caution, conviction or professional restriction, that affects your ability to practise safely. Disclosing early is treated as professional behaviour.
Respect other people
Treat staff, fellow students, patients and visitors with courtesy, whatever their background, beliefs or circumstances. Harassment and discrimination are dealt with under the equality policy.
Keep patient information confidential
Clinical material used in teaching is anonymised, and whatever you see or hear in the clinic stays there. This duty continues after you leave the college.
Pay as agreed
Meet the fee deadlines in your offer letter, and talk to us early if your circumstances change. We would rather agree a plan than chase a debt.
Keep your details up to date
Tell us about changes of address, telephone number or email. Notices sent to the last address you gave us count as received.
Represent the college fairly
Do not imply that the college endorses your practice, and do not describe yourself as qualified before your award is conferred.
Raise problems early
Tell us about a problem when it happens, rather than saving it for an appeal. Most issues are resolved quickly at that stage, and you are not making a fuss by raising one.
In the teaching clinic
What patients can expect, and what students owe them
Every patient in the teaching clinic is entitled to the same standard of care they would receive from a qualified practitioner working alone. That means an assessment by the supervisor before any treatment, an explanation of what will happen and why, informed consent recorded in the notes, appropriate privacy and draping, and aftercare advice they can take away with them.
It also means that a patient may decline to be treated by a student, or ask for a treatment to stop, at any point and without giving a reason. Students are taught that this is not a rejection of them: it is a patient exercising a right, and respecting it is part of professional practice.
Students, in turn, are entitled to learn in a clinic where mistakes can be discussed openly. The college’s position is that an adverse event reported honestly is a sign the system is working, and one concealed is a serious matter — see the health & safety policy.
Questions about the charter?
If you are a current or prospective student and something here is unclear — or you think the college has not met an undertaking — contact the college office and we will take it from there.