Parents & Carers
A Guide for Parents & Carers
Helping your young person make decisions about their education is crucial.
We aim to provide them with an outstanding education and real-world skills, building confidence for future Higher Education or careers.
A strong partnership between parents/carers and the College is key to student success. This guide outlines how we will support your young person in achieving their goals:
Accessibility
Convenient town-centre location, bike storage, and drop-off points available.
Information Events
Attend with your young person to explore courses, meet tutors and get a feel for college life.
Positive Attitudes
We instil punctuality, respect, and hard work – behaviours that contribute to future success.
Attendance
We monitor attendance regularly to safeguard our students’ wellbeing and to promote academic success. We anticipate that all students will maintain a minimum of 95% attendance rate.
Study Programmes & Apprenticeships
A choice of diverse subjects, from Entry Level to Higher Education, designed for career readiness or university.
English & Maths
Support to achieve vital GCSE grades necessary for future opportunities.
Enrichment
Personal development through events, activities, trips, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Fairness & Quality
A friendly, inclusive environment committed to equality and safety.
Financial Support
Assistance with funding, bursaries, free breakfast, travel, and course equipment.
Career Preparation
Individualised support from Progress Tutors, Career Advisors and Work Placement Officers, including industry placements.
Quality Teaching
Experienced professionals teaching in state-of-the-art facilities with the latest industry-standard equipment.
T Levels
Gold Standard technical courses combining theory, practical learning and 315-day industry placements.
As a parent/carer of a young person attending Bolton College you will have access to the ProPortal system, an interactive online service you can use to review your young person’s progress during their time at the college. It contains information on the following:
- Personal details
- Timetable
- Attendance and punctuality summary
- Subject reviews and SMART targets
- Progress being made in all courses
- Upcoming assessments – so that you can remind your young person that they need to submit their work on time
- Times and dates of meetings arranged between your young person and staff
- Intended Progression details (when agreed) – information about your young person’s planned progression for example Year 2, the next level of course, another course, university, or employment
To access ProPortal you will need to complete the registration online (via the LOG IN button above) using your young person’s ID number. Your young person’s learner ID number can be found on their College ID card. Once your registration has been approved an account will be created; this can take up to five working days.
What happens if my young person misses a class?
We have dedicated phone lines for learners, parents/carers to inform us about absences. The absence line is open from 8am each day, please call 01204 482 999. We expect that we are notified on a daily basis, of any absences.
The attendance officers will contact the parent/carer of a young person, where an absence hasn’t been explained.
How do I contact the tutor?
If you would like to speak to your young person’s tutor, please contact the college’s main phone line, 01204 482 000, and they will direct you to the relevant member of staff.
What should I do if my young person is struggling?
Please contact your person’s progress tutor in the first instance if you have any concerns; they will be happy to liaise with subject staff.
All young people are allocated a progress tutor who will offer support and guidance throughout the college year. They monitor their academic progress and signpost to the college’s wrap around services, where required.
All learners will have a range of informal and formal conversations with their progress tutor, including weekly group tutorials and regular one-to-one review meetings, which are a key part of our progress monitoring process.
When are parents' evenings?
There will be a welcome/induction event in early September.
Parents’ evenings take place twice per academic year, November and March.
My young person didn't get the grade they wanted
Our friendly and well-qualified careers team, based within our Student Experience Zone, are available to offer impartial careers information, advice and guidance and answer questions regarding current options, future progression and career opportunities.
We also have a team of wellbeing and pastoral mentors who offer practical and emotional support, if needed.
English and Maths
All young people on a study programme will continue to work towards English and maths if they currently don’t hold a GCSE Grade 4+.
The college expectation is for all young people studying English and maths to achieve a minimum of 95% attendance to these classes.
Employers and universities usually require candidates to have achieved GCSE grade 9-4 in English and maths before they consider offering them a job or a course place.
