Support

We offer you support throughout your studies, even if the issue is unrelated to your course. If you need confidential advice or information on matters such as fees, financial support, immigration, childcare or other personal issues, we encourage you to get in touch with our Student Advice Team.

To contact a Student Advisor before you apply for a course, please email studentadvice@cwc.ac.uk

Welfare

Our Student Advisors can offer you practical help and advice with:

• Accessing financial support available at College (including 16-19 Bursary, Free meals in F.E, Discretionary Learner Support Funds and 19+ Advanced Learning Loan Bursary)
• Support for Looked After Young People and recent Care Leavers
• Housing advice and support for young people needing emergency accommodation (Please note, the College does not provide accommodation for students)
• Rights, entitlements and support for asylum seekers, immigrants and refugees and people subject to immigration regulations
• Domestic violence - emergency advice and referrals to specialist support services
• Sexual health - free condoms and referrals to specialist services
• Benefits e.g. Job Seeker’s Allowance / Income Support

Please note: Our Student Advisors are not immigration or benefits advisors. They will signpost you to the relevant agencies.

Click here for more information on welfare.

Counselling

If you are experiencing personal difficulties which are affecting your wellbeing and/or ability to study, you can contact our Student Advisors. They can offer you the opportunity to talk through your feelings and concerns in confidence and can help source long-term counselling and support services outside the College.

Careers Advice

We have a team of Careers Advisors who can offer you confidential and impartial information, advice and guidance to help you decide on your next steps. They can help you with university applications, apprenticeship applications, further study, employment and training opportunities. Our College Course Advisors can also help with progression information if you are considering other College courses.

Click here for more information about Careers Advice.

Personal Tutor

All full-time students are allocated a personal tutor who will meet with you on a regular basis to monitor your progress and attendance and assist with other issues. They can explain and advise you on College rules, your learning programme, assessments, examinations and all aspects of your course.

Attendance Support Team

Our team of Attendance Support staff will contact you and your parent/guardian (if under 19 years of age) if you do not attend College regularly and on time. It is really important that you attend all your classes.

Induction

The College provides an Induction programme for all students. This usually takes place at the start of your course. If you join a course late, please speak to your tutor to find out what was discussed at the induction. During your induction, you will work with tutors to identify your target grades and agree actions to ensure you progress in your area of study. We know from student feedback that an induction is very useful. as well as finding out more about the course you have enrolled on, the induction helps you get to know your peers and also find out about support and facilities available in College.

Equal Opportunities 

We are totally committed to providing education and training for all, irrespective of ethnicity, gender, transgender, disability, religion, age or sexual orientation. Our Equal opportunities Policy is monitored and reviewed regularly to make sure that it works for you.

LGBT Support

City of Westminster College actively supports its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students and College staff members. It has zero tolerance towards homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and all forms of discrimination.

The LGBT+ group meet monthly to plan how LGBT+ equality can be promoted throughout the College, as well as supporting each other and planning exciting extra-curricular activities. The group encourages allies of LGBT+ people to join and values their support in helping to make the world a happier, safer and more equal place. If you'd like more information, please contact: lgbt@cwc.ac.uk.

Additional Learning Support

The Additional Learning Support (ALS) team organise and provide support for students across the College. We have a specialist team who provide support for students with a variety of needs including those who are on the autistic spectrum, have physical and sensory impairments, mental health difficulties, medical conditions, dyslexia, dyscalculia and emotional and behavioural difficulties.

We can provide support for students with Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans. If you have an EHC Plan, it is important that you declare this on your application form as you will then be invited to attend a pre-entry confidential interview so that an assessment of need can be completed.

We are committed to ensuring that reasonable adjustments are made so that you are not disadvantaged in any way during your time with us, this includes any exam access arrangements. For full details of the support available, or to arrange a confidential pre-entry interview, please call 020 7258 2822 or 020 7258 2914 to speak with the Additional Support Team.

Dyslexia Support

We have specialist staff available to provide additional learning support for student at the College. If you have dyslexia or another specific learning disability support difficulty, and would like further details of the support on offer, or a pre-entry appointment, please call 020 7723 8826 and ask to speak to Dyslexia Support.  

Disability Support

We have a specialist team who provide additional learning support for students on the autistic spectrum, with disabilities such as physical, sensory impairments, mental health difficulties, medical conditions and emotional and behavioural difficulties. 

We are committed to ensuring that reasonable adjustments are made so that you are not disadvantaged in any way during your time with us. for full details of the support available, or to arrange a confidential pre-entry interview, please call 020 7723 8826 and ask to speak to Disability Support.

English Language, Literacy and Numeracy Support

We offer English Language, Literacy and Numeracy support on most mainstream courses. (See also Dyslexia, Learning Difficulties and Disabilities below).

Click here for more information on disability support.

Health and Security

The personal security of students, staff and visitors, and their property is of paramount importance to us. We strive to ensure that we maintain a welcoming and safe environment for everyone that studies, works and visits us, while also maintaining security and safety for all. For everyone’s comfort and safety, we have a strict no-smoking policy in all College buildings. Please note that casual hoods must be kept down within the College environment and you must wear a visible College ID Card and lanyard around your neck at all times while on College premises.

Car and Bicycle Parking

Car parking is strictly limited to students with registered mobility issues and must be arranged in advance. Paddington Green and Maida Vale Campuses have ample parking facilities for bicycles and motorbikes/mopeds, however, all bikes and motorbikes are parked at the owner's risk and we strongly advise you to secure bikes/motorbikes with a suitable lock., whilst Paddington Green Campus has ample parking facilities for bicycles and motorbikes/mopeds. However, all bikes and motorbikes are parked at the owner’s risk and we strongly advise you to secure bikes/motorbikes with a suitable lock.

Canteens

There are canteens at Paddington Green and Maida Vale Campuses offering a choice of affordable hot and cold refreshments. Paddington Green Campus also has a public café on the ground floor.

Learning Resource Centres

Our well-equipped Learning Resource Centres at Paddington Green Campus and Maida Vale Campus provide a full range of services for students including:

• Inductions
• Study spaces for quiet study or group work
• Windows computers and Apple Macs
• Facilities for scanning, printing and photocopying
• Reference and lending collections
• Resources in a wide range of formats, including books, journals, newspapers, ebooks and eJournals
• Laptops for loan during term-time
• Stationery sale 

Click here to learn more about our Learning Resource Centres.