The safety and wellbeing of our students is one of our top priorities.
Anglo-Continental has ample fully trained staff and facilities to
provide a high standard of Welfare, Safety and First Aid.
Health and Safety Policy Statement
Anglo-Continental First Aid Team
Anglo-Continental Welfare Team
Health and Safety Policy Statement
The Health and Safety Policy Statement is displayed on the student noticeboards.
Please click here to download a copy.
Physical Disability
Anglo-Continental is pleased to be able to welcome students with special needs, aged 16 or above. Many
facilities such as classrooms, a self-service restaurant, student services and a dedicated toilet are located on the ground floor and are accessible for
wheelchair users. It should be noted that the Multi-Media Learning Centre and lecture room 1 can only be reached by stairs. Some activities may not
be suitable for students with special needs. Please note that students with special needs who wish to participate in excursions may need to be lifted
on and off the coach, if they require assistance, and must use the coach seats.
If you have a disability, please complete the Disabled Persons Questionnaire.
Visual and Audial Impairment
Anglo-Continental can provide one-to-one courses for clients with hearing difficulties. Please note that courses at Anglo-Continental are unsuitable for the visually impaired/blind or the deaf. Please contact us if you think you may need special arrangements.
Learning Disability
If you have a learning disability such as dyslexic, it is very helpful if you can provide us with details in advance. In particular, if you are planning to take an examination, we can sometimes make special arrangements for you.
Mental Health Issues
Anglo-Continental has a helpful and friendly team of Welfare Counsellors who are available to support students with any problems which may arise while they are away from home. Our counsellors offer a professional and completely confidential service. However, we are unable to accept clients with significant mental health problems. Clients, or their parents/guardians or sponsors, must inform us (before enrolling) about any history of mental health problems so that we can advise whether our courses are suitable for them.
Welfare/First Aid Office
Concerned students and homestay families can contact our Welfare team during office hours (Monday to Friday 08.30 - 16.30 hours). The main telephone number of the Welfare Department is:
+44 (0)1202 411834.
During June, July and August the Welfare Department can be accessed out of office hours via the Emergency Telephone (available on the student's confirmation of enrolment letter), however outside of these months the Welfare Staff may not be immediately available after 16.30 hours.
The First Aid/Welfare Office is located in Student Services (Reception).
Anglo-Continental First Aid Team
Anglo-Continental has a team of fully trained First Aid staff. There are an appropriate number of First Aid Trained staff on duty and available for the size of the campus and the number of people on the campus at any time.
First Aid arrangements are also catered for in other activities such as excursions, sports and lesiure activities.
First Aid Equipment and Facilities
First Aid boxes are located in the following areas of the school:
- The First Aid Room in Reception
- Young Learners Reception
- Student Restaurant Kitchen
- Maintenance Office
- Company Vehicles
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is also available on site as an extra precautionary measure to treat cases of life threatening heart problems. A number of First Aiders are trained in the use of the AED.
Further Medical/Hospital Treatment
Should an accident or illness require further medical attention a student may be referred to a doctor or in more serious emergency cases sent to hospital. If an injury or illness appears serious enough an ambulance will be called. Where a casualty is under 16 years of age a member of staff will accompany the person to hospital.
Reporting and Follow Up
Any incident where a person is taken to hospital is reported to the Head of First Aid who will liaise with the Marketing Department and Welfare Team to ensure that the casualties emergency contacts are informed and kept up-to-date of the situation.
All incidences/accidents are recorded on the official Accident Report forms and given to the Head of First Aid to be investigated (depending on the nature and severity of the accident/incident) and kept on the confidential Accident Report file.
Should the casualty be unable to return to study the next working day, an appropriate senior member of staff will attempt to make contact with the casualty to ascertain their condition.
Anglo-Continental Welfare Team
Anglo-Continental's Welfare Team works in close connection with all departments at Anglo-Continental to ensure the wellbeing of all our students.
The Welfare Team are made aware of issues from various sources:
- The student may come in with a problem
- The homestay family may telephone with concerns
- The teaching staff may have concerns from what has been said or observed in the classroom
- The Duty Officer’s Report - the Welfare Team will follow up any relevant cases outlined in the Duty Officer’s Report from the previous evening or weekend, and provide ongoing help and support
- End of Course Questionnaire – to ensure we maintain the quality of our homestay families, any negative comments on the student’s End of Course Questionnaire relating to the homestay experience are followed up by the Welfare Officer in a sensitive and professional way. This can require a home visit, review or spot-check by the Welfare Officer who will listen to both sides of the story. They will then research past comments and reports with the accommodation department before determining if the homestay family is suitable to continue to host our students.
- External communications – emails or phone calls are sometimes received from other English Language Schools or the local Community Police to advise us of adverse local issues or problems that might relate to our international students or school. The Welfare Team actively encourages shared communication in this way.
The Welfare Officer writes a report on each incident and this is kept in a confidental file with the applicable student number and date. This file can only be accessed by other members of the Welfare Team which ensures continuous care and confidentiality. When a complaint or incident is raised via the marketing department from the student’s agent or family, then the welfare file can be referred to in order to provide an insight into a given problem.
Confidential Service
Our Welfare staff provide a confidential and discreet service for problems of a delicate or sensitive nature. Two members of the Welfare Team have completed a CPCAB Introductory Course in Counselling Skills and are currently continuing their training at Poole College with a view to completing Level 2 in Counselling Skills and ongoing studies. As well as qualifications, the Welfare Team has a wealth of experience in dealing with international students and the variety of problems that might arise.
Student Care
The Welfare Team provide ongoing care and support to any student who has a problem(s), or can simply be there to listen to those who are homesick and wish to talk about their situation and their experiences of living and studying in a foreign country. Many of the problems which arise require the Welfare Officer to mediate between the student and their homestay families. These problems can often be the result of cultural differences and require a sensitive explanation of the worries and concerns from someone else’s perspective.
If a student is under the age of 18 and the situation arises, then a Welfare Officer will accompany that student to the Police Station, Courtroom, or Hospital, as necessary. The Welfare Officer will liaise with the student, the Police, the emergency services, the homestay families, the student’s families, and members of staff at Anglo-Continental and is the first point of contact no matter how big or small the problem.
Students Under 16 years of age
Our Young Learners receive a high standard of supervision, safety checks and student care. There are a high ratio of staff to students in the Young Learners School. It is also compulsory for Young Learners aged 10-12 years of age to take the supervised door-to-door transport service from their homestay accommodation to the school and back.
Our Welfare, Accommodation and Young Learners staff have been trained in 'Child-Safe' Child Protection level 1 - Safeguarding and Protecting Children and Young People.
Before placing a student under the age of 16 in a homestay family, Anglo-Continental requires each member of the homestay family over the age of 16 to sign our Children’s Act Form to certify that they have no criminal convictions against children.
The Welfare Team are also responsible for initiating Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks on our homestay families that host students under the age of 16 and will go out to their homes to help the family members who are aged 16 and over, to fill out the forms and ensure that the correct documentation is submitted. If a student under the age of 16 is studying at Anglo-Continental for more than 28 days, then the homestay family and the student will need to register with Bournemouth Borough Council Social Services Department and the Safeguarding Team as this is termed ‘Private Fostering’ and requires Social Services to do their own CRB checks on the homestay family. The Welfare Department liaises closely between all of these departments concerned to ensure that our homestay families and students are given all the help and on-going support they need.
