Welcome to the Student Services blog.

Thank you for visiting us.

We want to provide good quality services for everyone

So let me know what you think of this blog.

Feedback Questionnaire – First Year Students

1. Do you use the student handbook and diary? If yes, what do you like about it?
2. Did you read the regulations?
3. What don’t you like about the student handbook and diary? What would you change?
4. Do you like the front cover design? What would you change?
5. Do you like the current paper ring binder format? If not, what other format would you prefer?
6. Diaries are free to 1^st years. Would you pay for a diary in the 2^nd or 3^rd year? If yes, how much?

Answer the questions here by clicking on the ‘comments’ tab or pick up the feedback questionnaire from the Student Centre.

First year students we want to know your views!

The X Factor team will be heading to Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Glasgow and London on audition tour during April and May and are looking for keen, hardworking, local students who are looking for some paid work experience. Details will be finalised in the next few weeks, but there is up to five days work in each city.

If anyone is interested could they please send their CV, including which city would be most suitable for them, to Emma at this email address.

Emma.Owen@talkbackthames.tv

Finalists’ results have been posted up in the Eagle Mall.

Result letters will be sent to students as soon as possible thereafter.

Note: any requests for a review of the Examination Board decision [‘appeal’] must be made to the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Unit within 14 days of the publication of examination results i.e. 16^th March 2009 [please consult the Student Handbook for the procedure and guidance].

Drop In Sessions

Tuesdays                                 10.00 am – 2.00 pm

Thursdays                                 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm

In the Student Centre

Chancellors Mall

Call in or contact

Karen Bentley

Student Funding Adviser

Contact: studentfunding@bolton.ac.uk

Please note the following changes:

We apologise there is no Funding Adviser on Thursday 5th March 2009

Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

If you have not yet enrolled you can do this from

Monday 16^th February onwards:

Monday to Friday in the Student Centre

10.00 am – 12.00 pm

2.00 pm – 4.00 pm

Or Monday to Thursday in the Linkzone in the library

5.00pm – 8.00 pm

 www.thestudentsurvey.com

Take part in the National Student Survey

The survey is quick to complete, so go on and take five minutes to make your opinions heard …

‘It’s your chance to have your say about what you liked and didn’t like about your student learning experience during your time in higher education.’

Students’ privacy will be respected. The survey results will not be attributed to individual respondents and will only be reported by institution, subject or department.

We look forward to hearing from you. 

 The word ‘dyslexia’ comes from the Greek and means ‘difficulty with words’.Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty, mainly affecting reading and spelling. About 10% of the population are affected by dyslexia to some degree.

Definition:

Dyslexia tends to run in families. Brain scanning studies suggest that, in dyslexic people, the connections between different language areas of the brain do not work as efficiently as they should. However, these differences are not linked to intelligence, and there is evidence that many dyslexic people have strengths and abilities in tasks that involve creative and visually-based thinking.

Dyslexic people usually find it difficult to analyse and work with the sounds of spoken words, and many have difficulties with short-term memory, sequencing and organisation. This means that it is more difficult for them to learn how spoken sounds map onto letters, which affects the ability to spell and the ability to decode or ‘sound out’ words.

Dyslexia is not the same as a problem with reading, although some dyslexic people read slowly, or have to re-read information several times. Many dyslexic people read adequately, but have continuing difficulties with spelling, writing, memory and organisation.  Dyslexia can also causes problems in maths: many dyslexic people have difficulties with arithmetic and with learning and recalling number facts.

Possible weaknesses could include:

• Reading slowly and/or re-reading text several times.
• Misreading, making understanding difficult.
• Difficulty with sequences, e.g. getting dates in order.
• Poor organisation or time management.
• Difficulty organising thoughts clearly.
• Erratic spelling.

Possible strengths include:

• Innovative thinkers.
• Excellent trouble shooters.
• Intuitive problem solving.
• Creative in many different ways.
• Lateral thinkers.

Why not look at the adult checklist at: http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/adultchecklist.html

If you tick more than 9 boxes on the checklist and/or would like to have a full diagnostic test, please book an appointment to see Erin, Brigid or Katie by calling 01204 903733, dropping into the Student centre, or emailing disabilityinfo@bolton.ac.uk.

If you have already been diagnosed as having dyslexia, there is support available to you during your studies – come and see us to discuss this!

The Disability Service

(see also http://www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk/default.aspx and http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/)

Individual examination arrangements for disabled students.

You will receive a letter from the Disability Service, to your term time address.

DO NOT ignore this letter it is about the exam arrangements that are going to be set up for you from May 2009 onwards.

You MUST check the details on the letter. If anything is incorrect, or you wish to request further arrangements, you should fill in the pink form that will be enclosed in full, and return to the Disability Service.

If you agree with the arrangements, you do not need to do anything.

Please note these arrangements will also apply to in class tests, so please check the information carefully even if you don’t have exams.

You are welcome to come and see a Disability Adviser at any point in your course to discuss your individual requirements and support by calling:

01204 903733 or emailing disbilityinfo@bolton.ac.uk

Changes to the Service

The Shuttle Service will now call at Orlando Village in-between services. Pick up and Drop off at Orlando will be from the Bus Stop outside Orlando Village on Thynne Street. (at the back of the common room).

SHUTTLE TIMETABLE

From Chadwick Campus                         From Deane Campus

(Rydley Street Entrance,                        (Temporary Car Park where

off Bromwich Street)                                         Students’ Union used to be)

Monday - Friday – every 15 min                         Monday - Friday – every 15 min

8.30  hrs                                              8.37  hrs

8.45  hrs                                            8.52  hrs

9.00  hrs                                            9.07  hrs

9.15  hrs                                            9.22  hrs

9.30  hrs                                            9.37  hrs

9.45  hrs                                            9.37  hrs

10.00 hrs                                           10.15 hrs

Then every 30 min                            Then every 30 min

15.52 hrs                                            16.00 hrs

16.07 hrs                                            16.15 hrs

16.23 hrs                                            16.30 hrs

16.38 hrs                                            16.45 hrs

16.53 hrs                                            17.00 hrs

17.08 hrs                                            17.15 hrs

17.22 hrs                                            17.30 hrs

17.37 hrs                                            17.45 hrs

18.00 hrs                                            18.45 hrs

19.00 hrs                                             19.10 hrs

For students and staff needing to park in the evening the car park barriers on all the Deane Campus car parks will be raised to allow open access at 5pm.

Maps for the Orlando Halls and Chadwick Street are available on the University website or from the Student Centre.