Student Life Guide

The Newbold Student Life and Chaplaincy team welcomes you to Newbold. Coming to spend time here is an exciting, enlightening and extremely rewarding experience and we are delighted you have chosen us.

Your first few weeks at the College will be an exciting time as you familiarise yourself with life at the college, connect with new people, learn about student support available to you, and about the various programmes that we provide.

Our dedicated team are here to support you throughout your time at Newbold, both with your studies and with anything else you may need.

This welcome pack will help you to prepare for the transition, so be sure to read through this guide. We have an open-door policy, so if you have any questions please reach out to us at any time.

Your international home from home

Newbold is an international institution with over 40 different nationalities being represented every year. We love to celebrate, protect and elevate this diversity.

International students may have additional difficulties when settling in, adjusting to the language (not all dialects of English are the same!), local practices and customs, but this is just part of the fun of living and studying in a new place.

The good news is there are lots of us who have experienced the same things as you are currently experiencing, so please talk to someone if you are feeling unsure or lost. Talk to your fellow students, chaplain, tutors, lecturers, or other staff members that will be able to help in different ways. We are here to help make this transition as smooth as possible.

Headstart

Headstart events run throughout the induction week to enable students to settle at Newbold. Take advantage of the opportunity to meet different teams across the College. Find out more about what each of the services can offer you in the way of information, guidance, advice and help during your time here. These different teams will help you with your accommodation, academic start, registration, information about day-to-day needs (shopping, doctor, transport, etc.), worship and other spiritual activities, pastoral support, IT support, etc.

We will share the list of events with you in a separate communication.

Student wellbeing

Counselling

Higher Education life can very exciting, but at times may feel stressful. Counselling can help with psychological or emotional difficulties that may be preventing you from making the most of your time at Newbold. Confidential professional counselling support to students is available. Students experiencing personal difficulties in regard to study, relationships, work, spiritual dilemmas, health problems or other issues may receive up to six sessions free of charge.

Disabilities

We offer specialist disability-related advice and guidance through off-campus experts. We provide a diverse range of services, which means that we are able to tailor support to meet your individual needs. If you have disclosed a disability in your application form or would like to have information about Learning Support available to you, please contact Academic Registrar or speak to the Head of Student Life and Chaplaincy.

Safeguarding

Newbold follows specific procedures to protect students who are suffering harm or who are at risk of suffering harm as a result of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse or neglect in accordance with Section 157 of the Education Act 2002. The College wishes to ensure that all students enjoy the best possible experience during their studies. In the case of those students who may be vulnerable for other reasons (e.g. disabled), the College wishes to make certain that those students can be confident that their safety is taken extremely seriously and that all reasonable steps have been taken to provide a safe learning environment during their stay on campus. For more information on our safeguarding policy, see our Safeguarding policy on our dedicated webpage:

Mental health

The Student Life team takes proactive steps to make people at the College understand issues around mental health and to promote positive attitudes. Head of Student Life and Chaplaincy should be your first point of contact if you have concerns about your mental health.

In what ways might we help?

We provide general advice and guidance on issues related to mental health and wellbeing by:

• Helping you to liaise with medical practitioners locally
• Encouraging students to speak to the Samaritans or other agencies
• In some cases, making referrals to the Mental Health Crisis Team
• Coordinating crisis situations when they occur.

What to do in a crisis

You are never alone in a crisis. Newbold’s Crisis team is here to support you. You are encouraged to take a proactive role in seeking help. There is always support out there:

• In an emergency, call 999 for an ambulance
• Crisis Mental Health Team, Berkshire: 0300 3650300 (24 hours)
• Samaritans: 116 123
• Community Mental Health Team (CMHT), Bracknell: 01344 8223333.

Confidentiality 

The student Life team strives to ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times. We will not pass on personal information about you to anyone outside the team, subject to the following exceptions:

• When it is believed that there is a serious risk to the personal safety of you and others on campus, therefore staff may need to contact Mental Health Crisis Team or GP (general practitioner)
• When staff could be liable to criminal or civil court procedure if the information was withheld
• When you have given consent for the disclosure of information

Substance use – including alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes and drugs 

Newbold is committed to providing an alcohol, tobacco, and drug-free campus. If any person is found in violation of these regulations, the College reserves the right to ask that person to leave the premises. In addition, Newbold will support the legal authorities of the United Kingdom in the event that any investigation into the use or abuse of illegal substances occurs. Please read through the relevant policies on our website:

Discipline

Whilst we would expect that all students act with the decorum befitting Christian students, we do understand that at times people make errors in judgement. At times such as this, disciplinary action may be commenced by the College. Please refer to relevant policies and procedures on the College website.

We take bullying, harassment and discrimination very seriously. In case that you are experiencing anything that affects your safety, mental and physical wellbeing, please feel free to approach staff at the college but have in mind that we have dedicated harassment officers:

Gabriele Kamoi – email: [email protected]; tel: +44 (0)1344 407421

Danilo Puskas – email: [email protected]; tel: +447594326433

Policies and regulations

The College aims to offer excellent academic education to all students. This necessitates the implementation and review of polices that govern academic and campus life on a regular and ‘as required’ basis. Please refer to the College website for current policies, regulations and practices:

Other aspects of student life

Assembly

This is a time when the whole of College gathers together as a community. The theme of each Assembly will change each time, but the overall message is generally one of encouragement, acknowledgement and/or inspiration. The College Assembly will generally be held at 12:00 on dedicated Wednesdays. Information will be shared on notice screens and through email.

Careers

Newbold offers a welcoming and supportive environment in which you can discuss your career plan, identify your skills and abilities. Students are actively encouraged to plan for their future prior to the completion of their studies. The College will assist by maintaining careers information on the plasma TV, organising seminars to equip students with their search for employment, or through experts assisting with the creation of Curricula Vitarum (CVs) or resumés etc. This includes supporting each student as they build their Personal Development Portfolio.

Student work

Periodically, the College is able to offer casual or part-time work to students. Positions are advertised through the media boards, on notice boards and on the main College website.

Feedback

All students are encouraged to provide feedback about college life. Students are encouraged to share their comments with the head of a relevant department or to follow the process outlined in the Complaints Policy that can be accessed here:

To seek further advice on this, you can talk to:

Serena Santona, Academic Registrar – academic complaints/feedback

Danilo Puskas, Head of Student Life and Chaplaincy – non-academic complaints/feedback

Food services

Students have the option to have their meals in our on-site cafeteria (you may have opted for this as part of your application process), or preparing their own meals in the Halls of Residence. If you have any further questions on food services, please contact Danilo directly.

Roy Graham Library and E.G. White Research Centre 

The Library is the main academic resource centre on campus and offers a full range of library and information services to support your studies. Opening hours are posted on the main door of the Library, College website, and media boards. Please check the main Library page for further details and updates.

IT services

Information technology (IT) services will be a very important aspect of your student experience.

If you have any queries, please get in touch with Albert Amigo, Manager of IT Services:

email: [email protected]; tel: +441344 407490.

You will receive the Wi-Fi password and other log-in details after enrolment.

Transport and travel

Bus

Buses regularly travel past the Newbold campus into Bracknell or Binfield village. Refer to the following website for details of the timetable:

The bus stop is at the front of Newbold and you should take bus number 150.

Taxi services

• Finesse Motors – +44 (0) 7516 574120
• AZ Taxis  – +44 (0) 7842 423827
• Apex Taxis –  +44 (0) 1344 460080
• RAJ – SAFA Cars –  +44 (0) 7887 58637
• Uber operates in Bracknell and Binfield area

Trains

The nearest train stations are Bracknell and Wokingham.

For full information on train services go to the National Rail website:

Vehicles on campus 

All vehicles kept on campus must be the property of a registered student or guest or a person who has legitimate permission to do so.

Please contact reception for more information on vehicle registration.

Contact information (including emergency numbers)

Phone numbers

Student Support

Head of Student Life and Chaplaincy – +44 (0) 7594326433

Halls of Residence

Schuil House  –  +44 (0) 1344 401 742 (Ex. 1742)

Medical Contacts

• Binfield Surgery
  Terrace Road North,
  Binfield ,
  Berkshire RG42 5JG

Phone number: +44 (0) 1344 286 264

• Lloyds Pharmacy
  Terrace Road North,
  Binfield,
  Berkshire,
  RG42 5JG

Open: Monday to Friday 09:00–18:00; Saturday 09:00–13:00
Phone number: +44 (0) 1344 868 486

• Urgent Care
  Bracknell Urgent Care,
  Brants Bridge,
  Eastern Gate,
  Bracknell,
  Berkshire,
  RG12 9TR

Phone number: +44 (0) 1344 551 100

Reception open: 08:00–20:00

• Accident and Emergency Department
  Royal Berkshire Hospital,
  London Road,
  Reading,
  Berkshire,
  RG1 5AN

• Emergency Contact: Fire/Police/Ambulance: call 999