• Coronavirus

Coronavirus

Updated: 30 June 2020

Download:  pdf Ofqual arrangements for exceptional assesssment arrangements (189 KB) (189 KB)

As you will know, the government has announced that all school and college buildings will close to most students from Monday 23 March 2020, until further notice. This means that most students will not be coming into the College for lessons, but they will be continuing to study using online learning.

There are still many questions about examinations and how students will be able to progress if these don’t take place. However, we want to ensure that students can keep on learning and training for their future careers and aspirations. Our teaching teams have, therefore, been preparing learning materials that many students will be able to access online through Moodle (the College’s virtual learning environment) and through Microsoft Teams. Apprentices will also have materials provided for them via the e-portfolio.

Who is affected?

As a college, the education and safety of all our students and staff is our top priority. The position for different groups of students is as follows:

Young people taking full-time qualifications

These students will not come to the College site but will continue their learning online. They will be contacted regularly by teaching and other staff in order to support their learning. At the moment, it will not be possible for students to use the specialist facilities in College (such as workshops, salons, etc) for any practical learning, so we will focus on learning that can be undertaken online.

Apprentices and Higher Education students

These students will not come to the College site and will continue their learning online and in their workplaces. Assessor visits to apprentices and other workplace link visits, will be replaced by online meetings, which will be confirmed beforehand.

Adults taking qualification courses

These students will not come to the College site but will continue their learning online. At the moment, it will not be possible for students to use the specialist facilities in College (such as workshops, salons, etc) for any practical learning, so we will focus on learning that can be undertaken online.

Adult community and leisure courses

Many of these courses will be postponed until later in the year or until alternative arrangements can be put into place.

Distance Learning

This will continue as normal. For more information on FREE Distance Learning courses, please visit our Distance Learning page.

Vulnerable young people and the children of critical key workers

The government has published a list of key workers as:

  • Health and socialcare
  • Education and childcare
  • Key public services
  • Local and national government
  • Food and other necessary goods
  • Public safety and national security
  • Transport
  • Utilities, communication and financial services

The government advice is that, where possible, young people should be at home.

If a student has a parent who is a 'critical key worker', and it is not possible for them to stay safely at home, they will be able to come to the College campus with prior approval. It is likely that most young people of College age can remain safely at home, therefore, it would only be in exceptional circumstances that they would need to be at the College campus.

Parents of students (under 18) who are 'critical key workers' should confirm this with their employer and use this form to request access to the campus for their son or daughter by 16:00 on Friday 20 March 2020.

Students whose parents are key workers but do not need access to the College campus, will continue to learn online.

More information regarding key worker definitions can be found on the government website.

Alternative Arrangements

We are focused on providing access to alternative learning resources and facilities for any of our students who are affected by a disruption in their learning. All of the systems that are required have been put in place and being used. Subject tutors will be contacting their students over the coming days to finalise the right solution for each group.

Students and staff can access a wide range of College services including Moodle, Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, One Drive) and Microsoft Teams by using their usual College email address and password (Reset your password).

Staff: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Students: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Desktop and mobile versions of Microsoft Office 365 can also be downloaded and used for free of charge for students and staff.

Some teachers will provide direct teaching using Microsoft Teams or alternative services. To access Microsoft Teams, you will need the latest version of Chrome, Edge or the Microsoft Teams app. Direct lessons will be scheduled, and the times will be given on Moodle. It is therefore important that all students check Moodle each day. Students will be required to submit work by a time and date set by their teacher, which will support learning and also show that they have been participating. Teachers will then be able to provide feedback.

Useful links

Exams and Assessments

On Friday 03 April 2020 Ofqual announced how A Level and GCSE grades will be awarded this academic year. Ofqual have provided information to explain this.

Should you have further questions there is more detailed guidance available on the Ofqual website.

Vocational Qualifications: Ofqual continues to work with the awarding bodies on how to manage the award of vocational qualifications for 2020. We will provide further information when it is made available. If you have immediate questions that are not answered in this information please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will try to obtain information for you.

Message from Pearson (RE: BTECs)

Stay safe

Student safety is our priority and we continue to follow Government guidelines to maintain a high level of hygiene in the College and support social distancing to minimise risk. We do appreciate that this is a difficult time for everyone, but all College staff are committed to maintaining learning and supporting students to get the most out of the coming weeks.

We are following the advice given by Public Health England, who are leading on the Coronavirus response in the UK, through the regular updates that they provide on their website, and we have set up a Business Continuity Team to review these updates on a daily basis.

The best way to slow the spread of coronavirus is to wash your hands frequently using soap and water, or hand sanitiser, especially when you:

  • arrive at College or get home
  • use any shared resources such as keyboards, laptops and iPads
  • use the toilet or other bathroom facilities
  • blow your nose, sneeze or cough
  • eat or handle food

Attendance Hotline

Students who are expected to attend College but are unable to attend, should follow the usual procedure of calling or texting the Attendance Hotline.

Staff should contact their Line Manager and HR (01635 845238) in the event of absence or delayed arrival.

All other students should contact their teacher(s) if they are unable to participate in any of the online learning or sessions.

InTuition Salons and The Restaurant

InTuition Salons and The Restaurant will remain closed until further notice.

All appointments and bookings have been cancelled. We thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing you all again when we are advised that these services may be resumed.

Links

There are a number of ways you can stay up-to-date with the latest news and official advice on coronavirus.

On Friday 3rd April Ofqual announced how A Level and GCSE grades will be awarded this academic year. Ofqual have provided a letter for Students, parents and teachers to explain this: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/877830/Letter_to_students_-_Summer_2020_grading.pdf

Should you have further questions there is more detailed guidance available for you: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/877842/Summer_2020_grades_for_GCSE_AS_A_level_EPQ_AEA_in_maths_-_guidance_for_teachers_students_parents.pdf

Vocational Qualifications: Ofqual continues to work with the awarding bodies on how to manage the award of vocational qualifications for 2020. We will provide further information when it is made available.

If you have immediate questions that are not answered in this information please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will try to obtain information for you

Schools and colleges have received further guidance on the next steps for education in ‘Living with Covid’, as from Friday 1st April. For us, the guidance doesn’t change our current approach significantly, therefore the key points for our college are:

Face coverings

Staff, students and visitors are asked to continue to use face coverings when moving around the building and in communal areas.

Testing

Regular LFD tests are no longer required and, therefore, we are not able to provide these to staff or students. The requirement for testing in Foundation Learning has also ended.

IF you feel unwell

Government guidance confirms:

  • adults with the symptoms of a respiratory infection, and who have a high temperature or feel unwell, should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and they no longer have a high temperature.
  • young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. They can go back college when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend.

Please report any absence immediately, via our attendance hotline on 07785 511267 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (these accounts are monitored 7-days a week).

If you have a confirmed positive COVID-19 test

Government guidance recommends an isolation period of between 3-5 days.

  • adults with a positive COVID-19 test result should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days, which is when they are most infectious.
  • if you are aged 18 and under, the advice is to remain at home for 3 days.

Cleaning and Ventilation

Our rooms and facilities will continue to be cleaned to a high standard and, wherever possible, all College rooms should be kept well ventilated by opening external windows and internal doors.

Hygiene

We continue to encourage regular hand washing, covering the mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing, and putting used tissues in the bin immediately.

Thank you for helping us to keep you and others safe. We will continue to monitor the situation and update this guidance when further changes occur. For the latest updates visit https://newbury-college.ac.uk/safe

 

 

As we move from legal restrictions to personal responsibility, it is important to understand how we can continue to minimise the risks associated with COVID-19.

The one-way system has been removed and the requirement for weekly testing is no longer in force. However, we still ask that you wear a face-covering when moving around the college unless you are exempt.

Anyone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 should report this to their tutor or line manager. Must not attend the college campus for a minimum of 5 days and should have 2 negative lateral flow test results before returning.

While free testing kits remain available, we are asking anyone who may have mixed closely with a positive case to test daily for 7 days.

Thank you for helping us to keep you and others safe. We will continue to monitor the situation and update this guidance when further changes occur. For the latest updates visit https://newbury-college.ac.uk/safe

We are looking forward to welcoming you back to College for the Spring Term.

As you will be aware, the guidance to schools and colleges on managing the Covid-19 pandemic has been updated for January and, therefore, I wanted to confirm the details of how the College will be operating to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Face Coverings 

The guidance says that all staff and students should now wear face coverings when in classrooms or workshops, in addition to moving around the building, in corridors and communal areas. 

The key change is the additional use of face coverings in classrooms and workshops. Please make us aware if you are unable to wear a face covering for health reasons. 

Regular Testing

Please continue to take a Lateral Flow Test twice a week and report these on the government website and to the College via your tutor.

Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and highlight any COVID related absence

Self Isolation

The rules around self-isolation have also been updated, please visit Stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for full details. If you have any symptoms, please ensure you request a PCR and begin to isolate immediately. When returning to College after isolation, please report your two consecutive negative tests (these must be taken on separate days) to the College via your tutor.

Keeping you safe

We continue to operate all the existing measures to keep the College as Covid safe as possible including:

  • Lateral Flow testing twice per week by all staff and students
  • Keeping rooms well ventilated
  • Maintaining social distance wherever possible
  • Using the one-way system to move around the building
  • Working at home where the role allows it
  • Continuing to encourage regular hand washing, covering the mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing, and putting used tissues in the bin immediately

The vast majority of students will appreciate the importance of face coverings at this point, but ultimately, we may need to use the disciplinary process in certain cases to reinforce this. We have included mask wearing and regular lateral flow testing as an addendum in the Student Code of Conduct to reinforce our commitment to these safety measures.

We appreciate your support in our ongoing effort to keeping everyone safe and maintaining the continuation of learning and teaching. 

Further information: ESFA Update further education: 5 January 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

We have received the latest advice from West Berkshire, and attended their briefing this morning (29 October 2021). It is apparent that West Berkshire is effectively an ‘outbreak area’ and that we all need to take additional measures beyond the national requirements. Therefore, as we return from half term, we will continue with:

  • Use of face coverings for students and staff in communal areas and when moving around the College
  • Face coverings for visitors
  • Mixing between different groups should continue to be kept to a minimum
  • All staff and students should continue to undertake two weekly Lateral Flow (LFD) tests at home and report the results
  • Wherever possible, all rooms should be kept well ventilated by opening external windows and internal doors
  • The one-way system will continue to operate to reduce contact
  • Any student or member of staff who has a household member test positive for Covid-19 should be advised to take a daily lateral flow test for 7 days, in addition to taking a one-off PCR test and should continue with learning/working from home until they get the PCR result
  • Any student or member of staff who is identified as a close contact of a positive case via NHS Test and Trace will be advised to take a daily lateral flow test for 7 days, in addition to taking a one-off PCR test and should continue with learning/working from home until they get the PCR result

Many thanks for your continuing support.