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.

Gov.UK
NHS

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

Testing and Return to on-site learning

We are finalising the arrangements for the safe return of students for the week commencing 8th March.

Following government guidance, we will be providing three on-site Lateral Flow tests to all students, 3-5 days apart. The tests will be incorporated as part of your return to the College campus.

Next week, we will send an email confirming further details, including your three test dates and times, and requesting your consent. We very much appreciate your swift response to help us make this process as efficient as possible.

Return to on-site learning

Following the Government’s announcement on 22nd February about the return to on-site learning from March, we are now working on the details of how students can return safely to the campus. We will aim to provide further details by the end of this week, on the website and through social media.

Following the announcement of a national lockdown, the college has moved to online learning for all students, except for those in vulnerable groups and young people whose parents are critical workers.

Many students will be concerned about how they will complete assessments for their courses and we are working actively with all the awarding bodies to understand any changes that may be made to assessment. We will ensure that students are updated as soon as further information is available.

The Government have confirmed that schools and colleges can continue with the BTEC national exams scheduled for January. Given the announcement of the national lockdown, we know that this is a difficult situation for all those students who have January exams. However, having listened to the views of students and their teachers, we have decided that we will go ahead with the January BTEC exams as planned. Many students have spent a lot of time preparing for their exams and feel that they would be disadvantaged if they aren’t able to take the exams as planned.

In order to ensure that these exams are as Covid Secure as possible, the following arrangements will be in place:

All of the exams at the College will be undertaken in small groups of students who have been studying together in their teaching ‘bubbles’ throughout the Autumn Term
Students should plan to travel to and from the College on their own wherever possible
College staff will act as Covid Marshalls to ensure that students arriving for exams maintain social distance and move directly to their allocated exam rooms
Students should wash their hands and/or use sanitiser before and after their exam, which is available throughout the College building
Rooms will be arranged to maximise social distancing
Students and staff are encouraged to wear masks throughout their time in the building
Students will leave the building and return home as soon as their exam is finished

If a student is unable to attend their scheduled exam, the College will work with the awarding body to ensure that assessments can be completed in future.

Following the announcement from the Prime Minister tonight, the College is moving to online learning for all students, except for those in vulnerable groups and young people whose parents are critical workers. Plans were made today to meet the needs of these students, and teachers will be contacting all other students about the arrangements for their online learning. We will provide further updates as soon as more information is available.

The Government has not yet clarified whether national BTEC exams will continue this week and we will advise students as soon as this is known. The exam for BTEC Art Unit 6 which was scheduled for tomorrow (05 January) is postponed and alternative arrangements will be confirmed with these students as soon as possible.