Posted: 19/03/20
Coronavirus: update to students (Thursday 19 March 2020)
The college is adopting new ways of working in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
CLICK HERE to see video message to students from principal Andrew Cropley
Clearly, we are currently living in extraordinary times. So far, the college has followed government advice and guidance and we will continue to do so.
Announcements last night mean that schools and colleges across the country are being asked to move to a different way of working. Our primary concern in doing this is ensuring that we can continue to provide the best possible learning experience and support our students to achieve and progress.
The advice from government is clear: that we should close for the vast majority of our students. This will be until further notice, with students able to access learning online.
Today has all been about preparing students to continue to access learning remotely. If students have not been able to attend college today for whatever reason, you should make contact with your tutor or assessor so that you are prepared. Tomorrow (Friday 20 March) the college will be closed to ALL students to enable our staff to ensure that this learning experience is as good as it possibly can be.
Our ways of working after this week will be as follows:
- Students will receive their remote learning as per their timetabled sessions and should log-on and be ready to learn at those times.
- Support services such as careers, safeguarding and learning support will also be provided remotely.
- All work placements have been suspended with immediate effect, and until further notice. However, those students doing part-time jobs as part of their work placement should continue to attend work as normal.
- On Mondays and Fridays, the college will be closed for the foreseeable future to ALL students and staff.
- On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during term-time we will open the Derby Road campus ONLY, for a small number of students, specifically those with an EHCP or those who have been contacted by a member of the college’s support teams to invite them in.
- We will provide support on-site to these students to access their online learning. This is entirely voluntary and we understand if those students choose not to come into college.
- Students are reminded to attend the Derby Road campus ONLY, even if they normally attend Station Park or Oddicroft Lane.
- Students who are self-isolating in accordance with government advice should NOT come into college.
- No student should attend unless they have had a specific conversation with a member of college staff.
- If you haven’t been contacted and feel you need to come into college on these, days please contact us urgently.
Bus services, including special transport, will operate as normal on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
As you will no doubt have heard, exams have been cancelled across the country. However, as yet, we are still awaiting confirmation on what this means for assessment and award of certificates. Teachers have been asked to help you build evidence to support whatever assessment methods may be used. This includes maths and English. Please do your best to join in.
College bursaries will be paid as normal and, from Monday, students in receipt of free college meals will receive payment of £10 per week directly into their bank account.
In addition to the above, we may provide occasional access for specific students to come into college to undertake practical work. This will be co-ordinated and communicated by tutors.
Once we have all settled into these new ways of working and learning, we will move towards a discussion about progression and supporting you into your next steps.
We appreciate this is an incredibly unsettling time for everybody. Please rest assured that college staff will be available to support any of our students throughout this time.
