Latest Covid 19 Update

 

Letter for parents about COVID-19 symptoms

Updated 24 September 2020

Public Health England have produced a letter, which explains when a person requires a coronavirus test and what the symptoms of coronavirus are. 

The intention of the letter is to help prevent children and young people being taken out of education unnecessarily and answer some of the questions around testing.

 

COVID-related Absences

Updated 23 September 2020

If students are unable to attend college because you are showing COVID symptoms or having to isolate because someone in your family has symptoms or tested positive, please email curriculumadministrators@gloscol.ac.uk AND your course leader/teacher.  Please confirm your course and student reference number in your email. 

For any other type of absence, please email your course tutor and student mentor as per the absence policy. 

Please remember students should self-isolate if:

• you have any symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
• you've tested positive for coronavirus – this means you have coronavirus
• you live with someone who has symptoms or tested positive
• you're told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace
• you arrive in the UK from a country with a high coronavirus risk – see GOV.UK: how to self-isolate when you travel to the UK

 

 

Updated 15 September 2020

We can confirm that we have one teaching member of staff who has tested positive for COVID 19. The staff member experienced mild symptoms and took the test as a precautionary measure. They have not been in College since and are well enough to continue teaching students online from home. We currently have no students or other staff who have tested positive for COVID 19.

We appreciate this will cause some concern but want to reassure students, parents and staff that we have stringent precautionary processes in place to minimise the spread of COVID, in line with government recommendations for educational settings. We are working very closely with Public Health England and adhering to their advice following the staff member’s test result.

Due to the stringent COVID compliant processes in place as outlined below, Public Health England and our Local Health Protection team have confirmed that currently we do not have to self-isolate any students or other staff at present, and the provision of learning will continue. Please note from the below that as our staff operate in a marked teaching zone front of class, and they are not in close contact with students, the advice from Public Health England is we do not have to self-isolate students at this time.

The robust processes we already have in place greatly minimise the risk of transmission and includes:

• Classrooms marked with dedicated teacher zone at the front of class to ensure staff remain 2metres from students
• Visors for staff who on occasion may need to move from teacher zone to assist a student
• Class bubbles by course adhering to Government guidelines for classroom spaces
• Classrooms and workshops have been adapted based on government guidelines

• Hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes available throughout campus

• One-way system around campus and protective screens where required
• Specifically designed timetables to minimise movement around campus
• Staggered start and end times
• No communal refreshment facilities open – e.g. café and coffee shops
• Enhanced intensive cleaning regimes throughout the day
• Compulsory wearing of face masks on public transport to and from College
• Face masks to be worn by both staff and students in communal learning areas – library and internet study zones.

We will closely monitor the situation, and notify students, parents and staff should this advice change. Any student or staff member experiencing COVID symptoms should self isolate and test for COVID, and inform their course tutor/line manager immediately. We will continually work closely with Public Health England and the NHS test and trace should any new cases come to light as appropriate.

 

 

New Term Information

04 SEPTEMBER 2020

We are delighted to welcome all of our students on campus this September. Please read below for general information on starting with Gloucestershire College this term. 

All students enrolled should have been contacted directly by their tutor with more course-specific information and timetables. If you have any queries about your course, please contact your tutor directly.

For general enquiries call Student Services on 0345 155 2020 or email info@gloscol.ac.uk

For enquiries relating to enrolment, contact our Admissions Team at applications@gloscol.ac.uk

The College academic year starts in September, with lessons delivered via a blended model. This includes teaching face-to-face on campus, with some timetabled online lessons and activities.

Please note that there are no catering facilities or eating areas open in term one, other than some vending machines.

Bubbles

Your class group forms your ‘bubble’ whilst on campus. 

These classroom bubbles, underpinned with the enhanced cleaning and availability of wipes and sanitisers, adhere to the Government guidelines for classroom spaces. Your timetable also minimises movement around the building, however, one way systems and staggered start and end times follow the Government guidelines within these shared spaces.

On Campus

You are expected to arrive on time but no more than 15 minutes before the start of the time specified on your timetable, so we can stagger the arrivals into the building. If you know the college building, you may go straight to the room timetabled.

As an initial guide, at Gloucester Campus, the rooms are identified with a letter representing a block or zone in the building – these are clearly signposted – then a single number 0, 1, 2 or 3 representing the floor of the building, followed by the last two numbers, which are the room number. For example, D103 is block D, first floor (1) and room 03.

At Cheltenham and the Forest campuses, rooms numbers have a letter representing the floor G [ground], F[first] or S [second] followed by 3 numbers representing the room.

You need to bring your own pens and a notepad on your first day. Your course tutor will then outline anything else you may need to bring to later sessions. 

Student ID Badge

Once you have your ID badge it is essential that you bring and wear this at all times on campus. The badges are an important aspect of safeguarding as they allow us all to identify those who have permission to be on site. The badge is required for accessing transport, exams and access to the building; if you do not have your ID badge your entry to the building will be delayed.

If you attended last year, and still have your badge and lanyard, please bring and wear these until a new badge is issued.

Whilst there will be no lunch onsite, you may wish to bring bottled drinks (not cans) and a small break-time snack. Break times take place in your teaching room and at a time specified by your tutor.

What do you need to do?

We need you to:

• Follow the instructions relating to the one-way system and social distancing
• Make sure you go straight to your timetabled room and leave the building as soon as your face to face sessions are finished
• Arrive no more than 15 mins before your timetabled session
• Follow the main instructions relating to increased hand washing and ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’
• Follow staff instructions about designated workstations and computers during a session
• Avoid attending college buildings if you have any COVID symptoms and report absence/reason for absence to your tutor and student mentor
• Remember to wear face masks on public transport and follow the college procedures to safely remove these before entering the building
• Bring a face covering/ face mask to wear in case you need to visit any of the specified areas (e.g. Internet Study Zone, Library)

Safety measures

Following the Government’s guidelines, the following safety measures are in place:

• Enhanced intensive cleaning regimes throughout the day
• One way systems in place and protective screens where required
• Classrooms and workshops have been adapted based on government guidelines
• Hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes available
• Learners will become part of a protective bubble where possible
• Maximum class sizes based on latest government guidelines
• Social distancing will be enforced in shared areas
• Strict policy for staff or students showing symptoms

• Extensive, full risk assessments have been carried out - you can find a copy of the latest risk assessment here.