Covid-19 Information

Update: 17/05/2021

You may have read this week that the government guidance for wearing face coverings in secondary schools and colleges will change from Monday, 17^th May.

From Monday, in line with Step 3 of the national roadmap for lifting COVID-19 restrictions, face coverings will no longer be recommended for students and staff in classrooms or workshops. Students and staff can choose to continue to wear a face covering if they wish to do so.

Taking into account the wide range of students of different ages who study at both campuses, the college will continue to recommend that face coverings should be worn by students, staff and visitors in all situations outside of classrooms (for example, when moving around in corridors and communal areas such as the refectory, LRC, toilets, reception, etc.). When using the refectory you should wear a face mask while queueing and ordering food; however, there is now socially distanced seating available and you can remove your face covering whilst you are sat eating. Face coverings are not required when outdoors, however, they should continue to be worn when travelling on public transport.

Students and staff may also need to continue to wear face coverings and other PPE which is relevant to their vocational sector in line with government guidance for these industries, such as hairdressing, barbering and beauty salons, sports and fitness or hospitality.

Finally, a reminder that the government is continuing to encourage all students and staff to carry out twice weekly lateral flow tests at home for COVID-19. This is an important part of helping the college and the wider community to continue to move towards the removal of restrictions, while still monitoring for potential local outbreaks of COVID-19. Test kits for staff continue to be available from the main college or CECAMM reception areas, tests are also available for students within their curriculum areas. Please remember to report your test results (whether negative, positive or void) to the NHS Test and Trace service using the instructions in the booklet that is provided with your test kit. Please ensure you follow national NHS guidelines to self-isolate if you have a positive result, or if you have symptoms and are awaiting a test result.

If you have any questions about this email please contact covid-19@iwcollege.ac.uk.

Debbie Lavin

Principal

Update: 26/3/2021

If you test positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) during the Easter holidays you should contact the college by emailing covidtest@iwcollege.ac.uk. Someone will contact you if it is necessary to check when you were last in college and who you were in contact with. If conducting a home test you should also follow the instructions included in the booklet for reporting the result to the NHS Test and Trace service. You should follow national guidance to self-isolate for ten days from your first symptoms or your positive test result, if you have no symptoms.
For those students who have volunteered to use the home testing kits which have been provided through the college, you are encouraged to continue to test twice weekly through the Easter holidays. You should also conduct a test on the evening before, or the morning when you are next due in college after the Easter break. Please report all test results (positive, negative and void) via covidtest@iwcollege.ac.uk.
Further home testing kits will be distributed in the first week back after the Easter holidays. Any students who have not yet completed a test on site will still have an opportunity to do so during the first week back and they will then be able to access home testing kits. This is in line with government guidance which asks schools and colleges to supervise students self-testing on campus before they are issued with home testing kits.
Other family or household members can also access home testing kits via the Council’s dedicated website: www.keeptheislandsafe.org/testingforpeoplewithoutsymptoms/

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say a very big thank you to students for helping to support the college’s efforts to keep everyone safe following the return to on site learning during March. As we start the next term, we will hopefully start to see the gradual relaxation of restrictions. However, it will be important that we continue to follow government guidance while that remains in force – so for now this means continuing to maintain your social distance, to wear masks when required and to follow other rules when on campus, or in other public places.

Myself and all the staff at the college hope that you are able to enjoy your Easter break and we look forward to welcoming you back from Monday 12^th April onwards.

Kind regards,

Debbie Lavin,

Principal

Click here for the link to Testing Information and Consent Form

COVID-19 Update – 19/3/21 – info on home testing kits for students

Update 02/02/2021 – Important update for students and parents/guardians – return to on site learning and provision of testing

Dear Student and parent/guardian,

As you will be aware the government has announced that students can return to face to face learning from next Monday 8^th March. Students should therefore resume attending college for their normal timetabled sessions from this date onwards.

The exception to the above arrangements will be those students who have been notified by the NHS that they are clinically extremely vulnerable and have been asked to shield at home until at least 31^st March. For these students separate arrangements will be made to enable you to continue online learning until the government guidance changes. If you have recently been notified by the NHS that you have been added to this list please can you inform the college (if you have not done so already) by emailing info@iwcollege.ac.uk so we can put in place arrangements for you to continue to study at home. If you have been asked to self-isolate by the NHS Test and Trace service then you should also remain at home for the specified period and notify the college so that online learning can be provided for you.

For all other students please note the following important information when you return to college:

Voluntary testing for COVID-19 will be available at college for all students. Your first test will be scheduled during your first week back and your tutors will provide you with information on the date and time that this will take place. This may not be until your second day back in college due to the large number of students to be tested within the college. The attached document provides you with full details of the testing process and a copy of the consent form which students will need to sign. Students aged over 16 will be provided with a paper copy to sign when they register and complete their first test. A parent/guardian will also need to sign for those students under 16 or those students unable to provide informed consent and you will receive a separate letter via post later this week with a copy of the consent form to sign and bring into college. Once students have completed three tests, or before if they are confident using them, they will be able to receive self-testing kits to use at home. More information on self-testing kits and how parents/guardians can access these for your wider household can also be found in the attached document.

Face coverings will need to be worn inside all buildings, including classrooms and workshops. This is in line with government guidance up until the Easter holidays when they have stated the position will be reviewed. If a student is exempt from wearing a face covering then lanyards will be available. Please can I ask that students ensure they are wearing a face covering or a lanyard at all times when inside the college buildings. The only exception to this rule will be when consuming food/drink or when participating in specific types of workshop activity.

Students and staff will be asked to continue to maintain social distancing at all times. Further information on this and the college’s detailed risk assessment for protecting students and staff can be found at www.iwcollege.ac.uk/the-colleges-response-to-covid-19/

Catering facilities will continue to be provided as per the arrangements before the current lockdown period. Students will have allocated timeslots within their group bubbles to access to the refectory and purchase food/drink to consume within their bubble.

Myself and all the staff are very much looking forward to welcoming you back on campus. Everyone at college will be here to help you to achieve your goals and to take full advantage of future opportunities, as we hopefully return to some form of normality during the summer and beyond.

If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime please email info@iwcollege.ac.uk and someone will respond as quickly as possible.

Debbie Lavin,

Principal

Update 26/02/2021 – LETTER TO STUDENTS / PARENTS / GUARDIANS

In short:

You will be aware of the government’s announcement that schools and colleges should resume face to face teaching from Monday 8^th March.

We are pleased to confirm that the Isle of Wight College, including CECAMM, will resume timetabled classes from this date. All students should resume attending college on their normal scheduled days during this week.

Please click here to read the full update letter from our Principal, Debbie Lavin

Update 20/01/2021 – Click here to read about The Isle of Wight College’s response to the COVID-19 situation and remote learning in more detail.

To help students get the most from studying online the college has produced a short guidance note, which can be accessed here.

Update 15/01/2021 – During the college closure, all students will continue learning through remote and online delivery. Students are asked to engage in their normal timetabled sessions, as far as they can, and communicate any issues with their tutor or course leader. The college makes extensive use of Microsoft Teams to support students’ learning online. Any student needing help accessing their courses, or support about any other aspect of their experience at college should contact the college via info@iwcollege.ac.uk . One of the college’s assistant principals, Roland White, has responsibility for the quality of remote learning at the college. If any student or parent/carer have any concerns about the quality of remote education being delivered by the college please contact him via Roland.white@iwcollege.ac.uk

8th January 2021 – Latest Student & Staff letter from the Principal

Provision for students during lockdown

The majority of students will be asked to participate in learning remotely, typically online. Tutors will be in contact with students on a regular basis and will set tasks for completion and provide online group learning each week. If you have any queries about online learning please contact your tutor directly or email info@iwcollege.ac.uk for further assistance. For help accessing online learning, including MS Teams or other online College services please visit our online guide.

Those students who are classified as vulnerable or the children of key workers can come into college to access the online learning that other students will be completing from home.

Eligible students will be able to access college for those days and times that they would normally be attending lessons at college
They will be able to use a computer to access the online learning activities that the college will be providing.
Staff will be available to support them, but these staff may not be their usual teacher and therefore not a subject specialist in the area the student is studying.

Pastoral and Progress Tutors and the Bursary Team also remain available via email, telephone and MS Teams to support students’ personal needs and for financial support including for laptop provision, where students are eligible. Please email student.services@iwcollege.ac.uk initially for support and advice and someone will contact you as soon as possible in normal college hours. You can also contact the Learning and Resource Centre for access to learning materials by emailing library@iwcollege.ac.uk

14 December 2020

Staff, students and parents have today been notified of a confirmed case of COVID-19 at The Isle of Wight College.
Student and staff safety is of paramount importance.
Government guidelines have been followed stringently and we are working closely with the Public Health Team.
A small number of students and staff are now self-isolating.
The college remains open.

The College is working hard to support our students during this difficult and unsettling time.

Our priority is to help ensure you have a safe and also enjoyable and rewarding time while studying at College.

We are taking into account the latest government guidelines for COVID-19.

Do I need to wear a face mask while at College?

From Monday 26 October all students, staff and visitors will be required to wear a face covering when in public spaces at the college (e.g. corridors, refectory, library, toilets etc). Students and staff may also choose to wear a face covering in other areas of the college (e.g. classrooms and office spaces).

The college has consulted with the recognised trade unions (UCU and Unison), who are both supportive of this measure.

Please remember to maintain social distancing from other people at all times. This means that, wherever possible, stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors).

We are introducing the requirement to wear a face covering to minimise the possible risk of transmitting coronavirus and to ensure that the college continues to provide a safe place to study and work.

By wearing a face covering in public spaces, we can all contribute to keeping the college open and ensuring as many students as possible can benefit from face-to-face teaching.

Does the College have safety measures in place?

We have a wide range of measures in place as part of our College Risk Assessment. This includes additional hygiene measures, social distancing markings in communal areas outside of departmental bubbles, staggered breaks and one way systems. We have produced a short guide for students and parents/guardians which explains everything you need to know. If you have any questions or concerns about starting College please contact us at info@iwcollege.ac.uk.

Letter For Parents About Covid 19 Symptoms

Public Health England have produced a letter for schools to distribute to parents which explains when a person requires a coronavirus test and what the symptoms of coronavirus are and answer some of the questions parents may have around testing.

View The Letter

Support

We also continue to have a wide range of resources available to help support your health and well-being during the summer and into the Autumn. Full details of these resources can be found by clicking the relevant links below.

UPDATED 11th December: UK Gov Apprentice Redundancy advice.