UPDATE, January 4th
Following tonight’s announcement by PM, Boris Johnson, we are now in national lockdown. This means that learning will now be delivered online, remotely, other than for vulnerable learners where the college will still offer face to face learning on site, at college.
Please do not worry. Your lecturer will be in touch very soon. For any queries or concerns, please contact us via LiveChat here on the website, through our social media channels or by telephone.
We will provide a further update tomorrow (Tuesday, January 5th). Please continue to check back with us for updates.
We know things are constantly changing at the moment, so we wanted to reassure you of the measures we have in place on campus when it comes to keeping staff and students COVID safe, as well as explaining what would happen in a range of different cases so you know what to expect.
Our Students
1. You were asked to complete a health declaration when you started your course. It is our intention to ask you to complete this again at further regular intervals through the academic year. You will receive a text or email from us with the link to follow to complete the health declaration form.
2. You must sanitise hands on arrival at college and throughout the day. Sanitiser has been placed in all classrooms as well as in communal areas throughout the campus. You are also encouraged to wash their hands, for 20 seconds, regularly throughout the day.
3. Coloured zones have been allocated to different areas of the college – you are allocated to a specific zone and must limit movement between zones.
4. You are taught within ‘study bubbles’. This means you are part of your own group of learners when you are in college, as well as being allocated to a zone, as above
5. Although our refectory and Costa facilities are open, there are no sit-in options and a takeaway menu only is on offer.
6. You are asked to have lunch in your classrooms.
7. Face masks are mandatory in communal areas such as corridors, reception, etc.
8. If you are exempt from wearing a face mask, you must wear an orange lanyard. We will need to formally record details of those students who are exempt. You can collect your lanyard from our Gateway team located near main reception.
9. Toilets are limited to one person at a time
10. Floor markings and posters throughout the campus reinforce messages around COVID symptoms
11. Classrooms are allocated for set bubbles
12. Regular, additional cleaning takes place throughout the day.
We have set aside COVID isolation rooms should a student or member of staff become ill during their time on site.
College map and guidance
View our latest college map and guidance.
If a student displays any COVID symptoms
Any student displaying symptoms of COVID MUST NOT come into college.
All students have access to a self-assessment tool on our student portal, Moodle, which can help to assess whether you should attend college.
The main symptoms to look out for are:
- A high temperature
- A new or continuous cough
- A loss or change to sense of small and/or taste
If you have any of these symptoms, you must ring 111, book a test and inform the college.
If you receive positive test results, it is important to inform the college of this immediately and follow the guidance given by the NHS.
What does it mean if a bubble has broken or burst?
A burst or broken bubble mean that an incident has occurred within the ‘study bubble’ a student is part of. An example of this is:
Student in the study bubble has tested positive. If a student in a ‘study bubble’ has tested positive for COVID, the college will undertake a formal and speedy investigation. However, it is likely that the whole bubble will need to self-isolate for 14 days.
If this happens to your bubble, you must self-isolate at home for 14 days and MUST NOT return to college within this time, even if you have a COVID test with a negative result.
If within this time, you develop symptoms of COVID, you should ring 111 and book a test. If you receive a positive test result, you must inform the college immediately.
Please remember that self-isolating is different to social distancing or shielding. A person who is self-isolating must not leave the house or socialise with other households, even if this is in their own house.
How will students continue to learn if they are self-isolating?
In the event of a ‘study bubble’ going into self-isolation, studying will be moved to online delivery. This means that lessons will be delivered virtually by a member of our teaching staff. Students will continue to have access to our dedicated support teams, including counsellors, personal progression coaches and our Gateway team.
We asked all students to provide details of any barriers they may have to learning, should they need to move to a virtual, online delivery. This is to enable us to make sure we can support those who do not have access to the facilities and equipment they need to continue remote studying. If you do not have equipment at home to continue online learning effectively, please contact the Gateway bursary fund contact on 0191 229 5000 or email laptoploans@tynecoast.ac.uk
Please note, if a member of our teaching and support staff is diagnosed with COVID, the above procedure will also apply.
So, what does this mean for students?
All students will stay on their current timetables with lessons being delivered remotely.
Our curriculum team will be easily available during timetabled classes and our full wrap around of support staff will be available for the usual onsite hours.
Please don’t worry. We will provide you with full details and there will be minimal disruption in learning.
If you are worried that you don’t have what you need at home to study, please contact our Gateway bursary fund contact on 0191 229 5000 or email laptoploans@tynecoast.ac.uk
Along with talking to your lecturer, PPC or a member of our Gateway team, our website, moodle and social media platforms are all great ways of keeping in touch with us.
FAQs
You can also view more FAQs here.
Further support
Further information on Coronavirus can be found here.
Stay safe.
