Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Buckinghamshire College Group would like to reassure all staff, students, parents and business partners that it is following the Public Health guidance issued by the Government and its agencies.

Update: 24th February 2022

Updated Covid-19 guidance

Dear students,
With the Prime Minister’s announcement earlier this week, we now have the updated guidance for Colleges and schools. The College is continuing to proceed with caution and will keep this under review over the coming weeks.

Self-isolation
The legal requirement to self-isolate has been removed. However we continue to follow the public health guidance for Colleges and schools. All staff and students are required to continue to self-isolate if tested positive for 5 days as previously, and are able to return to College following 2 negative tests.

Twice Weekly Testing
The government has removed the requirement for education settings to take asymptomatic twice weekly lateral flow tests.
However all SEND students and staff working with SEND students are encouraged to continue to test twice weekly.
We have lateral flow tests on all campuses and we would encourage all staff and students to test regularly and at least weekly.
All staff and students are required to continue to test if displaying COVID symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who is a positive case. Please follow the latest government guidance for PCR testing.
You are also able to continue to order free tests via the government website Order coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Tests can now be ordered every 3 days.

Other Measures
There are no changes to other public health measures we have in place at the College and we encourage you to take personal responsibility to:

• Wash hands regularly
• Keep a safe distance from others
• Open windows and doors for ventilation
• Wear face masks in communal areas when it is busy

Vaccinations
Staff and students who are eligible are encouraged to take up vaccinations including boosters.

Karen Mitchell
Principal and Chief Executive

Update: 20th January 2022

Relaxation of current Covid-19 restrictions

Dear students

We continue to follow the DfE requirements and with the announcement from the government last night I wanted to share with you the expectations of the College regarding face coverings:

As we are close to the end of the week, you should continue to wear face coverings in classrooms and teaching spaces until Monday 24^th January 2022 and continue to ensure that we are following other control measures from the College risk assessment including:

Spacing out as much as possible in classes and keeping your distance from others in communal areas
Keeping to the facing forward in rows arrangement
Regular hand washing
Having windows and doors open in classes where possible
Continuing twice weekly lateral flow testing and reporting into government website even if it is negative
Not coming to College if displaying symptoms of COVID

From 1^st February 2022 we will revert back to staff and students having the choice to wear face coverings in communal areas, but everyone must continue to carry a face covering and use in crowded spaces as before. You should be prepared to wear a face covering in communal areas if requested by a member of staff

All students undertaking exams in the January series (next two weeks) should continue to wear face coverings for the exam.

Face coverings continue to be required on College transport and public transport

We strongly encourage students to take up vaccination offer including the booster if eligible.

Students with individual risk assessments should continue with the measures that are in place.

We will continue to monitor the situation daily and let you know of any further changes.

If you have any concerns please discuss with your tutor or student services.

Karen Mitchell
Principal and Chief Executive

Update: 3rd January 2022

January 4th - Return to College COVID requirements

I hope that you have all had a good holiday and looking forward to returning to College this week. We continue to follow the Department for Education COVID requirements and will do our best to keep face to face learning in place. However there are a some additional COVID measures that are required to help this to happen and keep everyone safe:

Please do a lateral flow test before you come back to College and then twice weekly. We have a boxes of tests in reception on all campuses. Please ensure you report your result online (Report a COVID test).
If you have a positive test result or have COVID symptoms however mild, do not come onto campus and follow the current government advice regarding isolating and PCR tests. Please let your tutor know.
You must wear face coverings in public areas (corridors, toilets, learning centres, refectory etc) and in classrooms and teaching spaces. Please ensure that you wear them correctly over your nose and mouth. If you are exempt please let Student Services know, so that they can discuss with you if there are any other additional measures that need to be taken.
Follow all other COVID measures in place last term (please see posters on classroom’s doors if you are unsure what these are).

If you have any concerns or questions please discuss with your tutor or Student Services.

Karen Mitchell
Principal and Chief Executive

Update: 29th November 2021

Dear Students

We have received this communication from the DfE:

On Saturday 27^th November, the Prime Minister announced new temporary measures following the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the UK. The new measures will be introduced from Monday 29th November as a precaution to slow down the spread of the variant while more information is gathered.

Face Coverings

Face coverings should now be worn in all communal areas of the College by staff, students and visitors unless exempt. Communal areas include entry and exit, corridors, refectory, toilets and learning centres. If you are exempt you will need to check in with Student Services, to ensure other safety measures that may be needed are in place.

Testing

All staff and students to continue testing twice weekly using lateral flow device (LFD) tests. Please report the result via Report a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test result - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). This supports the gathering of information on the virus and transmission.

Contract Tracing and Isolation

The current guidance on contact tracing and isolation remains in place. In addition to these, any suspected or confirmed close contacts of the Omicron variant will be asked to isolate for 10 days regardless of vaccination status or age. You will be contacted directly and told to isolate.

Vaccination

All eligible staff and students are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine, including boosters. Who can get the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk). People over the age of 16 can now get a first and second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Karen Mitchell
Principal and Chief Executive

Update: 16th August 2021

COVID Safer Learning – Autumn Term

Dear Students

It is my pleasure to welcome you to Buckinghamshire College Group if you are new to the College or back to College if you were here last year. After all the disruption to learning of the last two years, we are hoping that you will enjoy a near normal learning experience at College this year.

In order to do that we need to take our own and each other’s COVID safety seriously and this is why we will be ‘Proceeding with Caution’ in the Autumn Term. What does this mean? We expect everyone to take personal responsibility for COVID safer learning and working. On each classroom and workshop door, you will find a ‘Proceed with Caution’ poster setting out what you need to do. This is also on the student intranet, parent portal and website.

In summary

Please use the one-way system and stay 2m distance where you can
Please continue to wash and sanitise your hands regularly
Face coverings are not required in the classroom, unless it is part of a risk assessment
Face coverings are optional in public College spaces, corridors, learning centres, refectory etc BUT you must carry one with you at all times and you will be expected to wear one in enclosed spaces at times when it is busy or crowded
Face coverings MUST be worn on College transport
There are no requirements for you to stay in ‘bubbles’ but we would encourage you, if the weather is nice to spend breaks and lunchtimes outside
Your classrooms have been set up in rows to allow as much space as possible between students, and students and teachers. Please respect this and stay 2m’s distance from your teacher
Do not come to College if you have COVID symptoms or a positive test
You do not need to self-isolate (unless you have symptoms or a positive PCR test) if you are under 18 years and 4 months or fully vaccinated at least 14 days ago and have been contacted as being a close contact of a positive case. You will be advised on taking a PCR test. We will expect you to take daily lateral flow tests, to wear a face covering and limit your contacts during this time
Please continue to take twice weekly lateral flow tests at home
We strongly encourage you to take up the COVID vaccination as soon as you are eligible

We are currently working with the NHS and hope to be able to have temporary pop up vaccination clinics at each campus. We will share further details of this when we know.

You will also be invite to attend for two lateral flow tests on-site for the beginning of term and we strongly advise you to attend. Further details will be provided.

All of this has been put in place to support everyone to work and learn safely and keep you on campus without further disruption to your learning. Please help us to do this for everyone’s safety.

I look forward to welcoming you to College in September. If you have any concerns or queries about COVID safer learning, please do contact your tutor or student services.

Karen Mitchell
Principal and Chief Executive

For further information please refer to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public which is updated daily at 14:00.