Important Message for Our Students
First week of the Spring Term
Further to our previous communications, it remains the case that the majority of students will study from home for the first week of term via remote learning lessons delivered to the normal timetable. Some assessments and some new courses will still go ahead as planned. If you are uncertain as to whether you need to attend for an assessment or a new course please contact your lecturer in the first instance.
The College will be open during this time, so if you do not have access to a computer or internet at home it may be possible for you to attend the iLRCs at BRC or CEMAST for your lessons. If you think you may need to do so please contact your lecturer.
If you need to talk with any member of staff in the Student Support or Health and Wellbeing Teams during the first week of January, they will be working from the College and can be contacted by phone, email or in person onsite. Please email
Work Experience
If you have already started your work experience placement, please contact your employer direct to find out what their protocols are for you to continue your work experience placement.
If you have not yet started your work experience placement, how to proceed will be discussed with you during the first two weeks of term.
Onsite Rapid Asymptomatic Testing
As per the Government’s guidance and as part of the COVID-19 National Testing Programme, we will be setting up a facility for onsite rapid asymptomatic testing at our Bishopsfield Road and CEMAST campuses.
During the first week of term we will be scheduling our ‘Asymptomatic Lateral Flow Testing’ in accordance with government guidelines. You will be contacted to be invited in for testing at some point in the first two weeks of term. Subject to the availability of the tests, we will offer all students and staff a COVID-19 test during the first two weeks of January even if you have no symptoms. The test facilities will then remain operational to provide for routine testing as required.
Those students tested in the week commencing 4th January will then be able to return to college for in-class lessons from week commencing 11th January. We aim to have all students tested and back at college on full in-class timetables from week commencing 18th January.
With testing in place, if a member of staff or a student is considered to be in close contact with a positive COVID case then, instead of being asked to self-isolate for 10 days, they can take part in daily lateral flow testing. If a lateral flow test indicates a positive result that person is asked to self-isolate and follow up with a PCR test at an NHS test centre for confirmation.
Further details on the asymptomatic testing will follow.
Part Time Students
If you are studying a Part-Time course, a test slot will not be automatically booked for you during the first two weeks of January. Testing is currently being prioritised for full-time students. Our approach to testing part-time students will be based on government guidance which has not yet been issued.
Please ensure you attend your online lessons and continue to check your college emails, social media and the College website for further updates.
Additional advice on Coronavirus
