Dear students and families

Welcome. We are delighted that you’ve made the decision to come and study with us at the start of what is going to be an academic year like no other.

We know that your time with us will be highly successful and that we will work with you to make sure you have a great future ahead of you after College. Your teachers will work with you over the next few weeks to agree your goals and make sure you are stretching yourself to do your best.

We expect you to attend 100% of the time (whether you are at College or having an on-line lesson) and to work hard, but will support you with all the challenges you have to tackle. But we are also very keen to keep you safe against the possibility of Coronavirus infection. We ask you to do two things before you start College in a few days’ time:

1. Please read our ten rules below. It is vital that you play your part in keeping Coronavirus out of our Colleges and help us protect our staff and other students.

2. Please review your own risk. We have a risk profile document attached that sets out all of the possible risk factors and would like you to consider whether you need additional advice or to take further actions to protect yourself. We have also changed our curriculum to make sure it allows for you to attend College safely and we have specific measures in place in each part of the College. Your tutor will explain these measures to you and we ask that you stick closely to the plans we have made for your safety and wellbeing.

 Thank you so much for coming to study with us. We’re looking forward to getting the year started soon and wish you a very happy, productive and safe programme of study at South Thames Colleges Group.

 

Control measures for Coronavirus Autumn 2020 

1. Do not come to College if you have Coronavirus symptoms

2. Do not come to College if you have had a positive test for Coronavirus

3. Make sure you have read our list of risk factors to help you decide whether you need to talk to a health professional to get advice about protective measures you could take before you attend College

4. When you come to College, please avoid travelling during the morning rush-hour if you can. We have changed our timetables wherever possible to help you do that

5. When you arrive at College, we will check your temperature. If it is high, we will ask you to wait a little while, then check it again. If it is still high, we will ask you to go home

6. When you’re in College, please try to maintain a two metre distance from other people wherever possible. We especially want to protect our staff and ask you to be very careful in staying two metres away from them at all times and only coming nearer when absolutely necessary

7. Outside classrooms and workshops when you’re circulating around the College, we expect you to wear a face covering at all times unless you have a confirmed medical or social reason for not wearing one

8. In classrooms and workshops, you do not need to wear a face covering unless specifically asked to do so, but please try and stay two metres away from others as much as you can

9. Please be very hygienic. Wash your hands or sanitise them regularly, put waste in the bins and catch your coughs and sneezes

10. Please help College staff to keep everyone safe; if they ask you to do something, it is for a good reason and we know you will want to help us keep Coronavirus under control We want everyone to stay safe and well. Please play your part and help us make this a healthy, happy start to the year.