News

College Opening - Update

Thursday 4 March, 16:10

Dear Parents/Carers and Students

RETURN TO COLLEGE

Following the most recent government guidance, we are delighted to begin a phased return to face to face learning from the week commencing 8 March.  We will be taking an individualised approach to courses and groups of students in terms of patterns of face to face attendance and some students will continue to work remotely for part of their timetabled time.  We will be inviting students in on specific days over the next two weeks.  On the days they are on site they will have face to face lessons with their teachers for the whole day. Remote teaching and learning will continue on the days students are not on site.  However, these lessons will not be live lessons with the teachers; students will be set work to do.  The details of the days/times students need to come in to College will be communicated to them.

English and Maths courses will remain as remote learning from 8 March to 19 March returning to normal face to face teaching from 22 March. Students will be expected to complete assignment work. Our English and Maths teachers will be present at the start of the online lessons and will explain what is required.

Onsite support for vulnerable learners and students without IT at home will continue to be provided 5 days a week during the next two week period.

In order to bring all students and staff back to College as safely as possible, we need to coordinate our return arrangements with the Mass Testing programme. We will be offering asymptomatic testing to all students, on a day they are on site, to support the identification of otherwise undetected positive cases. These lateral flow tests are self-administered and each student will initially be offered opportunities to take this test with staff support, 3-5 days apart.  Being tested is not a condition of return, but we strongly encourage it as a key way in which we can keep our students and our College safe.  We are therefore expecting the overwhelming majority of students will participate in the testing programme.

Students aged 16+ are able to give their consent, however, parents/carers may wish to discuss this with them at home.  Parents/carers of any students under 16 will need to provide consent on the student’s behalf.  Once consent has been registered, this does not have to be done again.  Students will be given appointment times during their first two weeks of attendance and will need to complete a GOV.UK form on the day of each test to register the test bar code and the results.  Staff at College will support students with this.  The result of the test will be communicated to the student via email and/or text message by NHS Test & Trace, within approximately 30-40 minutes of completing the test. 

For students, in terms of your testing in College, please read the attachments carefully, perhaps with your parent or carer, and ensure that you have followed the 3 steps to register for testing before returning to College.

Any students who decline to participate in this testing programme should follow the usual national guidelines on staying Covid safe.  If a student shows any Covid symptoms, they must not attend the College and please remember this must be reported to the College as soon as possible.  Any PCR test results must also be reported to the College with a screen shot of the results.

From 22 March we are planning for all students to return to onsite learning for their usual timetabled lessons (unless unwell, self-isolating or symptomatic).  Self-testing kits will be made available for all students to administer from home.  Further details will be sent out nearer the time.  

The Health and Safety guidance and restrictions that were in place in term 1 continue to apply.  Students are to maintain at least 1 metre distance from each other and a 2 metre distance from staff wherever possible.  Students and staff will continue to wear face masks in communal spaces and students will now be required to wear face masks in the classroom, workshops and other learning settings.  We will ask students who have a purple lanyard (indicating exemption) to carefully consider whether they need to continue with this exemption. As we have previously enforced, students who repeatedly forget their mask or refuse to wear a mask with no exemption will be subject to disciplinary procedures and suspension from College. Please support the College by ensuring that your young person is aware that refusal to wear a face covering is dealt with by suspension from College.  Students and staff will continue to be encouraged to wash and sanitise their hands frequently.  As has been the case throughout this pandemic, wearing a mask over the mouth and nose, maintaining distance, and washing hands frequently are the most effective way to minimise transmission. 

We are aware that for some parents, carers and students, a return to face to face learning may cause anxiety and that for some students, their well-being has been impacted adversely throughout this pandemic for a variety of reasons.  Our students’ well-being has always been the College’s priority and we will continue to work closely to ensure students receive as much support as possible.  Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the College via the course tutor or via Tracy Andrews, our designated safeguarding lead and Assistant Principal, if you have any concerns.  The well-being hub on the College website is also a good resource to find further guidance and support: www.johnruskin.ac.uk/about-jrc/support-for-students/wellbeing-hub

If you have any further questions about students’ return to onsite learning, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We are looking forward to seeing all our students back in College.

Yours sincerely 
Kevin Standish
Principal, John Ruskin College

Attachments: 

Student Information
OSC Privacy Notice
JRC Consent Form
Government Registration

Tuesday 23 February 11:30

Following the announcement on the gradual lifting of the lockdown from the Prime Minister last night, we are now able to complete our planning for the return to onsite learning for our students. 

Over the next few days we will be working to finalise the phased return of our students, starting from Monday 8 March.  As soon as details are finalised our course tutors will keep students up-to-date with information relating to their individual course.

More general information such as details of our onsite Test Centre and the timetable for rapid flow tests, along with information on our continuing health and safety requirements throughout the campus will be provided on this site. 

We really look forward to welcoming our students back to College, and are keen to support them with their transition back to onsite learning.