COLLEGE EXTENDS OPENING TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL STUDENTS

Image caption: NWSLC Logo in Black.

North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) is preparing to increase the numbers of students attending its campuses from 15 June 2020 in line with government advice on managing the coronavirus pandemic.

The college will operate a phased approach to students’ return which will start with increased provision for vulnerable students, as well as final year students including those who can only take technical assessments on college premises. NWSLC will also welcome back students on vocational study programmes in small groups that will be managed in accordance with social distancing measures.

NWSLC has remained partially open throughout the lockdown period at its Nuneaton Campus to support the children of keyworkers, those with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), students in local authority care, and other students that are known to be vulnerable. These students will continue to be part of the NWSLC engagement project where they will be enabled to progress with their studies in accordance with social distancing measures. As more students are welcomed back to the Nuneaton Campus, the college’s Wigston and Harrowbrook Campuses will also be opening to small groups from 15 June. Students will be contacted individually to let them know if and when they should attend.

Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, Principal and Chief Executive of NWSLC said, “In line with government advice, it is our aim to carefully facilitate the safe return of more of our students and apprentices back onto our college sites. In particular, we will be inviting final year students and apprentices who require skill-based assessments to return in small groups and we will continue to support our vulnerable students appropriately.  We are extremely proud of the resilience shown by our staff and students through this challenging period and we look forward to cautiously welcoming more staff and students back into our campuses.”

“We have been working hard to develop thorough plans to ensure that the physical environment is as safe as possible for students and staff returning to our campuses. The health, safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and their families is our number one priority and will remain the first principle in any plan to extend the opening of the college.

“We have carried out a range of rigorous risk assessments and activity is underway to address measures designed to increase safety and maintain social distancing as far as possible.”

College activities to increase the safety of its staff and students will include:

• Making sure that students and staff do not attend if they or a member of their household has symptoms of coronavirus
• Promoting regular hand washing and good respiratory hygiene

• Ordering additional supplies of hand sanitiser

• Cleaning college premises more often especially frequently touched surfaces, such as door handles, handrails, desks
• Minimising contact through smaller classes or group sizes and altering the environment as much as possible, including changing the layout of classrooms
• Reducing mixing between groups through timetable changes and staggered break times

• Publishing and promoting social distancing guidelines throughout the college
• Providing PPE for first aiders
• Installing screens at reception desks and floor markers to help promote social distancing
• Installing additional hand sanitiser stations with more frequent servicing.

Students who are not attending college, including adults studying for qualifications, have been provided with study packs and their tutors will continue to keep in touch and teach them digitally, checking their progress and providing support where required. Every effort will be made to help these students complete their courses and achieve their qualifications by the end of the summer term.

All prospective students who have applied to start a college course in September 2020 have been assured that they will be offered a place. NWSLC remains very keen to hear from students still wishing to apply for college places for next year and details about how to make an application are available on its website.

Marion Plant added, “We will continue to actively monitor the situation and are committed to acting in accordance with the advice of the UK government and Public Health England. We are especially mindful at this time of those students who depend on the college for support and are making every effort to ensure their safe return to our campuses as soon as possible.”