It is important to us that we work to minimise the potential risk to our staff, students and community. If you think you or someone living in your household have any symptoms that may be caused by coronavirus, please read the latest government advice here:

COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection or refer to the NHS Coronavirus health information page.

Please find below Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance from Somerset for parents and carers providing information about managing isolation and testing, together with a message for you from the Director of Children’s Services for Somerset and the Director of Public Health.

Message from Director of Children’s Services for Somerset and the Director of Public Health

Covid-19 Testing A Quick Guide

Isolating – what happens if someone in your household gets Covid-19?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We appreciate during this unprecedented time that our staff, students, employer partners and other stakeholders may have questions. We would appreciate anyone with questions reading our FAQs before contacting the College. If you do not find the answer to your question, please email info@btc.ac.uk.

All students should monitor communications from the College and interact with tutors and course leaders as requested.

Is the College open?
Yes, College is open.

Do I need to get a Covid test before coming into College?
We would encourage you to participate in the testing programme. For information regarding lateral flow testing please visit the page Lateral Flow Testing

What are the social distancing measures in place?
The social distancing measures remain in place. This includes reduced group sizes, staggered timetables, one-way corridor systems, hand sanitising stations and coloured areas. Please support us by ensuring you follow the measures in place and remain in your coloured area whilst you are at College.

Can I come to College everyday?
You should only attend College according to your timetable. Please study from home on the days where you do not have classroom-based teaching. If there are obstacles to learning from home, please discuss these with your tutor in the first instance.

Do I have to wear a face covering at College?
Following the lifting of the government restrictions, you are no longer required to wear a face covering in classrooms, however there are some exceptions where we would request you continue to wear a face covering:

• Where close one to one support is being given.
• In workshop environments where close practical demonstration or supervision is required.
• Where there are specific industry requirements eg. those that operate within our commercial training environments, we must continue to comply with relevant sector guidance.
• In communal areas.

I would like to continue to wear a face covering in my classes, am I able to?
Yes, any staff or students who wish to continue to wear a face covering within the classroom, are welcome to do so.

I am exempt from wearing a face covering, what should I do?
If you feel you are exempt from wearing a face covering, please talk to your tutor.

Will food be available on Campus?
Yes, each coloured area will have access to a food outlet. As the weather improves seating will be provided outside.

What happens if I am unwell and unable to attend College?
We understand sometimes, staff and students may feel unwell, for example with a sore throat or a headache and may need to stay off college. During term time, any students or staff who are unwell should report their absence in the usual way by informing their tutor or line manager and seek medical advice through their GP or pharmacist as usual.

If you believe you are unwell with Covid-19, please ensure ensure you arrange for a Covid-19 test and follow NHS advice. If you test positive, please contact your personal tutor as soon as possible in order for us to take the necessary steps.

You should get tested if:

1  You develop one or more of the main coronavirus symptoms: a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; or the loss or change of your sense of taste or smell.

or

2  You are recommended to get tested by a healthcare provider (eg. GP or nurse).

If a student or staff member develops one or more of the main coronavirus symptoms described above, they should be tested. There is no need for the whole household to have a test, unless they also have symptoms.

All members of the household need to self-isolate whilst waiting for that test result, even if they were not tested.

Response to suspected or confirmed Covid-19 procedure

Covid-19 Testing – a quick guide

Isolating – what happens if someone in your household gets Covid-19?

What advice are you giving to staff and students?
We are following guidance from Public Health England, which has detailed information for both personal steps to take and measures to have in place in an educational setting. We have shared general advice to help prevent the spread of infection with staff and students and offered guidance on what to do if they feel unwell.

Please see the document for reporting any illness and the procedure below

Response to suspected or confirmed Covid-19 procedure

Who are you getting advice from about opening?
We are following all  Government and Public Health England guidance on maintaining educational provision.

Are Apprentices expected to continue to go into their workplace?
Apprentices are advised to follow the guidance being given at their workplace and to speak to their line managers about workplace procedures. If they have any concerns, they should discuss them with their line manager or tutors. We are working closely with employers to address any specific concerns.

In the majority of cases College staff will communicate with apprentices and their employers via an online platform. 

What should I do if my teachers are off?
There may be times when teaching staff are unavailable. In these instances, students should continue with their work using the online resources already available to them.

What support is available to me if I have been affected by Covid-19?
The government has made funding available to support disadvantaged students,. This is called the tuition fund.  It is a government initiative to provide one-off funding for the 2020 to 2021 academic year only. It is ring fenced funding for schools, colleges and all other 16 to 19 providers to mitigate the disruption to learning arising from coronavirus (COVID-19). To find out more head to the learner support page on our website.

All students should monitor communications from the college and interact with tutors and course leaders as requested.

Additional Information

Below you will find a number of links to documents you might find useful:

College Risk Assessment

Covid-19 Testing – a quick guide

How to do your test

Isolating – what happens if someone in your household gets Covid-19?

Operating Procedures Covid-19

Remote Learning Offer

Response to suspected or confirmed Covid-19 procedure

Tuition

COSHH Sheets

• Selden Hand Sanitiser
• Springfield Hand Sanitiser
• Terminex Disinfectant

Reviews and updates

Bridgwater & Taunton College continues to follow guidance based on advice set out by Public Health England (PHE) and the Department for Education (DfE). Our senior leadership team monitors and reviews guidance from the Government and PHE on an ongoing basis, and we will respond to recommendations and instructions accordingly. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff, students and employers for their support during this unprecedented time.