Coronavirus Information and Advice
DN Colleges Group remains committed to utilising all its resources to support its staff, students, apprentices and the wider communities during these difficult times.
Updated Monday 3rd January 2022
The health, safety and welfare of our staff and students remains paramount and for this the Covid Response Group met this morning, and it was good to hear that we have had quite low levels of reported positive Covid cases over the 2-week break.
The Covid Response Group ask that all students and staff comply with the latest government guidance which will be reviewed on 26 January 2022, and this is summarised below:
Testing
All Staff and students should complete a clear LFT prior to returning to site and then continue to home test and report twice weekly via the DNCG reporting link and the NHS website.
LFT kits can be collected from the onsite test centres, Health and Safety offices or the LRCs at NLC, DC and UCNL. Off-site provision can collect test kits from their usual place.
Onsite test centres will open again 4th January and should only be attended by asymptomatic staff/students. Anyone with symptoms should not come onto site and should book a PCR test immediately.
Face Coverings
From 4 January it is strongly recommended that face coverings should be worn by staff and students when moving around the premises, in corridors, communal areas and in classrooms or workshops. Face coverings do not need to be worn by staff or students when outdoors on the premises.
It is not ordinarily expected that teachers wear a face covering whilst teaching students if they are at the front of the class and can maintain good social distance, to support education delivery, although this will be down to individual choice.
It is expected that staff and students provide their own face coverings.
Isolation and Vaccination
When to self-isolate and what to do – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Close contact details and daily testing below:
From 14 December 2021, adults who are fully vaccinated and all children and young people aged between 5 and 18 years and 6 months identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 are strongly advised to take a LFT every day for 7 days and continue to attend their setting as normal, unless they have a positive test result.
Daily testing of close contacts applies to all contacts who are:
- fully vaccinated adults – people who have had 2 doses of an approved vaccine
- all children and young people aged 5 to 18 years and 6 months, regardless of their vaccination status
- people who can prove they are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons
- people taking part, or have taken part, in an approved clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine
Students with SEND identified as close contacts should be supported by their setting and their families to agree the most appropriate route for testing including, where appropriate, additional support to assist swabbing.
Visits and Trips
All visits and trips will be cancelled unless they are course critical, this will be reviewed again on 26 January.
In addition to the above we still encourage everyone to remember: Hands, Face, Space.
What we are doing to keep you safe – initial information for students and parents – further information will be provided to students during their induction including:
- How to stay safe in and around college
- How we can support your start or return to college if you are feeling anxious
- How we will support your learning if you have to self- isolate
As we start the new academic year, we would like to welcome all new and returning students to campus. In line with government guidance, full onsite teaching provision is available, with blended learning continuing where timetabled During your induction your tutors will let you know if any parts of your course are on-line.
Our expectation is that students will return to site, as always, the safety, health and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our top priority. We have retained the majority of our Covid-19 safety features that we have put in place and we continue to:
- Implement the controls from our organisational risk assessment including our outbreak contingency plans
- Promote social distancing where possible
- Promote the wearing of a face covering in communal areas and where social distancing cannot be maintained
- Movement through corridors/stairwells to be kept to the left
- Enhanced cleaning regimes and provision of cleaning/sanitising materials
- Promote ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ and promotion of good hand hygiene with frequent and thorough hand washing and sanitising
- Signage to promote all of the above throughout all buildings and partner sites
- Where applicable, ventilation rates have been increased
- Perspex screens are still in situ
- On site testing facilities for students continue
- Staff and students are encouraged to continue with twice weekly lateral flow testing and reporting of results
- Designated Covid team who meet weekly to ensure any changes or issues are addressed with pac
Asymptomatic Lateral Flow Home Testing
- Do a test at home twice a week
- Report your results to the NHS and the College – Negative or Positive
- Student test kits are available from the LRC’s
- Staff test kits are available from the onsite test centres
- Even if your kits are not college ones, please report your results to us
Reporting your results from home test kits
1. Report your result to the NHS by clicking here
Select that you are reporting a result for yourself. Select “school, college, or education provider.” Select “DN Colleges Group.” Scan the barcode on your test strip.
2. You then need to report your result to the college by clicking here
DNCG Colleges On-site Asymptomatic Lateral Flow Testing Facilities
In line with government guidance, the college is offering all students 2 onsite Lateral Flow Covid-19 Tests upon returning to college. Whilst testing remains voluntary the college strongly encourages regular testing. After the 2 onsite tests you should continue to test twice weekly at home.
If you have previously undertaken onsite testing with us you are not required to provide consent again. If this is your first time accessing our onsite test facility you will be required to complete our online consent form accessed via our website, under 18’s require parental consent.
COVID-19 Positive Result Reporting
Have you tested positive?
All positive test results must be reported as soon as possible via the following link.
