Students to Returning to College
from 8 March 2021

Updated 5 March 2021

Dear students, parents and carers,

In line with the recent government announcement, we are excited to welcome back students from Monday 8 March 2021.

We are delighted with this news and are looking forward to seeing students return to on-campus, face-to-face teaching as part of our blended learning approach.

Phased Return

All students will receive information about the specific days they are to return on-site. In the meantime, all students should continue to follow their timetable and check their college email inbox regularly. If your young person is under 16, we will notify you directly. By adopting a phased approach, we will be able to ensure a robust system of testing and safety for all our staff and students.

To allow for the safe testing of all students, we ask that only those that have been invited to return from Monday 8th March should return on-campus. For those that have been invited, we are requesting that students come in during the following times based on their first class/exam:

- Students with classes starting from 9am should arrive for testing between 8am – 9am
- Students with classes starting from 10am should arrive for testing between 9am – 10am
- Students with classes starting from 6pm should arrive for testing between 5pm – 6pm
- Students who have exams should arrive at least one hour before their exam.

Consent and Registration

Students aged 16 and over will be required to provide their consent (via BDC's online consent form) and register on-campus before completing the test. We will the be able to issue a test kit barcode number to enable students to successfully register their coronavirus test.

For parents/carers/guardians of students aged under 16, please ensure you complete the online consent form on your young person's behalf prior to their return to college. This will enable them to collect their test kit barcode and register at our below registration points.

Registration Points:
- Rush Green Campus: LRC
- TSA, BLC & Broadway: Ground Floor Old Chef’s Hat 2

Testing Centres at BDC

The first three tests for students will be administered by our trained members of staff at the college. This has been put in place to help educate students, apprentices and staff in the correct way to self-swab. Following this, students will be issued Lateral Flow Devices to enable self-test at home to self-test twice a week.

BDC Testing Centre Locations:
- Rush Green Campus: Sports Hall
- TSA, BLC & Broadway: Ground Floor Old Chef’s Hat 2

Students and staff will receive their test results within one hour. If their test returns positive, they will be asked to return home immediate and self-isolate as per government guidelines.

Reminder of COVID-19 Safety Guidance Changes

As a change to the previous guidance, please note that from Monday 8th March, students, apprentices and staff will be requested to wear face coverings in their lessons as well as in corridors and communal areas (unless exempt). All other safety measures remain in place.

The safety and education of our students are our top priorities. If students have any questions or concerns, they have been advised to contact their tutors directly. For all other enquiries or if you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to get in contact with us via covidsupport@bdc.ac.uk.

Thank you for your support throughout the lockdown period.

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