Dear Students and Parents

Thank you for all of your hard work throughout this term.  We continue to be impressed and visitors often comment on, the excellent learning environment in college.  Your focus in lessons, your mature behaviour around the building and your positive support for the ongoing Covid control measures is excellent. It has been a challenging term for many of us and in recognition of this we would like to give something back as a community.

To support the wellbeing of students and staff we have decided that all lessons will end on Thursday afternoon 16^th December. The college will be closed to students from Friday until the start of the new term. Many students have external examinations and mocks in January and we know that many of you will be working hard throughout the holiday to be fully prepared for these.  We hope that you will enjoy this opportunity to plan activities that are helpful to you and support your ambitions on the Friday.

Start of Spring Term

• Lessons for all students will resume on Wednesday 5^th January. However the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff is the highest priority that we have as a college community. Thank you for the ongoing twice weekly LFT tests that students and staff are completing. Please take home enough packs for the whole family over the Christmas holiday.
• Before we return back to the classroom, all staff and students will be required to take a LFT (please see blow for more information).
• Students are currently required to wear a face mask in all communal areas of the college and on public transport. Students without a face mask will then be denied access to the building.

LFT Testing: Tuesday 4^th January (11am – 4pm)

•  On Tuesday 4^th January (11am – 4pm) all students and staff will be required to take an LFT test before returning to lessons.
• Tests will take place in the main college building.
• Please Book Your Test By Clicking Here or paste the link at the end of the message into your browser.
•  We hope that everyone is able to reconnect with family and loved ones over the holiday period and therefore it is more important than ever that everyone receives a supervised covid test before lessons resume. 

Finally

We continue to invest in the college.

• Students are taking advantage of the Lap-safe(s) to work in the communal areas and LRC’s. We are continuing to provide all bursary students with a personal laptop, to use at home and in college.  If you haven’t collected your device, please go the IT helpdesk in the Ground Floor LRC.  Please continue to bring your Bursary computer or personal device into college, you are welcome to charge them in classrooms and communal areas, always being aware of the tripping hazard of trailing wires.  There are lockers in the vicinity of the Refectory if you would like to store a bag or device, please ask a member of staff if you haven’t used these before. 
• From December we are replacing the main reception desk, improving accessibility and visitor waiting areas. Reception services will be provided from the IT helpdesk in the Ground Floor LRC during this work. 
• You may also have seen in the press that in March we will be breaking ground on the new three-million-pound extension, which will provide an additional 12 specialist classrooms.
•  From January students who arrive without an ID badge will be required to pay £1 for a temporary badge. If the student is unable to pay in cash we will be able to take a parent pay payment or use their mobile phone as a deposit, held securely at Reception.  

It is our duty to keep the site safe and secure for all users.  From January students will be denied admission if they are unable to provide a face mask or id badge.  

If you have any questions or would value a discussion about your progress in college, please discuss with one of your teachers in the first instance.

Yours faithfully

Senior Management Team