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Covid-19 Update
At Cambridge Regional College we have adapted to ensure we continue to support you in your learning goals through online learning and Covid safety measures for on site learning throughout the Coronavirus pandemic. The health and wellbeing of our students, staff, and visitors is our first priority and we are doing everything possible to support you and keep you safe.
Twice weekly testing is now available for students and staff. There is a small testing station at College, however this should be done at home wherever possible. Please speak to your Tutor or Assessor for more information, and click here for more information about testing
Exams and Assessment – 25 March
GCSEs
There are no summer exams this year for GCSES, however we are required to gather evidence to support TAGs – Teacher Assessed Grades. Evidence includes work completed this year, mocks and assessment tasks specifically for this purpose. We are asked to collect this evidence as late in the year as possible so we can provide the grade you are working at. This will not be a predicted grade, but must be based on work completed. We are not allowed to tell you what your TAG is, but we will tell you the evidence we have used.
If you are on a GCSE English or maths course this year there will be a number of short assessments you will complete; for most people this will be during the weeks of 26th April and 10th May. For most, these tasks will be completed in your usual English and maths classes. You must continue to attend your English and maths classes after these dates. These tasks will form part of, but not the only, evidence sources to calculate your grade.
In the meantime, it is really important that you continue to attend your classes and do all the work that is set.
Functional Skills and ESOL
Functional Skills and ESOL exams will take place in the summer term. Your teacher or assessor will check that you are ready to take your exam before you are entered for it.
Vocational Qualifications
BTEC, NCFE, UAL, CACHE (and other qualifications similar to A Levels)
Most of these qualifications require us to provide a Teacher Assessed Grade – TAG or QTAG. We will use work completed this year to determine final grades. The exact requirements are different for each qualification and awarding body, but we are working with each of them to make sure we follow their guidance. We are not allowed to share grades with you, but your teachers and tutors will keep you updated with any changes we need to make to assessment dates and deadlines. Please make sure you keep attending and completing all the work set so you have the best chance of a higher grade.
Technical and practical subjects (for example EAL, City & Guilds, IMI, some CACHE qualifications)
Qualifications that include practical assessments for occupational competency or include a licence to practice will continue to be assessed as normal. The college is able to make some small adjustments to assessment tasks in some cases; teachers, tutors and assessors will keep you updated with any changes we need to make to assessment dates and deadlines.
HE and Access to HE
Assessments for our HE and Access to HE courses will continue in line with assessment schedules and awarding body guidance. Teachers will keep you updated if there are any changes.
We will continue to post updates when information is available, and will contact students, parents and employers when information about specific assessments is released.
You can read the Ofqual overview of how grades will be awarded here:
Updates
You can view or download as a PDF previous communications and updates from the College below.
Student Update – January 2021 |
Parents Update – January 2021 |
Student Supported Learning Update – January 2021 |
Ofqual Letter – January 2021 |
Parent/Carers Supported Learning Update – January 2021 |
Student Update – March 2021 |
Student Letter – March 2021 |
FAQs
COVID 19 TESTING FAQs
What are the latest safety guidelines students have to follow?
Safety continues to be of the utmost importance to us at CRC in order to keep our college community safe. Our safety protocols have been enhanced in line with most recent guidelines and now includes:
Face coverings/masks must be worn at all times in the college buildings, including in classrooms, workshops, LRC’s, corridors and canteens (except where there is a medical exemption which must be recorded on ProMonitor; visors will be provided for students who are unable to wear a mask)
As a reminder we also ask all students to:
- Get their temperature checked every time they come on campus
- Wash hands regularly
- Wear face masks on all college and public transport
- Keep socially distanced (at least 2M) in all communal areas
- Follow one-way systems
- Respect the rules in classrooms
- Let us know if they are going to be absent from College by calling 01223 418551, so we know they are safe.
What measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of students and staff on campus?
Following on from the Government’s announcement, the college campuses are reopening for a phased return to onsite learning from the 8th March.
In addition to our safety measures below, there is now Covid-19 testing, read more about this testing programme here.
Information on our Covid-19 safety measures
As a college, we have thoroughly reviewed college operations, and undertaken a full risk assessment, implementing measures to ensure we comply with government guidelines, as a minimum. These include a range of measures to enable easy compliance with social distancing, one-way systems, temperature scans on arrival, additional cleaning, and use of a specialist antibacterial spray that kills 99.9% of germs on surfaces for longer.
Alongside the measures we have put in place we ask that everyone that comes on-site takes an active role in ensuring their safety and the safety of others. Everyone on site is asked to:
- Not attend college if they, or any members of their household, are displaying symptoms of Coronavirus until they have been tested and shown not to have Covid-19
- Adhere to the physical distancing measures in place
- Regularly, and as needed, wash hands and use hand sanitiser
- Ensure any sneezes/ coughs are made into a tissue or elbow, and disposing of any tissues appropriately
- Required to wear a face mask that covers the mouth and nose and is securely fitted to the face at all times in the college buildings, including in classrooms, workshops, LRC’s, corridors and canteens (except where there is a medical exemption which must be recorded on ProMonitor; visors will be provided for students who are unable to wear a mask)
- Students are required to wear a face mask when using any form of college transport including buses operated to and from the College – this is a mandatory requirement
- Welcome to wear face masks anywhere within the College should they choose to do so
- Follow all staff instructions.
When does my course return to onsite learning?
Full-time students and apprentices will have a staggered return to last term’s timetable which may include both onsite and online delivery from 8th March. There are a small number of courses where there are slight changes to this pattern and if this affects you then your tutor will let you know.
Subjects with more practical delivery will start from 8th March and everyone should be back to College by w/c 15th March. College buses will start again on 8th March.
If you are due to return week commencing 8th March you should already have received information about how to consent and book a test prior your first day. If you are due to return week commencing 15th March you will be receiving information on this shortly. If you believe you should have received information and haven’t done so please contact your Head of Department using the contact details at the end of this email.
Subject areas returning w/c 8th March at the Cambridge Campus including adult, apprenticeships and full-time courses
- All Supported Learning programmes
- Catering
- Hair and Beauty
- Construction (except Level 2 Plumbing and Higher Education)
- Motor Vehicle
- Access to Science
- Forensic / Applied Science
- Futures@CRC (14-16 Provision)
- Engineering
- Explore Essential IT
- Discover your confidence
- Traineeships
Subject areas returning w/c 8th March at the Huntingdon Campus including adult, apprenticeships and full-time courses
- All Supported Learning programmes
- Engineering (some practical sessions will take place at the Cambridge Campus and there will be a shuttle bus to facilitate this during the day)
- Construction
- Discover Construction
- Hair and Beauty
- Futures@CRC (14-16 Provision)
Subject areas returning w/c 15th March: at the Cambridge Campus including adult, apprenticeships and full-time courses
- Access to HE
- Higher Education
- Sport and Uniformed Services
- Health and Social Care
- Childcare / Early Years
- Business
- Computing
- Travel & Tourism
- Adult English and maths
- ESOL
- Media
- Music & Performing Arts
- Art & Design
Subject areas returning w/c 15th March: at the Huntingdon Campus
- Childcare/Early Years
- Health and Social Care
- Business
- Travel & Tourism
- Computing
- Motor Vehicle
- Art & Design
- Adult English, maths and ESOL
Most Adult learners including those on HE programmes will also return to college as per the schedule above, however some delivery may remain online – you will be contacted separately to advise you if there is any change from last term’s delivery pattern.
I (or a member of my household) is Clinically Extremely Vulnerable, do I continue to study online?
If you, or a member of your household is Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) or you are pregnant, you will need to continue to study ONLINE only until at least the end of March 2021 (when we expect further guidance). Please ensure your tutor is aware that you need to continue to learn online.
Can I work from the LRC on my online learning day?
Some students benefit from undertaking their online day from our Learning Resource Centres. If you would like to do this, or are already doing so and your face to face delivery doesn’t start until w/c 15th March, a place in the LRC can be booked by visiting The Hub Online on our virtual learning environment website (www.camrevle.com).
Can I still apply?
Applications are open for adult and part-time courses running this year and applications are now open for full-time courses and higher education courses starting in September 2021. For more information on how to apply, visit our application hub.
Our courses continue to run, so you can apply and start your studies with us.
Our admissions teams are on hand to help you with your application.
What will happen if the Coronavirus alert level rises again?
If the alert level goes up again, we are ready. At any given point, we are prepared to transition to fully online and distance learning and will support you in the process to adapt.
We were able to quickly move to online learning earlier this year as lockdown came into full force and in fact, our learners have adapted to online learning well.
For more on how we have prepared for this and what you will need to do, read here
I am struggling and need help, who can I talk to?
We know that these are challenging times, whether you are struggling with the challenges of a lockdown or have been affected by Coronavirus, personally or through family and friends, we are here to support you.
During the academic year, you can access support from our Student Support Services at CRC both online and in-person. During the Winter break, we want to ensure that you know about the services that are available to you outside of college. A list of support agencies is available here.
Is there any additional support for those struggling with the impact of Covid 19 on learning?
Cambridge Regional College will be using the 16-19 Tuition Fund to support learners on study programmes that had their learning disrupted in 2019 to 2020 academic year as a result of the coronavirus ( COVID -19) outbreak. We will provide small group lessons comprising of no more than 5 students, either on line or face to face. These sessions will focus on enhancing English and maths skills for those learners who have not yet achieved a grade 5 at GCSE.
The College will also support some small group sessions for vocational delivery. These sessions will develop the practical skills of students who require additional support as a result of Covid-19.
Further details of how to contact people are available on our Contact Us page, click here >
