Coronavirus response update 1st May 2020

As we approach the end of another week of remote learning, I hope this email finds you and your families safe and well.

A few updates today:

The Free College Meals and Free Ashton meals arrangements are changing, with effect from Monday. All affected students have been sent an explanatory e-mail to their college e-mail account.

As reported in Tuesday’s update, as a 16-19 provider we do not have access to the national scheme to provide digital devices and internet access to certain young people. We are, however, looking to provide any absolutely necessary support through our 16-19 Bursary Fund instead. We have today e-mailed all students who may potentially be eligible, to enable us to assess the level of need. We have set a deadline for reply to this e-mail of the end of Tuesday 5th May, so that we can progress our plans as quickly as possible.

In order to monitor the engagement of A1 and Level 2 students, all teaching staff have been asked to comment on student engagement on a weekly basis. Teaching staff will be categorising all students using the four descriptors below:

• fully engaged: on track with all work and submissions and fully engaging with teachers
• partially engaged: continuing to work but some learning and assessment missing; irregular contact with teachers
• not engaged: mitigating circumstances: little or no work completed; rare contact with teachers but aware that there are concerns and issues at home preventing engagement
• not engaged: no work completed and no rare or no contact with teachers

We are committed to supporting your sons’ and daughters’ learning throughout this period of remote working; it is important that they stay engaged in their learning and continue to progress through their courses so we can hit the ground running when we do return to college. We will take this into account if we have concerns about progression from the A1 to the A2 year. If your son or daughter has genuine reasons which prevent them from engaging, please encourage them to contact their Senior Tutor. We understand that this is a difficult time for many and will take this into consideration should the need arise.

That’s all for today. Enjoy the weekend.

Take care, look after yourself, your families and each other; be patient and stay positive.

Anton