Shrewsbury Colleges Group has updated its guidance to students, parents/carers and staff. The updated approach that the college will adopt is as follows.
Approach and guidance for students
Shropshire Public Health has now issued new guidance on household contacts of a confirmed case.
Where an individual in a household has a confirmed positive PCR test then all household members (“household contacts”) should have a PCR test even if they do not have any symptoms of COVID-19.
Household contacts should now remain at home until they have a negative PCR result reported.
What it means for students and staff
This means that students and staff who are a household contact of a confirmed case (PCR positive) should not attend college while they are waiting on their result. If their PCR result is negative, then students or staff should return to college but are recommended to have a further PCR test 4 or 5 days after the first PCR test as a further precaution.
The updated guidance remains that close contacts of positive cases from within the college should continue to attend college whilst they are waiting on a PCR result unless they develop any of the symptoms of COVID-19. It is now also recommended that these close contacts have a second PCR test 4 to 5 days after their first PCR test.
We would like all students and staff to adopt this new approach going forward where someone in your household has a confirmed positive PCR test.
Remote learning
Face to face learning is the optimal form of learning. Students and teachers did an outstanding job during the lockdowns. At the same time students learn best in class or in practical sessions, with the opportunities to ask questions at the moment and learn from fellow students.
Where students are absent from lessons, regardless of the reason, teachers are responsible for ensuring that students have work provided to complete at home. The format of the work will be appropriate to the subject and what is being taught. This may include access to live lessons or posting recorded lessons. It should be noted that this will be an exception rather than a rule. This is because the college is operating as normal this year and the return to normal lessons limits the opportunities for streaming and recording.
Face coverings and social distancing
While social distancing and the wearing of face coverings are no longer mandatory, we would request that you wear face coverings when in communal areas and minimise your contact both in college and elsewhere.
The request to wear face coverings extends to any public transport that you may use getting to and from college. These steps will help us all to minimise the frequency and severity of the disruption to learning.
- Corridors and communal areas: Face coverings remain mandatory for students and staff in corridors and communal areas
- Workshops and specialist activities: Face coverings remain mandatory in specialist areas and where industry guidance recommends the continued use of face covers or other precautions
- Classrooms: There will be no requirement for face coverings to be worn in classrooms (existing covid measures such as front-facing seating and ventilation measures already in place will remain) – wearing of face covers remains optional for all
- Outside areas: There is no requirement for face coverings when outside - wearing of face covers obviously remains optional for all.
We continue to believe that this delivers a proportionate and appropriate approach to the wearing of face coverings in line with best practice in public spaces.
We consider this to be in the best interests of all at present. We will continue to keep this under review over the coming weeks.
COVID Testing
We need all students to complete two Lateral Flow Device tests each week.
If you are not able to do an LFD test, for example, because you have had a positive PCR test in the last 90 days, then you can register your reasons for opting out by using the same link.
We would recommend students test on a Sunday and a Wednesday each week
Students can collect testing kits from reception or student services at each of the three campuses.
If you are unable to register your result online for any reason, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to provide your test result.
If you get a positive LFD test result
If either of your lateral flow device tests returns a positive result, please ensure you self-isolate, follow government guidance and complete a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test within two days to confirm the result.
A PCR test can be booked via www.gov.uk or by calling 119.
Should the PCR test return a negative result your self-isolation will cease immediately.
If positive, please do not attend college, remain in self-isolation for 10 days (as advised by NHS Track and Trace) and email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. who will confirm your self-isolation end date with you and update your attendance registers accordingly to reflect that you are unable to attend classes. This will also let your teachers know so that they can arrange how best to reduce the impact on your learning.