All of our guidance and policy is kept under regular review and is subject to change in line with changes to government guidance and policy.

Last updated: 07/01/22

Working from home

Staff are working from home "if they can". This will not affect face-to-face teaching and learning in classrooms, which will continue in line with timetables.

Face masks and face coverings on campus

In line with government guidance we are asking all staff, students and visitors to wear face masks and coverings in all communal areas, classrooms and workshops. If a staff member or student has a medical exemption they can request an exemption card from our Student Services department. They should carry this at all times and expect to be respectfully asked to present it if challenged.

Self-isolation advice has changed

People who are self-isolating with COVID-19 will have the option to reduce their isolation period after 5 full days if they test negative with a lateral flow device (LFD) test on both day 5 and day 6 and they do not have a temperature.

For example, if they test negative on the morning of day 5 and the morning of day 6, they can return to their education or childcare setting immediately on day 6.

The first test must be taken no earlier than day 5 of the self-isolation period, and the second must be taken the following day. All test results should be reported to NHS Test and Trace.

If the result of either of their tests is positive, they should continue to self-isolate until they get negative results from two LFD tests on consecutive days or until they have completed 10 full days of self-isolation, whichever is earliest.

Anyone who is unable to take LFD tests or anyone who continues to have a temperature will need to complete the full 10-day period of self-isolation.

Further information on self-isolation for those with COVID-19 is available.

Confirmatory PCR tests following a positive lateral flow device (LFD) test result are to be temporarily suspended from Tuesday 11 January. This will mean that anyone who receives a positive LFD test result will be required to self-isolate immediately and will not be required to take a confirmatory PCR test.

If you test positive at any time please email: covid@lincolncollege.ac.uk immediately:

For staff, include your full name, department, line manager and mobile phone number.

For students, include your full name, student number, course name and mobile phone number.

Please also report positive results to Government here

Isolation if you are living with someone with COVID-19:

• if you are aged 18 years 6 months or over and you are not fully vaccinated*, and you live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, you are legally required to stay at home and self-isolate
• if you are fully vaccinated or aged under 18 years and 6 months, and you live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, you are not legally required to self-isolate. However, you are strongly advised to take an LFD test every day for 7 days, and to self-isolate if any of these test results is positive

*You are fully vaccinated 14 days after having received 2 doses of an approved vaccine (such as Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca or Moderna/Spikevax) or one dose of the single-dose Janssen vaccine.

Students are also required to report periods self isolation due to close contact. Please repot here

If you test positive at any time please email covid@lincolncollege.ac.uk  immediately and 

Staff: Include your full name, department, line manager and mobile phone number

Students: Include your full name, student number, date of birth, course, tutor name and mobile phone number

Please also report positive results to Government here

Risk assessment

Lincoln, Gainsborough and Newark Colleges risk assess all activity in relation to the very latest government policy, advice and guidance on COVID-19.

You can read our latest risk assessment here 

Our control measures

Our approach to minimising the spread of the virus on our campuses focusses the following key control measures:

1. Ensuring good hygiene for everyone
2. Maintaining appropriate cleaning regimes
3. Keeping occupied spaces well ventilated
4. Following public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19
5. Promoting and encouraging vaccination to all staff and students

Testing

Students can request new testing kits form their tutors and lecturers. Staff can collect them from the Facilities Department. We expect students and staff to test themselves at home a minimum of twice a week. 

You should report your test results to the Government here

If you test positive at any time please email covid@lincolncollege.ac.uk  immediately and 

Staff: Include your full name, department, line manager and mobile phone number

Students: Include your full name, student number, date of birth, course, tutor name and mobile phone number

Developing symptoms at home and at college

 Students, staff and other adults should follow public health advice on when to self-isolate. They should not come into college if they have symptoms or other reasons requiring them to stay at home due to the risk of them passing on COVID-19 (for example, they are required to quarantine or have a positive test).

If anyone at college develops COVID-19 symptoms, however mild, they will be asked to go home and they should follow public health advice.

For everyone with symptoms, they should avoid using public transport and, wherever possible, be collected by a member of their family or household.

If a student is awaiting collection they will be left in a room on their own if possible and where safe to do so. A window will be opened for fresh air ventilation. Appropriate PPE will be used if close contact is necessary. The room will be cleaned after they have left.

 The household (including any siblings) must follow PHE guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

January exams 

Exams for vocational and technical qualifications will go ahead as planned in January.

The DfE said: “There are exams for vocational and technical qualifications timetabled for January. Students who are due to sit these exams will be prepared and it is right that they should be given every opportunity to demonstrate what they have learnt.”