CORONAVIRUS: November 2020 National Lockdown Policy and Guidance

To complete our self-isolation Declaration form click here

To report that you have tested positive for COVID-19 email: covid@lincolncollege.ac.uk

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

CORONAVIRUS: November 2020 National Lockdown Policy and Guidance

The plans, policies and guidance outlined on this page apply from 5th November 2020. All are subject to change, depending on changes to Government policy and ‘lessons-learned’ by the College. 

Please find a copy of the College's overarching risk assessment here

Student attendance expectations

It is vital for all students to attend all timetabled lessons, both in college and online, to minimise as far as possible the longer-term impact of the pandemic on young people’s education, wellbeing and wider development.

Those with higher overall absence tend to achieve less well. College attendance to all timetabled lessons, both in college and online is  mandatory and the usual rules on college attendance apply, including:

• Parents’ duty to ensure their child attends regularly at college where the child is a registered student at college and they are of compulsory school age
• Our responsibility to record attendance and follow up absence
• The availability to issue sanctions

Learners who fall into risk categories

Some of our learners will fall into certain risk categories. The advice for each risk category is different. Please read this section very carefully as there are subtle differences for each category. Please note, only those students in the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable category can complete all of their learning online. All other students are expected to attend their timetabled lessons in college.

Risk Categories

Clinically Extremely Vulnerable

People at high risk from coronavirus include people who:

• have had an organ transplant
• are having chemotherapy or antibody treatment for cancer, including immunotherapy
• are having an intense course of radiotherapy (radical radiotherapy) for lung cancer
• are having targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system (such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors)
• have blood or bone marrow cancer (such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma)
• have had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant in the past 6 months, or are still taking immunosuppressant medicine
• have been told by a doctor they have a severe lung condition (such as cystic fibrosis, severe asthma or severe COPD)
• have a condition that means they have a very high risk of getting infections (such as SCID or sickle cell)
• are taking medicine that makes them much more likely to get infections (such as high doses of steroids or immunosuppressant medicine)
• have a serious heart condition and are pregnant 

Clinically Vulnerable

People at moderate risk from coronavirus include people who:

• are 70 or older
• have a lung condition that's not severe (such as asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis)
• have heart disease (such as heart failure)
• have diabetes
• have chronic kidney disease
• have liver disease (such as hepatitis)
• have a condition affecting the brain or nerves (such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy)
• have a condition that means they have a high risk of getting infections
• are taking medicine that can affect the immune system (such as low doses of steroids)
• are very obese (a BMI of 40 or above)
• are pregnant – see advice about pregnancy and coronavirus

High Risk

There are other things that can make you more likely to get seriously ill from coronavirus, including if you are:

• over 60 – your risk increases as you get older
• from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background

Students who are extremely clinically vulnerable

Extremely clinically vulnerable students should minimise their contact with others and attend online lessons only.  If you have already informed us you are in this category we will be in touch in discuss how we can provide 100% of your learning online during lockdown. If you have not informed us you are in this category please do so by emailing your tutor. 

Students who are clinically vulnerable

Students who are clinically vulnerable should continue to attend college. If students or parents of students in this category have any concerns, they should discuss additional health and safety measures, including the wearing of masks in the classroom, with their tutor.

Students who are high risk

Any students that fall within a high-risk category (are over the age of 60, are from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic group) should continue to attend college but be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise contact with others by maintaining at least 2 metres (3 steps) away from anyone they do not live with or anyone not in their support bubble.

Our Staff

Our aim throughout lockdown is to deliver the best quality education and training possible whilst keeping our staff and students safe.

For this reason we are moving towards a maximum of 50% remote delivery of learning on average across all campuses from the current average maximum of 30% for both 16-19 and adults.

This will lead to some timetable changes but staff must continue to teach in college when required to to do so.

Support staff that can work from home must do so. Please discuss this with your line manager. Where business critical activity is required to be delivered on-site, staff will be expected to attend work as normal to complete this activity. Once completed, staff can continue to work from home.

Where staff are required to support learners/learning in person, or where their role means that they are unable to work from home, they must continue to attend work as normal.

Staff who are Extremely Clinically Vulnerable

Clinically extremely vulnerable staff should minimise their contact with others and work from home if possible.  If they are unable to work from home, they should not attend work. This may mean a redistribution of some roles and responsibilities across the team, if some are unable to be in work.

Staff who are clinically vulnerable

Clinically vulnerable staff should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise contact with others. They should also work from home if possible. If they are unable to work from home, they should continue to attend work as normal. This may mean a redistribution of some roles and responsibilities across the team, if some staff are unable to perform certain tasks when in work.

Staff who are high risk

Any staff that fall within a high-risk category (are over the age of 60, are from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic group) should continue to attend work and be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise contact with others by maintaining at least 2 metres (3 steps) away from anyone they do not live with or anyone not in their support bubble.

Prevention on Campus

An extensive public health campaign is in place across our campuses reminding students and staff of the following key messages:

• Maintain social distance
• Wash hands regularly with soap and water, or sanitize
• Avoid touching your face
• For coughs and sneezes: Catch It, Bin It, Kill It
• If you develop these symptoms: new persistent cough, temperature, loss of taste or smell. Inform staff, leave campus, self-isolate, request a test online, fill in our online self-declaration form, inform us of your test results. You also need to complete the self declaration from if you are isolating due to another member of your household testing positive, or if you have been contacted by NHS Track and Trace and asked to self isolate. If you test positive for COVID-19 please email: covid@lincolncollege.ac.uk

Face masks and face coverings

It is mandatory for staff and students to wear a face mask or face covering:

1. In corridors and stairwells when moving around the college indoors
2. In toilets
3. In other communal areas like building reception areas

Students and staff are expected to provide their own face masks and face coverings, but we are carrying stocks of disposable masks that will be available to students forget or lose their own. These are available from Main Reception at all of our campuses.

Anyone who is exempt from wearing facemasks will be able to collect card A from Student Services. At this stage this card is not a requirement, but it may give students more confidence if asked by staff.

Please note, the wearing of face masks or coverings is not required in classrooms, workshops and exam rooms unless risk assessments for individual courses  and curriculum activities state they are necessary. Your tutors will make clear if and when they are needed when you start your course. Some courses like hair and beauty for example also need to reflect industry guidelines with the use of visors and again, this will be made clear to you when you start your course. In these instances any protective equipment you need like visors will be provided by the College.

Face masks and visors are not necessary in private study areas like the Library where social distancing measures are already in place.

Face masks and face coverings are mandatory when visiting the cafeteria for takeaway food and drinks. They may be removed if dining-in but track and trace forms must be completed.

At present this stance applies to all campuses, but it will be kept under regular review and is subject to change for each individual campus.

Additional lockdown measures

The following additional measures have been introduced to increase safety during the November 2020 lockdown period:

1. None of our campuses will be admitting external visitors during this period. Contractors carrying out essential works to our campuses will continue to be admitted.
2. No student trips and visits will take place during this period.
3. At this stage no students will take part in work experience or extended industry placements with external organisations during this period. Further DfE guidance may alter this position.
4. Deans Sport and Leisure at Lincoln College will be closed to members but open for curriculum activity only.
5. Catering outlets operate as normal to staff and students only, but this will be kept under review.
6. Sessions Restaurant will be closed to the public but operational for curriculum activity.

Staff Travel between campuses

We are doing everything we can to minimise transmission rates and given the rising national, regional and local picture, it is now sensible to minimise travel between campuses to essential travel only.

Before travelling, please ask yourself the question – is my travel between campuses essential to maintain high quality teaching, learning and assessment? Or is my travel between campuses business critical in terms of the continuation of support services? If the answer is no, please endeavour to find another way of doing it.

No staff meetings without distancing

Common sense has to prevail when it comes to us meeting as part of fulfilling our duties.  The safest form of meeting is obviously using electronic communications (such as Workplace, MS Teams) or telephone.  We therefore very strongly recommend virtual meetings whenever possible.  Physical meetings are discouraged and can only take place where proper social distancing can be achieved.

College Rules for Cornonavirus

In order to keep staff and students safe when we return to college a set of student and staff rules have been introduced. We expect these rules to be adhered to and they will be rigorously policed.

Please find our staff Return to Work Rules here 

Please find our student Return to College Rules here

Minimising contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have Coronavirus symptoms, or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend our sites

It is vitally important that learners, staff and other adults do not come into our sites if they have Coronavirus symptoms, or have tested positive in the last 10 days. They must also not attend college if they live in a household where someone has symptoms and is self-isolating, or after a positive test.

Anyone developing those symptoms during the day will be sent home.

If anyone on our sites becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature, or has a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia), they will be sent home (avoiding public transport) and advised to follow guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, which sets out that they must self-isolate for at least 10 days and should arrange to have a test to see if they have Coronavirus. Other members of their household (including any siblings) should self-isolate for 14 days from when the symptomatic person first had symptoms.

Anyone who develops symptoms must also complete our Coronavirus Self Declaration form and inform us of their test results at the earliest opportunity.

Anyone who tests positive must email covid@lincolncollege.ac.uk

If anyone becomes ill with Coronavirus symptoms and is awaiting collection they will be moved to a designated room where they can be isolated behind a closed door, depending on the age and needs of the individual and with appropriate adult supervision if required.

If it is not possible to isolate them, we will move them to an area which is at least 2 metres away from other people.

If they need to go to the bathroom while waiting they will use a separate bathroom. The bathroom will be cleaned and disinfected using standard cleaning products before being used by anyone else.

PPE will be worn by staff caring for the individual while they await collection if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained (such as a person with complex needs).

As is usual practice, in an emergency, we will call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured or their life is at risk.

Any members of staff who have helped someone with symptoms and any learners who have been in close contact with them do not need to go home to self-isolate unless they develop symptoms themselves (in which case, they should arrange a test) or if the symptomatic person subsequently tests positive.

Everyone must wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser after any contact with someone who is unwell. The area around the person with symptoms will be cleaned after they have left to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people.

Public Health England is clear that routinely taking the temperature of individuals is not recommended as this is an unreliable method for identifying Coronavirus

Maintaining Social Distance

Corridors have been clearly marked with distance guides and one-way systems are in place in corridors and stairwells where distancing is not possible.

Priority-flow signage for stairwells, entrances and exits will be in place. Students and staff will be asked not to loiter or sit in corridors.

All lifts will be limited to one person at a time and should only be used by those with mobility issues.

Within classrooms some desks and computers have been clearly labelled “not in use” to provide appropriate distancing between students while they work.

Some alternations to workshop spaces have been made to allow for socially distanced working practices.

Careful timetabling, staggered break times and staggered start and finish times will dramatically reduce the number of students on our campuses at any one time.

Numbers will be limited at any one time in communal areas like our libraries and student common rooms.

Food will be available to takeaway from our cafes and additional distanced outdoor seating has been provided.

Students will be encouraged to minimise contact outside of their groups while at college to reduce the possibility of transmission.

We have increased to security staff to work with our wider staff to ensure distancing is maintained across our campuses.

2m line in teaching areas

In all teaching spaces we are establishing 2m distance lines at the front of rooms between a teacher standing area and the first line of desks or work equipment. This will help provide a guide for safe spaces for teaching staff. Please be aware that this is a visual guide and not a “student exclusion zone”. It’s just there to help you know when students might be too close and you may need to advise or move to stay safe.

Clean Hands

Coronavirus is an easy virus to kill when it is on skin. This can be done with soap and running water or hand sanitiser. Staff and students must ensure they clean their hands regularly, including when they arrive at our sites, when they return from breaks, when they change rooms and before and after eating. Regular and thorough hand cleaning is going to be needed for the foreseeable future.

To help we this we have:

• Installed advice on effective hand-washing in all toilet areas
• Installed several hundred new sanitiser dispensers across all of our sites
• Placed reminders on frequently touched equipment to remind staff and students to wash their hands or sanitise.
• Tutors will hold 20-second briefings in classes to run through our hygiene key messages.

Ensuring Good Respiratory Hygiene by Promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ Approach

The ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach continues to be very important and we will be promoting it across all of our sites.

We will ensure enough tissues and bins available to support our learners and staff to follow this routine.

As with hand cleaning, we will ensure those with complex needs are helped to get this right.

Strict rules will be in place to prevent spitting on any of our sites. Learners with complex needs will be supported to help them achieve this.

Ventilation systems in buildings will be set to extract only, preventing re-circulation.

Enhanced Cleaning

We have made a significant investment to bolster our cleaning staff to ensure that all classroom and office spaces are cleaned to a high standard daily. Toilets will be checked and cleaned regularly. Checking schedules will be visible in all toilets so users can see when they were last cleaned.

Students will be encouraged to take part in this regime, taking responsibility for their classroom hygiene.

At the beginning of every lesson tutors will spray each desk with disinfectant and students will use disposable cloths to wipe their own desks.

Students will also be encouraged to take responsibility for the cleanliness of their workshop space and equipment with their tutors, helping them to clean equipment before use.

All frequently touched equipment will be cleaned daily and clearly marked with prominent stickers reminding users to wash hands or sanitise after use.

Our staff will be encouraged to sanitise their own desks spaces, computer equipment and phones at the beginning and end of their working day. Equipment will be provided to help with this.

What is the Plan for Apprentices?

Our apprenticeship business will continue as normal. We are signing up new apprentices with local firms and college-based learning and workplace visits will continue in line with college and the respective businesses’ risk assessments in relation to social distancing, hygiene and the use of PPE where appropriate.

Travel to and Arrival at College

Wherever possible we will be promoting cycling, walking and other forms of exercise. We have increased our capacity for secure bicycle storage at our Lincoln campus to increase capacity.

Some start times will be staggered and this will be indicated on our learners’ timetables. We would like our students to arrive in time for their first lesson, not to come to campus several hours before. We would also ask them to leave campus after their last timetabled lesson. Staggered start and finish times will limit contact between learners and the wider public.

We will be reminding learners and staff that it is the law that they must wear a face covering when travelling in England on a public bus, coach, train, tram, or other forms of public transport, as per the safer travel guidance for passengers.

During the first four weeks of term there will be a significant amount of staff outside greeting students and reminding them of the campus rules. They will also be available to help new learners find their classes and other campus facilities.

The Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wearing face masks and face coverings is mandatory for staff and students in communal areas and corridors (please see above). Although the majority of our staff are not required to have PPE in classrooms and workshops beyond what they would normally need for their work, all teaching staff have the option to wear a visor if they wish to. PPE is also needed in the following situations:

• where an individual becomes ill with Coronavirus symptoms while on site, and only then if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained
• where a learner already has routine intimate care needs that involve the use of PPE, in which case the same PPE should continue to be used
• if the use of PPE is specified in the COVID-secure guidance for the sector, for example, hairdressing courses need to follow the same guidance as salons do when doing practical work

Get the app

We are encouraging all staff and all students to visit the App Store or the Play Store to download the NHS COVID-19 App. This will help us know when we need to self-isolate to keep our colleagues and students safe and ensure we can continue to operate normally as a college.

Managing Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus

We will take swift action when we become aware that someone who has attended college has tested positive for Coronavirus.

We will contact the local health protection team. This team will also contact the College directly if they become aware that someone who has tested positive for Coronavirus attended our sites – as identified by NHS Test and Trace.

The health protection team will carry out a rapid risk assessment to confirm who has been in close contact with the person during the period that they were infectious, and ensure they are asked to self-isolate.

The health protection team will work with us in this situation to guide us through the actions we need to take. Based on the advice from the health protection team, we must send home those people who have been in close contact with the person who has tested positive, advising them to self-isolate for 14 days since they were last in close contact with that person when they were infectious. Close contact means:

• direct close contacts - face to face contact with an infected individual for any length of time, within 1 metre, including being coughed on, a face to face conversation, or unprotected physical contact (skin to skin)
• proximity contacts - extended close contact (within 1 to 2 metres for more than 15 minutes) with an infected individual
• travelling in a small vehicle, like a car, with an infected person

The health protection team will provide definitive advice on who must be sent home.

Household members of those contacts who are sent home do not need to self-isolate themselves unless the learner or staff member who is self-isolating subsequently develops symptoms.

If someone in a group that has been asked to self-isolate develops symptoms themselves within their 14-day isolation period they should follow guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. They should get a test, and:

• if the test delivers a negative result, they must remain in isolation for the remainder of the 14-day isolation period - this is because they could still develop the coronavirus (COVID-19) within the remaining days
• if the test result is positive, they should inform their setting immediately, and must isolate for at least 10 days from the onset of their symptoms (which could mean the self-isolation ends before or after the original 14-day isolation period), their household should self-isolate for at least 14 days from when the symptomatic person first had symptoms, following guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection

We will not request evidence of negative test results or other medical evidence before admitting learners or welcoming them back after a period of self-isolation.

Containing any Outbreak by Following Local Health Protection Team Advice

If we have 2 or more confirmed cases within 14 days, or an overall rise in sickness absence where coronavirus (COVID-19) is suspected, we may have an outbreak, and will continue to work with our local health protection team who will be able to advise us if additional action is required.

In some cases, health protection teams may recommend that a larger number of other learners self-isolate at home as a precautionary measure – perhaps the whole site or a specific group.

Due to the measures we are taking, whole-site closure based on cases within our sites will not generally be necessary, unless advised by our health protection team.

Behaviour on Campus

The vast majority of our students behave with the utmost respect and professionalism at college, but a minority engage in antisocial behaviour. 

We need our staff to focus on safety during this time, so there will be a zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour. 

An emergency conduct policy has been put in place and any instance of antisocial behaviour will result in and official warning. A second report will result in a disciplinary hearing with the ultimate sanction of expulsion.

Any cases of deliberate coughing or spitting over another person will result in immediate suspension, an automatic disciplinary hearing with the ultimate sanction of expulsion and a referral to the Police for investigation.

Safeguarding/Lanyards

We must be able to identify who is on campus and who our students are at all times to keep them safe. Lanyards with ID cards must be worn and visible at all times. 

Any student who does not have one at any time will be taken to the Digital Engagement Team to provide a temporary wristband. 

Anyone attending college who has lost their lanyard must report to Digital Engagement Team and a replacement will be issued.

Report Concerns and Share Ideas

If you have any health and safety concerns on campus, or concerns for individuals you can report them via our online reporting form. This is also a place where you can share ideas for improving our systems and processes and improving college life while social distancing applies.