Dear Parents and Carers,

We are writing to reassure and update you on our college contingency plans regarding the ongoing situation with Coronavirus (Covid-19)

The Senior Management team have been putting in plans for various contingencies and continue to monitor Government advice around Covid-19. We are basing our college risk assessments and planning on the guidance that has been provided by Public Health England, the NHS, DFE and Local Authority.

The advice and guidance remain, that all schools, colleges and training providers should remain open and as such Dv8 will continue to offer classes as normal.

We are currently assessing possible outcomes should advice from Government change around this and particularly how students’ learning could continue remotely in the event that we are advised not to open the building. In particular we would like to know which students have access to the internet and to computer equipment at home.

If you do not have access to the internet or a computer at home that your son, daughter or looked after child can access for college work, ​please can you let us know ​and we will assess what additional support can be offered to ensure that some college work can be accessed. We will store this information privately and securely and only use it to help allocate support in the event of the college having to set work remotely in the coming weeks.

Exam Preparation and Ofqual Advice

We are planning to run our Mock GCSEs as normal next week and will continue to monitor Government advice on contingency planning should GCSE exams be disrupted. Please see current Ofqual statement on this
at ​https://www.gov.uk/government/news/updated-statement-on-coronavirus

More Information on Covid-19

The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is now available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:
Phone: ​0800 046 8687

Email: ​DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

Travel Advice

Some parents have asked for guidance about travelling, particularly with the Easter holidays on the horizon. The most up-to-date advice can be found
here: ​https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus

In relation to families who have travelled from Italy,​ ​Public Health England updated their travel advice, recommending that anyone returning from Italy should self-isolate, even if you do not have any symptoms. If you do develop symptoms, they advise that you call NHS 111.

We are asking families to ensure they are following the relevant advice around preventing the spread of the virus, so if you have travelled to a category 1 or 2 area then please follow the relevant advice, which can be found here: ​https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas

Attendance
Key advice for parents
Please stay at home for seven days if you have either:

●  a high temperature, or

●  a new continuous cough.

This will help to protect others in your community while you are infectious. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital with mild symptoms.

You do not need to contact NHS 111 to tell them you’re staying at home. The NHS will not be testing people who are self-isolating with mild symptoms

Report your child’s absence to the school in the usual way.

Advice on staying at home (self isolation)

Until any further advice is issued, It is important that all other students continue to attend college as normal to enable them to make progress in their course and take planned exams.

School Hygiene

We are undertaking further cleaning and reiterating the importance of good hygiene around site at all times and we have good supplies of hand sanitiser, handwipes and disposable surface cleaners within our centres for staff and students to use.

Ongoing advice

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and we will update should advice change in the coming days or weeks. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation at this difficult time.

Yours Sincerely,

Dan Wallman
Managing Director, Dv8 Sussex

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