We have also published an update for students on Student News.
Programmes resuming on campus studies
The guidance states this will only be students studying programmes where they need special equipment, labs or access such as Science, Health and Teaching programmes. All other programmes are continuing online and faculty teams are contacting students to provide them with more information about their programme.
Testing
The Government has been clear that regular testing for students and staff will be a key part of the safe reopening of campuses. We continue to have local authority testing facilities on all three campuses.
- You should get tested when you return to campus and twice weekly (with around three days between tests) thereafter.
- Staff based at Avery Hill and Greenwich campuses can get a ‘critical worker card’ from Greenwich council which enables you to get tested at any Greenwich council test site without having to book in advance. Please contact your faculty or directorate if you require one of these.
- Tests can be booked via the council websites, remember you can book a test at any council test site, so do not need to come to campus for a test.
- Staff and students at Bathway can therefore use the test facilities in Woolwich.
- At Avery Hill testing will remain in the Sports Hall until Easter, and we will provide updated arrangements closer to the time.
- There are no changes to the testing site arrangements at Medway.
Reporting Covid
Students and staff should notify us if they are self-isolating because they have developed the symptoms of Covid-19 or because they have received a positive test result (either a positive PCR test or a positive lateral flow test). All reports are followed up by contacting the individual and this includes a check on the individual's welfare and wellbeing.
Safe campuses & teaching spaces
The health, safety and wellbeing of our staff and students remains our priority. We all need to continue to follow our Covid-Safe Arrangements, including good hand hygiene, social distancing and wearing face coverings. We will continue to ensure our communal spaces are safe, with regular cleaning and increased ventilation.
In line with HSE guidance for ventilation and air conditioning during the coronavirus pandemic, personnel working for the Facilities teams will enter teaching spaces which have only natural air ventilation to carry out CO2 monitoring to ensure a good level of air flow is being achieved from the windows/doors that have been left opened.
In January 2021 we moved from 1m+ to 2m social distancing in classrooms because of the small numbers of students on campus, keeping this under review. Throughout the current lockdown, government guidance has continued to be based on the principle of 2m social distancing or 1m+ with mitigations where 2m is not viable, and that is reflected in the latest guidance for universities from the DfE.
With more teaching resuming on campus in March it will not be viable to maintain 2m distancing in classrooms and labs where practical-based teaching is able to resume. In teaching rooms, we will move back to 1m+ with the mitigations of mandatory wearing of face coverings, enhanced ventilation, lecturers standing at least 2m back from the class. We will update our Covid Safe Planning Guidance and risk assessment template to reflect this.
However, where the numbers in a classroom are low, teaching staff should use common sense and encourage students to spread out to help to reduce the risk of transmission.
University buses and catering services
The university bus service will resume from 8 March. A full service will run to/from Medway campus, and the out of term timetable will be in operation between Avery Hill and Greenwich campuses. We will keep this under review.
Our catering outlets will continue to operate a socially distanced take away service.
