Riverside College: Higher Education Communication Updates
Tuesday 14th July 2020
Information about Riverside College Higher Education courses starting in September 2020
Scope:
Higher Education Provision from September 2020 (Kingsway and Cronton campuses).
All current and prospective Higher Education students studying HNC, HND, foundation degree, top-up degree, Certificate and Postgraduate Certificate in Education courses.
Higher Education Programmes: Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Riverside College is determined to deliver the best possible experience for all of our Higher Education students, whether they are new to Riverside College in September 2020 or re-joining us to complete their programme or progress onto a higher level of study. It is, therefore, important that we let you know that we have a plan in place for September that will put your safety first.
We will provide you with continuity and consistency through predominately face-to-face teaching supplemented by blended learning or online teaching and learning materials which may include on-line classes.
This is a flexible approach to work as those restrictions surrounding Covid-19 are progressively relaxed or possibly tightened. It is also an approach that keeps students safe. Please be assured that we will give you ongoing guidance and support whatever happens.
The majority of teaching for Higher Education students will be delivered face-to-face, subject to any changes imposed by the Government. We will strictly follow Government guidance to adopt safe working practices.
Higher Education students will be expected to engage with teaching and learning in the following ways:
- Attending face-to-face sessions in College (eg lectures, practical sessions, and tutorials).
- Attending on-line sessions through MS Teams (if applicable).
- Engaging in directed study to fully engage and support you to achieve your learning outcomes for each assignment.
- Engaging in independent study
- Completing formative and summative tasks and assignments to support the achievement of the relevant unit/module and qualification.
Friday 20 March 2020
Message to all Riverside College Higher Education students from the Head of Higher Education
During this period of transition from face-to-face to remote teaching and learning, the College is working closely with partners and government agencies (eg the Office for Students and Student Finance England) to ensure that no Higher Education student is disadvantaged.
All Higher Education teaching, learning and assessment activities at Riverside College will now be delivered remotely. Your teachers will be in contact with you regarding the arrangements for this.
For those Higher Education students following Staffordshire University programmes, the University is currently developing and implementing flexible plans to ensure that assessments can proceed as planned. We will be in contact with you regarding any changes to assessment (if required).
You may currently be undertaking a module of study which has an element of practice learning/placement for example Counselling practice placement or teaching experience. Where this is the case you may have already been able to complete or be part way through completing your practice learning/placement hours. If you are not able to complete your practice learning/placement in the current academic year this will not disadvantage you from meeting course requirements, learning outcomes and progression of your programme.
Please be aware that the Staffordshire University Summer Graduation ceremony (Monday 13 July) is postponed and will now be held in Autumn 2020.
Tuesday 24 March 2020
Message from the Student Loan Company
The following message has been received from the Student Loan Company.
We have been working hard to continue providing our core student finance services for those applying for academic year 2020/21, for current students expecting summer term payments, for customers in repayment and for the universities and colleges we work closely with.
Following the most recent Government guidance on COVID-19 we are having to change the way we deliver our services. To enable us to do this as quickly as possible, we are now closing our customer contact centres temporarily for new and existing students, and for any customer in repayment.
The closure of our customer contact centres, which includes our Partners Support Desk, will not impact summer term maintenance payments to students or tuition fee payments to education providers. These payments will be made as normal. New and existing students can continue to apply for student finance as normal and we will continue to process any applications that have been received as quickly as we can.
We are working to restore service at our contact centres as soon as we can and we will provide further information on this over the coming days.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but trust you will understand the importance of the measures we have taken given the current circumstances
Please note that this message does say that payments will be made as normal and that they will restore Contact Centre Services as soon as possible.
Tuesday 24 March 2020
Message from Head of Higher Education to FdSc Counselling Year 2/Year 3 and FdSc Counselling Children and Young People Year 2
Message to FdSc Counselling Year 2 and Year 3 students/FdSc Counselling Children and Young People Year 2 students
With the new restrictions on daily life announced yesterday and after receiving guidance this morning from Staffordshire University, Riverside College has made the decision to terminate all Year 2 and Year 3 Counselling placements with immediate effect. This includes any planned telephone or remote Counselling placements.
Please see below a copy of a paragraph sent in a communication from myself to HE students (20/3/2020). Please be assured, that you will not be disadvantaged by the decision to temporarily terminate Counselling placements.
You may currently be undertaking a module of study which has an element of practice learning/placement for example Counselling practice placement or teaching experience. Where this is the case you may have already been able to complete or be part way through completing your practice learning/placement hours. If you are not able to complete your practice learning/placement in the current academic year this will not disadvantage you from meeting course requirements, learning outcomes and progression of your programme.
We have also received this morning guidance from Staffordshire University about the 100 hours Counselling practice entry requirement onto the BSc (Hons) Counselling at Riverside College in 2020/21. This guidance applies to students currently in Year 3 of the FdSc Counselling at Riverside College. The University has advised us that they plan to agree a relaxation of the BSc Counselling admissions criteria for this year (2020/21) so that students could join the award if all academic aspects are passed, but where placement hours may be outstanding. Any outstanding Counselling placement hours would need to be completed within a University agreed timeframe during 2020/21.
Wednesday 25 March 2020
Message for Riverside College students from Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University Awards (delivered at Riverside College) – message from Staffordshire University to FdA, FdSc, BA, BSc and Certificate and Post Graduate Certificate in Education students at Riverside College
Staffordshire University announced that they had taken the decision to extend their deadlines by two weeks (10 working days) and in exceptional circumstances, four weeks where this is deemed necessary. This message was relayed to students through MS Teams/by email. To view Staffordshire University’s updated Policies and Regulations, click here: View the updated University Policies and Regulations.
Thursday 26 March 2020
Message from Pearson for HNC/HND students
Message from Pearson:
We continue to work closely with Ofqual, the DfE and also other Awarding Organisations to ensure approaches to quality assurance activity are applied consistently. For our BTEC vocational qualifications, we will do our utmost to award grades to students finishing this academic year – supporting students to progress, recognising their learning and hard work – that is our priority and commitment to students and centre staff.
Friday 27 March 2020
Message for Higher Education students working towards Pearson HNC/HND qualifications
Pearson has sent a notification that Digital Support for Higher National qualifications is available via HN Global. This resource is freely available for all Higher National students. You can access HN Global through the following link: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/btec-higher-nationals/hn-global.html
Pearson have also added a range of resources to HN Global to provide additional support during the current situation.
● Guidance on working and learning from home.
● Getting organised for study – these are useful study skill modules
● Being productive when working from home – a course in the Careers Centre
● Core textbooks and reading lists – available in the subject page/or Learning Zone.
● Videos – available in the Student Channel to help with assignment writing
● Career Centre – the resources will help to prepare students for their future in employment,
27 March 2020
Message to Higher Education students from Michelle Donelan MP,
Minister of State for Universities
As Universities Minister, I wanted to write to students in higher education to explain the latest developments in the battle against COVID-19.
I want to reassure you that we are doing all we can to keep you safe and to mitigate the worst effects of the virus on you and your education. The Government is working closely with the HE sector on a wide range of issues, and student wellbeing is at the heart of those discussions.
Students in residence halls in England
While many students will already have travelled home, I know that those of you who have not, or cannot, will be concerned about what you should do now.
The Government’s advice is that students remaining at university in England should now stay where they are and not attempt to travel. If you are living in student halls, or private rented accommodation, you should remain there and stay indoors while current restrictions are in force. As the Prime Minister said, staying put and remaining indoors is a crucial step now to slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed, and save the lives of fellow citizens. The government published advice on staying at home here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-othershttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others
Should you or any of your friends fall ill while in your student residence, there is guidance on self-isolating here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settingshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings
I have been discussing with HE providers the additional support that they can give to students. That includes continuing to provide accommodation for those who cannot travel home or have no alternative residence. Providers will also offer a range of other support services to students, including catering and cleaning, and also student health and welfare. We know that providers are bolstering their existing mental health services, and adapting delivery to means other than face-to-face, and these services are likely to be an important source of support for you during this period of isolation. My department is also talking with HE providers to consider how we can offer additional mental health support.
Finals
I am very aware that many of you will be worried about what this means for final exams.
The Office for Students will produce guidance shortly on practical you can complete your studies whilst ensuring quality and standards are maintained. This will cover teaching, continued learning and assessment during this difficult time.
It is important that providers support you and enable you to leave with qualifications that have real value and that reflects your hard work and allow you to progress. I can assure you that we are working closely with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) to ensure this happens.
Visas
On Tuesday 24 March, the Home Office updated their visa guidance to provide greater certainty for international higher education students and staff in the UK currently unable to return home due to COVID-19. This covers three main issues: visa extensions, in-country visa switching and distance learning.
Visa extensions
No individual who is in the UK legally, but whose visa is due to expire, or has already expired, and who cannot leave because of travel restrictions related to COVID-19, will be regarded as an overstayer, or suffer any detriment in the future.
Anyone whose leave expired after the 24 January and who cannot leave the country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation will have their visas extended to 31 May 2020. Individuals must contact the Coronavirus Immigration Team email to advise of their situation – please see contact details further down.
In-country visa switching
Individuals (students or staff) who cannot leave the UK due to travel restrictions or self-isolation and wish to stay in the UK in the long-term would ordinarily need to apply for a visa from their home country. Where individuals would normally be required to return to their country of residence to apply for a visa in a different category, they’ll now be able to apply from the UK to switch.
Distance learning
Tier 4 students are not normally permitted to undertake distance learning courses. However, due to the current exceptional circumstances, the Home Office will not consider it a breach of sponsor duties to offer distance learning to existing Tier 4 students in the UK or who have chosen to return overseas but wish to continue their current studies. Sponsors do not need to withdraw sponsorship in these circumstances.
New international students who have been issued a Tier 4 visa but have been unable to travel to the UK are permitted to undertake distance learning and sponsorship does not need to be withdrawn.
New international students who have not yet applied for a visa but wish to commence a course by distance learning do not need to travel to the UK to do so and therefore do not require sponsorship under Tier 4.
Further information from the Home Office
Full details covering the above visa issues above can be found at the following link: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residentswww.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents
The Home Office’s Coronavirus Immigration Helpline remains open: 0800 678 1767 (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm – calls are free of charge if made from within the UK). The Home Office asks that customers check gov.uk first as that is the central source of information, but if individuals remain concerned about their immigration status they can contact: CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk.
Call for Volunteers
Universities are in the front line in the immediate challenge of the COVID-19 virus. There are many ways that universities will be able to contribute to the fight against the virus, including making their facilities and expertise available.
You may already know people with medical or healthcare knowledge who are involved in fighting COVID-19 and there will be opportunities for more people to do so. The Health Minister this week launched a call for volunteers to support vulnerable people to stay safe and well at home.
If you would like to get involved, you can sign up as a NHS volunteer here: https://url6.mailanyone.net/v1/?m=1jHWIT-0003Hh-4R&i=57e1b682&c=ex3w2tC8C3N0dlqXzcZykkU0ITyFa9ckDbxw1AwJi9q8fp7VVh1kDrPUkQGEKptoDImt8hmeacyC4N-1u7oTD5-8jh-U3BYoMudstWFfmwM_LONNpoTCah8GbVqLJr2hXACeUAHxTk7u2pZCZOw4kQYkzGrQNrYX6TMuvAbi-tjqQY_BelmIZarrd1jSyp1-dthp3imIQsTnfiqS7eMYnCkKEIwCsKhVtnLBMYP3uDM
Finances
I would like to assure you that the Student Loans Company (SLC) is planning to make Term 3 tuition fee payments as scheduled and that you will continue to receive maintenance payments on the scheduled dates, whether or not campuses are closed or learning has moved online. We expect that providers will communicate clearly with residential students on rents for this period and administer accommodation provision in a fair manner.
I am also aware that some students are facing financial difficulties as a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak. The Government is working closely with the HE sector on a wide range of issues, and student wellbeing is at the heart of those discussions. It will be a matter for universities themselves to deal with individual students’ situations. We understand that most universities maintain hardship funds, which can be deployed where necessary. You should also be aware that if you are on a PAYE contract (e.g. part time student work), you may still get 80% of normal income. The guidance is here:
I hope that you find this helpful and informative. We will continue to work with the sector and with student representatives (Student Unions and the NUS). If you think that there is more that we can do, please contact the department.
Michelle Donelan MP
Minister of State for Universities