It’s safety first as college reopens
Forth Valley College is looking forward to welcoming back students and staff following five months of lockdown - with a host of safety measures in place.
The college has followed Scottish Government guidance in order to resume campus operations in Stirling, Alloa and Falkirk.
A general risk assessment for Covid-19 has been approved and supported by unions, additional cleaning equipment for each campus has been purchased including disinfecting tunnels and ultra violet light cleaning machines, and enhanced deep cleaning processes have been introduced such as a fogging system taking place at each campus when it is empty.
College task forces have been working with support and teaching departments to provide guidance for return to campus, making them acquainted with the redesign of classrooms, workshops, laboratories, refectories and flexible spaces to implement social distancing.
This new normal will also include information on what fixtures, fittings and equipment should be cleaned after each lesson.
They have also worked with Directors of Curriculum to review workshops and practical spaces to ensure workable physical distancing regulations are in place and have agreed wherever possible, that students will be assigned to the same classroom for each day, utilising the same piece(s) of equipment.
Glass screens have been installed at key contact point areas and a keep left system implemented to allow for an easy flow of students to and from their classrooms or workshops, with new signage put up.
Communications to staff, students and partners have included regular news items and videos and FAQS are available on the college website.
Staff, student and visitor guides have also been drafted and the Communications and Marketing Department will continue to issue regular e-zines and texts to new student applicants, current students, staff, partners and employers.
College principal Dr Ken Thomson OBE said: “I’ve been waiting for five long months for the moment to announce we are ready to welcome our students and staff back to FVC and help begin the process of economic, social and educational recovery in the communities we serve.
“Since 2013 when I became Principal, our Making Learning Work ethos has been the driving force that my colleagues and I have lived by. This was true before lockdown, it was true during lockdown, and it will be true as we emerge from lockdown and look to the future with cautious confidence.
“Support for our staff and students is our key priority and we have been developing initiatives and services to make sure they can maintain a good sense of health and wellbeing throughout this challenging period, including an advice line for any issues they may have.
“We know that the challenges of remote work/study has undoubtedly caused issues.
“Many of our staff will have young families and have been home schooling, many may be caring for older relatives and some may live alone. We have been consciously helping them to maintain a healthy work-life balance throughout lockdown, which will be of benefit to everyone in the long run and we will always be there to help that continue as we push forward in the future.
“Our rapid switch from ‘face to face’ teaching on March 17 to online learning took a great effort, but because we had been sector leading in promoting distance learning and working remotely, our curriculum and support teams rose seamlessly to the challenge and are now sector leading in Scotland in this regard.
“This will stand us in good stead moving forward and our staff will use their new skills to benefit our students. Our high standards and quality will remain the same, but our delivery will be slightly different. We will now have an element of online remote working blended into course content as we all adjust to a new type of further and higher education.
“I am very proud of all my staff who have worked tirelessly, despite the challenges of lockdown, to ensure most of our students either completed their studies and gained the qualification they were hoping for, or were able to finish the current year and continue their studies with FVC.”