14 October 2020
This September, we’ve welcomed thousands of new and returning learners through the doors of our five campuses for the start of another academic year. Following an unusual summer of Coronavirus restrictions and feelings of uncertainty for everyone, we’ve been working hard to put the safety of our learners and staff first by making our campuses safe for the return to learning, and we’re settling into the new term well.
Behind the scenes, we’ve been busy creating one-way systems in our campuses, installing hand sanitising dispensers, deep cleaning classrooms, and displaying posters and resources to help make Coleg Gwent COVID secure. We’re following all Welsh Government guidance and encouraging everyone to maintain a 2 metre social distance, wash their hands regularly and avoid gathering in large groups. There have been a lot of changes to get used to on campus and we’re very grateful to see the majority of you are complying and helping us by following the rules.
As a college, we decided to provide all learners with a free COVID-19 hygiene kit during the first term to prepare and equip them for being on campus. The kits included two re-usable face masks, hand sanitiser and cleaning wipes to further reduce the risk of spreading Coronavirus, and reassure learners and staff that we’re doing everything we can to keep learning going while keeping everyone safe.
First year learner Libby from Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone likes the fact that the college has a one-way system for safety and everyone must always wear masks. She commented that there are noticeable precautions in place and it’s very well organised. Similarly, Ethan, Level 1 Plumbing learner at the City of Newport campus thinks it’s been well managed on campus and it’s great that facemasks were supplied for learners.
In total, we distributed over 15,000 face masks to our learners, more than 10,000 hand sanitisers and around 7,500 packs of cleaning wipes. Alongside our other safety precautions, it’s made many of you feel safer and more confident on campus.
We hope our safety precautions and COVID-19 hygiene kits provide you with confidence being on campus and we thank you for helping us keep the college COVID-secure and keep learning going at this unusual time. Visit our COVID page for more information and the latest COVID-19 updates.