Since 1948 Moorlands College has been equipping people to transform the church and the world and through the extraordinary work of staff and the amazing resilience of students, we have continued to do this throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Our latest update
We want to see you thrive at Moorlands College and have put things in place to give you confidence that we continue to operate covid-secure measures.
Things to expect in the new academic year (September/October 2021):
- We are committed to face-to-face teaching wherever possible as long as it is safe and legal for us to do this.
- As it currently stands, we are expecting to be operating at Alert Level 4 across all of our locations of delivery.
- We will continue to attend regular government briefings and follow relevant guidelines.
- We will continue to meet regularly as a Covid team to ensure we are reviewing the current guidelines and situations for our Christchurch Campus and across all of our locations of delivery.
- We will continue to encourage regular LFD testing for staff and students. We will let students know about testing requirements and arrangements for arrival and ongoing testing.
- We will maintain good air ventilation and encourage regular hand sanitising as normal practice.
- We may adopt wearing face coverings in certain areas and physical distancing where appropriate.
- We will continue to operate enhanced cleaning regimes.
- We have a robust outbreak plan and support for those required to self-isolate.
Due to the nature of the pandemic causing regular changes, we will keep you informed of any changes as and when they arise. If you have any Covid related concerns or questions, please email corona@moorlands.ac.uk
Alert levels
Our current Christchurch Campus alert level is:
Level 3
as of August 2021
Measures we’ve put into place so far
In March 2020, we taught all lectures online and delivered our degree programmes in accordance with government guidance.
We then opened our Christchurch campus at the start of the academic year (September 2020), and focused on maintaining Covid-secure campuses and learning environments. Where possible, we’ve delivered our Regional Centre block weeks face-to-face or they have been delivered online where needed. We launched the #WeAreReady campaign (featured below on this page) to share how we have been keeping our sites Covid-secure.
We’ve always greatly valued the face-to-face aspect of teaching. This has always been at the heart of our programmes and we have made every effort in the pandemic to find creative solutions to sustain classroom learning in a safe way with a blended learning approach.
In December 2020, we started our mass testing site at our Christchurch Campus to ensure all residential students got home safely for Christmas. This has continued through to May 2021 (when teaching re-started in person) and is ongoing. You can find out more about our measures below.
When the teaching is in person, here are just some of the aspects the college takes into consideration:
- Adjusting the timetable to maximise classroom-based teaching within social distancing parameters, while complementing this with online delivery as and when necessary.
- Ensuring that those who are vulnerable, shielding or in isolation have the opportunity to continue with their studies online.
- Calculating classroom sizes and maximum numbers of students allowed in spaces.
- Scoping out local venues to use as additional classroom space where needed – again to maximise classroom-based delivery.
- Making plans for implementing social distancing protocols across all areas of the campus and where appropriate making alterations to facilities.
- Adapting the communal and residential areas and how catering is managed.
- Considering alternative options and social distancing measures for delivery of block weeks at our Christchurch campus and in our Regional Centres.
- Considering how Placements may be affected in the new academic year.
This list is not exhaustive but gives some insight into the types of discussions and plans that are taking place. We continue to monitor the situation closely at weekly meetings and as an Executive Leadership Team (ELT).
We are very much focused on keeping everyone safe and we continue to be guided by Government advice. We will keep you informed as staff, students, applicants, parents and friends of Moorlands.
Mass testing scheme
As a college, we are currently taking part in the Government’s Higher Education (HE) mass testing scheme. This was the most efficient way to facilitate our residential students getting home safely for Christmas. We are offering the test to all students but it won’t be relevant for some of them.
The Sports Hall at our Christchurch Campus has become a mass testing site and we have a team running the testing programme. The Lateral Flow Test (LFT) is quick and gives results in as little as 15 minutes, and each student taking part has two tests over three days. We’re operating a ‘test and dispatch’ scheme so once the second test has taken place, if it is negative, students leave our campus to go home fairly promptly.
By taking part in this scheme, we hope to help students to get home safely and with confidence that they are only spreading joy this Christmas, not Covid! Thank you to everyone who has been part of this scheme and who has worked so hard to keep our students, and their families, safe.
Introduction to #WeAreReady
In the first of these #WeAreReady videos, Karen Todd (Director of Communications) and Andy du Feu (Executive Director) focus on the re-opening of our Christchurch Campus. Watch the video below.
Ethos of Moorlands College #WeAreReady
Ian Coffey (Vice Principal Strategy) takes us through the ethos of Moorlands College and how this will continue despite the challenges that Covid-19 has brought. Watch the video below.
Keeping you safe #WeAreReady
We’re delighted that you can be back on-site with us at Moorlands College. We greatly value the face-to-face aspect of teaching and this has always been at the heart of our programmes. We’re focused on creating COVID-secure locations and learning environments to allow us to operate safely, as Government guidance allows.
We have introduced measures to keep everyone safe and feeling comfortable at our Christchurch Campus and Regional Centres. In this video, we’ll talk you through these measures and the various icons you’ll see across the site. Please help us to keep you safe by familiarising yourself with their meanings. Watch our latest video below.
College Life #WeAreReady
Are you ready? We are! 🙋🏽 🙋🏽♂️
It’s been so great to welcome many of our placement-based students back onsite for their study blocks at our Christchurch Campus. ☀️
If you haven’t joined us onsite yet, here’s the perfect video for you. Our team have brought several key areas of college life to the screen to show you how we’ll be keeping you safe when you’re on campus with us. 🌳
We’ll see you very soon!
Thank you to Karen (Director of Communications), Andy du Feu (Executive Director), Helen (Acting Director of Studies and Lecturer in Applied Theology) and Dave (Chef) for updating us and for all of your hard work in keeping us safe. Watch the College Life update below.
Principal’s Welcome #WeAreReady
Our Principal, David Hilborn, concludes our #WeAreReady video series by summarising our measures that we’ve put in place to keep you safe. We also hear from some of our students who’ve joined us this week. Watch the update below.
Student and applicant Q&A
What if I develop symptoms of Covid-19? If you develop any of the main symptoms of Covid-19 (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste), you must either phone College Reception or email corona@moorlands.ac.uk to let them know and follow NHS advice (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/). Current advice is that you must self-isolate – do not leave your room or have visitors. You must get a test as soon as possible to check if you have covid-19. Do not go to places like a GP surgery, hospital or pharmacy. Book an appointment at a drive-through or walk-through test site or ask for a home test kit to be delivered to you. The test must be done in the first five days of having symptoms. You must self-isolate until you get the results of the test.What if someone in my household develops symptoms of Covid-19? As soon as you become aware of this, you must email corona@moorlands.ac.uk or phone College Reception to check that they know and follow NHS advice (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/). Current advice is that everyone in the household group must self-isolate for 14 days from when the first person in your household started having symptoms. Anyone in the household should also get a test, as above, if they develop symptoms.
What if I am told to self-isolate? If you receive an instruction to self-isolate either by phone or in the NHS app students should return to their bedroom, email corona@moorlands.ac.uk and await further instructions. If you are non-residential, you should self-isolate and email corona@moorlands.ac.uk and await further information.
What if I someone in my household is told to self-isolate? If someone in your campus-based household receives an instruction to self-isolate either by phone or in the NHS app, they should return to their bedroom, email corona@moorlands.ac.uk and await further instructions. You will be contacted and told if you need to self-isolate and given further instructions. If you are non-residential and somebody in your household is told to self-isolate, you should email corona@moorlands.ac.uk with details and await further information.
What if I am unable to attend a face-to-face class due to the coronavirus? If you are unable to attend a class that is meeting physically at any point — for example, if you’ve been in close contact with somebody who has Covid-19 — you will be able to engage in all sessions virtually. What if there are further lockdown measures? We will deliver materials virtually over our Microsoft Teams platform as we have done successfully during the lockdown period and will communicate with you as government guidance changes.
Who can access the library? Our library is now closed. If you’re a student, you can access library resources via delivery or click and collect services. Please contact our librarian for more information. We are busy working on improving our excellent digital resources – and do remember that you can search our physical and digital catalogue on the Heritage library platform on the VLE.
Christchurch Campus Households
What can I do with people in my household? As long as all in the household remain healthy, you can continue to sit, eat, socialise and interact normally together, without physical distancing. You should however remember to respect each other’s privacy, wash your hands regularly and follow other relevant government guidance.What can I do with students in other households? You must follow current government guidelines around physical distancing. This includes all situations, such as during lectures, at meals, in groups or socialising.
If I am in an established relationship when and where am I allowed to see my partner? There are exceptions for those in established relationships who don’t live together. Those in established relationships are exempt from the Government’s social distancing guidelines (please see separate document).
How do I know what rules to follow with other activities? Please email corona@moorlands.ac.uk to ask about your activity. We will determine which category it primarily falls into and advise you accordingly. We filter activities into six categories: education, worship, social, workplace, placement or charity. We will decide what category something falls into and give you the relevant guidelines to follow.
What about when I go out to my placement, for shopping or to leisure spaces? You must follow current government guidance. Currently, for shopping, it should be done with relevant physical distancing and with face coverings. If you are unsure about other scenarios, please email corona@moorlands.ac.uk.
What happens if I want to go home, or stay with family or friends, for the weekend? Your household at College is semi-permanent and will be your active household for the duration of each term. If you visit home during term, you cannot flip back to being part of a family household. Your family, or any other place you stay, will be a separate household and you must adhere to physical distancing. Remember that anything you do may result in increased risks to others in your College household.
What happens at the end of term? When term finishes and you move off campus, your College household stops and you can then be part of another household, such as family. That will remain until you return to College at the start of the following term and College households re-form as your active household.
Non-residential
I’m campus-based but not residential, am I part of a college household? Households are formed when a group of people live in the same building and share facilities such as bathrooms, so this will not normally apply to you as a non-residential student. It is likely that you and the people you live with off-campus will be a household, and it is currently not possible to be part of two households. An exception to that is where someone lives alone; it may be possible to form a “support bubble” with a specific College household. You should email corona@moorlands.ac.uk to ask about doing this. Again, current government guidelines will apply.I’m placement-based or at a Regional Centre; during block weeks will I be part of a College household? Whether you are attending a block week at our Christchurch campus or one of our Regional Centres you will not become part of a household bubble. These block weeks last for 4 or 5 days at a time, which is simply not long enough to form a semi-permanent household, so your regular home-based household will remain your active one. You and your fellow block week students must observe relevant physical distancing at all times. Individual arrangements will be implemented during block weeks to manage use and cleaning of shared bathrooms.
I study at a Regional Centre; what are the rules for my block weeks? You will get further information consistent with the current guidelines with specific information regarding your block weeks.
How will my Placement work, especially if there are further restrictions? If you are unsure about any element of your Placement, please stay in touch with the Placements team as they will be able to guide you.
I’m campus-based and worried about Block Placement In response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, we are creating a wider window for your 150-hour block placement. For the 2020-21 academic year, you will be permitted to undertake your placement any time from the February reading week into the first three weeks of the Easter vacation (7th February – 11th April 2021). If circumstances require, it will be possible to spread your hours over a period longer than the usual 5-weeks, and to complete your block placement with your weekly placement setting -although accommodation will need to be considered with the Placements Team, Facilities Manager and the placement church. You should seek the approval of the placement manager before agreeing either of these things with the placement. Given the current travel restrictions in place, we advise Level 6 students not to book overseas placements at this time. We will review the potential for block placements abroad later in the Autumn term with reference to relevant government guidelines.
