The COVID-19 pandemic and our precautions

The welfare of students and staff is very important to us and so we have put measures in place to the minimise risks of the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to follow Public Health England guidelines to maintain a safe college community.

COVID-19 precautions

For emergency pastoral or safeguarding concerns please call 07932 724511. Please email reception for any other queries. We review our COVID-19 pandemic precautions regularly to meet government guidelines. Here is a summary of our current precautions:

• Cleaning and sanitising: The college environment is deep cleaned regularly and cleaning stations are located around the college. We sanitise the toilets, surfaces and door handles several times a day
• Social distancing: We enforce social distancing restrictions, where appropriate. Students are reminded about the rules by staff and on notice boards. Our class sizes are capped at 15 students, which enables us to space out desks in classrooms, as much as is practicable. Also, our boarding houses are small and range from 11 to 30 boarders per residence
• Testing and monitoring: Lateral flow tests take place regularly within the colleague community
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including hand sanitisers are at various locations to reduce risks of transmission. We supply face masks for people who do not have them
• Contact with those outside our community is restricted: All students and staff must wear face masks when interacting with people outside their bubble and when outside our community in the city of Oxford
• Large group gatherings are not permitted: This includes moving to ‘online meetings’ when year group meetings are required. As well as this, our Dining Hall rota limits the numbers permitted to eat at the same time.

COVID-19 risk assessments and our precautions:

Our precautions continue to minimise the risks within the school environment:

• Risk Assessment
• Covid Testing Risk Assessment
• Staff Q&A
• Visitors to the college

COVID-19 guidance

The Senior Management Group communicates with parents to make them alert of any changes.

• Government guidance: We follow UK Government and Public Health England guidelines for all aspects of the school provision including Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) and co-curricular activities. As well as these recommendations, common sense and dynamic personal risk assessments are also important in these situations
• NHS support: We have an excellent relationship with the NHS medical practice on Banbury Road and our college nurse continues to stay in touch with them. Alternatively, students may make a personal decision to purchase private medical health insurance.

Travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic

As you may be aware, from 17 May 2021 a traffic light system is in place for travellers to the UK. If you travel from in an amber listed country, you must quarantine for 10 days.

• External guests: Visitors are restricted to prospective students only. External guests must have an appointment and they need to complete a travel and health declaration
• International students and staff arriving from outside the UK: International students need to complete a period of quarantine in the college whilst under the direct care of our pastoral staff and medical team
• Non-resident students, staff, and visitors who have travelled abroad: Non-residential students, staff and visitors must not enter the college until after a period of quarantine.

Restrictions on visitors to the college 

Prospective students: We welcome visits by prospective students (by appointment only) or conduct interviews online.

Alumni: We love to seeing former students, but owing to the current pandemic we are unable to offer tours or welcome visits from alumni.

Oxford is one of the leading research centres for the COVID-19 pandemic

We are proud that the academic city of Oxford is at the forefront of research into the COVID-19 pandemic. As well as having one of the best teaching hospitals in the world, the University of Oxford is making a difference on the implementation of the Covid-19 vaccine, antibody testing and contact tracing. It is a privilege to live in this great city.

Advice from Public Health England

The Boarding Schools Association (BSA) is working with the Government and BSA schools to create a safe environment for young people.