Latest updates at a glance

• We are still operating a normal teaching timetable but all learning is taking place remotely subject to Government instructions.
• Following the latest Government announcement that schools and colleges will return to face to face delivery as from 8^th March, the College is currently working on a return plan to enable those students who are required to undertake exams and formal assessments to be prioritised. Tutors will advise their students when they will be required to attend lessons.
• The college's risk assessment for lateral testing can be viewed here.
• The college's Remote Learning Offer can be read here.
• The majority of exams for this term will be cancelled. Further clarification can be viewed below, under the update from 6th January 2021.

Update: 26 February 2021 - 8TH MARCH RETURN TO COLLEGE

Following the latest Government announcement that schools and colleges will return to face to face delivery as from 8^th March, the College is currently working on a return plan to enable those students who are required to undertake exams and formal assessments to be prioritised. Tutors will advise their students when they will be required to attend lessons.

Update: 25 February 2021

Read the college's COVID-19 Testing Privacy Statement here.

Update: 19 January 2021

Read the college's risk assessment for lateral testing here.

Update: 6 January 2021

Despite the lockdown, we are still operating a normal teaching timetable but all learning is happening remotely. Students will be advised of any changes to timetables. Read Central Bedfordshire College's Remote Learning Offer here.

Vocational exams during this half term

The Government announced on the 5^th January 2021 that colleges can decide whether exams ought to go ahead or not during the current period of lockdown, until February half term (w/c 15^th February 2021). The College has considered in detail whether it is possible to run these exams safely for students, invigilators and teachers and whether any student or a group of students would be disadvantaged by not completing them. The guiding principle for the College is that students must not be disadvantaged, including the considerable additional emotional and mental pressure as well as the safety of students and staff. For this reason, we have decided that the majority of exams for this term will be cancelled.  For further clarification of the BTEC exams that are cancelled, please see the table below for the list:

However, please note that the College has decided to go ahead with the following exams, as previously planned, with enhanced Covid-19 safety arrangements in place as this is considered to be more advantageous for learners:

With regard to GCSE summer exams in English and Maths, the Department for Education have confirmed that they are not going ahead.

Whilst we continue to monitor further guidance from the Government, it is absolutely essential that all learners continue to attend their remote learning sessions and continue their learning so that they can progress as normal.

Moving forward, as the Government issues further guidance and any other changes, we will communicate them with you via the College’s website at https://www.centralbeds.ac.uk/coronavirus

Update: 4 January 2021

UPDATE FOLLOWING GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ON 4TH JANUARY: Exams are still going ahead this week as planned. All other learning will take place remotely for the foreseeable future and until further notice.

Update: 3 January 2021

Please see below the new arrangements for the weeks commencing 4^th & 11^th January 2021, in line with the most recently issued guidance by the Government. These arrangements will remain in place subject to last minute changes as a result of any new guidance. We are keeping up to date with new advice and will change arrangements should it prove to be necessary.

• Curriculum:
  • All national exams will go ahead as normal, see full list at the end of this note.
  • All on-demand exams are postponed until further notice, see full list at the end of this note.
  • All your lessons, including English and Maths, will take place remotely as per your normal timetables from 5^th – 15^th January 2021.

• Laptops and other essential equipment:
  • If you had informed us previously of your need for a laptop and/or dongle, you will be contacted by your Learning Area Manager or Learning Area Lead for your date/time slot to come to the Dunstable site to collect one.

• Note to all students:
  • Please check your emails and MSTeams messages, morning, midday and last thing in the day every day from Monday 4^th January until Friday 15^th January inclusive. This is a precautionary measure in case the Government changes the guidance at short notice and/or to keep up to date with your teachers’ messages.
  • If you are formally shielding, you will need to inform your teachers and student services.
  • Normal Covid-19 reporting for students will need to continue as per usual.
  • It is planned that only the Dunstable site will be accessible to staff and students. All other sites are not accessible.

I wish you the best for you and your loved ones for 2021 and beyond.

List of exams that are going ahead:

List of Exams postponed until further notice

Update: 2 November 2020

In light of the recent lockdown announcement and line with official government guidance, the College will continue to operate as normal. We will continue to review the situation and provide updates as soon as we are able to.

All Central Bedfordshire College campuses open under covid-secure plans

Our students are at the heart of our community and during these strange and uncertain times, here at Central Bedfordshire College we are doing everything we can to support and help students achieve their dreams in a safe environment.

We are now open and ready for the new academic year. We have taken all the necessary precautions to ensure your safety as a student, staff or visitor. This includes safe social distancing whilst on-site, sanitisation stations throughout the campus and limiting the number of visitors on campus to those necessary.

Watch our Digital Welcome Pack to find out more. 

September 2020 onwards

Our campuses are open and in operation in accordance with government guidelines. As part of our planning to ensure your learning is undisrupted and you recieve the high-quality and safe education we are known to provide, we have:

• Developed a covid-secure enrolment process to ensure your safety at all times
• Considered flexible timetabling – including models which maximise blended learning (should this become a requirement) 
• Produced alternative plans so we are quickly able to respond to government guidance which we expect to change at various times throughout the year
• Ensured students have access to IT at home
• Invested further in our virtual learning systems and materials

We are conscious that college is very much a time to make new friends, that our events, freshers' fairs, trips, employer events, enrichment, tutorials and guest speakers are very much part of what makes your time at college an enjoyable and rounded experience.nWe are working hard to ensure you have access to these.

Information for current students

Information for Central Bedfordshire College applicants