On 11 March 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) officially named COVID-19 as a pandemic.

Public Health England (PHE) and WHO are working with other international partners to constantly monitor the situation.

We would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that Harrogate College takes the health and safety of its students and staff very seriously. We are carefully monitoring the situation and will keep you informed of any updates. In the meantime, students and colleagues are encouraged to continue to attend as normal.

Infections such as colds and influenza are very common in the UK at this time of year. For the time being, if you develop viral symptoms, you should manage these as you usually would. 

Advice for travellers and returning travellersBelow is nationally recognised advice for anyone due to travel or returning travellers.

Returning travellersStay indoors and avoid contact with other people (self-isolation) if you have travelled to the UK from the following locations in the last 14 days, even if you do not have symptoms:

• Iran
• Italy
• Hubei province in China
• Special care zones in South Korea (Daegu, Cheongdo, Gyeongsan)

Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people if you have travelled to the UK from the following places in the last 14 days and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath, even if your symptoms are mild:

• Cambodia
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Laos
• Macau
• Mainland China (outside the Hubei province)
• Malaysia
• Myanmar
• Singapore
• South Korea (outside of the special care zones)
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Vietnam

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Instead, use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next. In Scotland, call your GP or NHS 111. In Wales, call 111 (if available in your area) or 0845 4647.

Advice to travellers to and from mainland ChinaThe Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) latest travel advice is that all Brits in China should leave the country if they can, to minimise their risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Additionally, the FCO advises against all travel to Hubei Province and all but essential travel to the rest of mainland China (not including Hong Kong and Macao).

Advice to travellers

Brits travelling or living overseas should check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s official travel advice. 

Frequently asked questions

Q:What is coronavirus (COVID-19)?A: Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that are common across the world. The coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus that was first identified in Wuhan, China. 

Q: What are the symptoms of COVID-19?A: Typical symptoms of COVID-19 include fever and a cough that may progress to severe pneumonia causing shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Generally, COVID-19 can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people and those with long-term conditions such as diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.

Q: How does coronavirus spread?
A: As this is a new illness, we do not know exactly how it spreads from person to person, however, similar viruses are spread in cough droplets. It’s very unlikely it can be spread through things like packages or food.

Official advice emphasises the importance of hand hygiene to protect yourself from infection and important hygiene practices to follow include: carry tissues and use them to catch coughs and sneezes, then bin the tissue and wash hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser if this is not available.

Q: Should I really be worried about COVID-19?A: We would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that we recognise the seriousness of this situation. Though we would urge staff, students and parents/carers not to panic, we do encourage everyone to continue to follow government advice such as maintaining good hand hygiene.

Q: Is there a vaccine or cure for COVID-19?A: At the moment there is no vaccine or cure for COVID-19, though a vaccine is being researched and developed. Antibiotics will not help as they do not work against viruses. Treatment aims to relieve the symptoms while your body fights the illness and you will need to self-isolate until you have recovered.

Q: What does self-isolate mean?A: If you are advised to self-isolate this means you should stay at home and avoid contact with others for 14 days after your arrival. You should contact NHS 111 for advice and should not visit your GP or hospital. Anyone in self-isolation can resume normal activities after the two-week period as long as they have not developed a fever, breathing difficulties or cough. If you feel unwell during this time, contact NHS 111 immediately.

Q: Is my immigration status affected?A: The Home Office recognises that some individuals in the UK are unable to return to China. The guidance states: “Due to travel restrictions because of coronavirus some individuals may be facing uncertainty in relation to the expiry date of their current visa or leave to remain in the UK. The Home Office understands that in many cases this is because of circumstances outside of your control. Subject to guidance, most people in the UK whose immigration status is affected by coronavirus will get an automatic visa extension until 31 March 2020. More information on visas is available on the government website.

Q: What is Harrogate College doing about COVID-19?A: We are following official advice from the UK government and Public Health England. Additionally, we are taking precautionary measures such as cancelling our March events and ensuring all staff and students can access hand sanitiser. We are monitoring the situation and putting in place contingency plans, all necessary information will be communicated to staff and students as required.

Q: How will Harrogate College keep me updated with information?A: Students will receive any important updates via text. We have spotted some fake new stories circulating on social media, if you spot any fake news stories or have any queries feel free to contact us.

Contacts and resources
If you are a member of staff and are concerned that you (or another member of staff) are affected by the situation please contact your line manager. 

The below general resources are trusted sources that may be helpful if you wish to learn more about coronavirus and keep up-to-date on the situation.

Please note, we encourage all of our staff and students to act based on advice from official channels such as those listed below.

NHS COVID-19 page
Official NHS information and advice on coronavirus can be found on the official COVID-19 page on the NHS website. This includes an overview, recommendations for self-isolation, information on the 111 coronavirus service, information on the disease and how to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus.

UK government guidance
The UK government continues to update its official website with new advice, guidance and policies relating to the coronavirus outbreak.

Government responseUpdated information relating to the government’s response to COVID-19 including stay at home guidance, NHS information, guidance for health professionals, travel advice and the number of cases can be found here.

Government action planMore information on the government’s action plan including existing measures and potential future actions as well as information on the contain, delay and mitigation phases can be found here.

Government information for the publicInformation on the number of cases and risk level in the UK, advice on what to do if you have symptoms and details on the government’s response can be found here.

WHO updates
To see a summary of the COVID-19 timeline alongside rolling updates from WHO on the coronavirus disease, click here.

National Apprenticeship Week is fast approaching and Harrogate College will be joining the celebrations again this year.

It will have a stand at the Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair (LARF) taking place at Leeds Direct Arena on Monday 3 February.

LARF is the largest apprenticeship exhibition in the north and the college will be among approximately 100 companies recruiting apprentices.

Harrogate College offers a wide range of apprenticeships at every level, from entry to degree. Successful candidates split their time between work and college, combining learning, earning and gaining experience needed to develop throughout their career.

The college will also be running an apprenticeship roadshow at its campus on 5 February.

The Apprenticeship team will be available to talk to potential apprentices about the steps involved, as well as information for employers looking to take on an apprentice.

Lee Pryor, Director of Apprenticeships at Harrogate College said: “We’re are excited to be getting involved in the Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair that brings together leading companies to offer potential apprentices opportunities to kick-start their careers.

“Employers are also at the heart of what we do and will gain insight and information on how we can work together to bridge the skills gap in a number of sectors. This includes engineering, health and social care, digital & IT and more.”

Pryor added: We are committed to bringing employers and young people together to provide real opportunities for them to find out what career path they want to take and to help employers find the right candidates for their organisations.”

National Apprenticeship Week 2020 is running until 9 February this year. For the first time, the week has been extended to include the weekend, giving the entire apprenticeship community more opportunity to get involved with activities.

See bus schedule below:

Wednesday 5 February

Harrogate College

9am – 2pm

At the start of the academic year, 12 young people including Harrogate College students met once a week during term time to learn about policing and the law. They were involved in sport and drill sessions and at the end of December, they took their cadet oath in front of senior officers, family, friends, special guests and college staff. 

The students will now be expected to volunteer an additional three hours per month to policing activities to help their local community.

 Helen Garnham, Director of Curriculum at Harrogate College, said: “We are extremely proud to be able to support this fantastic project, giving young people of Harrogate as well as our students a fantastic opportunity to immerse themselves in something so worthwhile.

“It benefits them personally as well as our local community. We look forward to following their progress over the coming year”. 

Harrogate is the fourth volunteer police cadet unit opened by North Yorkshire Police and aims to encourage confidence and positive citizenship among young people.

Our Childcare tutor, Susan Robson, would like to recognise two of her students for their outstanding achievements. Chloe Jackson and Annie Everson both studied the CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Childcare & Education.

Chloe passed her course above her target grade with an overall A and successfully secured her place at Leeds Beckett University to study social work.

She said “I have really enjoyed my two years at Harrogate College. I have learnt a great deal on my course and developed my study skills; I am much better at time management, and can now prioritise my work and am better organised. I have also passed my GCSE English, which is another goal that Harrogate College has helped me to achieve. During my course, I completed a work placement and this experience increased my confidence and developed my work skills.”

Annie also successfully completed her course and achieved above her predicted grade, with an A. This has resulted in Annie receiving a scholarship award to progress to university to study child psychology.

She said; “I really enjoyed my experience at college; I have felt very welcomed by all my tutors and peers on my course. The course was exactly what I thought it was going to be and helped me to develop many skills such as my organisation and time management. My placement developed my work skills and I now feel more confident in new situations and when communicating with people.”

Harrogate College has enjoyed a rich year of public theatre performances by the students working towards an award or diploma in performing and production arts.

Late May saw the premier of Zero for the Young Dudes! performed by a cast of 10. The students included a mix of both Level 1 and 2 students in their first year. The play was set against a political backdrop of tension between younger and older generations, resulting in a rebellion of the millennials which landed them in prison camp.

In June, the Level 3 second years took us back to 1930s’ Berlin in their production of Cabaret the Musical at Oatlands Mount Club. Students Fred Cash and Ella McCann played the leading man and lady in post-world war I Germany, as the Nazis were gaining power. The story centred on the doomed lovers in this dark period.  

Other performances included Artaud, Brecht & Grotowski Project and Want by the Level 1 and 2 students. Second year Level 3 students working for their extended diploma performed Status Update and Specialist Projects – Comedy, Improv, K-Pop and Voice Over.

All of our performing arts students were able to display their talents at Saint Wilfrid’s Church Hall for the 2018 Christmas Variety Show. 

The success of all our theatre performances this year shows the confidence, professionalism and determination of our students.

Keep checking for updates about any upcoming performances for the 2019-20 academic year!

MA Creative Practice student, Robyn Barratt, tells us about her experience on the course and getting her dream job as an interior designer.

What made you choose this course?

Prior to my MA, I was studying for my degree, and gaining hands-on experience as an interior designer was my main focus. I wanted to stay close to my home town, Knaresborough, during studying, to allow me to focus on finding a job within the field. My degree led me on to my MA course alongside working full-time, so again I wanted a local flexible place to study. I also built a good relationship with the college so it made sense to stay there for my next educational step. 

How was your experience on this course?

The tutors at Harrogate College are more than happy to help. The staff in the workshop (especially Chris Poole) are so helpful and try to find a solution to any problem you come across. 

What were your main achievements?

My main achievement throughout this MA has been creating seven pieces of furniture from scratch. In my everyday job I create visual furniture and gaining skills for the physical side of furniture-making has been a huge learning curve.

How did you become an interior designer?

While studying BA Hons Interior Design, I knew how important first-hand experience would be so I made a list of every interior design showroom in Harrogate and determinedly went around handing out a CV and a small portfolio. This led to a job with a small interior design firm where I worked for over three years. 

Tell us a bit more about your role.

My role as an interior designer consists of designing client spaces; whether this is a bathroom, bedroom, kitchen or cinema room. I am involved with the full customer experience from taking their details to going out and measuring the space, creating a presentation of what the new space will look like and pricing this up accordingly. I specialise more in the design side where I create realistic CGIs (computer generated images) so the customer can see a realistic visual of what their new space will look like. 

What inspires your work?

I keep up-to-date with trends and network with reps to find out the latest products. This keeps my designs fresh and full of new ideas. Customers also can inspire my work with particular briefs that I wouldn’t come across every day. 

What’s next for you?

From leaving school I started my degree and then straight on to my master’s. I love education, however I am excited to have the chance to focus mainly on my career as there is still a lot to learn within the field of interior design. VR (virtual reality) is something which has become more popular over the last few years which is something I will consider learning about soon.  

Harrogate College celebrated the work of its MA Creative Practice students with exhibits from students from year 1 and 2 of this part-time course, featuring the work of artist in residence for 2018 -19, Angela Hall.

The college welcomed the mayor and mayoress of Harrogate to the event which made it extra special. They expressed their admiration for the high quality work and diversity of creative practice on display and offered their continuing commitment to supporting the Higher Education art and design courses at Harrogate College.

Danny Wild, the new principal of the college commented on the high standard of work and took the opportunity to talk to students about their experiences on the course.

MA Creative Practice offers a diverse collection of art practice and the show was indicative of that extraordinary diversity with students producing an extremely high calibre of work across their specialist fields.

Photographer Christopher Mainprize showed his mesmerising landscape photographs where he created photo-impressionistic pictures, embracing alternative ways of depicting time and space in a photographic based medium.

Stacey Sinclair, another photographer, utilised traditional analogue photography and historic dark room techniques to create two series which explored General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and depression. Her photographs are hauntingly beautiful hand-painted art pieces.

Robyn Barratt in complete contrast focused on millennials who in the future might adopt a more positive attitude towards the threat of ‘stuffocation’. She designed furniture of the future that would be returned to a warehouse where items are upcycled and recycled to reproduce new furniture which is on trend and incorporates up-to-date technology.

Sasha Bilbija’s final MA exhibition was a sensory and hyper-real showcase influenced by 19th century design theory and her son Theo, who has autism. The colourful and lively designs were a playful modern interpretation of iconic patterns by William Morris.

And finally, Gordon Wheatley’s intention with his Aerial photography was to show how nature if left alone was reclaiming disused industrialised areas. By using drones he showed these landscapes from a different perspective.

Also attending were alumni of the college now working on their own professional practice and students taking up places on the course this year.

Simon Hill who has done various photography workshops with the students in 2018-19 kindly offered to take photographs of the evening for the college.

The exhibition is open for viewing at the college until 13 September.

Harrogate College which has been part of the Hull College Group since 2008 will officially join the Luminate Education Group, one of the largest further education providers in the North, on 1 August 2019.

Committed to providing its 26,000 students and the 1400 full and part-time students at Harrogate College with the best education, Hull College Group, which provides a wide range of vocational courses for students aged 14-upwards in further education, higher education and adult education undertook a rigorous four-stage process to identify a suitable successor.

Luminate Education Group, which includes Leeds City College, Keighley College, Leeds College of Music and the White Rose Academies Trust, was chosen as it offered a further and higher education provision plus a wide range of vocation courses which will support and complement the education programmes at Harrogate College.

All 164 staff from Harrogate College will transfer to Leeds City College and Hull College Group will be working closely with Luminate Education Group to ensure a smooth transition. It will be business as usual at Hull College Group which includes Hull College and Goole College with no impact on staff and students.

Michelle Swithenbank, CEO at Hull College Group said: “We are handing over a strong local college which is in good health, to Luminate. We wish Harrogate College every future success.

“We’re focused on growing Hull College and Goole College and continuing to provide the best education and to serve our local communities.”

Colin Booth, CEO at Luminate Education Group said: ““Welcoming Harrogate College to the group is another step forward and will mean benefits for both students and staff. This news will mean that the Luminate Education Group has responsibility for 30,000 students in total, further proving our role in nurturing the skills for the future in Yorkshire, and beyond.”

Kevin Williams, Principal at Harrogate College said: “Harrogate College has benefited from the expertise of Hull College Group over a number of years. There is great opportunity for Harrogate College in the Luminate Group arising from geographic proximity and the opportunity to share best practice across the group. Our recent campus redevelopment, alongside this news, puts us in great shape for the future.”

The plans have been assessed by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and the Further Education (FE) Commissioner, with the official move from Hull College Group taking place with effect from 1 August 2019.