Dear students
It has been my pleasure to welcome you back on campus following the period of online and home-learning.
I have spoken to many of you in person and overwhelmingly you have told me that you are also glad to be back in the classroom and have enjoyed returning to face-to-face studies at the College.
Students returning to the College have benefited from being able to undertake a rapid result Covid-19 test whilst on campus. Once three of these tests have been undertaken in person, you are able to start using home-testing kits.
Home-testing Kits for Students
Home-testing kits are now available for students to collect from Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre (the Sports Halls). If you are attending the testing centre for your 3rd test, a testing kit will be given to you.
You will need to make sure you record the results of these tests in two places.
You should record them on the Government site – the link to access this is in your home-testing kit collection pack.
You should also record your result on the College’s website using the link below.
Register your Covid-19 home testing kit results.
You should make sure you take these tests every 3-5 days. This includes over the Easter holiday period.
Social Distancing
I wish to remind you that there is still the need for social-distancing to be maintained when you are moving about the College or when you are spending time outside of your timetabled classes.
Although you will have had access to a test at College, it is important to ensure that you continue to wear your mask or face-covering when attending College and in all circumstances where 2 metres between yourself and others cannot be maintained.
Replacement masks, should yours become damaged, are available from the Beacon Centre reception free of charge.
Regular Testing for Your Household/Support Bubble
Households and support bubbles of students at College now also have access to Lateral Flow Home Testing kits (sometimes called rapid results tests). As roughly about one in three people with Coronavirus do not have symptoms but can still pass it on to others. These regular tests are now available to help stop the virus spreading.
Home testing kits for households and support bubbles of Blackburn College students are available:
- Through your employer (if they offer testing to employees)
- At a local test site
- By collecting a home test kit from a test site
- By ordering a home test kit online
Collection of Home Test Kits
The closest collection point for Blackburn College is the Coronavirus Test Centre located on the College car park outside Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre. The link below details other collection points that may be more convenient to you.
Find locations of home test kit collection sites.
Ordering Home Testing Kits
You can also order home testing kits online. You can order one pack of home test kits containing seven tests for home delivery. Your tests should arrive within two days.
Further Information
Further information about testing for households and support bubbles is available using the following link. A useful leaflet about the testing process is also available.
Guidance for testing for households/support bubbles.
The testing process explained.
Yours faithfully,
Dr Fazal Dad,
Principal and Chief Executive