A message to all Students

Hi all,

Firstly, I'd like to say that I hope you're all well and taking care of yourselves and your families. Times like this can be difficult and can cause many logistical and personal difficulties. I know it's going to be a challenging time in many ways, but I can honestly say that I've never met a more resilient group of people than the staff and students at St Patrick's College, so I know we'll collectively find ways to solve any problems that we face.

Despite the difficulties, our priorities are for teaching and learning at St Patrick's College to continue. I know you'll do everything you can to continue with your studies and we are putting in place measures to support you with this.

These measures may be subject to some slight changes, but we anticipate the following plan being in action for the current days, weeks and perhaps months. We will update you with any changes as and when they occur.

Current Term

• The current term dates will not change, though the college itself will be closed at the end of Friday 20th March, meaning that all teaching will be delivered online from Monday 23rd March onwards.

Summer Term

• A 100% online approach is extremely likely. However, a blended approach is possible, but only if Government advice changes to allow for it, pure face to face teaching is unlikely to occur until Autumn term at the earliest.
• The summer term is due to start on 27th April, with a 13th July submission week. These dates will stand unless you hear otherwise.

Moodle

• We commit to offering you all a minimum of three methods of regular moodle input per unit, as follows;
• 1) A daily posting from tutors - this can be a chatroom post on moodle, a panopto video, an article or reading for students (keep them short and simple), or a relevant video for students to watch. Ready for 9 am each day.
• 2) Weekly discussions instigated by tutors - this can be the running of a moodle forum, skype or webinars.
• 3) Video links - at least one per session/topic/week
• The above is in addition to your regular materials, which will be updated and refined as necessary.

Assessments

• Your methods of assessment will remain the same for the Spring term (current term) unless you are informed otherwise. However, methods of assessment in the summer term may differ. 

• 4 stage approach to weekly tasks for students:
• 1 - Read articles posted.
• 2 - Watch videos posted.
• 3 - Engage in discussions.
• 4 - Complete the assessment element for that week.

Student Support

• Students will have a number of 'key contacts' as follows;
• Named admin contact from student support - who will be making outbound calls to support you all.
• Named personal tutor - who will be making outbound calls and writing email correspondence for you all.
• Named unit teachers - offering moodle and email support. Potentially whatsapp and outbound calls also.
• Dedicated welfare officer support - on-hand for inbound support.
• You will receive a personal email with the names and contact details of your dedicated team of supporters.

Our priority is on delivering online content which is suitable for you all, being supportive and guiding our students towards success...but, perhaps most importantly, we will aim to ensure that you are all engaged by us - both through the learning, we are facilitating and through the community of St Patrick's College, which will remain there for you all.

We know that you are reliant on each and every one of us and we are sure that everyone will pull together to facilitate effective learning environments for you all.

Best wishes,

Rod Brazier.

Vice Principal.