Coronavirus (Covid-19): Latest Information for all staff, students and applicants

RCA current operation

Campuses closed under ‘stay at home’ restrictions

Following the government placing the UK into national lockdown, it has now become law that only essential travel is permitted in England. As a result, all College buildings on all three campuses are now closed to staff and students. Access will now be restricted to essential staff only, including specific Estates & Campus Operations (E&CO) and IT staff, as well as a small number of staff who are involved in the REF submission for pre-agreed work. Students should not travel to our campuses and relevant staff should only do so with permission from their line manager, and with confirmation from E&CO that access will be possible, subject to staff availability on campus.

Teaching, learning, assessment and making continues online

All teaching, learning and assessment activities will continue wholly online. Scheduled ‘burst week’ campus access for making and community building exercises will not be able to take place while our campuses are closed. 

If you are not already in London, you should not travel to London under the new ‘stay at home’ restrictions. 

Support available online

The speed at which government restrictions and instructions issued to universities are changing will be difficult for everyone. We remind you that our Student Support team is available, via remote appointments, for anyone who needs them. Please visit their Moodle pages for more information. 

Staff who need support should contact HR, or make use of the Employee Assistance Programme. 

Collection of work and belongings on campus

To protect the safety of our students and staff under the new lockdown measures, at this stage we cannot facilitate a collection system on our campuses for any work or items. We assume that the majority of students who were on campus during Term 1 will have removed their work and belongings at the end of their School’s previous burst.

However, we are reviewing the situation and E&CO will support a collection service when and if we can. Again, we will provide further updates when they are made available by the government, but please do not travel to any of our campuses until we have issued a further update. Any work that has been left on campus will be safe in the meantime. 

Technical Services and Library support

To ensure the safety of our staff and students, Technical Services support will be wholly online while the College is closed. Click & Collect services will not be able to operate at this time and the Library provision will move to a wholly online service. We will keep you informed of any updates. 

We thank you for your ongoing patience as we respond to these changes to law and guidelines in real time.

Hands. Face. Space.

Approximately 1 in 3 people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and could be spreading it without realising it.

Remember - ‘Hands. Face. Space.’

• hands – wash your hands regularly and for at least 20 seconds
• face – wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet
• space – stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings)

In all circumstances, you should follow the guidance on meeting others safely.

Latest advice on self-isolation if you have symptoms 

Self-isolate immediately if:

• you have any symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
• you've tested positive for coronavirus – this means you have coronavirus
• you live with someone who has symptoms or has tested positive
• someone in your support bubble has symptoms or has tested positive
• you're told by NHS Test and Trace that you've been in contact with a person with coronavirus

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 however mild, you must self-isolate for at least 10 days from when your symptoms started. You should arrange to have a test to see if you have COVID-19 – go to NHS testing to arrange. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

See the latest NHS information and advice on COVID-19, and the latest guidance from Gov.uk.