In response to the Corona situation, the College sent hundreds of PPE items, including aprons, gloves, clinical wipes, and face masks, from her training facilities for health, social care, and engineering.

They have been donated to local providers, Allied Healthcare in Cowgate, and the Gosforth-based Daft As A Brush Cancer Patient Care, as well as the RVI hospital in Newcastle.

Lisa Hamilton-Murray, Assistant Principal at Newcastle College, said: “We use a lot of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) across our training facilities in order for students to train in realistic environments, but the college is currently closed and our students are now continuing their learning remotely.

“We became aware that these organisations were running low on PPE which is vital for them to carry out their valuable work. It was clear that our own PPE could be put to better use and donated to organisations on the front line of this fight. This is one small way in which we can contribute, and we hope that this goes some way to helping them.

It is a challenge moving to remote teaching and learning, particularly for vocational subjects that require practical elements in suitable facilities, which is a huge part of what we offer.
Our teachers are working to be creative, using a lot of video tutorials, and keeping face to face contact wherever they can.

We have encouraged our students not to put too much pressure on themselves, and look after themselves.
The most important thing they can do is to stay engaged with their teachers and their classmates.
English and maths are core to every subject, so those are key to keep up with. If someone is struggling to keep up with lessons or homework, they can speak to their teachers about their expectations and what is most important for their learning, to make sure they’re going to be prepared for a return to school or college. All of our support teams are available, so we’ve made sure our students have access to library resources, learning mentors, etc.”

Newcastle College is currently closed to students, staff and visitors in response to the Covid-19 lockdown, but prospective students can find out more here.
Colleagues are working from home and teaching students remotely to ensure they can continue their education with as little disruption as possible.


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