Month: August 2020
Students enrolling at CONEL say they ‘feel safe and reassured’ ahead of their studies in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. They join the hundreds of students that have already enrolled at CONEL and our sister colleges, City and Islington College and Westminster Kingsway College, with many more expected over the next month.
Throughout the summer, the college has been putting measures in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 and is encouraging students to come to its centres to enrol, to give them the reassurance they need for when their course starts in September.
CONEL is also offering free courses for 16-18s and up to Level 2 to adults again, as well as free short courses up to Level 3 as the country looks to recover from the impact of COVID-19.
Carlet Biyeya, 16, who is looking to study a Business Level 3 Diploma, said: “I feel safe in this environment. All the staff are keeping their distance when you enrol, and when we go to college we’ll have online classes, which gives us less chance of getting coronavirus.
“I’m excited to be studying here because I’ve never felt the vibe of being at college. I’m looking forward to exploring that new part of my life.”
Sadia Mobasshir, 18, who is returning to study a Health and Social Care Level 3 Diploma, said: “I think everything is going to be alright. The college is doing everything it can and hopefully it will be a bit more normal now. I feel safe and reassured about coming back.
“I’ve missed coming to college and my friends, and my teachers as well, they’re so nice.”
To reduce the number of people in buildings at any time, lessons will be given through a mix of online and classroom learning, with the proportion of online and classroom learning varying depending on the course.
When in college, students and staff will follow social distancing rules with one-way systems in place and staggered start and finish times. Classrooms have been reorganised and there will be limited access to lifts and other public spaces in the building where people could congregate. Hand sanitisers are also available, and an enhanced and more frequent cleaning regime is in place at all sites.
Staff and students will also receive a COVID-19 handbook that gives information about the safety measures in place, as well as a guide on what to do if they get any symptoms.
They will be required to check in and out of college using their ID card and all visitors will be required to complete a ‘track and trace’ form before they can enter a building.
Roy O Shaughnessy, CEO of Capital City College Group, said: “We are proud of our long record of educating Londoners of all ages, but this year has been a very different and exceptional one in many ways.
“We have followed the Government advice along with that provided by the World Health Organization and others, and have taken timely decisions to ensure that the health and safety of our staff and students are always at the forefront of our minds.
“Infection rates in London have reduced considerably, but we cannot be complacent. Our priority is always to ensure the safety of our staff and students, while ensuring that students can continue to learn.”
As well as supporting students’ safety for the new academic year, we are also helping hundreds get online so they can learn effectively at home as well as in college.
Since the lockdown started in March, CCCG has provided more than £188,000 to help provide 577 students purchase laptops and 3,500 get equipment to get internet access, but wants to do more.
The Group has launched a Laptops4Learners campaign to provide 2,500 laptops and raise £250,000 to help buy more equipment to enable them to study at home. Click here to find out more and support the campaign.
Students are celebrating high grades in this year’s GCSE results despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) saw 33 per cent of students pass with 9-4 grades in English and 34 per cent in maths. This year’s results were based on the calculated assessment grades (CAGs) awarded by schools and colleges, after exams were cancelled due to Covid-19. Lessons continued virtually during lockdown so students could complete their course and will be taught through a mixture of on-site and online learning from September.
CONEL’s high achievers
CONEL’s high achievers included Yusuf Korkmaz, 18, who achieved a grade 9 in maths and is going to study an IT Level 3 Diploma and for a GCSE in English at CONEL.
He said: “This makes me so happy. It’s perfect. The online teaching was good. I’d have preferred to go to college, but I managed to learn everything the teachers taught me.
My teacher was very good. If you didn’t understand a topic, he would go through it again and made sure you wouldn’t forget what you’d learnt.
He was also really supportive. If there was something wrong on your course or in your life, he would always give you advice.”
Leopoldo Luccardi
Also among this year’s top performers Leopoldo Luccardi, 51, who gained a grade 8 in maths and a grade 5 in English.
Leopoldo took the course after becoming concerned about his career in the aerospace industry and was recently furloughed.
He said: “I am very pleased with my grades. I did not expect these results, and it just shows the hard work I put in. I cannot believe it! It’s amazing and wonderful.
“Online learning was strange at the beginning but became more normal. The teachers were fantastic and they provided a lot of material and information.”
Fiorentina Agachi,
Fiorentina Agachi, 33, is going to study an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Biosciences at CONEL’s sister college, City and Islington College, after achieving a grade 7 in English and maths.
She quit her job as a dental practice manager to return to college and hopes to go to university next year to study dentistry.
Fiorentina said: “After all the A Level results I wasn’t sure what to believe. I was feeling anxious and tried not to worry about it, but it was a nice surprise this morning.
“Learning online wasn’t much different to being in the classroom. The teachers were all very professional and had a lot of experience. They were very patient with us and explained what they had to well, and I would like to thank them in person some time.”
CONEL offers GCSEs in English, Maths and Combined Science as well as functional skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.
CONEL Principal Kurt Hintz said: “This has been one of the toughest years I have known in education, and I want to praise our students for their hard work, commitment and resilience to keep on learning throughout lockdown.
I congratulate them all on their achievements and wish them the very best of luck as they progress to the next stage in their lives, whether they are continuing their education or starting a career.”
Click here to Enrol Now for English, Maths and ESOL courses.
Update: 19 August 2020
Our students will receive their GCSE results tomorrow via email, reflecting the new guidance from the government. We are awaiting further information from Ofqual and will update this page accordingly.
We have been advised this afternoon by Pearson (the Awarding Body for BTECs) that they will be reviewing and regrading many Level 1 and Level 2 BTEC qualifications, as well as some at Level 3. We’re sorry, but we cannot issue any results for these BTECs until we have received new grades from Pearson. In the meantime, Pearson have asked schools and colleges not to issue results to students for the above qualifications. More detail is in Pearson’s statement here.
We will update this page as soon as we get more information.
Here you can find some key information you may need to go alongside the results.
TRANSCRIPTION OF VIDEO
Welcome to the Capital City College Group briefing about the summer 2020 results. My name is David Dangana, I am the Director of Quality at CCCG which is the group name for City and Islington College, Westminster Kingsway College and the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London and I want to use this opportunity to explain the support we are going to be providing you, our current students with regards to your results.
We understand how unsettling the last few months may have been for you, since the college was closed and exams were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As you are aware, your results are based on centre assessed grades and standardisation by the Awarding Organisations under the guidance of Ofqual. For more information about how the results you received were reached, please refer to the Ofqual Student Handbook which gives you information about that and what you can do next and you will find on this webpage.
As a college, we are here to support you to the next stage of your life – further or higher education, training or work. I will use this briefing to explain what you can do after you receive your results. In the event that you have not yet received your results, please contact the exams department at your college. All A Level and level 3 qualifications should be released on the 13 August 2020 and GCSE and level 2 qualification on the 20 August 2020. A lot of the other qualifications are being released on a daily basis and we will ensure that you receive your results as soon as possible.
As a college, if we feel that the awarding organisations have made a procedural or administrative error in producing the results of our own current students, I want you to be rest assured that we shall be appealing those results. For students of schools or colleges not in the CCCG you should speak to your own college or school.
Advice and Guidance: For our students, I want to use this opportunity to ask you to contact the Advice and Guidance Teams so they can support you with your next steps. They will also be able to support you if you are unhappy with your results and sign post you to the right support channels. However, if you studied at another school or college you can also access our Advice and Guidance team, as enrolling at one of our colleges may be an option for you.
Current students can also use the CCCG Exams Results Helpline by calling them free on 0800 100 900. They can provide information on appeals, complaints, or what your next steps may be once you’ve received your results
Appeals: Once you have received your results, you are free to appeal the grade. However, your appeal will need to be based on administrative errors, procedural errors, claims of bias or discrimination.
Please send your appeals to ResultsAppeal2020@capitalccg.ac.uk stating your grounds for appeal and which subject/unit/or module grade you are appealing. You should also send in a copy of your results slip for verification. You should get a response within 5 days of putting in an appeal with an outcome and information about what happens next. If your appeal is successful, we shall appeal to the Awarding Organisation on your behalf.
Subject Access Request (SAR): All of our students have the right to make a subject access request which enables them to get information about their grades and rankings amongst other information which we hold about the student.
If you require more than just the grades and ranking, you will need to complete the CCCG SAR template and send it to dataprotection@capitalccg.ac.uk. We shall endeavour to respond to your request within 30 working days.
Autumn examination: There is an opportunity to retake your GCSE and A level examinations in the autumn. All CCCG students who want to writetake the autumn examinations should do so by sending their requests to the dedicated email address – postresults@capitalccg.ac.uk. You can apply to retake the exams regardless of the outcome of your appeal or even if you did not appeal. The college will pay for your exam fees. All requests to retake A Level subjects must be made before the 28 August 2020 and for GCSE before the 4 September so we can meet the Awarding Organisation deadlines.
Complaints: If you are a CCCG student, do feel free to lodge a complaint if you have one, at any point, if you are unhappy with the service that you are receiving from us. All complaints will be managed using the normal complaints processes.
Mock examinations: We are aware of the last minute change in government policy about the use of mock examination results. We are awaiting further information and will act upon it once we get clearer guidance from Ofqual and the Awarding Organisations.
If you are unhappy about the grades you have received, please do not contact your teacher – please see below for further information:
Appeals
This year, results were provided based on the guidelines provided by the government’s ‘exceptional arrangements for assessment and grading in 2020’. You will be able to appeal if you wish. The grounds for appeal under these circumstances are restricted to:
- administrative errors in processing your grades, or
- procedural error
In the event that you want appeal, please send your appeals to ResultsAppeal2020@capitalccg.ac.uk accompanied with your results, stating your student ID, course of study and the grounds of your appeal within 5 days of tomorrow. Please remember to send your results slip or we will be unable to process your appeal.
We aim to get back to you within 5 days of receiving your appeal with an outcome detailing the next steps.
Exams
You will still have the opportunity to sit exams in Autumn 2020. You will not have to pay examination fees as we will pay the fees for you. The higher of the grades achieved in either the exam or estimated grade will be the final outcome.
If you wish to sit the Autumn exams, please register your interest by emailing Exams.Query@conel.ac.uk with your full name, student ID number and the subject(s) you wish to sit before 18 September 2020.
Advice and Guidance
If you are looking for further advice and support about what to do next, please contact us – you can also get in touch using our Live Chat (bottom right of this page).
Paper Results Slips
All CONEL students will receive their results in the morning of results day by email. If you have applied to university through UCAS, your results will also have been sent to UCAS.
We will be posting a physical paper copy of your results to your home address as soon as possible, but this will be delayed due to social distancing and reduced numbers of staff in our college buildings – please ensure you use your attached digital results slip in the meantime. We can confirm your grades to a third party if needed.
Certificates
Awarding bodies will issue certificates, as usual, in the autumn. These are usually processed by late October and we plan to send certificates to home addresses as soon as we receive them from the awarding bodies.
Quick Links
- Student Guide To Post-16 Exam Results
- Student Guide to Appeals, Malpractice and Maladministration Complaints
- National Careers Exams Results Helpline: 0800 100 900
- Appeals: ResultsAppeal2020@capitalccg.ac.uk
- Autumn Exams: postresults@capitalccg.ac.uk
- Data Protection Policy
Capital City College Group and its three colleges – City and Islington College, Westminster Kingsway College, and the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London – are offering hundreds of free online courses in response to the social and economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Students will be able to study for free up to Level 3, the equivalent of studying an A Level, regardless of their background, income or experience.
The move comes in light of the Covid-19 crisis and follows the success us becoming London’s First Free College, offering free full-time and short courses up to Level 2. Our sister colleges, City and Islington College and Westminster Kingway College will also offer all of its full-time courses from Entry Level to Level 2 for free from this September.
Thousands of people have signed up for free short courses at CONEL and 48 per cent of students progressed to full-time study in the first year of the campaign.
Tim Mansfield, 38, decided to train for a new career as a plumber after working in the printing business for more than two decades. He studied a free short course at CONEL and progressed to a free full-time Level 2 diploma.
He said: “I’ve spent 22 years in printing and the demand for paper-based products has been decreasing. I was concerned about my job situation, and thought it was time to make the jump,
“CONEL’s free short courses were exactly what I needed. They gave me the opportunity to try different trades without having to overcommit until I knew what I wanted to pursue more seriously. If they hadn’t been free, I’m not sure I would have taken the chance.
“The teachers are well-qualified and approachable, and always on hand with advice and support. I’ve made some great friends at CONEL and learnt some great skills that I fully intend to build upon in my future career. I’m excited about starting a new chapter.”
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic
Research by the Learning and Work Institute shows that young people, women and those with low level qualifications are at greater risk from the impact of Covid-19.
It further revealed regions with low levels of employment before the crisis are facing the highest risk of job losses, leading to wider regional inequalities and reducing social mobility. Read the full report here
According to The Edge Foundation unemployment is set to rise further and faster than during any recession on record despite government measures to protect jobs. Read the full report here
Our response to the social and economic impact
CCCG is the largest provider of further education in London and the South East, with three colleges and an apprenticeship and training provider, Capital City College Training.
Roy O’Shaughnessy, CEO of CCCG, said: “The impact of Covid-19 has produced many challenges for London communities, but it has also offered a unique time for radical change within the education sector.
“The need for an education and training system that is better aligned with the local economic and social needs of our communities is more apparent than ever before. This is why we have developed a broad portfolio of flexible, part time, relevant courses to meet the changing demands of the local and regional economy.
“CCCG has now become the first college group to offer free courses up to Level 3, fulfilling the needs of communities all too often impacted by social inequalities.
“Our mission to transform lives means removing potential barriers to that transformation. Financial barriers often stand in the way of communities progressing to better paid employment with better prospects. CCCG has swiftly and without unnecessary bureaucracy, removed that barrier.”
The courses will be taught through online and blended learning and enable CCCG to reach a much wider cohort. Staff have been teaching using online technology since lockdown was announced in March.
Roy added: “Staff teams from all three colleges have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of online teaching, and their commitment to their students, especially those most vulnerable, has been unquestionable.
“As the country begins its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, some industries may never be the same again. These courses are designed with career transition in mind, enabling students to start training for new careers either because they were furloughed or have concerns about their future employment. CCCG is integral to the local and regional economic recovery.”
Find out more and see all free short courses on offer – more will be added throughout the year.
