GMCollege Collaborative Covid Response

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The nine Greater Manchester Colleges have worked together tirelessly to minimise the impact of the Covid pandemic on their 70,000 students and staff. They have continued to ensure both 16-18 year old and adult learners are given the skills and support they need to progress in education, secure employment or reskill, as the country moves into its recovery phase.

The aspirations for high quality learner outcomes and economic impact remain as high as ever, if anything, they have been raised further by the needs and opportunities of a successful post pandemic recovery.

The Colleges have had to face many challenges throughout lockdown to try to deliver the same type, and level, of high quality education our students deserve. These include significant pressures on finances, lost revenues, navigating the plans for exams or alternative assessments, not to mention all the additional costs and difficulties of ensuring social distancing and digital access as well as managing student, staff, and parent confidence and behaviours.

Throughout the pandemic the GM Colleges have remained open at all times either on campus or ‘virtually’, and ensured all students, in particular the most vulnerable have been supported throughout.

The Colleges performed the remarkable feat of moving all learning on line within a week at the start of the pandemic. This has been followed up with a DfE supported project on digital and blended learning to ensure that all courses delivered on line match the high quality of teaching, learning and content normally provided through face to face.

As we recover from the pandemic the focus is turning to managing the issues arising from the impact of ‘lost’ learning and ensuring students do not miss out or fail to progress as planned. GMCG is planning to work closely with the government’s Education Recovery Commissioner and GM Combined Authority to achieve this aim.

GMCollege Position Statement

Read the GMCG Position Statement for more information and to see how our nine Greater Manchester Colleges are making a significant contribution to the Greater Manchester effort to meet the challenge of COVID-19.

Visit Position Statement