The situation is evolving rapidly, please ensure that you call NHS 111 for the latest advice. See also: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

If you have not been overseas recently and have not been in contact with anyone from any of the risk areas defined by the UK Government, or with a confirmed case of Covid-19, it is unlikely that you have Covid-19. However, if you have a cold or flu or symptoms of respiratory tract infection, we recommend you self-isolate if possible until your acute symptoms subside, and avoid spreading infection to friends and colleagues. 

This is the time of year when we expect to see an increase in general seasonal infections like colds and flu in Glasgow. The symptoms of these illnesses can be very similar to infection with the coronavirus which causes Covid-19, and we expect that the number of people within our community who become concerned as result of this will increase.

That’s a natural and understandable response, but you should consult trusted sources of information about the virus for the latest advice and guidance on symptoms, and when and how to seek medical advice. Encourage others to do the same.

The NHS Inform website is an excellent source of reliable, up to date information and guidance on symptoms and the measures you can take to protect yourself and others.

If coronavirus infection spreads in the wider population, efforts to contain, monitor and manage it may be hampered if there are other seasonal infections spreading at the same time. 

If you remain concerned, on developing symptoms including a dry cough and/or high temperature, or any respiratory difficulties, the NHS advice as at 13.3.20 is:

Stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms

Stay at home for 7 days if you have either:

• a high temperature
• a new, continuous cough

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home.

Read the NHS advice: advice about staying at home.

Urgent advice: Use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if:

Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

If you need to self-isolate, or are advised or required to do so, you should alert your Head of Department or your line manager immediately.

https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/wuhan-novel-coronavirus/

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

You should self-isolate when:

• You are advised to do so by your GP, public health staff or your line manager
• You have recently returned from or travelled through a Category 1 high-risk country or area in which there is spread of coronavirus infection
• You have recently returned from or travelled through a Category 2 high risk country or area in which there is spread of coronavirus infection and you have symptoms
  • You have a seasonal cold or flu-like illness

The NHS and UK Government maintains an up to date list of countries and areas where there is significant prevalence of and spread of coronavirus. These countries or areas are described as Category 1 or Category 2, and the self-isolation advice to travellers varies depending on which country you have visited, and whether or not you have symptoms of illness.

Please familiarise yourself with these lists and categories, which are updated regularly.

If you return from a Category 1 country you must self-isolate for 14 days. You must alert your Line Manager and agree to work from home, if this is feasible, and assuming you are well. 

If you return from a Category 1 country and you are feeling unwell (cough, fever, shortness of breath), you should contact NHS24 (call – 111) and if advised to self-isolate for 14 days, you must alert your Line Manager.  

If you return from a Category 2 country and subsequently become ill, no matter how mild, you should contact NHS24 (call – 111) and if advised to self-isolate for 14 days, you must alert your Line Manager.  This will be recorded as Sickness Absence.  You will not be required to provide a Medical Certificate as you will be unable to obtain this from your GP.

Depending on the impact of the illness if, during the period of self-isolation, you feel able to work you should contact your Line Manager, and agree, if feasible, to work from home.

If you have a cold or flu or symptoms of respiratory tract infection, we recommend you self-isolate if possible until your acute symptoms subside, and avoid spreading infection to friends and colleagues. If you feel able to work you should contact your Line Manager, and agree, if feasible, to work from home.

The Conservatoire is preparing facilities to allow staff to continue to work from home during self-isolation (for example identifying the need for a VPN-enabled laptop).

During self-isolation you should avoid, as far as is possible, any contact with other people. You should not leave your house, flat or room. 

Please note that you should not conduct any lessons or teaching at home in the event of being in self-isolation or if the Conservatoire were closed. Wherever possible we will seek to support the continuation of music lessons, for example, via Microsoft Teams, Skype or Facetime if the staff or student is unable to attend the Conservatoire in person, and subject to staff and students having access to such facilities We recognise that this is not ideal, but in a difficult situation, it may become an option to support continued learning for students.

The NHS has published a comprehensive guide to self-isolation.

Advice on Pay relating to all staff in the event that the Conservatoire has to close, or individuals become ill or have to self-isolate, can be found on the staff portal: https://portal.rcs.ac.uk/health-safety/wp-content/uploads/sites/1233/2020/03/Absences-and-Pay-100320.pdf

You should self-isolate when:

• You are advised to do so by your GP, public health staff or the Conservatoire 
• You have recently returned from or travelled through a Category 1 high-risk country or area in which there is spread of coronavirus infection 
• You have recently returned from or travelled through a Category 2 high risk country or area in which there is spread of coronavirus infection and you have symptoms
• You have a seasonal cold or flu-like illness

The NHS and UK Government maintains an up to date list of countries and areas where there is significant prevalence of and spread of coronavirus. These countries or areas are described as Category 1 or Category 2, and the self-isolation advice to travellers varies depending on which country you have visited, and whether or not you have symptoms of illness.

Please familiarise yourself with these lists and categories, which are updated regularly.

If you return from a Category 1 country you must self-isolate for 14 days.

If you return from a Category 1 country and you are feeling unwell (cough, fever, shortness of breath), you should contact NHS24 (call – 111) and self-isolate for 14 days if advised to do so.

If you return from a Category 2 country and subsequently become ill, no matter how mild, you should contact NHS24 (call – 111) and self-isolate for 14 days if advised to do so.

If your partner/flatmate/family member has returned from a Category 1 country and is self-isolating, you should follow the guidelines provided and ensure, as far as is possible, that you have no contact with them during the isolation period.  Unless you are feeling unwell, you should attend classes as normal.

If your partner/flatmate/family member has been diagnosed with coronavirus and is self-isolating, you should follow the guidelines provided and ensure, as far as is possible, that you have no contact with them during the isolation period.  Unless you are feeling unwell, you should attend classes as normal.

If you have a cold or flu or symptoms of respiratory tract infection, we recommend you self-isolate if possible until your acute symptoms subside and avoid spreading infection to friend, family, fellow students or staff.

During self-isolation you should avoid, as far as is possible, any contact with other people. You should not leave your house, flat or room.

The NHS has published a comprehensive guide to self-isolation.

What will be building be like?

We will shortly provide a video to show you exactly how things will look.

There will be a one-way system to get around the building and mask-wearing will be highly-recommended as you move around the building and may be compulsory in certain areas.

Social distancing and good hygiene practices will be in place, with additional handwashing and sanitising facilities available.

We are putting a strict limit on the number of people that can be in the building at any one time. If you are on the premises, it must be for a scheduled reason and we ask that you do not linger any longer than necessary, allowing others who are scheduled to be in later to have access.

There will be no access for members of the public, just staff and students.

We will also have a registration system in place on entry to capture the names and contact details of those in the building on any date, as required by government guidance. If there were to be an outbreak, there are measures in place to help support official track and trace functions.

Please make sure that you give your up to date contact details to the Human Resources Department (staff) and the AAS office (students.)

Am I required to work in the building?

You will shortly receive detailed information about the plans for your working arrangements for the new academic year.

Students:

Timetable details and any specific guidance will be sent to students by their programme teams. A Welcome Home Support Team will be in place for students offering a range of support, including assistance for those who require to quarantine.

Staff:

Every member of staff returning to the campus will receive a ‘Return to the RCS Campus’ pack which will include all health and safety advice.

You would be contacted individually before any return to work, to make sure that any concerns or health issues are addressed. An occupational health style questionnaire based on government guidance would be completed by you, to address any concerns. HR will arrange this with your head of Department.

You would also need to undertake health and safety training (online) before entering the building.

I’m working from home, how long will this last?

Working from home is likely to continue for many staff for the time being and will be reviewed regularly. By working from home you are enabling those who need to be in the building to do so.

A guidance note has been prepared and will be shared soon.

If you become ill you should:

• Avoid touching anything.
• Leave to self”‘isolate straight away and, if possible, wear a face covering and avoid public transport.
• Ensure that you immediately inform AAS via the absence email (students) or Human Resources (staff) via humanresources@rcs.ac.uk
• Arrange a test though nhsinform.scot or, if you can’t get online, use your mobile to call 0800 028 2816, to arrange to get tested.
• Until you have been tested and told if it is safe to leave home, you must not come to campus.  Staff can request an isolation note through NHS Inform.
• If you test positive for the virus you will need to self-isolate for a minimum of 10 days.
• If you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive NHS contact tracers will interview you. If you are advised to do so you must immediately self-isolate for 14 days and advise the RCS.
• Contact your line manager or Head of Programme to tell them you are self-isolating as soon as you have completed informing NHS Inform and keep them updated throughout the self-isolation period.
• Managers and Heads of Programme should give as much support to their employees and students as they can while they are away.
• RCS will not ask anyone isolating to come onto campus before their period of isolation is complete, in any circumstances.

More information is available at NHS Inform.

Will I be notified of an outbreak and any potential actions needed?

If there is an outbreak the Conservatoire Senior Management Team will determine what action is needed. Information will be cascaded through line managers. We will have a system to note the names and contact details of those in the building on any date. We will abide by government guidance at all times.

What plans are in place if we need to shut down the building or department during a period of production – how can we find that time again in an already packed timetable?

Academic plans are being drawn up in detail by the Academic Management Team and Academic Planning Group. Full details will be circulated.

How are we planning to deal with situations where one or more student assessments is affected by the absence of others?

Academic plans are being drawn up in detail by the Academic Management Team and Academic Planning Group. Full details will be circulated.

Yes. A Welcome Home Support Team will be in place for students offering a range of support, including assistance for those who require to quarantine.

International travel is currently subject to regularly-changing advice, particularly with regard to quarantine guidelines in place on arrival at many destinations and on return to Scotland. It should be noted that no one should currently be undertaking any international travel on behalf of RCS. If you are a member of staff who is required to quarantine after international travel, please see the guidelines in place at NHS Inform.

Should you be required to quarantine on your return from personal international travel,  RCS will require all staff who are quarantining and unable to work remotely to do one or a combination of the following:

• take additional paid annual leave (to be deducted from your usual annual leave allowance and approved by your manager through the online system)
• take unpaid leave (which must be confirmed with HR)
• undertake temporary redeployment to a role that can be fulfilled remotely (if such a role is available within the department)
• make up the 14 days’ leave over an agreed period of time with your manager, so you do not incur a drop in pay

It will be your responsibility to notify both your manager and the HR department of your intention to travel overseas prior to the travel taking place. In the event that quarantine applies, you must notify your manager at the earliest possible opportunity to discuss the impact and the options available to you based on the list above. The outcome agreed by you and your manager should then be confirmed to the HR department by email to humanresources@rcs.ac.uk.

It should be noted too that no one should currently be undertaking any international travel on behalf of RCS.

If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact the HR team.

Will mask wearing be mandatory inside the building?

The wearing of a face covering while moving around the building will be strongly encouraged for your well-being and that of others. This may be reviewed and become mandatory if guidance changes or following a review of our risk assessment. Risk assessments will determine the appropriateness of not using them in teaching spaces, to facilitate learning interactions. There will be Perspex screens to facilitate communication in key places (such as AAS reception) and transparent face coverings for our D/deaf community and others who work with the cohort.

There is a growing body of scientific evidence and guidance around face covering usage and types which we are following and, together with Universities Scotland, implementing with priority given first and foremost to protecting health and reducing transmission of viral particles.

Will we be provided with masks or have to supply our own?

We are not making face coverings mandatory but do strongly encourage their use. RCS will provide all staff and students with an RCS face covering.

Students will receive them in their welcome pack, staff will receive them as required when they return to the building.

Will the cafe bar be open?

At present the café bar is not opening but options to provide catering are being explored. Staffrooms will be available but with significantly-reduced occupancy. Staff are encouraged to bring ready prepared food and their own cutlery to minimise the use of shared equipment in kitchens.

Will the building’s more public spaces be open to the general public?

The building won’t be open to the general public for the time being. No in-person public performances are planned for Term One although the regular Mondays and Fridays at One performances will continue to take place and will be broadcast on the RCS at Home channels.

Will the library be open?

The library will be closed for study and browsing, but will be offering a Click & Collect service for all our physical stock, together with full access to all our E-Resources via the Catalogue and Web Pages

How will social distancing be managed?

We will have a one way system in place with signage. The building and room occupancies, including toilets, have been reduced to ensure distancing can be maintained.

How will numbers present in the building be managed? What if I need to access my office for a short period?

A building occupancy has been set and will be monitored through a digital counting system or a sign-in system. Only staff and students who have programmed activities or agreed access will be allowed on campus.

Short term access to offices to collect workstation equipment can be arranged through Health, Safety and Wellbeing while access for other items such as teaching resources can be arranged through Client Services.

Will there be regular temperature taking of staff/students?

No. At present we do not plan regular temperature testing. For more information on current government guidance on temperature checking follow this link https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-shielding/

What processes are in place to ensure students and staff who have to operate shared equipment are safe both in class and on location?

Each department will carry out a risk assessment to identify hazards such as shared equipment and what cleaning protocols are required to reduce the risk such as minimising the sharing of equipment and cleaning materials needed. Cleaning materials will be provided as required.

Will there be overnight cleaning of the teaching rooms or plans to clean work/office areas and equipment? 

There will be regular cleaning of the campus and this has been increased. Rooms will be cleaned at the end of the day and during the day. Staff and students can play a part in keeping the campus safe by ensuring rooms and corridors are kept clear of litter, equipment is cleaned as appropriate after use and by maintaining a regular personal regime of handwashing and/or sanitising.

Will there be a Perspex barrier of any type to act as a barrier and will there be any extra air ventilation or filtering in rooms?

The room occupancies have been reduced so any teaching room that has been identified as suitable for 2 people has more than 2m distancing space available. Most of the rooms have natural ventilation while the need for any barriers will be identified through departmental risk assessments.

Are there additional hand washing stations?

Additional sinks have been provided in Renfrew Street and Wallace Studios. There will also be additional hand sanitiser stations installed around the buildings.

Will there be a dedicated Covid-19 Supervisor or monitor at RCS to ensure guidelines are being adhered to across the RCS?

We haven’t appointed a dedicated supervisor but the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager will be monitoring activities and what is happening.

What plans are in place to redistribute the current spaces (both teaching and non-teaching) to make best use of our limited space while social distancing is in place?

Space Planning are collating all the activity needs to maximise the use of spaces safely. Some examples of changed purpose are a meeting room becoming a practice room and an office being repurposed as a DTU studio.

Academic plans for room usage are being drawn up in detail by the Academic Management Team and Academic Planning Group. Full details will be circulated.

What if I become aware are that a member of staff or a student is not adhering to the safety guidelines?

We would hope that any concerns can be discussed in a positive way with the individual concerned in the first instance. If this is not possible, anyone who has concerns should inform their line manager or Head of Department in the first instance. Again if this is not possible then concerns can be reported to Health, Safety and Wellbeing.

Are First Aiders going to be identified and receive additional training to deal with Covid-19? 

Client Services staff are the trained first aiders in all buildings. All accidents should be reported to them in the first instance. A guidance document has been created for first aiders and refresher training is being arranged.

Is it safe for me to return to our office space that I share with two other colleagues?

All room occupancies have been assessed for safe working. They will operate with reduced capacity and with social distancing consideration in place. Working from home likely to continue for members of staff who do not require to be in the building to support key operations, learning and teaching and/or the student experience.

Staff should discuss all concerns with their line manager and we will support you as much as possible so that they can return safely.

Will there be a named staff member to deal with employee wellbeing and mental health considerations?

Staff should contact HR and will also be directed to the Employee Assistance Programme and on line support on Togetherall (previously the Big White Wall)

What is being done to ensure safety in the Junior conservatoire?

All Heads of Department are required to carry out risk assessments and ensure the controls are in place do this will be happening with Juniors as well.

How do we handle Short Courses students coming into the building – do we take a register?

All the additional measures put in place for the safe of use the RCS campus will apply, including registration on entry and strict limits on building occupancy.

Will room set up be done in advance by client services? 

Rooms will be set-up as normal but where distancing is required and controlled by furniture positioning, for example in an ensemble, then moving furniture is discouraged.

Will there be flexibility in start times given the reduced nature of public transport just now?

We will have discussions with heads re flexibility on this and other concerns and transport arrangements will be part of that discussion.

Will there be more parking provisions as an alternate to using public transport?

There will be very limited parking available as at present. Limited staff numbers will be in the building at any one time which it is hoped will be of assistance.

Will a camera that directly covers the bike stand at the front of the RCS be installed before the start of the term?

Two additional CCTV cameras have been installed to cover the existing bike shelter.

What changes have been made to the building cleaning regime?

An additional cleaning programme has been put in place. Deep cleans with safe materials (sanitising solutions and hot water, for example) will take place on a regular basis during the day.

Will there be additional suitable waste disposal provision?

Suitable waste disposal will be arranged. Numbers in the building will be limited which will assist.

When I return to work do I need to bring it back or duplicate the equipment if I return to the office on part time basis?

If you are required to return to the office then you should bring your equipment back but the majority of Professional Support Staff will be working at home for the time being the equipment you have may still be needed at home. If staff need to go into the office periodically then there is adequate equipment that they can use although it may not be their normal desk.

We are issuing some guidance and a self-assessment form to gather more information on staff homeworking arrangements and identify what, if any, additional support is needed including the provision of additional equipment. Our goal is to support staff to work safely and as comfortably as possible from home.

Can I get financial help for equipment to help me work from home long term?

Staff should complete the homeworking self-assessment form and return it as soon as possible. Support needs will be assessed and resources allocated to help staff as available and appropriate.

Any essential work materials/computer can be requested and purchased if deemed essential.

I have been using my own mobile for work calls, can I get a work phone?

The use of email and Teams is recommended, this is without cost to any individual staff member. Staff are required to use RCS methods of communication with students at all times.

My costs for electricity and gas have increased, can I be reimbursed?

Tax relief information is now available on the Gov website.

Are there any funds available to enable students to access technological equipment such as laptops and/or software that will be required to complete work and participate in class?

The RCS would consider this as required, any immediate enquires should be addressed to the AAS office.

Whilst you are working from home, any equipment belonging to the Conservatoire that you take home (such as your laptop) will fall within the scope of the Conservatoire’s insurance programme. In practice the cost of a laptop or similar will fall within the Conservatoire’s insurance excess, so the School or Unit would have to fund replacements from operating budgets, as would always be the case for any damaged laptop, whether within or outwith the office. However, no-one should add a Conservatoire asset to their home insurance — it’s our problem, not yours!

Having said that, there are issues which you do need to consider. We suggest anyone working flexibly from home should make a quick call to their home insurer to let them know. Most insurers will not be concerned about this as long as you aren’t storing stock or having commercial visitors, but each insurer may have a different view of ‘homeworking’ and whether they need to be told about it, so please do let them know just in case.

Finally, please make sure you make full use of Microsoft Office 365 (OneDrive, Teams etc.) to avoid storing data on your local device hard drive and creating unnecessary GDPR exposure. 

During any periods of remote working, staff with RCS VPN enabled laptops are able to work in the same way as they would from within the Conservatoire. Any staff working remotely using personal (non RCS) devices can access email and other Office 365 applications online via the web, but are reminded that they should refrain from downloading, storing or holding any personal or confidential data on their personal equipment or mobile storage devices. Given that RCS data is only secured and encrypted while using RCS equipment, it is incumbent on all Conservatoire staff to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Conservatoire information at all times by adhering to this advice. The information being gathered from the current contingency planning exercise will be collated by HR, and the information regarding laptop use and critical roles will be passed on to CSMT to make any further deployment decisions. In the interim, we would advise all staff issued with laptops to ensure their VPN works from home, and to take their laptop home with them each evening.

When working at home please follow good Display Screen Equipment practices. While you may not have the same workstation equipment that you have at work please try to set up your home working to minimise the risk of injury. There is Display Screen Equipment information available on the Covid-19 page on the Portal but the following is advisable:

• use an adjustable chair
• use a separate keyboard and mouse
• raise the height of the monitor so that the top of the screen is in line with your eyes (books, magazines or reams of paper will do but maintain laptop ventilation). Only do this if you have a separate keyboard and mouse!
• if you can’t make adjustments take more frequent short breaks to release tensions and particularly if you feel any aches or pains in your back, neck or arms The portal has good information but please contact the Health, Safety and Wellbeing team if you have any questions.

If you know that you will arrive after 21 September 2020 please let psa@rcs.ac.uk and your department know.  Departments are being flexible about late arrivals in term 1 and they look forward to welcoming you when you get here.

At this stage, we hope that 2020-2021 Study Abroad arrangements will not be affected by the current situation. However, it is possible that there may be disruption in some locations around the world.  RCS will continue to monitor the situation closely and communicate with all students scheduled to study or work abroad next year. If you have specific questions about your placement, please contact AAS staff.

Based on current guidance we hope to re-open the campus for teaching in what is likely to be a modified way for the start of the 2020-21 (August/September 2020).

At the outset it is essential to stress that we recognise the importance to every RCS student of in-person activity such as rehearsals, performances, productions and the practical application of skills.

We also recognise the need for this activity to take place in an environment that’s safe for both staff and students. This means we’re actively planning for:

How we can work within social distancing protocols and apply them to use of campus facilities e.g. making sure each programme has an appropriate blend of in-person campus time and distance learning

• How we appropriately and responsibly balance access to rehearsal, work-room and performance spaces across disciplines in a safe way
• The changes required in building use and operations to make all of this possible safely i.e. limiting access to the buildings as well as the flow of people around them
• The most effective use of available technologies to create the best possible distance learning environment
• Potential changes to the order of planned activity, to try to work around restrictions on the volume of people in the buildings and take account of the potential short-term travel restrictions which may be in place that prevent whole cohorts coming together

Our Residence Hall at Base ensuring a safe living space for our students which is just a minute’s walk from the main Renfrew Street campus and five minutes’ walk from SLS.

We want to emphasise that there are also some positive things we have learned at RCS in terms of online usage. We believe it can be helpful, especially in support of safe face to face situations. Our students and teachers have become more adept at preparing recordings, listening with greater reflection and understanding parts beyond their own. And when they bring this to the lesson, to the rehearsal, to the performance, the learning is enhanced thanks to technology.

We also believe that we are well poised to deliver learning experiences that take advantage of the multiple genres and performing art forms on offer at RCS. This will not only help you find employment upon completing your studies, but also help you make your own innovative contribution to the future of your art.

The majority of programmes will start on the 21 September 2020 with the exception of PGDE which will start on the 17 August 2020.

Our curriculum delivery will be a blend of in-person and online/remote learning.  This blend will vary from programme to programme, from one year group to another, and from person to person due to the highly individualised and vocational nature of our programmes of study.

We will do this based on Scottish Government guidelines concerning physical distancing, so that student and staff wellbeing, health and safety are prioritised.

School of Music – https://arts-mail.com/t/2YIC-11T4P-2E206FRCD2/cr.aspx

School of Drama, Dance, Production and Film – https://arts-mail.com/t/2YIC-11T4Y-2E206FRCD2/cr.aspx

If you believe you will be unable to travel to Glasgow in time to begin your programme, as a result of visa/travel restrictions or medical concerns, we will endeavour to accommodate you beginning your studies online, providing you transition to Glasgow as quickly as it is safe and feasible to do so.

Please contact us as soon as you think this is the case at matriculation@rcs.ac.uk.

Please include your full name and the name of your programme of study. We will then contact you for further information to determine how we may accommodate your circumstances.

If you are shielding or have other health-related personal circumstances that mean that you cannot come to campus and study safely, even with all the health measures in place, then we will look at your case individually to see what is possible.

Depending on what you are studying, we may be able to support you studying fully at a distance, however, we will not be able to replicate every aspect of the on-campus learning experience.

For some programmes, it may not be possible to complete your studies without being on campus because there may be requirements to demonstrate particular skills.

If you have concerns about beginning your studies, please contact us at matriculation@rcs.ac.uk.

We understand the anxiety that offer holder will have in trying to secure the requirements they need for entry onto their programme. If you have any problems in meeting any of your condition, please contact us at admission@rcs.ac.uk to discuss this. Should there be a delay in meeting the conditions of your offer, we are more than happy to review and extend the deadline to meet the conditions of your offer.

I have now met the conditions of my offer, where should I send my results?

Please send evidence of your results such as certificates and/or transcripts to admissions@rcs.ac.uk.

This will be emailed to all new students (unconditional and accepted offers) at the end of August.

We are taking comprehensive steps to protect the health and wellbeing of every student.

We will always closely follow national guidelines, potentially going beyond them at times, learning from the best practice from around the world. This inevitably has consequences for life on campus.

This isn’t a complete list of the measures we will take, but hopefully gives you a sense of our commitment to your safety during 2020/21:

• All members of the RCS community will need to abide by clear rules relating to personal hygiene and the way they interact with others
• A thorough cleaning regime will apply in all spaces used by students and staff
• We will operate one-way systems in corridors of buildings
• The numbers allowed in any given building or room will be limited to avoid congestion
• We will issue all staff and students with face coverings and encourage their use in certain environments
• Anyone who is showing symptoms of Covid-19 will be asked to undertake a test and may have to self-isolate; those who have been in contact with them will be identified and will also be asked to take tests
• To reduce congestion on campus, many staff will continue to work mostly from home
• Special rules will apply in confined spaces, such as cafes and toilets, to make physical distancing as easy as possible, and to ensure the highest standards of hygiene.

We have a Welcome Home Support Team who are on hand to deliver essential groceries, medical supplies and other household items. Please contact welcomehome@rcs.ac.uk to speak to a member of the team – we are here to help.

The Conservatoire will not be offering deferred entry. If you wish to commence in 2021, you will be require to reapply next year.

Please contact the admission office (admissions@rcs.ac.uk) as soon as possible if you are unable to start this year.

Moodle assessments (online submissions etc.) should continue in the normal way.  Heads of Programmes or Module Co-ordinators will communicate directly with students to confirm other assessment arrangements in due course. Please keep checking Moodle in the meantime.

Remaining in-person assessments involving performance or workshop activity are suspended for the time being. It is our intention to work closely with your Heads of Department/Programme and other institutions very similar to our own, to achieve a workable approach to assessment, that is in step with our peers, our creative approaches that our staff can contribute to helping us resolve this, and to appropriately enable you to demonstrate that you have met learning outcomes.  The details of how your assessments will be completed will be communicated to you on an individual level.

The Library is now closed. We want to reassure all users that we are taking the following steps to ensure as many Library Services are available to our community as possible.

• All current loans (items issued since 1^stJanuary 2020) have a new return date of 30^th September 2020
• All fines have been cleared from accounts and fines will be suspended in Term 1 of session 2020-21
• There is currently no facility to return items, so you can enjoy them for that little bit longer (with no fines!)
• The Library will be operating a Click & Collect service from September from physical library stock
• We are working with publishers and platforms to extend access to additional electronic content that we currently don’t have or content which is currently only available in the building
• Remember, you still have access to thousands of e-books via our Catalogue, and thousands of additional e-resources via Catalogue Plus.
• Additionally, you can view our E-resource database listing and our E-journal titles directly
• The Library Portal pages have lots of resources such as Library Catalogue Searching Tips,  Offsite Access Guides For E-Resources & Using eBooks. You can find all our support and guidance resources on the Portal.

We will remain in close contact with any students who choose to return home in order to assess when the safe time to return is.

We will give students advance notice of the resumption of in-person teaching at RCS.

Please continue with preparations for your assessment.  We will send more details as the situation becomes clearer. We hope to be able to continue some meaningful work on projects such as these, although we will have to plan for the foreseeable future to do this in inventive ways using distance methods of learning. As we work out programme-per-programme what works best for students (and staff), we will communicate this. We welcome student input to this process, and if you have any ways that you tend to use with friends or peers to communicate using technology when you’re preparing materials, do share these with your programme leader. A clear plan for academic engagement, activity and ongoing work will be drawn up by academic staff over the coming weeks (including the Easter break).

No.  It is strictly against RCS policy to teach in any private home or other private location; there is also the risk for the virus to spread by this means.  Therefore all teaching must be facilitated online until further notice.  We realise that the prohibition on teaching from home may be intensely frustrating, and that you might wish to help your students in this way from the very best of intentions, but it cannot be permitted under any circumstances.

For students getting loans from SAAS: SAAS has prepared FAQs which can be accessed at:  https://www.saas.gov.uk/news/coronavirus

The key messages are:

1. Will SAAS remain open to assess applications?

SAAS has robust business continuity measures in place to ensure our business services remaining functioning. Students can submit their applications for 2020/21 to www.saas.gov.uk from 1 April 2020. However, given these unprecedented times, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and advise students and institutions to follow our social media channels for the latest updates.

2. Will SAAS remain open to make payments?

Yes, this is our top priority. We will endeavour to continue to fund students on time. Again, students and institutions are advised to follow our social media channels for the latest updates.

3. My college or university is moving to an alternative course delivery model, will I still receive funding?

Yes — individual colleges and universities are putting their own arrangements in place, for example, remote or online learning and will communicate this to their students. If students are at home with no symptoms, they will be expected to continue to engage with their studies via the new course arrangement.

4. What about my student loan – will this be paid?   Note: Student Loans are issued by the Student Loans Company

Yes — students should continue to engage with their studies via the new course arrangements at their college and university whether that is remote or digital means. In addition to that, you should follow attendance reporting arrangements including letting your institution know you are unwell or self-isolating.

The Scottish Government including SAAS, Department of Education and Student Loans Company continue to monitor the situation and engage with each other on this matter. Students and Institutions are advised to follow our social media channels and check SLC’s website for latest updates.

For students getting loans via the Student Loans Company,  SLC has prepared FAQs which can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/slc-coronavirus-covid-19-update

The key messages are:

Will I still get my next student finance payment?

SLC can confirm that students will receive their scheduled or next instalment of their maintenance loan at the planned start of their summer term, regardless of whether their university or provider has made alternative arrangements for teaching.

Can I still apply for student finance?

If you’re studying at the moment or you’ll be starting a full-time, undergraduate course after 1 August 2020, you can apply online for student finance as normal.

Postgraduate and part-time, undergraduate student finance applications for academic year 2020 to 2021 are scheduled to launch in June. If this changes, we’ll let you know through our social media channels.

We are working with education departments across the government to ensure a continuous service in our core functions. We are monitoring the situation and have contingency measures in place to ensure that our systems and processes are resilient.

We are taking practical steps to protect against disruption to our business. This is part of our business continuity preparedness, and in line with updates to government guidance.

Where you complete the spring term (term 3) through online learning, we will count this a continuation of your existing mode of study. We will also take this to be at the level of intensity that the course was intended to deliver. We would not expect institutions to change mode of study or fee change just because of the greater degree of online learning.

For students funded by the GI Bill: Over the past two weeks, VA has worked with Congress to preserve GI Bill benefits for impacted students during this difficult time.  The Senate and House passed S.3503 and the bill will be headed to POTUS to sign, which will give the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the authority to continue GI Bill payments uninterrupted in the event of national emergencies. The new law allows for VA to continue to pay benefits regardless of the fact that the program has changed from resident training to online training. Also, students will continue to receive the same monthly housing allowance payments that they received for resident training until January 1, 2021, or until the school resumes normal operations of resident training. VA is working to immediately implement the new changes to address current and future school terms to ensure students continue to receive their education benefits.

For students funded by the US Federal Loans: The U.S. Senate has now unanimously passed the legislation that waives the prohibition against distance education for students receiving U.S. Direct Loans for study at eligible non-U.S. institutions of higher education. As a result, your loan disbursement(s) will be released as usual.  However, it is anticipated that your funds will be paid to you by bank transfer rather than by cheque.

For students in receipt of Sallie Mae loans: These will be released as usual.

We expect to have more information on all financial situations in the next week and will continue to update this page.

For students in receipt of Other Loan Providers.  

You remain registered as a student of the Conservatoire.   We will expect you to engage with alternative online arrangements for teaching.    This means that we will be able to confirm your attendance to your loan provider as need be.

The RCS Counselling Service will be accessible through email. Please contact Dr Jane Balmforth on j.balmforth@rcs.ac.uk to arrange an online appointment or request information.

Students can also arrange telephone counselling by contacting Mairi Gillies, Cognitive Behavioural (CBT) therapist at mairi@mgtherapy.co.uk

Ross Paterson, the counsellor who is available weekday evenings 5-8pm on westendcommunitycounselling@gmail.com

Stephanie McDermid provides counselling in BSL and online counselling on stephanier1975@btinternet.com

The online supportive community, Big White Wall, is also available 24/7  – sign in with your RCS email address.

We are committed to using our Discretionary funds we have to help as many of our students as possible.  Please email welfare@rcs.ac.uk with your circumstances in the first instance.

Help Musicians Scotland has asked us to share their details for performing musicians needing crisis support.  Their link is given here.

Yes, the ELS is available on-line. Please contact Ursula and Josh, the ELS tutors, on els@rcs.ac.uk  for help with written work. This includes help with researching, structuring and planning as well as getting feedback on what you’ve written. You can get help whatever stage you’re at – whether you don’t know where to start or you’ve written 2,000 words. Ursula and Josh can also help, if for example, you’re writing a reflection, summarising, preparing a bibliography or trying to prioritise tasks.

Yes, please contact Dr Jane Balmforth, RCS Counsellor & Disability Adviser, on j.balmforth@rcs.ac.uk to discuss any disability-related issues.

You will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) code to apply for your visa.  CASs are issued once a successful applicant has accepted an unconditional offer, paid their deposit, emailed to international@rcs.ac.uk a copy of the ID page of their passport and completed the CAS Evidence Request Form.  CASs are issued in batches once a week and more frequently in August and September.  You may find that your closest UK Visa Application Centre (VACS) is still closed but many are now open.  You can find further information on VACS and visa processing times on the Government’s website.

When you apply for a UK visa from outside the UK, you are normally obligated to collect your biometric residence permit (BRP) from a post office within 10 days of arriving in the UK.  The Home Office acknowledges that currently, many students will be subject to quarantine for a period of 14 days from arrival, and some post offices may be closed.  There will now be flexibility around this as a result of Covid-19. In previous years, BRPs have always been kept by post offices for a period that exceeds 10 days.

When the Home Office grants you an entry clearance (visa), it tells you that you need to collect your BRP 10 days after arrival in the UK or before the expiry date on the sticker (vignette) in your passport, whichever is the later. Entry clearances will now be granted for a 90-day period (previously 30 days), so you have a maximum period of 90 days in which to collect your BRP, depending on when you arrive.  If you arrive in the UK shortly before the expiry date on your vignette, or you cannot travel to the UK before then, and you are worried about not being able to collect your BRP in time, you can notify the Home Office.

Universities are planning to start the next academic year as close as possible to the original timescales, although this will obviously be informed by the latest public health advice and only if it is safe to do so.

The Scottish Government has already confirmed that EU national student entrants, starting at a higher education institution in Scotland in the 2020/21 academic year, are entitled to free higher education on the same basis as Scottish domiciled students because Scotland, and the UK, is in a transition period as it leaves the EU. If there needs to be a delay to the start of the academic year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fee model would hold for all entrants still commencing studies in the 2020/21 academic year. That offers as much certainty and consistency as possible to those students, who applied with that understanding and based on the information available at the time.

As it stands, the Scottish Government has not confirmed what the fee arrangement will be for EU domiciled entrants starting university in Scotland in 2021/22. By this point, neither Scotland nor the UK will be a member of the EU and the transition period, as part of a phased exit, will also have ended. Until there is confirmation on the fee status for EU domiciled 2021/22 entrants from the Scottish Government, we are not able to confirm what the fee status would be for EU nationals, if those students choose to defer their application and start university a year later because of COVID-19.

Absences and Pay (18/03/20)
The RCS is keen to take whatever measures it can to ensure that it supports staff to minimise the spread of viral outbreaks and to promote wellbeing during this period of
heightened stress. On this basis, the CSMT has agreed the following, in order to alleviate concerns and provide clarity wherever possible:

Staff presenting with illness:
Any staff presenting with symptoms similar to those of Covid19 will be asked to refrain from attending work and should follow the most recent guidance available.

Remote working:
Full time, pro rata and part time staff will be asked to work remotely from 21st March onwards.
Guidance will be given by managers and by health and safety on the details of how to work remotely. See also our health and safety guidance: https://portal.rcs.ac.uk/health-safety

It is anticipated that staff will be able to work and keep in touch with RCS business and with colleagues via such applications as Microsoft Teams etc. Where staff are working remotely during the period of closure, they should liaise with
their manager to agree what they can reasonably provide in terms of work, and assist in the prioritisation of activities. This may be on a reduced hours or flexible hours basis.
Many staff will be new to remote working and we ask that staff deliver what is practicable by remote methods. If they are unable to so we ask that they use the time productively to enhance their on-line skills, undertake the online training
available, catch up on planning and anticipated work etc. This should be agreed with your line manager during the closure period. Where staff are unable to work due to primary caring responsibilities or due to their role being unsuitable for remote working, staff will receive their normal pay (see below). On their return to work, a meeting will take place with their manager to discuss how best to catch up on the work. This could include agreeing whether some
or any missed hours could be worked over an agreed period, where possible. Advice will be available from HR on a case by case basis.
If a staff member were absent due to ill-health prior to the period of closure commencing and becomes fit to attend work but is unable to do so because of the closure of the building, this will be treated as exceptional and the staff member will receive full pay, provided that communications with HR have taken place via email/phone.

Payment:
The Principal is keen to ensure that staff have the certainty of receiving their normal pay for the remainder of this academic year and has given that assurance.

The RCS will therefore guarantee normal pay to staff until the end of this financial and annual leave year. (31st July).
It will be the case that there will be no carry forward of annual leave into the 2020/21 leave year, so staff should ensure that they use their leave entitlement before 31st
July. There will be some pre-arranged and already specifically approved carry forward of leave by exception.
Please direct any queries to humanrersources@rcs.ac.uk

Please visit our Portal for the full information for staff.

You may be able to claim tax relief from 6 April 2020 of up to £6 a week (£26 a month) to cover your additional costs if you are required to work from home.

For previous tax years the rate is £4 a week (£18 a month).

This can be done either on your self-assessment tax return to the HMRC, or on a separate P87 form if you do not complete a self-assessment tax return.

The RCS cannot make this claim on your behalf. The tax relief is intended to cover the reasonable additional household expenses incurred when working from home.

If you decide to make a claim, it is recommended that you submit a claim when you know how long you have been required to work from home so you can make your claim all at once. If agreed by HMRC, the likely outcome is that your tax code would be adjusted rather than you receiving a lump sum refund.

Tax relief can only be claimed when you have been required by your employer to work from home (as is the case currently whilst the RCS is closed due to coronavirus pandemic).

You can’t claim tax relief if you are working from home voluntarily or by choice, for example where working from home has been agreed for work/life balance reasons.

Visit the gov.uk website for more information.

RCS is committed to being a safe and positive environment for study and work. We do not tolerate the abuse or harassment of students or staff and have a robust Dignity at Work and Study Policy.

For the start of the 20-21 Academic Year RCS is planning to deliver a blended model of teaching (a blend of online and in-person tuition). If you’re from outside the EEA you will need to have immigration permission to travel to the UK.  In the very unlikely event that teaching had to be moved completely online and there was no requirement for you to come to the UK in September, you would not require a Tier 4 visa until the point at which you were asked to travel to the UK.

You will get a CAS when you have accepted an unconditional offer, emailed in a copy of the ID page of your passport, paid your deposit and submitted your Tier 4 CAS Evidence Request Form.  CASs are issued in batches on weekly basis.

The Scottish Government currently does not require all international travellers arriving in Scotland to quarantine but has special measure in place requiring people arriving from some countries to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Scotland. This information is regularly updated on the Gov website.

RCS is establishing a special ‘Welcome Home’ team to support new and returning students at this time. This team will offer support to all students who may require to quarantine and require assistance with food shopping, supplies etc.

If you think your arrival at RCS may be delayed for Covid-19-related reasons please contact matriculation@rcs.ac.uk as soon as you know when you will arrive. All departments appreciate there may be need for some flexibility.

Yes. We will contact you if there are any changes to the current rules.

There is no requirement for students to come early although some may choose to.

• Can I move into Base early?
  Base may be able to allow students to move in early if we can accommodate it. This will be on a case by case basis.

• What health & safety measures are in place at Base?
  Regular cleaning, 2m distancing, hand gels on site and cleaning wipes in communal areas.

• Are cleaning crews doing extra work there?
  There is housekeeping 7 days a week and all communal areas will be cleaned daily. Base will be carrying out more regular cluster inspections to ensure the level of cleanliness is high in all areas.

• Will the cinema room be open? Gym?
  Base will open all areas as per government advice however all areas will have reduced numbers of people allowed at one time.

• Are practice rooms going to be cleaned regularly as well?
  Practice rooms will be cleaned daily and will be supplied with hand gel and disinfectant wipes for students to use before and after use.

• What if someone I’m sharing a block with gets sick? What if someone at Base gets sick?
  If a student in a cluster gets sick they will be advised to self-isolate within their room and Base can assist with any food delivery. Communal kitchen use will be at set times and will be the responsibility of the student to clean down after use.

On July 9 2020 Scotland’s Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Richard Lochhead announced changes to the fee regime for EU students studying in Scotland. From next academic year (21/22) all EU students commencing study in Scotland will pay fees at the International rate.

Please check our Fees and Funding page for the most up-to-date information.

The RCS Trust currently disburses more than £1.3million to incoming and continuing undergraduate, postgraduate and research students from Scotland, the rest of the UK, and international (including EU students) on the basis of merit and/or financial need. For more details visit our Scholarship page.

In addition, the Scottish Government last month (July 2020) committed to exploring a scholarship programme specifically to support European students to study in Scotland. We will share further details as soon as they become available.

No. EU students who have already started their studies, or who start this autumn (academic year 20/21), will not be affected and will still be eligible for tuition fee support the entirety of their course.