We know have our Family Support Hub page live on the website that provides information all in one place that families might find useful, it can found on the top menu called “Help and contact information for families.”

Apologies for the lack of updates, but we have all been flat out working on arrangements to provide the most effective support we can over the last two days.

We have set up Outreach Teams who will be making regular contact with all our families for safe and well checks and to offer any help and advice we can. If you do need help or advice, please contact us by email and we will do everything that we can to support you.

Finally, can I urge you in the strongest terms to follow the instructions we have all been given regarding social isolation and staying at home. Our main aim now must be to help everyone, students, staff and families to stay safe and well.

Take care and stay safe.

For guidance please go to https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Kim Everton

College Principal

There have so far been no cases of coronavirus infection of any staff or students in the college.  

Many parents and carers of our college students have already taken the decision to self-isolate their child due to concerns about the possibility of infection.

We have 9 members of staff in college who are absent due to advice about self-isolation or childcare related problems.

Most of our students have health and medical issues and are at the highest risk according to the Department of Health.  Their safety and health is our priority, we have followed government guidelines and have assessed each student, with the support of the colleges medical staff and have taken the decision to close the college to all students from 3.15pm today.

Learning packs have been collated by the teachers and will be sent home today.  College Key Workers will carry out regular safe and well checks on all students by telephone on a regular basis, whilst the college is closed to students.

All staff who are able to will remain in college, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns or need any advice:

business@wsucbpt.co.uk

k.everton@wsucbpt.co.uk

n.cutler@wsucbpt.co.uk        

Please check our website for any further updates www.wsucbpt.co.uk. Please take care and stay safe during this difficult time.

There have so far been no cases of coronavirus infection of any staff or students in the college. The Government announced last night it will be giving advice to vulnerable people in the next few days. This advice will probably have significant impact on any decision regarding the temporary closure of schools and colleges.

With increasing numbers of students being absent and many of our staff being absent due to childcare issues or precautionary advice, we are taking measures to try to continue as normal as much as possible. Increasing absence rates could be another reason we have to consider the closure of our college. In these circumstances, it may be a decision we are forced to make at short notice. I would advise you to consider what you will do in these circumstances.

We are continuing with our hand-washing, cleaning and all the measures as specified by the health authorities. We have been informed by nurses that students with a dry cough and/or temperature in college must go home and will need to be collected by parents.

We are looking at ways we will be able to keep in touch with students who are off college and will be aiming to keep in touch with students and families on a regular basis. We have also started preparing work to be completed at home, if all of this becomes necessary.

I understand this is a very difficult and worrying time for everyone. If you wish to discuss anything regarding the current situation, please contact the college on 0121 306 4800.

Yours faithfully

Kim Everton – College Principal

The Hive College Coronavirus Update

There have so far been no cases of coronavirus infection of any staff or students in college. Wilson Stuart School did prevent a member of staff from coming into school last Thursday and Friday as a precaution because her brother had symptoms. It turned out that he was not infected and there was no risk.

We are continuing with our hand-washing, cleaning and all the measures as specified by the health authorities.

We have been informed by nurses that students with a dry cough and/or temperature in college must go home and will need to be collected by parents.

A few parents have taken the decision not to send students into college because they are concerned about the virus in relation to underlying health issues. We are looking at ways we will be able to keep in touch with students who are off college.

The NHS has stopped testing people with any symptoms of coronavirus and is now telling them to self-isolate. This includes people with colds and sore throats, we have a few members of staff who are currently off college for this reason.

The Government, as you will be aware is considering measures including isolating the elderly and vulnerable, this may include consideration of the need to do this for students who have medical issues and who might be at significant risk if they were to be infected. We will have to wait and see what happens and what decisions are taken. In the event of a college closure we will be providing work to be completed at home and are considering what we will do if any closure may be long-term.

We have taken the decision to cancel work placements and community visits. We have also restricted visitors into college to a minimum and will be increasingly using conference calling meetings.

Due to restrictions on purchasing food items, the tuck shop will now be operating a reduced menu. We will not be having a Friday special and if parents could provide a packed lunch for students, this would be appreciated.

Yours faithfully

Kim Everton

College Principal

Dear Parents/carers,

I am sure like everyone, you will be concerned about the present situation regarding the corona virus. At college we have been following the advice given by the Department of Health which you can find here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

We are following all the advice given by the Department of Health. This is being updated daily. In school we have already put in place the following things:

All classes have anti-bacterial handwash

We have soap and wash bowls in every class

We have put handwash signs in every toilet and bathroom

We have put “Catch it, bin it, kill it” signs around college

Students are having handwashes when they arrive at college, at breaktimes and at lunchtimes

All door handles and handrails are being cleaned daily

We are limiting physical contact to the minimum

I have also spoken to the NHS officers and made them aware that many of the children here at The Hive have underlying health issues and might be particularly at risk if they were to catch the virus.

If you do have particular concerns about your child being vulnerable because of a medical condition they have, I would suggest you ask for advice from your GP.

It may be that in the event of a greater spread of infection in the coming weeks further measures may have to be considered and it is possible this could include closure of schools/colleges.

We would ask that you follow the Department of Health advice regarding what action to take if members of your family or your child have possible symptoms or fall into any categories of risk, this is very important. We would also request that in the unfortunate event of a member of your family contracting the virus we would ask that you inform us immediately and keep your child off college.

We will keep you informed and updated of any developments or news about this as soon as we receive it. Any information from college will be posted on our website immediately.

A very busy evening for The Hive College as we held our annual Parent and Student information event yesterday. This event is to showcase agencies that are here to support our students and families during and after their time in college. A few agencies that promoted their work were: DWP, Care First, QAC, Derwin College, National Express Accessible Transport and many more!

Details of our next event will be posted soon and it would be great to see more parents and students there!

Measuring the positive impact of Social Value, AECOM signs new partnership with the Social Value Portal in the UK and Ireland

AECOM, the world’s premier infrastructure firm has signed a three-year partnership with Social Value Portal to manage, measure and report the impact of its social value activities in the UK and Ireland. Using a bespoke new online system, the company will capture and monitor critical data about the social value it is delivering to communities across the country.

Over the last year, both volunteering hours and days have significantly improved. However, with the support of this partnership with the social value portal, this is set to increase even more, enabling AECOM to reach a wider audience. Taking guidance from the National TOMs framework, which provides a minimum reporting standard for measuring social value, AECOM has tailored each of the framework’s themes, outcomes and measures to encourage and enforce long term social value within its own business operations. As the first professional services company specialising in architecture, engineering and construction to sign up to the Social Value Portal, AECOM has introduced social value champions in each of its UK and Ireland offices. This will enable the company to form new partnerships with local charities and social enterprises to directly support local needs.

The new partnership provides a number of benefits to AECOM, enabling it to set achievable long-term social value targets for the future. Not only will this allow the business to calculate a financial value for its social value activities, but also implement a consistent approach across the UK and Ireland and highlight areas for improvement.

Using themes such as promoting local skills and employment, supporting growth of the local economy and protecting and improving the environment, the system will help AECOM to understand the scale and breadth of its social value impact by capturing information about initiatives and projects across the business.

Dave Bennett, Head of Operations at AECOM, said; “Our new partnership with Social Value Portal will help us to better understand how and where we are delivering on our commitment to improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the communities we serve. Inspired by our employees, who make a positive and tangible impact in communities every day, the system will enable a more focused approach to social value. As our workforce expands, it is vital we continue to empower future generations to build a legacy for themselves and those around them.”

Nathan Goode, Head of Strategy at the Social Value Portal, said “We are delighted to be working with AECOM to help them manage and report on their social value. AECOM’s business reach means that our collaboration will contribute to making social value ‘business as usual’ in infrastructure and the built environment and create the conditions for social value by design at the early stages of major projects and programmes.”

Whilst the partnership is an important new step, AECOM has for many years recognized the importance of social value and collaborating with local community projects such as The Hive College in Birmingham. Students aged 19-25 with special educational needs and disabilities are supported through an initiative that helps them find employment and encourages their independence and builds confidence. By working closely with the college to ensure students are given the opportunity to thrive, AECOM has provided students with the tools they need to help fulfil their career aspirations. Since making this commitment, AECOM has provided CV writing workshops and regularly visits the college to engage students in employment. So far, two students have secured permanent positions at AECOM with an additional four students securing placements during a college term. To ensure the working environment is comfortable and fully accessible for individuals, the work place has been adapted to accommodate their specific needs.

Julie Pallister, Work Placement Coordinator at Hive College, said: “AECOM has offered many of our young disabled adults work experience which has enabled them to broaden their skillset in preparation for the world of work. Two of those students were taken on a supported internship – a specialist programme for young people with additional needs who have now been employed into the team. AECOM has also helped to raise funds for students to go on a residential trip to Butlins. Not only do staff and students have a fantastic time but this also serves a great opportunity for students to gain independent skills.”

AECOM has also recently signed up as a Disability Confident employer – a government initiative that encourages employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they attract, recruit and retain disabled workers.