Update on Forthcoming Events Malvern College 4 November 2021
Letter issued from the Headmaster
Parent Webinar Information - Relationships Sex and Health Education Friday 12 November
Updates to the list of red, amber and green list countries were published by the UK Government yesterday. From 4am, Sunday 8 August, France will move to the amber list. At the same time, Austria and Germany will move to the green list. Bahrain, India, Qatar and United Arab Emirates will move to the amber list. Mexico, Georgia, Mayotte and Reunion have moved to the red list. Please check all changes and the full list which is available here.
Please remember that all arrivals, including from green list countries, must:
Please see further details below and on the UK Government website.
The UK Department for Education has confirmed that the amber list quarantine exemption does apply to boarding pupils, but the exemptiondoes notapply to anyone who has reached their 18th birthday (unless they have been double vaccinated by an approved provider). Furthermore, clarification has been received that under almost all circumstances boarders are ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK and this includes new boarders.
I appreciate that these changes have been frequent and sometimes frustrating, but they now mean that the majority of our overseas pupils no longer need to quarantine. The UK Government have given assurances that these rules will remain in place until the next review in three weeks’ time and that it is taking advantage of its successful vaccination programme by opening up to international travel. We will support pupils through any new obstacles that arise, but hopefully any changes before term starts will mean fewer restrictions rather than more. I hope that this is the last travel update for a while!
Update – 3rd August 2021
We have received an update from the Boarding Schools Association (please see the message below). Boarding school pupils who have travelled from or through amber list countries (and have not been in a red country of France in the previous 10 clear days) are now exempt from the requirements to quarantine and take a day 8 test. Pupils will still need to:
Please would parents update/cancel any requests for quarantine by contacting: quarantine@malverncollege.org.uk as soon as possible and before 9th August at the latest? Please note that we are not able to accommodate pupils before the start of term unless they need to quarantine.
Please submit/re-submit bookings for transport here. Details of transport with GT Matrix are here.
Day 2 tests for pupils who will be in College on Day 2 can be booked at: malvernbookings@wrenhealthcare.co.uk. Day 2 tests for pupils who will not be in College on Day 2 can be booked with any provider; a list of Government-approved providers can be found here. Some parents have informally recommended Randox for Day 2 tests.
Please would all parents/guardians of boarding pupils complete a Whereabouts Form for the start of term? Please submit/re-submit Whereabouts Forms here.
Pupils who no longer need to quarantine should arrive in College at the scheduled times of:
2.30pm on 1 st September – for new pupils (more details to follow)
6.30pm on 2 nd September – for returning pupils
The coach timetable for the start of term is here.
Pupils who have travelled from or through red countries still need to quarantine for 10 days, take day 2 and day 8 tests, and book transport with GT Matrix; please see details below. There are still separate rules in place for travellers from France which can be found here. The list of green, amber and red countries can be checked here.
The school will continue to follow UK Government COVID-19 operational guidance next term which includes two COVID tests for all pupils (three to five days apart) on their return in the autumn term and measures such as enhanced hygiene and cleaning regimes. More details will be sent to parents before the start of term.
UK Government guidance can be found here.
We will continue to update parents and guardians as appropriate. In the meantime, I hope you are all having a very good summer.
Following extensive lobbying and contact with government departments during July, particularly during the past week, BSA is pleased to receive the following confirmation from Department for Education (DfE) today regarding the quarantine situation for boarders travelling from amber list countries. BSA is very grateful to colleagues at DfE for their work in securing the appropriate clarification for the sector: Where pupils travel from abroad to attend a boarding school, schools need to explain the rules to pupils and their parents before they travel to the UK. All pupils travelling to England must follow the guidance set out in government travel advice.
Boarding school pupils who are ordinarily resident in the UK, including those who are unaccompanied and who are attending boarding schools on a child student visa or student visa, who have travelled from or through amber list countries (and have not been in a red country or France in the previous 10 clear days), are exempt from the requirements to quarantine and take a day 8 test.
Those aged 11 to 17 need proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to England (children aged 10 and under are exempt from this) and those aged 5 to 17 must take a COVID-19 travel test on or before day 2. More information is provided in the government’s quarantine and testing guidance. Additional guidance is provided on the quarantine arrangements for boarding school pupils travelling from red-list countries to attend a boarding school in England.
We are aware that international travel is currently very challenging, and we are here to support. Government guidance is changing regularly, and every effort is made to keep this page updated. Please communicate with your HouseM and if you have any queries about quarantine in College, please contact: quarantine@malverncollege.org.uk. We hope that you have a lovely summer, and we are looking forward to seeing you in Malvern College in September.
All pupils should complete this Whereabouts Form. This means that all the information will be collated centrally, and Houses will have access to all the information. If changes are needed, it is possible to edit the submitted form:
https://www.cognitoforms.com/MalvernCollege/Wherea...
Details of transport with GT Matrix can be found on the Parent Hub of the school website; please click on ‘Coach Timetable’. The College encourages the use of GT Matrix for all pupils given its Covid-safe and safeguarding protocols. Parents/guardians should complete this form only when booking a taxi or scheduled coach with GT Matrix:
https://www.cognitoforms.com/MalvernCollege/colleg...
UK Government rules can be found here. Please check these websites regularly because the guidelines do change. These rules must be followed even if you have been vaccinated or have antibodies to coronavirus:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-li... https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-quarantine-when...
UK law states that pupils arriving from red list countries must quarantine in boarding school, unless they are quarantining in a government approved hotel with their parents. We will therefore open a boarding house for pupils arriving from red list countries. Pupils should arrive between Saturday 21st August and Monday 23rd August.
Pupils travelling from red list Countries must carry two letters with them:
1. Please email ria.wilkins@malverncollege.org.uk in the week beginning 16th August to request a travel letter from Malvern College which must be carried by the pupil to enter the UK. When emailing Ria Wilkins, please state the red List country they will travel from or through, departure airport, airline, flight number, arrival airport, arrival time, passport number they are travelling on.
2. Please email ria.wilkins@malverncollege.org.uk to request a letter from the Department of Education. Please print, read and carry this letter from the Department of Education.
If pupils are travelling from or through a red list country, they must travel directly to Malvern and they must be met by GT Matrix (as the school’s representative). Please book using this link: https://www.cognitoforms.com/MalvernCollege/Colleg... )
The coach or taxi provided is not permitted to stop at any point on the way to Malvern so pupils should be advised to use toilet facilities at the airport after disembarking from the aircraft.
Before travel to England you must:
Completing the UK Passenger Locator Form when travelling from a red list country:
If you are quarantining in Malvern College:
Before you travel to England you must:
Take a Covid 19 PCR test in the three days before departure. The proof must be in English, French or Spanish.
Book a day 2 PCR Covid travel test by contacting Wren Healthcare: malvernbookings@wrenhealthcare.co.uk
You do not need to quarantine unless the test result is positive. Complete a UK Passenger Locator Form: https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details...