24 MARCH 2021

At the beginning of the year the UK Government announced that higher education institutions should suspend face to face teaching in favour of remote learning and virtual delivery in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 (the Coronavirus).

Following a review of the latest data and a reduction in the all-important R rating, the UK Government announced that schools and colleges may return to (essential) face-to-face on campus teaching from Monday 8th March.

Inline with this, Point Blank has now re-opened our London school for students that wish to return to campus and make use of our state-of-the-art studio facilities.

From the start of the new term, Monday 12th April, our London campus will be open for both Studio Lab Time (supervised private practice) and teaching for the majority of our courses. Our Music Industry Management degree, Music Business and Singing courses however will continue to be delivered remotely for the time being.

As we make the transition back to campus, classes will be delivered using a blended approach initially, with students attending on campus and online classes in alternate weeks to allow for proper social distancing to be in place. We will continue to deliver all classes via our Virtual Classroom (in addition to on campus), to ensure that students who can’t, or are not ready to, come back to campus are not disadvantaged in accordance with our Student Protection Plan.

Inline with the latest UK Government safety advice, students and staff will need to have received two negative COVID-19 test results before returning to campus. They will then be required to take a COVID-19 test twice a week whilst on campus to ensure that they do not have and can not spread the virus. We are grateful to Queen Mary University of London who will be providing free tests for Point Blank students and staff at their nearby East London campus. 

All student services will continue to be available on campus and remotely including academic support, wellbeing and counselling, as will the exclusive features we offer students, from Studio Lab Time, Careers and A&R support, to events and industry and artist masterclasses. On campus or online - we've got it covered.  

Current students needing support or information please email Student Services on support[at]pointblankmusicschool.com. If you are a prospective student please email admissions[at]pointblankmusicschool.com.

If you would like to join us in our upcoming April term, selected classes in music production and DJ skills will be available for limited in-person attendance with strict safety precautions in place. In addition to this in-person option, all classes will also continue to be delivered online in our highly-interactive Virtual Classrooms, which effectively replicate the on-campus experience with the same great masterclasses, project exercises, and 1-2-1 sessions. Please watch the videos on our Virtual Classrooms, for more details, and call an Admissions Advisor at 323.594.8740 or contact us for more information.

Point Blank remains absolutely determined that no applicant will be disadvantaged by the current crisis. We are currently reviewing all of our admissions processes and requirements in the light of the cancellation of exams to limit the impact on our future students, including looking at different ways to assess your application beyond results.

Our Admissions team are open as usual and are on hand to give you all the support you need and answer any questions you might have. In the meantime, please click here for more information on our normal entry requirements.

Contact our Admissions team with any questions or concerns by emailing admissions[at]pointblankmusicschool.com or calling us on 020 7729 4884.

We encourage you to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself from the Coronavirus. Please follow the latest government advice on staying healthy.

Reduce the risk of spreading the virus:

• Stay at home as much as possible
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• Throw all used tissues in the bin as soon as you have used them
• Wash your hands thoroughly after coughing and sneezing
• Follow your local governments advice on social distancing and wearing a face mask

Reduce the risk of catching the virus:

• Stay at home as much as possible 
• Wash your hands with soap and water frequently
• Use a hand sanitizer gel and use anti-bacterial wipes
• Don’t touch your nose, eyes, or mouth if your hands are not clean
• Follow your local governments advice on social distancing and wearing a face mask

If you are experiencing symptoms or are concerned that you may have picked up the virus, please call NHS 111 for urgent medical advice and support. If you are a current student please also alert the Student Services team.

Please DO NOT come into the School, or go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Stay at home and avoid close contact with other people (where possible) until you have the all clear.

For the latest advice and information visit please the Public Health England, the NHS and the World Health Organisation.

Anyone returning to the UK or planning to travel abroad should follow the latest official advice:

View the latest Foreign & Commonwealth travel advice.

Advice from the Home Office

Some Tier 4 students or Tier 2/5 employees may be prevented from attending their studies or employment due to illness, the need to serve a period of quarantine or the inability to travel due to travel restrictions caused by coronavirus.

Sponsors do not need to report student or employee absences related to coronavirus which they have authorised.

Sponsors do not need to withdraw sponsorship if they consider there are exceptional circumstances when:

• A student will be unable to attend for more than 60 days

• An employee is absent from work without pay for four weeks or more

Decisions on whether to withdraw a student from their studies or terminate an employment are for sponsors to make.

The Home Office recognises the current situation is exceptional and will not take any compliance action against students or employees who are unable to attend their studies/work due to the coronavirus outbreak, or against sponsors which authorise absences and continue to sponsor students or employees despite absences for this reason.

The Home Office will keep this under review, especially if the length of absences means a potential repeat of period of studies become necessary.

General Support 

For general support students should contact their institution’s wellbeing support services or phone UKCISA’s Student Advice Line on +44 20 7788 9214 (1–4pm UK time, Monday–Friday).

If you are unable to attend classes because you are in an affected area or are following advice from Public Health England, this will be considered an authorised absence, and it should not affect your visa in most cases.

You need to contact support[at]pointblankmusicschool.com to tell them that you are absent and the reason why, as well as an expected return date (if you know it). They will update your attendance record to show that your absence is authorised.

We do not anticipate visa implications for most Tier 4 students with quarantine or travel restrictions. But if you will be absent from study for more than 60 days (including any absences for other reasons before the quarantine/travel restriction began), you may need specific advice. 

For immigration support, please call the Coronavirus Immigration Helpline on 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or email CIH[at]homeoffice.gov.uk. 

Is Point Blank open?

Our London School will be open from 8th March 2021 subject to UK Government advice. We will also deliver all courses remotely via the Virtual Classroom. Our Los Angeles school will be delivering selected courses on campus from April 12th, but again, will continue to deliver classes remotely via our Virtual Classrooms also. Our school in China is open subject to social-distancing measures. Our schools in Mumbai and Ibiza are currently closed.

What precautions is Point Blank taking?

Point Blank’s Executive Team is overseeing and monitoring the situation. We have been meeting regularly to assess the impact and to determine appropriate actions and conducted a full risk assessment to ensure every precaution has been taken. Please see our COVID-19 Risk Assessment which is being continually updated to respond to the evolving situation. We will continue to closely monitor this in coordination with the government and health authority advice, live-updating this document and keeping you informed in the process.

Where we are delivering teaching and services on campus we are following strict social-distancing measures and monitoring the latest advice and guidelines. For both virtual and on site delivery we will be consulting with our students, gathering their feedback and working with them to ensure their safety and maintain an outstanding student experience.  

What is the risk to students and staff?

As the situation develops we encourage everyone not to panic, but to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from the virus by following the advice issued by the NHS, Public Health England and the WHO. If lockdown and social-distancing guidelines are followed and everyone looks after each other the risk is manageable. 

Should students and staff wear masks?

Yes. When using public transport, or in enclosed spaces the NHS suggests that everyone wears a face covering of some kind to help protect against the transmission of infected droplets to venerable areas such as the mouth, nose and eyes. If you are in any doubt, follow the latest Government advice, or contact our support team for more information. 

Who should students and staff contact if they are feeling unwell?

In the first instance, students should call their GP or NHS 111 for advice, but SHOULD NOT attend their GP practice or NHS drop-in centre in person without first seeking advice. Secondly, staff and students should inform the School as soon as possible following the standard reporting procedure. 

The Department for Education (DfE) helpline answers questions about COVID-19 related to education for concerned students, parents and staff. You can contact the helpline by calling 0800 046 8687 (Monday to Friday from 8am-6pm) or emailing: DfE.coronavirushelpline[at]education.gov.uk. 

You can find the latest information and advice on COVID-19 and guidance for educational settings at GOV.UK.

You can also download the Public Health England Coronavirus Factsheet here.