Coronavirus Lockdown #3... Our plan for 2021

5th January 2021
With the start of Lockdown #3 - hopefully the last battle! - we have closed our doors once again to fit in with government rules and keep our school community safe. 
As always, we remain focussed on delivering our courses safely and honouring fulfilling longer courses, making sure all our AMUSF upholstery students graduate... even if it takes a little longer. 
To make this possible - and to avoid further disappointment and frustration - we have taken the decision to cancel all shorter upholstery and lampshade workshops. Our aim is to start running these classes again from May 2021, however until we can be sure of no cancellations, we are holding fire on setting dates for now. If you are keen to do one of our courses - please do email us. We'd love to hear from you and we will let you know as soon as we have dates back on the timetable.
Wishing you all good health over the next few weeks. Thank you for all your good cheer and support. I am very much looking forward to seeing you all again soon. Stay well xx

              Keeping us safe - our Covid-19 Safety Policy

​We are very lucky to have a large and spacious workroom as our main teaching space. To make sure that we can keep you safe, we have spaced workbenches so that students can work 2m apart. Other changes we have put in place while the coronavirus policies continue include:
• All high-use surfaces such as counter tops, door handles, light switches and taps are being appropriately  cleaned daily.
• Cloth towels have been replaced with paper towels.
• Hand washing soap and hand sanitising gel and tissues are available for use.
• All workbenches are positioned so that students can work 2m apart. Where at all possible tutors and students should keep this distance. In narrow areas such as doorways and walkways, students are requested not to cluster but to leave space between people.
• All students must use their own tools etc. This includes smaller items such as pins, skewers etc, as well as larger hand tools. 
Note: School hand tools will be supplied ONLY to students on leisure classes. These tools will be cleaned using appropriate methods at the end of the working day to keep them safe for the next user.
•  Face masks must be worn in the workroom. When students are working at their workbenches and at least 2m from another person, the facemask may be removed. 
• No students or tutor may attend a class if coughing or showing signs of illness. 
•  Hands must be washed on arrival and departure into the workroom, and frequently in between.
• Every visiting student will be asked to sign-in on a daily register. This is so that should someone fall ill we will be able to trace all those that they have been in contact with.
• Any student who falls ill with coronavirus-like symptoms in the days following a class is requested to let the school know by email. 
• The Covid-19 safety policies put an increased strain on tutors. Now more than ever, it is important that students arrive in good time for each class, and leave on time, having left their work areas clean and swept.
• And finally, it is important that we all continue to enjoy classes, be considerate and communicate kindly.
 Stay safe and see you soon.