Living with COVID operating plan

At WSET School London, the safety of our students and staff is our number one priority. As such we still have measures in place to keep everyone safe while at the school. Please see our full living with COVID operation plan below.

1. Don't take risks with your health

Please do not attend if you test positive for COVID-19 or are showing any signs or symptoms.  

If you have any concerns please get in touch and we’ll transfer you to the next available course. There won’t be any financial repercussions if you can’t attend a booked course for any of these reasons. Your safety is our top priority.

If you test positive after attending the school or one of our exam venues, please email studentservicesteam@wsetglobal.com to inform us, so that we can take appropriate action. You will not be disadvantaged financially if you cannot attend for a Coronavirus-related reason.

2. Use of face coverings / moving around the building

Although face coverings are no longer mandatory you are still welcome to wear a face covering when moving around the school and in class.

Our COVID-19 health & safety plan

Below we have summarised our plan, with all the information you need for an enjoyable and safe classroom learning experience. We'll update these procedures as things change and evolve, so be sure to check back here before you set off for the school. If you have any questions that aren’t answered here, please feel free to contact us.

General procedures

Social distancing

  • Class sizes will remain below pre-COVID levels. We are still maintaining an element of social distancing across all qualification classes and tasting events. This means students have additional personal space to feel safe while in the school.
  • During breaktimes, we encourage you to take advantage of the variety of parks and open spaces that are located close to the school. If you want to remain inside, please stay in the classroom or one of our breakout areas.
  • Our classrooms are well ventilated. They have fresh air systems installed to ensure a flow of air around the room is suitable for the volume of people in the room. We will endeavour to have windows open for additional ventilation where practically possible.

Sanitisation

  • Extra sanitisation will take place throughout each day of frequent contact spaces including the reception desk, the lift, entrance doors and handrails, bathrooms, tables and seats.
  • Our team will use cleaning products and protocols which are approved to effectively fight against viruses, bacteria and pathogens on all equipment and surfaces.
  • Hand sanitiser will be available in every room.
  • Glassware for tastings will be provided by WSET School London and washed in our professional anti-bacterial glass washers.

Room-by-room plan

We've planned out our protective measures carefully, room by room, to ensure that nothing has been missed.

Reception lobby

  • Reception staff will be protected by a plastic screen. Give your name to the receptionist on arrival and they’ll sign you in and let you know where to go.

In the classroom

  • All classrooms are still set up to allow some levels of social distancing and our class capacities have been adjusted to reflect this. Upon arrival, please choose a desk and take a seat. Just because you have a desk to yourself, don’t let this stop you saying hello to the people around you!

  • We ask that you bring your own writing materials (please note: for examinations you will need a pencil and rubber).

  • We will provide all the glassware you need for the course/exam (you do not need to bring in your own glasses for any courses or exams onsite).

  • We will also provide disposable recyclable spittoons – you’ll just need to dispose of your spittoon in one of the bins provided at the end of the session.

  • All wine, spirits or sake samples will be poured by your educator or a member of our resources team, so you won’t need to pass bottles between one another.

  • We’ll display the bottles on a table at the front so that you can take a look at the labels, but we’ll ask you not to pick up/handle the bottles

  • Please allow space when speaking to our staff, particularly before and after sessions when there can be a temptation to gather in larger groups.

Bathrooms

  • Bathrooms will be cleaned regularly throughout the day.

International students

  • We welcome international students who are coming to study or sit exams with us at WSET School London and any of our external venues but would ask that you make yourself aware of and comply with any UK COVID-19 travel guidelines.

How will we keep things fun?

We hope that this plan has reassured you that we’ll be providing a safe environment for your course. But we also know that many of you have chosen to study with us purely for the enjoyment of learning in the company of other like-minded people, and we really don’t want to lose that in amongst all the safety measures.

Don’t worry, the wine, spirit and sake samples will be just as delicious, the course content will be just as fresh, and our educators will be keener than ever to share their passion for their subject with a classroom of students.

Our team is here to support you, so please feel free to ask any questions throughout your course. All we ask is that you continue to allow space when speaking to our staff, particularly before and after sessions when there can be a temptation to gather in larger groups.