Information for Staffordshire University students has been released detailing what this means for students who:
Dear Student,
We last updated you about your return to campus, following the UK Government’s introduction of the third national lockdown from 4 January 2021.
In that communication, we informed you that in-person teaching and learning would only resume on campus for a small number of courses from 4 January 2021, in line with the latest government restrictions. We also explained that that on-campus delivery for other courses would resume as soon as the government allowed and that we would be updated on this position during February 2021.
On Monday 22 February 2021, Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out the government’s roadmap for the route out of lockdown, and the Department for Education (DfE) released updated guidance for the UK’s higher education sector. This communication contains further details of the latest information, and how it applies to you.
STUDENTS WHOSE COURSES HAVE ALREADY RESUMED ON-CAMPUS DELIVERY
The latest government announcement will not affect the delivery of courses that have already resumed some on-campus, face-to-face teaching and learning during January 2021. Delivery will continue as scheduled, and you should continue to get tested regularly using our LRV Swabbing Centre or lateral flow rapid test provisions in your area.
STUDENTS WHOSE COURSES HAVE NOT YET RESUMED ON-CAMPUS DELIVERY
Group 1: Practical or practice-based courses
The UK Government has confirmed that practical or practice-based courses may resume elements of on-campus face-to-face teaching and learning from Monday 8 March 2021. In-person delivery for these courses will resume on a blended basis to help maintain Staffordshire University’s COVID-secure environment, as it did in the first semester.
Practical activities for these courses will be held in person, on campus. Technical and practical facilities will also be available on campus to support your teaching and learning.
If this applies to you, your course tutor will shortly contact you directly with details of your first on-campus face to face session, on or following 8 March 2021. Normally, this will be the first timetabled practical session following this date. Our approach will allow us to stagger the return of students onto campus, as required by the UK Government, in order to minimise the risk of infection.
Group 2: Non-practical or non-practice-based courses
Whilst we recognise this is not ideal, courses that can be delivered solely online must continue to be delivered remotely for the foreseeable future. These courses are not yet permitted to resume on-campus delivery, and we await further news from the UK Government when this will be allowed. We expect the next Government update to be delivered at Easter. This means that unless you meet one or more of the criteria set out by the Government (please see ‘Exemptions’ below), you should not return to campus or your term-time address at this point in time.
Group 3: Non-practical or practice-based courses with PSRB requirements
In a small number of cases, there may be non-practical and non-practice-based courses with a professional or regulatory accreditation that require students to undertake a form of assessment that cannot be delivered remotely. Students studying these courses will therefore need to return to campus to undertake these assessments. If this applies to you, your course tutor will shortly contact you directly with details of your return to campus, on or following 8 March 2021.
Exemptions
If you are studying a non-practical or non-practice-based course that is not yet due to resume in-person teaching and learning, you may still return to your term-time address earlier – or remain in your term-time address – if you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- International students, including those who have remained on campus and those who have arrived in the UK and do not have alternative accommodation
- Students without access to appropriate study spaces or facilities in their vacation accommodation
- Students who have remained in their term-time accommodation over the end-of-term break
- Students requiring additional support, including those with mental health issues
- Students on placements, where necessary
Commuter students should only access University facilities if their courses have resumed face-to-face on-campus teaching, or if they meet one or more of the criteria listed above.
NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS TRAVELLING FROM OVERSEAS
The UK Government has advised international students whose courses are not yet due to resume on-campus teaching and learning (please see details above) to avoid travelling to campus until a decision has been made on the return date of their subjects. The government has committed to announcing this decision by the end of the Easter holidays.
International students who have already booked travel should consider delaying their travel, if their arrangements can be changed without undue costs. International students are permitted to study remotely without a visa and, in most circumstances, will be able to continue their course via distance learning. Students on the UK courses being prioritised for return to in-person teaching and learning (see ‘Group 1: Practical or practice-based courses’ above) should do the following before making travel plans:
- Wait until you receive confirmation of when in-person teaching and learning for your course will commence
- Contact internationalsupport@staffs.ac.uk to let us know when you intend to arrive on campus
Before travelling to the UK, you should:
- Check entry requirements and restrictions that have been introduced due to coronavirus
- Ensure that prior to departing for England, you have proof of a negative coronavirus test result taken within three days of your departure to your transport operator
- Complete a passenger locator form
- Note that all UK travel corridors have been temporarily suspended to protect against new international variants, and that all passengers are now required to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival (students who are self-isolating can access support from our COVID-19 Support and Response Team by contacting covid-19@staffs.ac.uk)
- Confirm whether you are travelling from a red-list country, as there are different arrival procedures depending on your departure location
Further information about international travel is available on the MyStaffsUni app.
NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS STUDYING WITH PARTNER INSTITUTIONS
The information included in this communication relates specifically to the latest guidance issued by the UK Government, as applied at Staffordshire University. If you are studying with one of our Collaborative Academic Partners, you should seek guidance about local arrangements from your partner organisation.
TESTING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR RETURN TO CAMPUS
Wherever possible, you should take a lateral flow rapid test in your locality before returning to your term-time address or our campuses. This will ensure that you are safe to travel and help to minimise the risk of unknowingly infecting other students on campus. If you are unable to access local testing facilities, please take a test as soon as you arrive on campus before using any University facilities or attending face-to-face sessions.
To book a lateral flow rapid test at our LRV Swabbing Centre on our Stoke-on-Trent campus, please follow the instructions below:
Our LRV Swabbing Centre will be open on the following dates:
- Tuesday 2 March 2021
- Wednesday 3 March 2021
- Tuesday 9 March 2021
- Wednesday 10 March 2021
- Tuesday 16 March 2021
- Wednesday 17 March 2021
- Tuesday 23 March 2021
- Wednesday 24 March 2021
- Tuesday 30 March 2021
- Wednesday 31 March 2021
Students returning to our Stafford or Shrewsbury campuses should take advantage of the local lateral flow testing facilities now operating in their areas. You can use the following sites to find your nearest swabbing centres in Stafford and Shrewsbury. Alternatively, if you would prefer to travel to our Stoke-on-Trent campus, you can book a slot at our LRV Swabbing Centre.
Separate arrangements will be communicated to students based at our London campus.
Lateral flow rapid testing is only available to individuals who do not display COVID-19 symptoms. Anyone with symptoms should book a PCR test via the NHS portal and, if positive, should not leave their current locality until their period of self-isolation is complete.
Once tested, it is vitally important that you report your status to the University before attending any on-campus sessions, by completing our very short confidential survey. Any student who does not undergo a test prior to or upon returning to their term-time address, or who has not been tested on campus, or who has not received a positive test result within the last 90 days, is not permitted to access our campuses until they have self-isolated in their term-time accommodation for 10 days.
Ongoing testing
In addition to testing before or upon arrival, you will also be able to access twice-weekly LRV Swabbing Centre sessions until the end of March 2021. We encourage all students to get tested regularly to help maintain our COVID-secure campuses and to protect each other. By doing so, we can ensure that we do not hold up the return of other students to in-person, face-to-face teaching.
RETURNING TO UNIVERSITY ACCOMMODATION
Your return date will be determined by your first scheduled teaching commitment, which will be communicated to you directly by your course tutor.
To help stagger the return of students to our campuses, you should schedule your arrival as close as possible to your first in-person session. If you are unable to arrange a lateral flow rapid test in your locality before returning to campus – and therefore need to use our LRV Swabbing Centre – please book a test for the Tuesday or Wednesday before your first on-campus session and schedule your return accordingly.
Before travelling to University-managed or -owned accommodation, you must confirm the date of your first on-campus session. The ResLife team will contact you directly with information about your supported return, the Rent Reduction Scheme, and what that will mean for you.
When travelling to University, we advise you to use private transportation wherever possible. If you do not have access to private transportation, please ensure you follow the latest travel guidance available on gov.uk. Please do not travel if you are self-isolating or have tested positive for COVID-19.
Please note that the UK Government has introduced a new £800 fine for those attending house parties, including in halls of residence, which will double for each repeat offence to a maximum level of £6,400. These fines will apply to those who attend illegal gatherings of more than 15 people from outside their household.
If you are returning to University-managed or owned accommodation, please ensure you refamiliarise yourself with the latest guidance shared by our ResLife team. Whether in accommodation or on campus, we can all help to protect our students, staff and local communities by continuing to adhere to the latest COVID-secure guidelines.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Staffordshire University’s dedicated COVID-19 Support and Response Team is committed to supporting all students who are required to self-isolate. If you test positive or are required to self-isolate, you must report this to the University by following the steps outlined on our coronavirus webpages.
If you require additional advice or support, please contact our team by writing to covid-19@staffs.ac.uk.
Further details of the support available to Staffordshire University students is available here.
FURTHER INFORMATION
We appreciate that some of you may have additional questions regarding how the latest government update will affect your studies, and we will continue to work with the Students’ Union to provide answers as further details emerge.
For the latest information concerning our University’s response to the pandemic, please continue to check the MyStaffsUni app and our dedicated coronavirus webpages.
Finally, and most importantly, I hope that you and your families continue to persevere through this latest lockdown, and that it will not be too much longer before we can resume more normality in our studies and social lives. The return of many of our students from 8 March 2021 marks an important milestone for our University community, and we hope it will not be too much longer before we are able to welcome all our students back to campus.
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
Best wishes,
Ian Blachford
Chief Operating Officer
Staffordshire University