Last night the Department for Education updated guidance for university students on ‘non-practical’ courses that do not yet have a date for the resumption of face-to-face teaching.

It confirmed that there will be no further resumption of face-to-face teaching for students on ‘non-practical’ courses until at least Monday 17 May. This is deeply disappointing news for all of us and I wanted to set out as much detail as possible for you about the weeks ahead and what the university will be doing to support you.

In this communication you will find information on:

• New dates for resuming in-person teaching and next steps
• Regular Covid testing
• Campus facilities
• University accommodation charges
• Student welfare
• House parties
• Additional safety measures

In-person teaching

Students who are on courses that have already resumed in-person teaching - either in January (such as Medicine and Education) or those with practical elements which require specialist equipment that returned in March - or who have dates for return in April, are permitted to continue with their current arrangements. Students on practical courses with return dates in April will receive confirmation emails from their school or department.

All remaining students will resume in-person teaching no earlier than Monday 17 May. This is subject to government review and you will receive an email from your head of school/department at least one week prior to this start date, confirming arrangements.

I fully understand that the wait to return to campus for in-person teaching or to access campus facilities is frustrating. All of us at Nottingham want to resume the fullest university experience as soon as possible, and we look forward to welcoming you. In the meantime we must play our part in keeping everyone safe and following the national guidance.

We will continue to use your feedback from last semester to ensure our teaching methods best support your learning and will do everything we can to support you while you wait for your return date.

If you have any concerns at all about your teaching and learning experience please speak to your head of school/department in the first instance.

Students who are approved for Remote Study for the remainder of this academic year are expected to remain in their current location, and not to return to campus unless their circumstances change and they wish to do so. Your school or department will be in contact with you if you are not able to complete your course remotely.

The university, together with our colleagues in the Russell Group and Universities UK, is continuing to lobby government to permit the further return of students for in-person teaching as soon as possible.

Minimising your travel

Government advice remains that students should stay where they are currently until shortly before resuming in-person studies, unless they meet the exceptional circumstances listed in Department for Education guidance.

The circumstances that permit earlier returns to campus include where you do not have access to appropriate alternative accommodation, facilities or study space or for mental or physical health reasons.

To limit transmission risks, the guidelines also make clear that students who return to Nottingham should expect to remain at the university and only travel home where they have a legally permitted reason to do so.

Regular Covid-19 testing

All students who return, whether this be after the Easter break or later in the year, must book a Covid-19 test from the University Testing Service to confirm that you are not carrying the virus and can keep our community and those around us safe.

If you are returning to accommodation in halls you must book your key collection and take your test at East Midlands Conference Centre (for students in Dagfa, Varsity, Willoughby, Cavendish, Ancaster, Nightingale, Beeston, Rutland, Sherwood, Derby, Lincoln, Lenton, Cripps and Hugh Stewart halls) or Jubilee Hall (for students in Newark, Melton, Southwell and Jubilee Halls). The first meal of the Summer Term is dinner on Sunday 18 April but there are options to purchase food ahead of this date.

After your initial test, you must take our asymptomatic Covid-19 test at least once a week. These tests are highly accurate and can tell if you are in the early stages of infection, whether or not you are showing symptoms.

We have Covid-19 testing venues across our campuses and for those living out in the community we have a testing hub at Thomas Helwys Church Hall, in Church Street, Lenton.

Testing each week protects you and everyone around you - leading to quick identification of cases and support with self-isolation to minimise transmission. It also helps to identify anyone who has come into contact with people who are infected, so they can take action to protect themselves and others.

Evidence our community takes part in regular testing shows our campuses and facilities are Covid-secure and enables them to be kept open.

Campus facilities

Your libraries, study spaces, retail and campus catering outlets remain open for you, albeit with different ways of working and some revised opening hours to remain in line with national restrictions.

As I outlined in my communication last week we have reopened our gym and indoor fitness facilities. This includes bookable gym and swim sessions, the climbing wall for registered climbers and our Swim School programme. You can also continue to book courts, Engage sessions and outdoor group exercise classes. To find out more visit our Sports webpages.

We have also been able to reopen many of our catering and food outlets, with outdoor seating facilities and takeaways. These should only be used individually, with your household or under the Rule of 6 as per current restrictions for socialising outdoors.

Don’t forget that our Staying In, Saving Lives campaign also gives you a suite of online events, arts performances, takeaway discounts as well as details of our mental health, counselling, libraries and careers support.

University accommodation charges

To date the university has been able to offer a package of financial support for students who are not studying on a programme that has resumed in-person teaching AND who are not using their room in university-owned, -leased or -managed accommodation.

We are working through what the latest national guidelines mean for those in university accommodation and will write shortly to contract holders to confirm the position on accommodation charges. The university will continue to liaise with private and third-party accommodation providers to encourage them to provide support packages.

For students experiencing financial difficulties resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic the university may be able to offer interest-free loans or non-repayable grants. For further information, please visit Support Funds or email financialsupport@nottingham.ac.uk.

Welfare

We all remain concerned for every student’s health and mental wellbeing and if you need any sort of support or advice, please do ask for help from your personal tutor or hall warden in the first instance and they can direct you to more specialist services if required.

You can access support and find full details online for our mental health and wellbeing services or via our Covid-19 Support Centre on 0044 (0)115 748 7700 between 10am and 8pm (GMT) Monday to Friday.

Behaviour

For those students that do return to campus or Nottingham please be mindful of how your behaviour reflects on your fellow students and the university.

Unfortunately, while so many of you make a huge and positive contribution to Nottingham and are adhering to the restrictions, a small minority of our students are continuing to flout the rules. This is unacceptable and these students will find themselves subject to Police fines, university disciplinary action as well as the scrutiny of the media and local community.

Please note that although restrictions have relaxed, as outlined above, the rules on mixing indoors have not changed and parties remain strictly prohibited.

Please ensure you follow the rules and help to keep everyone safe.

Additional measures

We have taken significant steps to provide a Covid-secure environment on our campuses and the wellbeing of our community remains our priority.

Please remember to Isolate, Notify, Test if you do start to experience Coronavirus symptoms and let the university know, even if you are not in Nottingham.

Within our university we have had no active cases of Covid-19 for the last 10 days. Our measures are most effective when we work together and follow the rules to keep everyone safe.

I look forward to welcoming you back to university when the time comes.

Best wishes, 

Professor Andrew Long
Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor
University of Nottingham