Student Update: Returning to campus

Please be aware that this information was shared with students by email and correct at the time of sending. For the latest Covid-19 guidance, please visit our coronavirus webpages: www.wlv.ac.uk/coronavirus. If you are a student who has a query or needs support, please log a helpcall with ASK@WLV in e:Vision (www.wlv.ac.uk/evision).

I hope you are all well and staying safe. This update includes information covering: 

• Which courses have been permitted by the Government to return to in person teaching 
• Where to get tested before returning to in campus 
• How to stay safe whilst on campus 
• Guidance on travelling to campus 
• Where to find the latest information 

Returning to campus from Monday, 8 March 

The roadmap announced by the Government confirmed that students on practical or practice based courses who require access to specialist facilities can return to campus for in person teaching from Monday, 8 March. However, the guidance also states that in person teaching and learning should not resume if courses can reasonably be continued online. 

Students eligible to return to in person teaching will now have been contacted directly by their Head of School or Institute. All other courses will continue to be taught online, and students should not return to campus unless you need to return for health and wellbeing reasons or do not have appropriate access to study space in your current accommodation. 

Students should regularly check their timetable in the MyWLV app for the most up to date information on teaching for their course before making any plans to travel to the University. Personal timetables are currently being updated for those courses now due to return to in person teaching from Monday, 8 March.  

For those students who will return to in person teaching, please take some time to re-familiarise yourselves with the University’s guidance for on campus safety and Covid-19 testing, detailed later in this update.  

Students in term-time accommodation 

Government advice is that once students have returned to their term-time accommodation they must remain living there unless an exemption to the national restrictions on leaving home and gatherings applies. They must only travel home where they have a legally permitted reason to do so. If students rely on an exemption to travel home (for example if they need to move home temporarily because of illness or mental ill-health), they should ensure that they get a test as soon as possible on their return to university. 

If you are due to return to University accommodation and have any questions, please contact your accommodation hub: 

• City Campus Accommodation Hub 
• Walsall Campus Accommodation Hub 
• Telford Campus Accommodation Hub 

After Easter (mid-April) 

The Government has stated that it will undertake a formal review in mid-April to consider whether students on other courses can return to in person teaching.  

I recognise how important it is for many of you to be back on campus, and the University is committed to delivering the best student experience possible with a comprehensive package of support. We are working on the basis that more students will begin a phased return to in person teaching after Easter, so plans are underway.  

Before you return to campus – getting a Covid-19 test 

The Government is stating that students are expected to:  

• have two lateral flow tests before returning to campus 
• have two lateral flow tests a week while attending in person teaching  

By taking part in regular testing, you will help us detect symptom free cases, stop the spread of the virus, and protect our University community.   

The University is working with the local authorities to provide access to testing. We have created a webpage that includes the Government's latest guidance about when to get a test and the locations and booking arrangements for testing sites close to our campuses.  

Students and staff can arrange to get a lateral flow test using the facilities referenced on this webpage or somewhere local to them. 

I would encourage you to use this page as a reference point and check back regularly to ensure you follow the most up to date guidance.  

Visit the Testing webpage

Staying safe on campus 

We are looking forward to welcoming more students back to our campuses. Still, as you will appreciate, the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic means that working and studying on campus will be somewhat different. We remain committed to ensuring that you have the best learning experience possible, but we need to place the safety of our students and staff at the heart of everything we do. 

There are specific actions that are crucial for everyone to adopt to keep our campuses Covid-secure and as safe as possible: 

• Face coverings must be worn inside all University buildings, including lecture theatres, practical learning spaces (labs and studios), libraries (including PC areas), corridors, stairwells and teaching rooms.  
• Everyone must maintain 2 metre social distancing on campus, including students who may live in a household bubble.  
• Follow hygiene procedures, including washing your hands regularly with soap and water and making use of sanitising stations where available. 
• Clean work and study spaces before and after use, including the keyboard and mouse, using the cleaning products provided.  
• Follow all on campus signage to move around buildings and learning spaces safely. This includes one way systems and closed workspaces.  
• Adhere to the isolation and reporting guidelines set out in our Covid-19 reporting procedures. If you feel unwell or are displaying Covid-19 symptoms, do not come on to campus 

It is your responsibility as a member of the University community to be aware and abide by these guidelines so that everyone can be safe. Please take some time to review the principles to understand what is expected of you when you return to in person teaching.  

Travelling to campus 

Students can travel to and from campus by private vehicle or public transport whilst following safer travel advice from the Government. 

Students using a private vehicle are advised to:  

• Avoid car sharing with anyone outside your household or support bubble. 
• Rigorously follow safer travel guidance for passengers to reduce the risk of transmission to others where this is not possible. 

If using public transport, students should: 

• Plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes where possible. 
• Rigorously follow safer travel guidance for public transport to reduce the risk of transmission. 

If you are an international student, please check our latest international student update for information and guidance on travelling to the UK.  

Stay up to date with the latest information   

Please keep checking your University emails and reading these updates. We are committed to keeping students up to date. We do this by email, on our social media channels (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook) and the University student news webpage.   

Visit our dedicated Covid-19 webpages for information on how you can stay safe and help protect our University community during the pandemic.   

Thank you, and stay safe.   

Professor Julia Clarke   
Deputy Vice-Chancellor