So no glimmer of hope for students.

[RainingBatsAndFrogs]

Stay home, stay online. Schools can go back but students can’t get the education they are paying for.

My Dc doing a STEM subject hasn’t set foot in a lab or had any face to face contact with course tutors or fellow course members since paying the massive accommodation cheque.

It isn’t fair, right or necessary.

I expect we'll have updated guidance from the DfE tomorrow which will clarify which courses.

It's totally wrong.
In my opinion university students should be back. They have paid for their education. Boris doesn't give a fuck because they are not his voters, far better for him to save the blue rinse brigade. I don't care what anyone says, it is totally a political desicion. No way in hell would he fuck over his cronies in the same way if they had paid that amount of money.

I'd expect studio based like dance to be included though

They have been totally thrown under the bus, barely seem to be on the government radar.

What a waste.

@titchy

I'd expect studio based like dance to be included though

Thanks.. I hope so.

ledkr my DS is in his final year of a BMus in Jazz. I so hope your DD and my DS and all the other students like them qualify as on a practical course. The online teaching is so limited. DS is best at playing in a group. Which can't be done online.

@rogueantimatter

ledkr my DS is in his final year of a BMus in Jazz. I so hope your DD and my DS and all the other students like them qualify as on a practical course. The online teaching is so limited. DS is best at playing in a group. Which can't be done online.

Really hope so.. Good luck to him.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/feb/23/thousands-uk-language-students-limbo-brexit-hits-travel-plans Add to this language students being shafted by Brexit as there’s still chaos and uncertainty about their year abroad.

I’m a lecturer and the quote from Boris was that courses that require a practical element to pass will be able to go back from the 8th. So unless it’s one of the allied health professionals it all really depends on the wording of the learning outcomes of the relevant modules. We were letting students in labs earlier in the year so now we’ve met those criteria the university won’t allow us to bring the student back in. It’s also clear at this point unless the government steps in and pays the only chance students have of getting any money back is through accommodation (if the university owns the halls).

My DD is paying £7500pa plus bills and has had ten weeks she's been allowed to use accommodation. She signed her contract understanding she'd get a small amount of face to face and has had none.

If she'd known, she'd have stayed with us and continued with her lockdown job in autumn, which continued after the initial first month. Only good thing is they took her back in December so at least she has money coming in.

My campus university contained cases pretty well, there was not a surge in the city as a whole and cases were low in staff. I'm doing a PhD so I do some teaching of 1st year undergraduates and so many of them are very low and were really hoping to return on the 8th. I really feel for them.

From DfE website:

In addition to the students who returned to in-person teaching and learning in January, providers can resume in-person teaching and learning for undergraduate and post- graduate students who are studying practical or practice-based (including creative arts) subjects and require specialist equipment and facilities from 8 March.

@Giddly

Nope - not my experience of students. Obviously living in a shared house it's going to spread if one student gets it but this reviling of young people who have actually lost out the most from lockdown restrictions has been one of the many unpleasant sides of the pandemic.

I agree completely

Yeah dd is back from the 8th as she is doing an acting course

Theyve been very good on zoom but obviously there are masses of practical things...and even though she was supposed to be doing exercises like burpees she found a way to cheat 😀

@PaddingtonsSister

Maybe because every uni town had huge surges from students not playing by the rules so not chancing the parties this time

I think this was a problem, seeing students partying and the areas spiking in infections after their return wasn't welcome and no one wanted to repeat that

DS is back on 8th. Hurrah. I'm assuming your DD is too ledkr? Given that elite sports (which includes some amateur sports) have been allowed to continue I would have been furious if the performing arts and other practical subjects weren't allowed back.

Sounds like good news at last.