Coronavirus COVID-19

No.

The UK Government has announced strict measures across the country to ensure people stay at home and limit the transmission of COVID-19. York St John University buildings including the Library and London campus are now closed. Student accommodation in York remains open for those that need it. Staff and students are asked to please stay at home.

The University has suspended all face-to-face teaching and assessment and is operating an extended Easter vacation from Wednesday 18 March until Sunday 19 April. 

From Monday 20 April we will support all teaching and learning remotely.

The global outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) is a rapidly changing situation and we recommend you check the latest information published by the UK Government: 

• Situation in the UK
• Information about the virus and symptoms
• Advice for travellers
• Guidance for educational settings

A major incident team at York St John University is closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak, working with partner organisations and following the advice of Public Health England and the World Health Organisation. 

The team is led by Dr Amanda Wilcox, University Secretary and representatives from Health and Safety, HR, IT, Student Life, Registry, Estates, International and the Students’ Union.  They will coordinate the University’s response as the situation develops. The team's priorities are to protect the health of all members of the University community and reduce disruption to University academic activities.

Anyone who is worried about possible contact with coronavirus should self-isolate and call NHS 111

Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all non-essential international travel, initially for a period of 30 days. 

To check whether an area you have travelled to is affected, see the latest information from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

If the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have advised against all but essential travel to an area you have visited, use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next.

If you are a member of staff, please contact your line manager.

If you are not in the UK, follow advice from your local healthcare provider and local government, and update yourself on WHO recommendations.

If you are a foreign national in one of the impacted countries, please familiarise yourself with the latest information provided by your closest national embassy in the region.

The WHO also recommends regularly checking advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre.

Please read the guidance provided by the Government on how to self-isolate. 

Public Health England and the Department of Education have issued guidance to educational settings about COVID-19.

In accordance with this advice, no special control measures or restrictions are required if anyone has been in contact with a suspected case of COVID-19 in an educational setting until test results are known. The NHS is testing a large number of individuals who have travelled back from affected countries as a precautionary measure. The vast majority of these tests have been negative.

If a suspected case is confirmed to be COVID-19, Public Health England will contact the University to discuss the case, carry out a risk assessment and advise on the actions or precautions that should be taken to ensure the continued safety and health of our community.

Wash your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds and whenever you:

get home or into work
blow your nose, sneeze or cough
eat or handle food

It's important to use soap and water or a hand sanitiser.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, exams scheduled for the April and May examination periods will not be undertaken on campus.

Individuals with a weakened immune system or underlying health conditions or who are pregnant should stay at home. 

Students who are unwell and unable to complete scheduled assessment, should refer to the exceptional circumstances process.  

Prejudice will absolutely not be tolerated at York St John University.

Anxiety about coronavirus has led to some reactions that are unhelpful and at times, upsetting. This is a difficult time for anyone from affected countries. For those students or staff to also face discrimination in the UK is deeply unfair. Our University welcomes staff and students from all over the world and we expect everyone to be treated equally and with respect. If you see or experience any unwelcome comments or behaviours from other students in relation to the Coronavirus outbreak, please report this. Use our anonymous report and support process. Reporting incidents means the University can combat these behaviours, so do report anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. 

Please also get in touch with our Wellbeing Team if you would find it helpful to talk to someone. They can be contacted by email at wellbeing@yorksj.ac.uk. Our University Chaplain Revd. Jane Speck is also available to support those of all faiths and none. She can be contacted by email j.speck@yorksj.ac.uk or phone 01904 876606.

The University is committed to ensuring that all students can complete their academic programme or progress on time.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, exams scheduled for the April and May examination periods will not be undertaken on campus.

Schools will be in touch with their students about arrangements for supporting teaching and assessment at a distance. You should continue to work on assignments which have already been set.

No.

Please contact Accommodation to let us know if you are still in University accommodation:

Email: accomodation@yorksj.ac.uk

The Government’s advice is that students remaining at university in England should now stay where they are and not attempt to travel. If you are living in student halls, or private rented accommodation, you should remain there and stay indoors while current restrictions are in force. As the Prime Minister said, staying put and remaining indoors is a crucial step now to slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed, and save the lives of fellow citizens.  The government published advice on staying at home here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others

 Should you or any of your friends fall ill while in your student residence, there is guidance on self-isolating here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings

The Government has provided this specific advice for anyone living in shared accommodation.

Face masks play a very important role in places like hospitals, but there is very little evidence of widespread benefit for members of the public.

Of greater importance for the general population is good hand hygiene, which should be practised by all, regardless of symptoms or the lack of them. Another effective risk control measures is the use of paper tissues, when combined with prompt disposal and hand-washing.

It is recognised that many visitors to the UK come from cultures where wearing masks in public is a more common practice than in this country, and some may choose to wear them on campus. It should not be inferred that the wearer is infectious or poses a higher risk than other persons. All those who choose to wear their own masks are asked to dispose of them responsibly.

All of the library’s ebooks, electronic journals, newspaper and television archives, and search tools can be accessed away from campus, via the library website.

Any items that you have on loan will be extended until September - no fines will be issued during this period. 

If you need to self-isolate, please report your absence as normal. 

If you need advice or support, email advice@yorksj.ac.uk. 

Please contact your one of your course tutors or email advice@yorksj.ac.uk 

The University is seeking to reduce the overall and specific risks to colleagues or students by taking appropriate infection control actions and reducing face-to-face contact to reduce the likelihood of transmission.

Basic health protection advice that you should follow includes:

• Washing hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds or using a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available;
• Covering your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing and binning any tissues used;
• Regularly cleaning surfaces;
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;
• Avoiding close contact with people who are unwell;
• Avoiding sharing food, drink and utensils.
• Avoid shaking hands.
• Please also be aware that increased frequency of handwashing and use of sanitiser does dry the skin out, and it's very important to moisturise regularly to prevent cracking and opening the skin to other infections.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all non-essential international travel, initially for a period of 30 days.

If you are on a placement abroad and would like to return home, please contact studyabroad@yorksj.ac.uk, 

Let your host university know of any change in plans and contact insurance company Aon (+44 (0)20 71737797) if you need help or advice.

sent on Tuesday 17 March

Update on actions in response to COVID-19

Dear York St John students,

The Government has announced that more stringent social distancing measures are required to delay transmission of coronavirus COVID-19.

The measures include: 

• everyone in the UK is advised to avoid ‘non-essential’ contact with others and ‘unnecessary’ travel
• people are asked to work from home ‘where they possibly can’, and to avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and social venues
• people are advised to stay at home for 14 days if they, or anyone in their household, have a high temperature or a ‘new and continuous cough’
• people in at-risk groups will be contacted by the NHS to stay at home for twelve weeks so that they are ‘largely shielded from social contact’

The Government has not closed schools or universities, and York St John University remains open. We will be implementing the following changes to protect the health of students, staff and the wider community.

Health precautions

Individuals with a weakened immune system or underlying health conditions or who are pregnant should stay at home. Students who are unwell and unable to complete scheduled assessment, should refer to the exceptional circumstances process.

Changes to teaching from Wednesday 18 March

After careful consideration, we have decided to bring forward the Easter vacation to begin on 18 March. This means that the Easter break will now run from Wednesday 18 March until 19 April.

We will be suspending all face to face learning, teaching and assessment activities from 18 March until the end of the summer term.

We are committed to ensuring that all students can complete their academic programmes and complete or progress on time where possible. Schools will be in touch with you about the support they will provide for teaching and assessment at a distance in the coming days and weeks.

You should continue to work on assignments which have already been set.

The University is making alternative arrangements for assessments that you would normally have to come to campus to complete (e.g. exams, presentations, lab assessments).

This information will be issued to you in good time before assessment deadlines in the coming days and weeks. Please regularly check your University emails and other communication from your School.

These are significant changes to make quickly and we ask that you bear with us while we resolve some of the queries that will result from this course of action.

Campus

The University campus buildings and accommodation in York will remain open with a significantly reduced staff presence.

Our London Campus and Haxby Road Sports Park will also remain open with a significantly reduced staff presence and reduced activities.
Travel and events

The Medical Centre on our York campus will close from Tuesday 17 March and all students are asked to use the Monkgate surgery instead.

If you are self-isolating and need help or support, please contact advice@yorksj.ac.uk

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all non-essential international travel, initially for a period of 30 days.

All events taking place on campus will be cancelled.

Further advice and guidance about access to support is available on the University website.

Keeping in touch

You will be contacted over the next few weeks to put arrangements in place to support your learning after the Easter break.

York St John University has been dedicated to the provision of education for 179 years. This may be the most challenging period in our history. We know that we are asking everyone to operate under extraordinary circumstances and will all pull together and do what is possible to ensure your safety and wellbeing.

Thank you for your patience and understanding,

Dr Amanda Wilcox
University Secretary

Please log a job as usual and someone will contact you.

You can apply to the YSJ Student Support Fund for assistance. When completing the online application please make sure you use exact figures because these will be used in the assessment. During the application process your income and expenditure will be assessed so please be prepared to provide evidence of this if requested.

Normal sick absence arrangements apply – you are on sick leave and will receive sick pay.  As normal, please inform the person you report to and submit a self-certification for sickness absence to humanresources@yorksj.ac.uk 

If you, or someone you live with has symptoms of COVID-19, you should self-isolate.

Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next.

See the Public Health England website for advice and guidance about self-isolation.

If you are well and able to work remotely, agree what can be achieved during the period of self-isolation/quarantine with your manager/team. Normal pay will apply.

If you are unable to work remotely given the nature of your work, you will be on sick leave and sick pay will apply. Discuss your specific circumstances with the person you report to.

The Public Health England website provides advice and guidance about self-isolation.

Yes, we will pay you for any time that is already committed. You may be required to deliver things in a different way, your manager will keep you informed as the situation evolves.  If you are ill,  Statutory Sick Pay will apply from day one (for COVID-19)

Yes, you will be paid for any time already scheduled to work.  You may be required to deliver things in a different way, your manager will keep you informed as the situation evolves. If you are ill, statutory Sick Pay will apply from day one (for COVID-19)

Yes.  Any sick absence relating to COVID-19 will not be included in your absence data when ascertaining people who have hit trigger points.

Yes, this is important. Let your manager know and agree next steps with them in terms of the work you are doing and any other arrangements that need to be put in place. You also need to email humanresources@yorksj.sc.uk who will send you a brief survey to complete so that the University is able to track (and report on) the latest position. You do not need to complete a self-certified sick certificate unless you are sick and unable to work. 

We know that this is a worry for many people and the University wants to do all it can to support you; we are also mindful that the situation may continue for some time and it does not feel reasonable to expect the University to pay for indefinite time away from work on full pay. 

Inform the person you report to as soon as you can and talk through your specific circumstances. If you are able to make alternative childcare arrangements, you are expected to do this.

If you are unable to secure alternative childcare arrangements, suggest what you can do to keep working. For example, flexible working arrangements may be possible such as an alternative working pattern whilst working from home.

As an extraordinary step in light of the current unprecedented situation, the Dependents Leave policy will be temporarily adjusted so that staff who cannot work in order to care for their children will continue to be paid for a maximum of 10 days (pro rata). This does not need to be taken in one go. This will be in addition to normal arrangements of taking annual leave (paid/unpaid) and flexi leave. The amount of dependent’s leave you take will need to be tracked; please complete this Dependent's Leave form to formally record the paid leave you have agreed with your manager.

If you have a health condition that you have not made others aware of, you are encouraged to have a private conversation with the person you report to so they are best placed to support you. You do not need to provide medical evidence in this circumstance. 

Refer to the manager guidance email issued on 19 March. This guidance is also available on the Remote Working hub on the staff intranet.

Listen to any concerns from your team and respond sensitively and sensibly given the specifics of the circumstances. Ask questions to ascertain the specific circumstances (e.g. travel destinations, dates, contact etc) and keep all details as confidential between you and the employee unless agreed otherwise. Refer staff to the Employee Assistance Programme if they need emotional support and consider how flexible working arrangements can be of mutual benefit.

Inform HR of any cases of self-isolation or COVID-19 illness.

Familiarise yourself with the guidance on the Public Health and NHS websites as these are updated regularly. The ACAS website also has some helpful information: https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus

Yes. Talk to your manager as there is likely to be other work you can do for the University.

At the moment, you are not required to provide a Fit Note for periods of self-isolation or sick leave due to COVID-19. We will keep abreast of advice from Public Health England if the position changes.

Guidance on the IT systems available to facilitate remote working can be found on the intranet.

It is important that people take a proper break from work and have the chance to completely switch off – you are actively encouraged to use all of your annual leave this year.
COVID-19 has changed the way in which we are living and working - it is crucial that you do all that you can to look after your wellbeing and we will help you do that where we can. In recognition of the unprecedented impact of the virus, the rules around leave ‘carry over’ are being relaxed at the discretion of the Head of School/ Service Director as a supportive measure. In such cases where it has proved impossible for people to take all their leave due to operational demands, a maximum of 10 days can be carried into 2021/22 and also into 2022/23, where approval has been given. In effect this doubles the current carry over limits from 5 to 10 each year. Alongside this, Heads and Directors may stipulate restrictions around periods of leave e.g. at the start of term or when other key events are planned.
All leave is agreed in advance using your leave card and needs to be formally approved. Any carry over leave must also be agreed by the Head/ Director before it becomes too late to take the leave with regards to any restrictions put in place. Managers need to take a forward overview of the leave position within the team to ensure sufficient cover.
You should not exhaust the new 10 days Dependents Leave and ask to carry 10 days of leave – this will not be approved and is not in the spirit that the new leave arrangements are offered.
Please take all of your leave so that you can take a proper break from work.

Yes. Setting goals and tracking progress becomes even more important in these circumstances in order to ensure people know what is expected from them.  Use this time to take a step back and focus on performance, development and other areas that lend themselves well to working away from the office.  There is a plethora of on-line development resources on the Learning and Organisational Development intranet page.

These are unprecedented circumstances and it is understandable that you may be finding things difficult. Seek support from your family, friends, line manager and colleagues.  The Employee Assistance Programme is available 24/7 for expert help and guidance, please do use it, it is there to help you.

The Easter vacation has been brought forward to begin on 18 March. Face-to-face teaching has been stopped from 18 March on our campuses in York and London. The University is making arrangements to support remote teaching and assessment from Monday 20 April.

The library will remain open for students to undertake individual study where necessary.

Schools are making alternative arrangements for assessments that you would have to come to campus to complete (e.g. exams, presentations, lab assessments). Examinations scheduled in April and May will not be undertaken on campus, and you will be provided with guidance on arrangements for alternative assessments in the coming days and weeks.

If you have assessments that do not normally require you to be on campus, you should submit these as planned.

Some students have already decided to return home or are planning to do so very soon and are concerned about the impact on their assessment. We would like to reassure you that the University is prioritising preparations for the assessment and will make provision to support students to complete their assessment at a distance. This is likely to involve a range of approaches. Schools are preparing for these alternative approaches and will issue you with guidance on your assessment in due course.

The University will do everything that it can to make sure that students can progress to the next stage of their programme and to complete their studies on time. The University is preparing detailed plans for assessment at a distance and further information on this will be provided and will be cascaded over the coming days at a local level.

We are committed to providing an inclusive experience for everyone who studies at the University. Your support needs will continue to be taken into account for any alternative assessment, although may differ for assessment type; for example, adjustments for examinations would normally differ from those for written coursework.

Where you are expecting to submit assessment online (via Moodle or Turnitin), you should continue to work to published deadlines. If you have assessments that do not normally require you to be on campus, you should submit these as planned.

Schools are working hard to prepare information relevant to your programmes of study and modules, and this will be given to you as it becomes available in the coming days and weeks.

Please regularly check your emails and other communication from your School (e.g. Moodle announcements).

The circumstances we are in are very unusual. The University is adapting its usual ways of working very quickly and is taking the time to think through all the steps students and staff need to take for changes to work and to make sure that you are supported and not unduly disadvantaged. Please be assured that we will communicate with you directly once our plans and guidance is finalised.

During your studies you might be faced with unforeseen personal, medical or family problems that are outside your control and are negatively affecting your academic performance in your assessments. Such problems are known as 'exceptional circumstances'. You should use our exceptional circumstances process.

From Monday 23 March, the majority of University staff will be working from home. This means that you will be supported at a distance. 

Please look out for updates from your tutor or supervisor via e:vison, moodle and email.

If you do not have access to technology, we know that you will not be able to complete your assessments. We will shortly be contacting all students asking you to let us know if this is the case for you. We will then get in touch with you to discuss your options, but you will be offered a deferral of all assessments, to receive a first attempt for uncapped marks when the University re-opens.

If you do not have a home environment where you are able to effectively study, please follow the Exceptional Circumstances process and we will defer your assessments or approve an extension, whichever is more appropriate for you.

You should also apply through the Exceptional Circumstances process, and we will agree an extension or defer your assessments, whichever is more appropriate for you.

If you are unable to access the resources required for your research, you should have an initial conversation with your supervisor to discuss the situation. You can apply through the Exceptional Circumstances process for an extension or suspend your study until access to the University and resources is available again.

If you are able to access new resources, we will grant you an additional week to be able to access and familiarise yourself with the alternative resources. This can be done through the Exceptional Circumstances process. 

In individual cases, the loss of resources may require a reconfiguring of the research project, which will mean you need the assessment to be deferred, a more significant extension to be granted or to suspend your studies, you should also apply through the Exceptional Circumstances process. You should discuss your options with your supervisor.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the pressure on our NHS services, you will not need to submit any medical evidence related to either Covid-19 or any other illness. Please apply through the Exceptional Circumstances process in the usual way.

From Monday 23 March, the majority of University staff will be working from home. This means that PhD supervision will be supported at a distance. Your supervisor will contact you to confirm arrangements for remote supervision in the coming days and weeks.

You should talk to your supervisor about field work and decide what is appropriate for your project. There are so many different types of field work that an individual response is needed. You should follow the travel guidance below, and consider the social aspects of any field work when you decide upon the best course of action. If there are funding conditions that are concerning you, then speak to your supervisor who in turn can seek advice from the University as it relates to any funding or degree requirements.

The University is making alternative arrangements to provide remote support transfer assessments and examination (viva) wherever possible. We will be in contact with you to confirm arrangements for transfer assessments and examinations that are scheduled to take place.

Formal supervision meetings are expected to continue via suitable online meeting platforms (e.g. Microsoft Teams). Any documentation should be shared electronically prior to the meeting. Please continue to maintain your Supervision Logs as these provide a record of your discussion, agreed action points, and targets for the next meeting.

Any first formal or annual reviews will remain planned as normal, but these should be conducted via a suitable online meeting platform (e.g. Microsoft Teams). You will need to provide documentation to the Chair, at least one week prior to the review date, who will review the documentation and share with the supervisory team. Progress report sign-off and discussions will be completed electronically by the Chair and supervisory team.

Any transfers will remain planned as normal, but these should be conducted via a suitable online meeting platform (e.g. Microsoft Teams). You will need to provide the necessary documentation as normal to the Chair, at least two weeks prior to the meeting, who will review the documentation and share electronically with the panel member(s) for review and feedback. Online meetings often have a “share my screen” function for those who may have presentations.  

Any oral examinations (viva voce) are to be undertaken via video conferencing means (e.g. Microsoft Teams) and be recorded in line with 6.3.e of the University’s Regulations for Research Degree Awards. The following University requirements for viva voce are suspended:

• For the candidate to be in attendance in person;
• For at least one examiner and independent chair to be present in the same room as the candidate;
• For permission to be sought from the Research Degree Examination Panel (RDEP) for the use of video conferencing.

With immediate effect, the Research Office will no longer book any travel or accommodation related to PGR expenses until further notice. The University has restricted any domestic and international travel in line with advice from the UK Government. Please discuss any alternative arrangements with your supervisor relating to your fieldwork, this should be remotely using electronic means where possible. PGRs and supervisors are encouraged to review plans for fieldwork and where possible, prioritise activities that can continue at a distance. PGRs are expected to keep a record of any disruption to fieldwork and discuss with supervisors accordingly.

If you have previously booked travel and accommodation from your PGR expenses, please contact the Research Office.  

After the Easter break, we do aim to provide any face-to-face events in a new format (distance learning), where feasible/possible. The new approach will be in place until YSJU instruct us otherwise. The Research Office will keep you all up-to-date with any changes.

We recommend you familiarise yourself with Microsoft Teams/Skype or another preferred online communication method with your supervisor.

Due to ongoing events, you can request an extension or suspension of your studies as normal, and these will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. lease discuss a request for extension or suspension with your supervisor in the first instance. 

In line with the University’s guidance, which has suspended any domestic and international travel, the Research Office will not be booking any travel or accommodation for the foreseeable future. If you wish to attend a conference remotely, this will still be possible and will be processed in line with the PGR expense guidance.

We understand that everyone is having to adapt to the current situation by home working for those who can. However, we are not able to reimburse purchases made for equipment (e.g. laptops and/or furniture).

Most texts are still available online or on demand. As with the guidelines, if there is a text that cannot be obtained through one of the normal channels and that would be essential to your research, you would need to ask your supervisor to put in an exceptional claim to the Research Office prior to purchase. The same would go for any technical training courses should they not be something we can provide at YSJ.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidance for apprentices, employers, training provides, end-point assessment organisations and external quality assurance providers can be found on UK government webpages. 

York St John University will be providing regular updates which includes general guidance for apprentices and their employers on our website here.

Executive MBA

Susie Hoyland, Client Services Manager: s.hoyland@yorksj.ac.uk  

David Kelsey, Course Leader: d.kelsey@yorksj.ac.uk  

Clare Mulligan, Module Leader for current taught modules: c.mulliganfoster@yorksj.ac.uk 

Alison Lawman, Module Leader for Capstone Project: a.lawman@yorksj.ac.uk 

Brendan Paddison, Associate Dean – York Business School: b.paddison@yorksj.ac.uk 

Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship

Alan Johnson, Academic Lead for Apprenticeships and Professional Accreditations – York Business School: a.johnson@yorksj.ac.uk 

Chen Ren, Course Leader: c.ren@yorksj.ac.uk 

Sue Smith, School Administrator: s.smith@yorks.ac.uk 

Data Science Degree Apprenticeship

Rob Sanders, Head of School: r.sanders@yorksj.ac.uk 

Pierre -Phillippe Dechant, Course Leader: p.dechant@yorksj.ac.uk 

Malak Olamaie, Module Leader for Analysis & Optimisation and Computer Programming modules:   m.olamaie@yorksj.ac.uk 

Fei Xiang, Module Leader for Probability Statistics and Data Analysis module: f.xiang@yorksj.ac.uk  

Laboratory Science Degree Apprenticeship

Dr Sue Jones, Associate Head – Biosciences: s.jones1@yorksj.ac.uk

Not at all, apprentices can keep studying! York St John University has temporarily closed its campuses but we are fully operational remotely to allow your staff to continue with your apprenticeship. 

They do not need to stop their learning of knowledge with us and it is important that we help them keep on track for completion and are here to be supportive and flexible, whilst everyone navigates a new reality.

No face-to-face teaching days are now taking place until further notice. Distance learning contingency plans for individual programmes will be communicated to apprentices via email and their Moodle site.

Apprentices can still be making progress towards the KSBs of their standard, even if they are working remotely. All of this activity can be counted towards 20% off the job. Now may be a good time for them to: 

• access the e-learning on Moodle
• read around their subject area 
• complete the assignments and tasks set by their tutor 
• update their e-portfolio 
• update a reflections log 
• book onto one of the on-line development days 
• make sure they are up to date with what’s expected in their End Point Assessment - this could be a good time to get ahead. 

Apprentices may be asked to cover a different part of the business at the moment which isn’t as relevant to their apprenticeship. They might be asked not to take off-the-job time whilst there’s a shortage of colleagues. This is understandable in the current situation and should not mean that they need to stop learning. 

Don’t forget that anything an employee is asked to do that isn’t part of their normal on-the-job role and involves acquiring new skills and behaviors in the workplace can be classed as off-the-job as long as it relevant to the apprenticeship standard!   

Apprentices should keep a record of this and discuss in their next review with their academic tutor what can be included as evidence in their portfolio or any additional time they will need.  

If it becomes unmanageable, apprentices are encouraged to ask their line manager or apprenticeship business lead to contact their academic tutor.

York St John University is following UK government advice. Apprentices can be furloughed in the same way as other employees and they can continue to train whilst furloughed.

However, you must pay your Apprentices at least the Apprenticeship Minimum Wage (AMW), National Living Wage(NLW) or National Minimum Wage NMW) for all the time they spend training. This means you must cover any shortfall between the amount you can claim for their wages through this scheme and their appropriate minimum wage.

Guidance is available for changes in apprenticeship learning arrangements because of COVID-19.

Furloughed apprentices should be encouraged where possible to continue with the knowledge aspect of their apprenticeships and engage with distance learning if appropriate.

Each programme has an online community via Moodle for its apprentices. The main thing is to keep going and talk to us about any challenges they face. 

For more information please call us on +44(0)1904 876603 or email apprenticeships@yorksj.ac.uk.