Sheffield Hallam University introduces 'safety net' measures to aid students during ongoing Covid-19 crisis

Sheffield Hallam University said they have revised assessments for students to accommodate online and on-campus teaching during the coronavirus pandemic.
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The university previously introduced no-detriment measures for assessments in 2019/20 following the outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis, where department boards took into account an individual’s overall performance throughout their course when grading work and made appropriate adjustments.

This year, Sheffield Hallam said they have worked with the Students’ Union and national Safety Net campaign to introduce a range of measures ahead of the second 2021 semester to support ‘fair’ outcomes for students during the pandemic.

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It comes after many students across the country are still studying from home, miles away from their university, after they were allowed to travel home for Christmas before the pandemic worsened and then instructed not to travel back to their university accommodation when the country entered a third lockdown.

Sheffield Hallam University.Sheffield Hallam University.
Sheffield Hallam University.

The university said it ‘recognises the current circumstances’ by making provision for longer deadline extensions and ensuring students experiencing particular difficulties can request to take or repeat assessments later in the academic year.

Under the new measures which aim to ensure students’ ability is fairly reflected in their results, there is also a process to adjust marks if there is evidence of under-performance across a particular module.

In a statement, Sheffield Hallam University said: “These measures are on top of all our existing support, which includes every student having access to a dedicated academic adviser and extra support for students with Learning Contracts.

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"Students can get more information, guidance and support on arrangements for their assessments by accessing the assessment support pages on our website or contacting their academic adviser.”

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