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Update: Monday 14th February 2022
With national restrictions easing, we’re pleased to be able to announce that life at Futureworks is now back to normal. We’ll continue to provide masks and hand sanitiser, and of course we’re still asking everyone to be sensible and to wear a mask where necessary.
Update: Wednesday 1st December 2021
With the recent announcement by the Government about the Omicron variant of COVID-19, and the reinstatement of regulations relating to mask wearing in public spaces, Futureworks strongly recommends that all on-campus staff and students take extra care when moving around the building. This includes wearing a mask, if possible, particularly in more enclosed spaces (such as corridors).
We’ll continue to provide face masks to those in our community and, of course, we encourage you to use the hand sanitising stations as part of your on-campus routine.
As it’s almost the end of the semester, we’d like to take this opportunity to wish you a merry Christmas, and for those of you who are working on assignments due in the next couple of weeks – good luck!
Update: Monday 19th July 2021
As coronavirus risk and national restrictions ease, we are lowering Futureworks’ COVID-19 Response Level to Level 1. This is in-line with current UK Government guidance and our COVID-19 Risk Management Plan.
This change will take affect from today, Monday 19th July 2021.
Primarily a reduction to Level 1 will mean:
- Wearing a face covering whilst on campus will be encouraged, but will not be mandatory.
- Mandatory social distancing will be removed, however 1 metre distancing will be encouraged where practical.
- Items of equipment and studio facilities will now be cleaned twice daily subject to use.
- The majority of floor markings and wall signage about social distancing will be removed.
- Face masks will continue to be provided as before.
- Hand sanitiser stations will be maintained.
- Test kits will continue to be available for collection by staff and students.
The safety of our staff and students continues to be a priority as the pandemic progresses. We continually monitor coronavirus risks and will maintain readiness to raise the level again in response to a localised outbreak or new government guidance.
If you would like to see our COVID-19 Risk Management Plan in more detail, it can be accessed via this link.
Update: Thursday 15th April 2021
Since we reopened the campus on March 8th we’ve been delighted to see students back in the building and working on their projects and assessments, and engaging with the COVID-safe testing procedures we put in place to keep everyone safe.
The government announced on Tuesday that those students who had not yet returned to campus should expect to do so from May 17th. For the majority of Futureworks students, this date falls after the last day of term and so this news is unlikely to have much of an impact. It does mean, however, that we’re able to open up more of our practical spaces to those students who are planning to work over the summer and that we can start preparing for this over the coming weeks. We’re also working on how we can best support those students over the summer period academically, financially and pastorally. We’ll provide more information about this as it becomes available.
In the meantime, we want to wish everyone the best of luck with their assessments over the coming weeks, and we would ask you to get in touch if there’s anything we can do to support you along the way.
Update: Tuesday 23rd February 2021
Two weeks ago we announced plans to open Futureworks to students on March 8th, and to get people back on campus as quickly as possible, prioritising access for students finishing their degrees this year as well as for those students who need access to our film and audio studio facilities to work on their assignments. Following yesterday’s announcement by the Prime Minister we’re very happy to be able to announce that we will be reopening on Monday 8th March as planned, and that everything is in place to make sure the process of getting back on campus is as easy as possible under the circumstances.
In keeping with the latest guidance by the government, we’ll be offering all of our staff and students twice-weekly testing on site, so that those who do return to campus can feel confident that not only are they safe from COVID-19 themselves, but also that they’re not putting anyone else at risk by being there.
We’ll be providing full details of how everything will work from March 8th over the coming days, including details about what to expect when you arrive back on campus, how testing will work and what you’ll need to do to book space in our learning resources.
Until then, stay safe, and we’ll see you in March!
Update: Monday 15th February 2021
Last week we announced the launch of our new COVID-19 Hardship Scheme, which is designed to help eligible students with the costs of living an accommodation over the coming weeks and months. We’re happy to be able to let you know that we’re now taking applications via our website – you can find out more about the scheme here. On that page you’ll also find a link to the online application form as well as some of the key information to consider if you’re thinking about applying.
The application deadline is noon on Monday 8th March. After this time the form will be closed for new submissions, so if you do wish to make an application please ensure you do so before the closing date. Applications received will be anonymised and reviewed by a panel on or around March 12th, and we’ll be contacting everyone who applies to let them know the outcome of their application review.
As part of this review we may ask applicants for additional information and/or evidence, so you should be prepared to provide this as part of the process. We anticipate making funds available week commencing Monday 22nd March.
If you have any questions about the process or aren’t sure if you should apply, please contact Student Services on 0161 214 4610 or by email: [email protected].
Update: Tuesday 9th February 2021
With the government recently extending the national lockdown until March 8th, we’re doing everything we can in the meantime to make your return to campus as seamless as possible. Although most teaching will continue to take place online, we’re excited to be able to announce that from March 8th, Futureworks is reopening its practical and computing facilities. We’ve been working closely with NHS England so that we’re able to safely test students for COVID-19 when they arrive on campus. We’ll be prioritising access for the highest priority groups at first – particularly for those students who are due to finish their degree this academic year and who need to access our film and audio studio facilities to work on their final projects.
Next week we’ll also be launching our new COVID-19 Hardship Scheme, to help students with the cost of living and accommodation. We’ll be taking applications for this between Monday 15th February and Monday 8th March, so keep a lookout for an announcement later this week with details about how you can apply.
Finally, we’re aware that for some students, travel to Futureworks may still not be an option, so from March 8th we’ll also be making some of our computers available for off-site use on a short-term basis, until we’re able to get you back on campus.
In the meantime, our staff, tutors and the student services team are here to help you – so please do get in touch if you need any support or advice.
Update: Tuesday 5th January 2021
Following yesterday’s announcement of a full national lockdown, we wanted to let you know that your lessons will resume week commencing Monday 18th January as planned, but that because of the Tier 5 restrictions, and because your safety is of paramount importance to us, Futureworks’ campuses will remain closed to students until Monday 22nd February. While the campus is closed, your lessons and tutorials will need to take place online.
Students should contact their tutors for details of how to access learning materials and support and, as always, we’re still here to help and support our students, applicants and graduates, so do get in touch if you have any questions at all.
No matter what course you’re on, please be assured that academic standards are not being put at risk and that no student will be unfairly affected by the actions Futureworks is taking during this crisis.
The above will be reviewed and updated in line with official guidance as and when it is announced.
Update: Thursday 12th November 2020
There’s some new information for universities and students on the gov.uk website about how students can get home safely in time for Christmas.
After the national restrictions end on December 2nd, students who live away from home are being asked to travel back in what’s being called the “student travel window” – Thursday 3rd December to Wednesday 9th December.
To support this, universities are being asked to make sure that students are not required to be on-campus after the 9th. Your tutors will be in touch soon to let you know if this affects you and what changes we’re making to accommodate it.
There’s also a new FAQ on the Office for Students website which you might find useful. You can check that out here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-students/student-guide-to-coronavirus/end-of-term-2020/
Stay safe, and do get in touch if you need to talk to someone – we’re here to help!
Update: Tuesday 13th October 2020
It has been fantastic to see students returning and we’re really proud of our staff and students acting responsibly and working with us through this most unusual period.
Over the last few days our COVID response team have noted a small spike in the number of students and staff who are isolating as a result of positive COVID tests. In light of this we have decided to temporarily move all teaching online.
By taking this action now we can further control the number of people coming on campus, allowing us to keep our facilities open for you to use for independent study and practical work.
We aim to return to our mix of in-class and online delivery week commencing 19th October. Students may continue to use the classrooms to participate in online classes if they lack the facilities to do so at home. Importantly, the campus is still open to students who wish to use it.
In the short term these measures may result in some changes to your scheduled lectures and your tutors will already have been in touch to let you know how these affect you. In doing this now we are able to resume face to face teaching sooner rather than later.
This decision does not affect lectures at the MediaCity Studio, and if you have face-to-face lectures there then these will continue. Of course, we will be keeping a track of all activities at the studio and will inform you if this situation changes.
We appreciate this is not an ideal situation however we feel it is important to take these steps now to control the spread of the infection and protect students and staff. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your Head of School or your Programme Leader
Update: Friday 11th September 2020
It’s induction week 1, and we’re really excited to see new students arriving every day! Everything is in place to make sure you can study with us safely and still get the full Futureworks experience.
We’ve also received updated guidance from the Department for Education this week on COVID response planning, and we’ve updated our own procedures in line with this. You can read our new Outbreak Response Plan here.
We’re really excited about this new academic year, and can’t wait to welcome you to the Futureworks community. Stay safe!
Update: Friday 3rd July 2020
In advance of reopening on Monday 6th July we thought it might be useful to our students and staff to be able to see the detailed planning that has gone into protecting everyone’s wellbeing over the coming months.
We’ve put together a comprehensive Return to Work Plan which sets out what precautions have been taken and what new systems are in place to support everyone back on campus. You can download our Return to Work Plan here.
Contained within the plan are also links to our detailed risk assessments as well as provisions for tightening and relaxing the new measures we’ve put in place.
Don’t forget, if you’re thinking about coming into catch up on some work from next week you’ll need to book – you can speak to your tutors for more information about how to do this. Stay safe!
Update: Wednesday 24th June 2020
As government restrictions and the risk posed by the coronavirus pandemic lessens, the Futureworks team is eager to return to work, and to settle into the new normal.
After much consideration and safety planning Futureworks is pleased to be able to announce that we will be opening to staff from Monday 29th June. We will be opening to students from Monday 6th July as previously announced.
To facilitate everyone’s safe return to work we have put many new control measures in place around the buildings. Further information will follow shortly on the details of these measures and there will be information posted around the building to guide you. We appreciate your cooperation in supporting the new health and safety rules and your understanding in the dynamic nature of the situation. Safety measures will be constantly reviewed by management and will change over time.
We expect that the majority of staff will return gradually and that people will work with their line managers to determine the most appropriate working arrangements for people on an individual basis.
We look forward to seeing you again and working safely into the new normal.
Update: Wednesday 17th June 2020
Great news! We’re now able to confirm that Futureworks will be reopening for existing students on July 6th, with new measures in place to ensure everyone’s safety. If you’re already a Futureworks student, we’ll be getting in touch with details of how you can access our facilities over the summer.
We’re also pleased to be able to update you on our plans for September. As we announced last week, enrolment and induction will take place between Monday 7th and Friday 18th September with teaching scheduled to begin week commencing Monday 21st September. Your safety is of paramount importance to us, so things will be a little bit different this year:
- Practical lessons and activities which require specialised learning resources will be offered face to face wherever possible.
- Other learning activities, including lectures, will be delivered as usual but with an option to join remotely, or to attend in person, subject to social distancing and safety measures.
- Students will be given an opportunity to tell us how they would prefer their support meetings to take place e.g. in person, over the phone, or online.
Our goal is to be as flexible as possible while ensuring the best possible learning experience for our students. We’ll be sharing more information about what to expect in September over the coming weeks. In the meantime, we’re here to help, and if you have any questions you can reach us by email: [email protected], by phone: 0161 214 4602 or via Messenger.
Update: Wednesday 10th June 2020
An exciting update today! We’ve been working hard to get things ready for September and can now confirm some key information for both new and returning students.
- We’ll be reopening for existing students in July, which will enable students to safely use our studios and classrooms over the summer – we’ll confirm the exact date over the coming weeks.
- Enrolment and induction will take place between Monday 7th – Friday 18th September. We’ll be allocating specific time slots when students will need to attend in person, and we will send out further information over the summer with full details of how to complete everything.
- Teaching will begin on Monday 21st September – you’ll get the timetable for your class closer to the time.
- Enrolment, induction and teaching will take a blended approach of online and in-person, combining face-to-face teaching and support with online delivery. We’re working over the summer to make sure we provide the safest possible environment for our students so you’ll still have access to our amazing facilities.
While there’s still much work to do, we’re really excited about reopening and about the amazing opportunities ahead of us to explore new technology and ways of working with our students.
We will continue to provide you with as much information as possible over the next few weeks. In the meantime, if you have any questions about your course, enrolment or anything else, please get in touch with us by email, phone or messenger and we’ll get straight back to you.
See you in September!
Update: Tuesday 29th April 2020
While Futureworks remains closed, we’re still here to support our students, applicants and graduates, as we always are, and you should get in touch if you have any questions at all.
We’re also busy preparing for September, to make sure everything is ready our returning students, and also for all our new students starting with us this year.
We’ll be updating this page with more information as it becomes available. Until then, work hard, stay safe and we look forward to seeing you in September!
Update: Tuesday 24th March 2020
Following the Government’s decision impose a three-week nationwide lock-down, Futureworks will be completely closed to staff and students after today.
This means that from 6pm today (Tuesday 24th March 2020), you will not be able to access the Futureworks building. This decision will be reviewed and updated as and when the Government’s position changes.
Update: Tuesday 17th March 2020
As of Tuesday 17th March, Futureworks moved 100% of its lesson delivery to an online-only format for the remainder of the academic year. Students should contact their tutors for details of how to access learning materials and support.
No matter what course you’re on, please be assured that academic standards are not being put at risk and that no student will be unfairly affected by the actions Futureworks is taking during this crisis.
If you have any questions you should email [email protected] or speak to your tutor. Alternatively you can speak to the Department for Education COVID-19 helpline on 0800 046 8687.