Adverse weather conditions can provide students with additional insights into service provision in unusual circumstances. However, the location of some services and working patterns may mean that it is not appropriate for students to attend placement as planned during adverse weather conditions. To inform this decision the following guidance should be considered:
Students should check local travel advice before leaving home and always follow police / Met. office travel advice and be prepared.
Students should regularly check this advice as in some cases conditions can change suddenly.
Consideration must be given to getting home safely from placement. It may be appropriate to request to leave earlier if the travel advice indicates public transport / roads home might be affected (in particular if shift work is being undertaken).
If students are unable to undertake placement activity as a result of adverse weather they should inform their placement and their Academic Advisor. Students should discuss alternative learning activities for the shift(s) they are not able to attend with relevant placement educators and if agreed record these as placement hours in the usual way on placement records / timesheets.
In some circumstances it may be possible to make up time missed in the same placement when adverse weather has abated. Again this should be negotiated with placement educators and Academic Advisors informed.
If activities in points 4 and 5 cannot be achieved then hours for placement activity cannot be recorded. Time missed in placement should be recorded as ‘Adverse weather’ and students should notify their Academic Advisor of time missed so that any activity to assist with meeting course requirements for placement activity can be considered.
This advice is separate to the arrangements for attending Bournemouth University during adverse weather which can be found on the homepage of the website.