STUDENTS taking exams at York College during Royal Ascot week are being asked to turn up three hours early to make sure they get there on time.

Full-time students will also be sent home for a study week in the week starting on Monday, June 13, as the college suspends its normal timetable.

Only those on work-based learning courses will be expected to turn up as normal when the five-day festival of horse racing and pageantry is hosted by the city.

A York College spokeswoman said the measures were being taken because it was anticipated that the event was going to cause "a lot of disruption" in Tadcaster Road.

A raft of measures have been introduced by the college and letters will be sent to all parents of students in the coming weeks.

There are 12,000 full-time and part-time students who attend the college, but not all will be affected by the decision.

Those with afternoon exams at 1pm have been asked by police to arrive at the college by 10am to ensure they are not delayed by race traffic.

Margaret Price, director of teaching and learning, said: "We will give these learners specific information nearer the time and consider whether we need to organise identified revision space."

For full-time courses, learners will be expected to work at home on assignments and other activities with work set for the Ascot period.

Those in higher education will also be placed on study week while some lifelong learning courses may be cancelled.

Special tutorial support and classes will be arranged for those international students who attend the college.

The spokeswoman said: "We appreciate that Ascot is going to cause a lot of disruption on Tadcaster Road and we need to think very carefully about what this means to our students.

"There is stand down time at this time of year anyway and these measures are an extension of that. A letter will be going out to parents about the changes very shortly."

Updated: 10:04 Thursday, February 17, 2005