Driving home for Christmas — new guidance for students
This week the government has released new guidance on how students should return back home for Christmas. All further details are to be decided by universities themselves, as well as all support possible for those students who want to stay on campus during the holiday season.
With some students returning home in the middle of the term and deciding to continue their studies remotely, it was a matter of time when general guidance about students returning home for Christmas break will come forward. Most universities adopted a blended approach to learning this year, meaning that some lectures and seminars are being held in person and some online. Throughout the term, the University and College Union (UCU), as well as Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) highlighted the importance of switching all non-essential teaching online in order to protect both students and academic staff from exposing themselves to the virus. However, without national guidance from the government, universities kept their blended approach, trying to secure a safe teaching environment.
Around 1.2 million students are expected to move at Christmas from their university term-time address to a home in another part of the country, where there might be different levels of infection. A planned corridor for students to return home between 3rd and 9th December means that all teaching will have to switch online by 9th December in order to allow students to continue their winter term education safely from their homes.
Universities minister Michelle Donelan highlighted the importance of providing additional help and practical support for students who wish to remain on campus and not return home:
“That includes wellbeing support, mental health support and the basics like food and ensuring that this is a good and positive break for these students, even if they’re not celebrating Christmas.”
The government has also included a mass testing option in their plans of getting students home safely, working closely with universities in areas of high prevalence. Coronavirus tests will be offered to as many students as possible before they depart, ministers say. If students test positive for the virus before the travel window, they will have enough time to complete their self-isolation and get home for Christmas. A week of mass testing for students is proposed — running between 30 November and 6 December.
“We’re targeting that testing in some of the most highest-risk areas and universities that are highest risk.” — Universities minister Michelle Donelan
With detailed information and guidance for students travelling home for Christmas coming just as the national lockdown ends, it is still unclear what will the plan for getting students back to campus after the New Year look like.
