Are we expecting universities to re-open in January for students going from tier 4 to a lower tier?

[Bouledeneige]

Just that really. DD is home in London tier 4 and wants to return to Manchester which is in tier 3 next weekend.

plus of course they will be all used to each other so perhaps less chance of freshers covid.
and they may have had it anyway.

Just hang tight for a couple of days in case of any further announcements. At my institution there is staggered return depending on the type of course i.e. clinical face to face returning first, social sciences end of Jan. All online until then. It’s tier 3, North West.
Can’t predict what might happen this week, but that’s the schedule to date and our staff haven’t had any communications otherwise so far.

Dd and all her friends (year 2) planning to return next week. Mostly from tier3/4 to a tier 4 uni

My DS wants to return too , to a rented house. His uni didn't offer tests before they left in December.

A sticking point, as far as I know, is the universities are now on to he huge unreliability of the lateral flow tests so are locked in discussion with the DfE about the 'pledge' to get returning students tested.

I a not sure where students who want to return are meant to just rock up to and get a lateral flow test anyway, but the universities union know that this is no guarantee that the student is negative.

there was advice on the gov website this is tier 4
Universities
We expect that the majority of university students, other than those who need or choose to remain at university, will now have returned to their family home during the ‘student travel window’, , although they are permitted to temporarily move to a “vacation household” during the period that began on 3 December up to 7 February. We have published guidance on how they can do so safely.

We have also published guidance to universities and students on how students can return safely to higher education in the spring term. This guidance sets out how we will support higher education providers to enable students to return as safely as possible following the winter break, by staggering this process and to facilitate testing for all.

If you live at university, you should not move back and forward between your permanent home and student home during term time.

Universities should follow guidance on reopening buildings to ensure they have safety measures in place to minimise the spread of the virus.

If you’re a student, you can meet in groups of more than your household as part of your formal education or training. Students should expect to follow the guidance and restrictions. You should socially distance from anyone you do not live with wherever possible.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term

Dd has classes starting on the 4th so is travelling back in the 3rd. Had no communication to say not to from her university and is in private rented anyway. We are actually beyond caring - they are paying for this substandard education, around £20k for the teaching plus rent and food for the year, no discount whatsoever. Dd2 has had some proper teaching, online exams etc, dd1 has had none and dp's dd has had just a handful. They haven't been out except to help me buy Christmas groceries since coming home, tier 3 all pubs shut!

Ps we only have one in halls who said they are free to come back whenever, her course is 100% online though

Published 23 Dec:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term

It's meant to be phased return by nature of course (how necessary it is to be onsite or on a placement) from 4/01 - 1/02, with mass testing on arrival.

They will do.

Because the govt won’t refund the universities any tuition fees/lost halls rent. So they won’t order the universities to close/go fully online.

There’s a plan regarding staggered start dates and asymptomatic testing.

Mine are all 2nd years. 2 are Hoping to return from Wales back to unis in England around the 5th. Both on practical courses that have been getting 1 and 1.5 contact days a week so far. Both also have jobs they need to return to in uni city. 1 is is private rented house the other in private halls that cover 3 universities.
Both have to book Covid tests for the day they return.
My other dc also a 2nd year in a private rental house is waiting to see what her other housemates decide to do as the last 2 weeks before she returned home on the 9th Dec she was alone in the house. She also is waiting to see if her 2 weekly face to face contact sessions will still go ahead as they did last term.
I really hope they can return if they choose to do so.
I'd be really surprised if the fact they have jobs and education they can't return. 1 of mine also has medical appointments at hospital in her uni town arranged which won't be transferred to Wales without a hoo haar and huge delays.

The rules about students allowed for visits home in the main university holiday periods. What was not wanted was students returning home every weekend for hot meals & parents to do their laundry (I know plenty who have done this).

[quote LadyPenelope68]@Jourdain11
They can't just tell students to "stay where they are" - they pay rent, some may have part-time jobs they are returning to, etc.!
They absolutely can.[/quote]
How?

My DD is going back to a Uni in the same tier. She has been given a date to arrive back on ,and they are self isolating for two weeks before lectures are planned to start back in person.

with mass testing on arrival

This bit here is the sticking point given the study by Birmingham uni that suggested a huge proportion of positives were missed.

My DD wants to go back on Wednesday - mainly so she can spend NYE with her flatmates.

She is in self catering halls, and before they left the halls said they could come back whenever they wanted to.

All her teaching will be online, and they will get tested as soon as they get back (hopefully).

I really don't want her to go back this week, but also don't want a huge family row.

Students who are living in privately rented houses will just go back when they want to. My DD is going back today and a number of her friends are returning in the next couple of days. That is different from when your course starts.

TBH they have all had Covid anyway. Although there seemed to be little press reporting apart from a couple of high profile universities, Covid tore through the students in September and she does not know any fellow students who have not had it.

What’s the point of closing secondary schools if students are going to be going back to university? Surely uni students are a much higher risk group.

Not especially, not medically. Numbers ion universities declined after mid October and are now way lower than younger teens, presumably because of largely remote learning and inability to socialise in pubs etc.

We're in tier 4 and dd's uni is tier 2. She's been asked by her course leaders to be back for the w/c 11 Jan. We shouldn't really take her, should we? As we're not supposed to be traveling out of our tier. But I picked her up at the end of term and she probably has too much to take back on the train, argh. And I have to think that me (NHS, twice weekly testing) driving her is lower risk than her on a train for several hours?

I guess I definitely can't stay over anywhere though. That will be a fun day.

[quote LadyPenelope68]@Jourdain11
They can't just tell students to "stay where they are" - they pay rent, some may have part-time jobs they are returning to, etc.!
They absolutely can.[/quote]
Well, they’ll have it say something before Saturday morning then as that’s when DC and all their friends are going back.

You're allowed to travel for 'educational reasons' atia which I guess that is.

@AtiaoftheJulii

I suspect that goes under moving house or going for education reasons, which is allowed.

DD has a train ticket booked, but we're hoping that the government will issue something that is straightforward not open to interpretation.
Either yes they can go back or no they can't. None of the wishy-washy, well, we suggest they don't but that's only guidance so that's up to you.
Durham has been fairly proactive in making decisions ahead of time generally (ones that concern her anyway) so hopefully they will put something out as soon as the government has. (or even before)

@CoronaCurls

My DD wants to go back on Wednesday - mainly so she can spend NYE with her flatmates.

She is in self catering halls, and before they left the halls said they could come back whenever they wanted to.

All her teaching will be online, and they will get tested as soon as they get back (hopefully).

I really don't want her to go back this week, but also don't want a huge family row.

I have the same issue

There is guidance on this although the guidance is mostly aimed at the universities rather than at individuals

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term#when-students-can-return-to-campus