Almost 400 students have confirmed they would like to return to the Bailiwick for the Christmas period, however 300 of them have yet to book travel.
The feedback has been gathered after 520 students responded to a short survey sent to them by the States of Guernsey. The survey was intentionally short to maximise respondents and capture only the key information needed to help develop plans to support students who want to return home in December.
Students were asked whether they intended to return, whether they have booked travel and any relevant travel dates. The survey also sought to remind students of current self-isolation requirements, what self isolation means in practice and asked if they would be able to safely self-isolate at home. It also gave students an opportunity to provide any other information that they considered relevant to their personal circumstances.
Almost 100 students said they were undecided about whether to return home for Christmas, with many saying current self-isolation requirements were a contributory factor. The survey was sent to all 532 students who are supported via the Higher Education grants team. In addition, the Student Finance team received about 150 email responses following our public request for all students (including those not directly funded by the States) to make contact.
The information gathered has helped the States of Guernsey understand the level of demand for travel and students’ understanding of self-isolation requirements. Plans are now being developed to ensure appropriate travel options are available and these will be announced as soon as finalised.
