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Schools to return full-time in August if progress is maintained


By Alan Hendry

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School buildings have been closed since March, as directed by the Scottish Government in response to the Covid-19 crisis, with children being taught at home.
School buildings have been closed since March, as directed by the Scottish Government in response to the Covid-19 crisis, with children being taught at home.

Schools will return full-time in August if Scotland continues to make progress on suppressing coronavirus, Deputy First Minister and education secretary John Swinney has announced.

The moves comes after "significant progress" in reducing incidence rates of the virus.

The Scottish Government says it has now made it a central planning assumption that pupils will return to class full-time in August. This is conditional on infection rates being sufficiently low to continue to control the virus, public health and testing systems being in place and protective measures and risk assessments being carried out in schools.

A new subgroup of the Covid-19 Advisory Group will monitor progress and provide further advice to ministers. The Education Recovery Group will also meet over the summer to oversee next steps.

Councils will continue to prepare blended learning models as a contingency and these will be scrutinised by HM Inspectors of Education.

Mr Swinney also revealed that an additional £100 million will be invested over the next two years to tackle the impact of lockdown on schools and pupils, including ensuring every current probationer teacher who meets the standard for full registration having a teaching post for the year ahead.

Education Scotland will work with e-Sgoil, the digital training platform, to develop a national e-learning provision for all senior phase pupils to access high-quality lessons online learning by qualified teachers. This is in addition to investment of £25 million to provide tens of thousands of laptops for disadvantaged children and young people.

Mr Swinney said: “Since May, because of the efforts of ordinary people to stay at home, we have seen Scotland make significant progress. There are now only around 2000 infectious people in Scotland – a reduction of around 90 per cent since May.

"There has been a sustained downward trend in Covid-19 deaths since the end of April 20-26, and intensive care cases now stand at a fraction of what they were.

“If we stay on track, if we all continue to do what is right, and if we can further suppress this terrible virus, then the government believes that we should prepare for children to be able to return to school full-time from August.

“A return to full-time schooling would enhance the life chances of our children and young people and start to reverse any damaging impacts of recent months.

“I must stress – this is the aim that the government is now working towards. However, because it has to be achieved safely, it inevitably remains conditional and dependent upon ongoing scientific and health advice.

John Swinney says a full-time return to classrooms in August will remain conditional and dependent on scientific and health advice.
John Swinney says a full-time return to classrooms in August will remain conditional and dependent on scientific and health advice.

“But it is a change born out of the hard work and sacrifice of people in every part of the country, sticking to the guidance, staying at home and suppressing this virus. In particular, we should highlight the many people who as parents have supported their children while continuing to hold down jobs and caring commitments.

“I want to commend the work of local authorities and school and early learning and childcare staff across Scotland for the way in which they have responded to this emergency. They have worked tirelessly to protect the interests of our children and young people – through our childcare hubs, ensuring ongoing provision of free school meals, delivering remote learning, and planning for the next term.

“I must emphasise the importance of Scotland staying on track if we are to make it a reality. We must continue to ensure the safety of pupils, teachers and staff by engaging in such contingency planning, and that is why Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education will continue with their scrutiny of the plans when the latest versions are submitted by local authorities tomorrow.

“Even with a return to full-time education, it is imperative that we increase levels of digital inclusion, which is why we have already committed to a huge digital boost through the investment of £30 million to provide laptops and connectivity solutions for disadvantaged children and young people. This will include £25 million of funding to enable a roll-out of digital devices to school pupils to enable them to study online.

“Finally, while we want to support the wellbeing of all our children and young people, we know lockdown has been particularly difficult for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Reducing the poverty-related attainment gap is a defining mission for this government. We will therefore be working alongside partners to increase support to those families and communities who need it most.”

The chairman of Highland Council’s education committee, Councillor John Finlayson, welcomed Mr Swinney's announcement.

“Today’s announcement by the Deputy First Minister that the planning assumption will now be for a full return to school for all pupils in August, if it is safe to do so, is very welcome news for everyone and it reflects the aspirations that have been communicated to me over recent days by so many parents," Councillor John Finlayson said.

“The education of our young people is extremely important in terms of their educational, mental and social development, as well as their future opportunities and outcomes.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our school staff and our parents and pupils for their hard work and collaboration throughout the period of lockdown and especially over recent weeks when they have been developing plans to return pupils to school taking account of the rules that are currently in place. It has been a very difficult time in many ways for all.

“The safety of our children, our young people and all our staff has been paramount in all our preparations for return to school which include detailed planning and risk assessments. Safety will, of course, remain a top priority.

“We look forward to detailed guidance and information on new resources to enable us to take these preparations forward at pace, for a full return of pupils in August. We will work with the Scottish Government, trade unions, teaching staff, parents and children and young people themselves to consider the implications and measures necessary.

“While there will be a number of precautions and considerations, safety will remain the number one priority.

Councillor Finlayson added: “It should not be forgotten that a full return to education in August will only be possible with continued adherence to national guidance and scientific advice and everyone has played an important role in helping to suppress the virus in our community. We cannot become complacent.”

Highlands and Islands SNP MSP Maree Todd hailed it as an important step for children and positive news for working families.

“Thanks to the united effort of people throughout the Highlands and Islands and across Scotland, who have stuck to government advice, we have now made significant progress in the fight against Covid-19," she said.

“I’m absolutely delighted by today’s announcement that if we stay on the right path, and continue to suppress this virus, our young people can return to school full-time from August.

“This is an important step not only in ensuring our young people get the education they deserve, but it’s also positive news for working families."

Ms Todd added: “I want to send my gratitude to our amazing teachers and school staff in the Highlands and Islands who have helped us get to this stage – they have done an amazing job in unbelievably difficult circumstances to support home learning.

“Given the potential for absences and even individual school closures over the winter ahead, as local outbreaks are managed, time spent preparing for blended learning will likely turn out to be time well spent. If blended learning is required, it will be an improvement and we will have national resources underpinning it.

“There’s a lot of work ahead of us, but this SNP Scottish Government is working hard to support families and communities across the country.”

However, Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson, Iain Gray, described the announcement as "the mother and father of ministerial climb-downs" after Mr Swinney had previously warned that a "blended learning" model could be in place for a year.

Mr Gray said: “We asked for a route map back to schools – it turns out we’d been on a mystery tour.

“If we can deliver this safely, it is very welcome news. But what a fine mess this is.

“There are still more questions than answers. What, if any, social distancing will be required in the classroom? That question wasn’t answered, and indeed on school transport too.

“What protective measures, PPE, deep cleaning and testing will be required to keep teachers and staff safe?”


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