Edinburgh schools set to go back full-time in August after Scottish Government U-turn

CITY education chiefs have welcomed a Scottish Government U-turn which will see schools across Scotland return full-time in August with no physical distancing requirements so long as Covid-19 infection rates remain low.

Education Secretary John Swinney’s switch away from “blended learning” came after ten days of controversy sparked by Edinburgh City Council’s proposals for pupils to return to school for an average of just 1.3 days a week because of physical distancing and spend the rest of the time learning at home.

The Capital’s education convener Ian Perry said the move to get pupils back 100 per cent from August 12 was “welcome news” and would be a great relief to parents and carers across the city. He said: “We will make sure we’re doing everything possible to ensure our schools are safe to reopen by following the most up to date Government and Health Protection Scotland advice.”

But he added the council would also ensure there were “robust plans” in place for schools to reopen in August with the blended model of learning in case the spread of the virus increased again.

“Our schools and other council teams have been working tirelessly on these plans for many weeks and I want to thank them for all their efforts. We submitted our plans to the Scottish Government today and we will continue our dialogue with them over any additional funding that may still be required.”

Edinburgh mum Sarah Chisnall, who helped set up parents group 50:50 to campaign for a minimum of 50 per cent in-school time for all children across Scotland from August also welcomed Mr Swinney’s announcement.

”It’s absolutely fantastic,” she said. “I’m sure there are thousands of very relieved parents and carers in Scotland now - and I think there will be a lot of very happy kids as well.”

She said parents would want to see the science on which the decision was based. “There will be a large number of parents who are concerned and wondering what suddenly changed.”

And she said the 50:50 campaign would continue to press its other demands on improved at-home learning.

“What we want to do as parents is first to make sure this absolutely happens.

“And we’re still going to push for a national standardised best practice on online learning because we may well have a second spike and fall back on blended learning - we now have some breathing space to make sure we get that right.”

Mr Swinney told the Scottish Parliament yesterday the change of plan had been prompted by the progress made in suppressing the virus. There were now only 2000 infectious people in Scotland compared with 20,000 on May 21.

But Iain Gray, Labour education spokesman, and East Lothian MSP, described Mr Swinney’s statement as “the mother and father of ministerial climb downs” and reminded him that just ten days earlier he had said blended learning could last for an entire year.

Mr Gray said: “We asked for a route map back to schools – it turns out, we’ve been on a mystery tour. If we can deliver this safely, it is very welcome news. But what a fine mess this is.”

Edinburgh’s education vice-convener Alison Dickie said the past few months had put a strain on family life with many parents juggling work commitments and home learning and she was pleased about the full-time return, particularly for pupils who faced challenges in their daily lives and found school a haven. “This has been a particularly difficult time for them, and that’s why it’s important that the wellbeing of all our children be placed at the heart of their education on their return.”

Tory education spokesman on the council, Callum Laidlaw, said he was delighted the pressure for children to be able to return to school fully in August had resulted in the government U-turn.

“What everyone, particularly parents, will be keen to know is what this actually looks like and how it will be delivered in Edinburgh. I think having children in the classroom is essential if we’re going to close the attainment gap and allow the economy to restart.

“But what I’m hoping for is a detailed plan from Edinburgh City Council that explains what if any changes are part of this new proposal. Parents are slightly exasperated that it has been so unclear. Most of them will be pleased by this, but there will still be questions.”

He said if changes still needed to be made in schools that should be funded by the Scottish Government. Even increased hygiene measures such as hand sanitisers in all schools could cost up to £300,000, he said.

Green education spokesman Steve Burgess said many parents and children struggling with home learning would be breathing a huge sigh of relief at the plan to get schools back full-time in August.

He said: “Home-learning has been necessary the last three months but the longer it continues the more risk there is of too many young people losing out on schooling.

“However, the Education Secretary made clear that full return depends on continued progress in suppressing the virus over the next seven weeks.

“That remains a huge unknown, so it’s vital that the Council continues to put in place a Plan B should there be a spike over the summer and a need to return to blended learning. And for that, the council will need firm commitments of additional funding so that hard-pressed school staff can do what they need to.

“And, as well as relief there will be parents and teachers who will be alarmed at the prospect a return to school without any form of distancing in place. The Education Secretary says he’s open to covid-testing for schools but I’d like to see a much firmer commitment on that.”

Teachers union suggests face coverings

MANDATORY face coverings, perspex shields, proactive testing of teachers and physical distancing between pupils and staff must all be considered if children are to return full-time as proposed by the Scottish Government, Scotland’s biggest teachers union has warned.

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “A great deal of work at school level has already gone into planning for a blended learning model from August, so any change to that will require time to adjust plans and conduct revised risk assessments. This will need to be subject to discussion and agreement.

“Everyone wishes to see schools operate as normal, but this should be done in a way which is demonstrably safe for students and staff, which doesn’t undermine public health messages, and which is done with the interest of school communities being first and foremost and not political expediency.”

He said it would be a “grave mistake” to believe the virus had gone away and if schools were to go back more fully than had been planned it would require measures to protect staff and pupils and prevent flare-ups in terms of localised outbreaks or a full second wave.

“This means looking at measures already being used elsewhere such as mandatory face coverings, protective perspex shields, proactive testing of teachers and an appropriate level of physical distancing between pupils and most certainly between pupils and staff, alongside continued protections for vulnerable groups.”

Unison, which represents janitors and cleaners among other staff, said the U-turn seemed to be driven more by politics than by safety.

Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby said: “The safety of staff and pupils must be paramount.”