SWINNEY BACK TO SCHOOL U-TURN
Parents’ shock as SNP U-turn means kids will return to classes FULL-TIME in August with NO social distancing
ALL Scots children will return to school on August 11 after a massive U-turn by the Scottish Government.
As he abandoned his plan for parttime “blended learning”, Deputy First Minister John Swinney also said there would be no requirement for physical or social distancing between pupils.
Confirming that the plan for parttime schooling would not happen as long as Scotland continued to win the fight against coronavirus, Swinney said: “A resumption of full-time education for young people assumes there is no physical distancing among young people.
“We believe that is possible when we look at the models being delivered in other countries that have successfully restored education.”
While welcoming the return to full-time education, the EIS teachers union said the move to abandon social distancing was “not acceptable”.
Swinney had been under increasing pressure to get children back in to the classrooms full-time after campaigns by parents and some teachers.
He denied this had been behind his decision to drop his “blended learning” model and maintained it was because of the success of the country in driving down transmission of the virus.
Swinney said: “While it has been critical to suppress the virus, we have been clear that these closures cannot go on for a minute longer than necessary. We want Scotland’s children back in school full-time as soon as it is safe to do so.”
He said when he published the strategic framework from the education recovery group report on May 21, “we had the clear expectation that the outlook on coronavirus was bleak”.
Swinney added: “Not only was the situation bleak but the advice from our scientific advisers was physical distancing would be required if schools were to re-open.
“It was a contingency plan that was, and is, necessary and for the last month councils and teachers have been working hard to enact that contingency.
“Now, thankfully the picture looks more positive. Since May, because of the efforts of our fellow citizens to stay at home, we have seen Scotland make significant progress. There has been sustained downward trend in Covid-19 deaths and intensive care cases now stand at a fraction of what they were.
“If we stay on this trajectory, which cannot be taken for granted, by August the position will be even better. That is good news. If we stay on track, if we all continue to do what is right and if we further continue to suppress this terrible virus, the Government believes we should prepare for children to be able to return to school full-time in August.”
But Swinney said it was conditional upon ongoing health and scientific advice. He added: “When we prepared our plans back in May, I frankly could not have imagined we could have made as much progress in virus suppression as we have.”
But he said a return to full-time education would “enhance the life chances of our young people”.
Swinney added there must be the “right protective measures and risk assessments in place in schools to keep everyone with higher risk factors, including teachers and staff, safe at all times”. He also announced a £100million fund over the next two years to support the return to school and help children recover lost ground.
He pledged to provide all of the current crop of probationer teachers, who have reached the standard for full registration, with jobs for the next school year.
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS, said he could not see how it would be possible to get all children back in school on August 11 given that some schools break up for summer this week.
He said: “A huge effort has gone into getting ready for blended learning and schools will need time to readjust.
He added that teachers want to see “full risk assessments” carried out if
there is to be no physical distancing. Flanagan said: “Teachers would need face coverings and perspex shields.
“The country may move to one-metre distancing rather than two metres but whatever distancing there is in the community, we would expect the same to apply to schools, especially in secondary schools where classes of 16, 17, 18-year-olds can be physically bigger than the teachers. No distancing just wouldn’t be acceptable.
“We don’t accept this is based on scientific evidence.”
The Mental Health Foundation welcomed the change in thinking. Senior policy manager Toni Giugliano said: “We’re pleased that the Scottish Government has acknowledged that children are concerned about their mental health and we’re delighted John Swinney has listened to the concerns of parents, teachers and pupils across Scotland.”
The Federation of Small Businesses said “employers and working parents will breathe a sigh of relief ” at the news.
Labour’s education spokesman Ian Gray called Swinney’s announcement the “mother and father of ministerial climbdowns”.
Jamie Greene, Scottish Tory education brief said parents were “scunnered” by the time it had taken the Scottish Government to formulate a plan to get children back to school full time.