A FINAL FLING

FOND FAREWELLS AT WEST PRIMARY:

Emotions were running high when the children of key workers were piped out of the West Primary School Hub for the last time.

More than 100 youngsters, aged five to 12, have been attending the hub for the past 11 weeks, allowing their parents to continue in their roles as nurses, doctors, paramedics and care assistants fighting coronavrius.

The children, who came from 23 Renfrewshire primary schools, started attending the hub on March 24 when their own schools were closed as part of the Scotland-wide lockdown.

They were supported by 40 members of staff and volunteers including teachers, dinner ladies, janitors, clerical assistants and Renfrewshire Leisure staff.

West Primary head teacher Lynn McGinn, right, who was in charge of the Paisley hub, said she cannot thank the staff enough for their dedication.

“It has been an absolute privilege to lead the team at West Hub and to work with so many hard-working, committed professionals,” she said.

“Everyone at the hub will take away memories that will last a lifetime.

“The kids have shown incredible resilience and loved making new friends in their new community bubbles.”

Children attending the hub were split into individual classes which became their “family bubble”.

The bubbles did not follow the usual classroom format but kept siblings together and grouped children based on their different needs.

Each pupil was then supported by staff to complete the home-schooling lessons developed by their usual class teachers.

The youngsters also enjoyed additional lessons created especially for the hub, with a sign language teacher taking lessons in Makaton and 15 youngsters in P5 to P7 passing their bikeability training. Mr White, from the hub, piped the children - who have now returned to their own schools - out of their lessons on Monday to mark the end of the 11 weeks.