Eyes on Tayside as school cases rise

COVID: English parents monitor Scottish developments as fears mount

Tayside schools are the focus of national attention as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise.

The outbreak at Kingspark in Dundee now totals 27 people. There are also positive cases – one each – at SS Peter and Paul School and Happy Times outof-school club at Downfield Primary, both Dundee, as well as Oakbank Primary, Perth, and Newhill Primary, Blairgowrie. In Fife, Newburgh nursery is closed after a child tested positive for Covid-19.

It comes as Boris Johnson has told families south of the border it is “absolutely vital” to get children back into school at the start of next month.

Media reports on the Tayside developments were among the most read and shared stories across the UK yesterday as parents raised fears about the potential dangers of reopening classrooms too soon.

Elsewhere, the number of positive cases linked to the 2 Sisters factory in Coupar Angus has risen to 152, although authorities say they are confident they have managed to limit community contact, avoiding the need for an Aberdeen-style lockdown.

Anxious parents and teachers from across the UK are following news of coronavirus cases in Tayside schools.

As schools in England and Wales prepare to reopen next month, following those in Northern Ireland on Monday, nationwide attention has fallen on the positive cases in schools in Dundee and Perthshire.

UK media reports of the outbreak at Kingspark School in Dundee are being widely read by worried parents and school staff south of the border and shared on social media.

A total of 27 people connected with Kingspark, which has around 185 pupils with additional support needs, have now tested positive, 21 of them staff, two pupils and four community contacts.

There are also positive cases – one each – at SS Peter and Paul School and Happy Times out-of-school club at Downfield Primary School, both Dundee, Oakbank Primary School, Perth, and Newhill Primary School, Blairgowrie.

A story about Kingspark School was the third most-read story on The Guardian website yesterday afternoon, while Dundee was trending on Twitter.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told parents that it is “absolutely vital” to get children back into school at the start of next month.

However, many people remain scared to send their children back to school as parents have already done in Scotland.

The outbreak at Kingspark is also being closely followed by teaching unions down south, with calls being made for the Westminster government to provide a “robust back-up plan” in the event of a local outbreak impacting schools.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “What we do need, as a matter of urgency, is for the government in Westminster to provide a robust back-up plan over what happens in the event of local closures or a second national shutdown which goes beyond simply returning to a situation where most pupils are learning from home.”

The GMB union called for a testing regime for every school after a survey of 1,400 members – cleaners, janitors, caterers and support staff – found twothirds, 63%, felt unsafe working at schools, and 96% backed regular testing.

GMB Scotland organiser Helen Meldrum said: “The failure over the summer months to listen to the voices of school support staff echoes what we witnessed in care earlier this year, and in this case the political focus has been on teachers and pupils while support staff have been forgotten.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned last week a rise in the number of schoolchildren contracting Covid-19 was inevitable. However, she stressed the importance of keeping schools open to avoid the “considerable” harm of children losing out on education.

Kingspark School was closed last Wednesday and pupils and staff asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

Cases at SS Peter and Paul’s School and Happy Times were identified as a result of contact tracing connected to Kingspark.