Appeal for patience as mammoth task to make schools safe begins

Education will “not be like any form of learning that has been delivered before” when nurseries and schools reopen, families are being warned.

The mammoth task required to make schools safe by August 11 has been outlined by Dundee City Council’s children and families convener Stewart Hunter.

Although some childcare is being provided for key workers and vulnerable children, Mr Hunter said there will be “an immense amount of work required” by local authorities to bring in social distancing and home learning if youngsters are to return after summer.

He said: “We will need to look at how physical distancing measures can be put in place and how the mix of school and home learning will work.

“The initial return to nursery and school will not be like any form of

“Families will be asking a lot of questions at this moment in time that we are not able to answer. STEWART HUNTER

learning that has been delivered before on such a scale, and I am determined that we get it right for everyone.

“We have to make sure that staff, children and young people only go back to our nurseries and schools when it is safe to do so, and that we carry out appropriate safety steps when they are in the buildings.”

A working group in Dundee has already been set up to deal with placing requests during lockdown, as well as addressing concerns about children’s progress while schools have been closed.

Mr Hunter added: “There is an immense amount of work to be carried out and I would ask families to continue to be patient until we are ready to give them the exact details.

“Families will be asking a lot of questions at this moment in time that we are not able to answer immediately.

“We will release information when we are able to do so.”