School pupils ‘should be back for half of the week’

John Swinney outlines targets for return but warns of no guarantees over exams

Schools are being told to put preparations in place in case the coronavirus pandemic impacts next year’s exam diet.

Education secretary John Swinney said work is under way for exams – which were cancelled this year – to be held in spring 2021.

But he warned the “ongoing impacts” of Covid-19 mean he cannot say “with absolute certainty” these will be able to take place.

His comments came as he conceded the blended learning model – with pupils returning to classes part-time in August with some learning also being done from home – will mean “educational outcomes will be jeopardised”.

Mr Swinney said he expects children to spend as close as possible to half their time in school when classes resume in August and a “clear rationale” will be required for any local authorities that fail to meet the target. He also admitted some pupils may have more “face to face” time with teachers than others when the new “blended” schooling model gets under way.

The deputy first minister made the comments at a meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s education and skills committee yesterday but stressed in some cases, where appropriate, particular schools may exceed the 50% target.

It comes following reports some local authorities are planning to have pupils return to the classroom for as little as a third of the normal time.

Mr Swinney was challenged by Scottish Conservative education spokesman Jamie Greene, who said he has seen plans for some councils to have children return just two days a week when schools resume in August.

Mr Greene asked whether this level was “justified and proportionate” when scientific evidence suggests children are less likely to contract Covid-19 than adults.

Mr Swinney said: “We have to be careful here because what I do accept is that there is a question of proportionate judgment and I would like to see the level of schooling as close to 50% as I possibly can get it...

“I accept in some circumstances that will not be possible but in circumstances where that is not possible, there has to be a very, very clear rationale based on the number of pupils and the physical layout of the school to justify such decisions being taken.

“I should also point out, of course, that in schools where there is a low occupancy, it may be possible to exceed 50% because there is, frankly, plenty of space to be safely physically distanced.”

Mr Swinney said schooling levels will “vary around the country because there will be varying levels of occupancy”.

There is no disguising the incredible complexity of returning Scotland to some semblance of normality following the coronavirus lockdown. The welcome continuance of the downward trend of Covid-19 infections has allowed the spotlight, albeit temporarily, to shift from frontline healthcare to the economy and education this week. And that has highlighted a very challenging state of affairs indeed.

Nationally across Scotland more than 600,000 people are currently furloughed from work, with 85,000 of that number in Tayside and Fife.

An initial trickle of redundancy situations and business closures caused by Covid-19 has now become a steady stream of bad news, with employers large and small looking to right-size their operations in an attempt to keep the wolves from the door.

The cherry was placed atop a very unappetising economic cake yesterday with the release of GDP data for April that revealed the extent of the economic calamity the UK is facing.

Output during the month fell by more than fifth, which is the greatest single contraction ever recorded and enough to send shivers down the spine of even the most optimistic of economic forecasters.

New governor Andrew Bailey said the Bank of England stoody ready to take action to support the UK economy through the crisis and pointed to some green shoots of recovery already peeking through.

But he caveated his remarks with a reality check that coronavirus is still with us and its malign impact on the country’s finances is far from at an end.

While the economy is set for the bumpiest of rides, the return to normal is no easier in other walks of life.

Scottish Education Secretary John Swinney yesterday could not say whether the 2021 exam diet would go ahead.

It comes as the government, local authorities, unions, individual schools and, most importantly, pupils and their families continue to prepare for a return to class in August which will be like no other.

Coronavirus has shifted the ground beneath our feet in ways that few could ever have imagined. In times of such uncertainty, it is hard to imagine ever standing on solid ground again. But we must trust that better times will come.

Picture: Shutterstock. Education Secretary John Swinney expects children to spend as close as possible to 50% of their time in school when classes resume in August.