£4m cost to get Angus pupils back to school

The cost of getting Angus children safely back into the classroom next month could top £4 million.

Council calculations around the plan for a return to fulltime schooling on August 17 include a near £900,000 threemonth transport bill and a £2.3m proposal to give 40 extra teachers a full-year contract rather than drafting them in as temporary coronavirus crisis cover.

As parents remain in limbo over whether the return will be full or part-time, the area’s education convener has also said plans are being drawn up with “precious little insight” into what extra funding might be coming the council’s way.

And officials have warned the cost of Covid-related measures is almost certain to have an impact on the money available for future maintenance of the county’s school buildings.

The sums will be set out at a special remote meeting of the full council today – including the plan to extend a previously approved teacher recruitment campaign. In June, councillors agreed to recruit 40 temporary teachers and 21 school support staff from August to December.

Thirty-two newly qualified teachers have accepted temporary contracts and councillors are to be asked to extend them for the entire school year, taking the cost from £926,000 to £2.3m.

The plans also include a £200,000 spend on four additional social workers for the double cluster areas of Forfar-Kirriemuir, CarnoustieMonifieth, Brechin-Montrose and Arbroath to support vulnerable children.

Evidence in other countries has shown an upturn in referrals to children’s social work services as a result of experiences during the pandemic and Angus officials say they believe a dedicated frontline response is appropriate.

An estimated £870,000 will be required for safe school transport provision in the first term alone.

Dundee City Council is yet to reveal the estimated costs associated with a planned reopening of its schools on a phased basis from August 12, with full-time lessons resuming from August 17.

It said arrangements over issues such as transport would be confirmed in due course.