WE CANNOT RULE OUT PART-TIME SCHOOLING
Sturgeon flags up possible move to blended learning as pupils at four schools test positive
NICOLA Sturgeon has warned parents she could switch schools to part-time learning after children in four primary schools were caught up in corona outbreaks. The First Minister spoke out as she stressed that keeping pupils in class full-time was the Scottish Government’s priority. But she added: “If we see the prevalence of the virus significantly increasing nationwide then we cannot rule out a return to blended learning.” It came as councils confirmed four pupils at separate primary schools had tested positive for coronavirus. Renfrewshire Council said a case has been confirmed at Todholm Primary School in Paisley. Two cases were detected in pupils in Perthshire. One pupil attends Newhill
BY CHRIS McCALL & KATHRYN ANDERSON
Primary School in Blairgowrie and the other goes to Oakbank Primary School in Perth.
Both have mild symptoms and are self-isolating at home with immediate family members.
A pupil who attends Carntyne Primary in Glasgow also tested positive, it was announced last night. They have not attended school since developing Covid-19.
All four pupils with the virus caught it outside the classroom.
NHS Tayside and Perth and Kinross Council said the schools involved will remain open and insisted there is no evidence of transmission of Covid-19 within the schools.
Authorities said there is no link to a Covid cluster in Coupar Angus which led to the closure of the 2 Sisters factory.
Across Scotland, while there is no expectation for primary pupils to socially distance, secondary pupils are asked to keep apart where possible.
But images shared on social media this week have shown crowded corridors in some high schools, with some teachers claiming it is proof that capacities are too high as a result of the commitment to full-time learning.
Speaking at her media briefing, Sturgeon said schools could have to fall back on plans drawn up for blended learning – with pupils working at home on some days and coming into school on others.
She said: “There are no ideal solutions given the nature of what we’re dealing with.
“It’s right that we have children, as far as possible, having full-time education. We know the harm done by not being in school.
“We know that having a significant part of a child’s education at home raises a range of other challenges and pressures.
“So I do think it’s right to aim to
have our children in school fulltime. We’ve always said blended learning is always going to have to be a contingency if we do have outbreaks in a particular area or within a particular school.
“It may be necessary, on a limited basis, to move to blended learning or if we see the prevalence of the virus significantly increasing nationwide then we cannot rule out a return to blended learning.”
Many parents at the affected schools woke up to the news on social media yesterday morning.
It was reported that some Oakbank Primary parents only heard of the news as they dropped their children off this morning at the Perth school.
Parents at Newhill also appear to have been left in the dark.
One said: “As parents we receive an email within minutes of someone having reported an incident of head lice but absolutely nothing when it comes to the more serious matter of Covid-19.”
NHS Tayside has identified 41 close contacts of the positive cases, which includes some school pupils and staff.
Education Secretary John Swinney, also MSP for Perthshire North, said: “Robust procedures are in place to ensure Covid cases within schools are identified and managed as quickly as possible.”
Three pupils from St Ambrose
High School and one from St Andrew’s High School, both in Coatbridge, tested positive for Covid last week. A fourth pupil from St Ambrose was confirmed to have Covid last night.
Two of the pupils, one at each school, briefly entered the buildings before testing positive.
A pupil at Bannerman High School in Glasgow tested positive for Covid after attending classes this week.