Parents ‘to be banned from school gates’ after summer
SCHOOL days could be staggered and parents banned from waiting at the gates when children finally return to the classroom.
Nicola Sturgeon yesterday confirmed pupils will not go back to lessons fulltime before August – as she warned there will be no normality in ‘any way, shape or form’ before the summer.
It came as the Scottish Government published guidance for the education hubs operating for children of key workers and vulnerable youngsters.
The advice sets out social-distancing measures which could continue when schools resume in Scotland.
The Physical Distancing in Education and Childcare Settings document signals that parents should be discouraged from entering school grounds, and told not to gather at the gates.
It suggests that ‘staggered arrival and departure times’ should be considered, which could mean some pupils start school earlier than others in order to limit the number of people passing each other. Teachers are urged to ‘stagger lunchschools
‘Won’t be normal in any way, shape or form’
times, break time and the movement of pupils around the setting’ to help prevent large groups from gathering.
Yesterday, teaching unions sent a joint letter to the First Minister urging her to take a cautionary approach. The note warns against a ‘premature and enforced’ return to schools next month.
The letter states: ‘We would again suggest that indicating an aim for an August restart for schools (subject to all the necessary caveats) would bring some enormous benefit, in terms of both planning and securing the active support of staff and parents for an agreed recovery plan focused on the shared aims of equity and excellence, and determination to support the well-being of our pupils.’
Concerns have been raised that children will find it difficult to socially distance, with the measures aimed at discouraging large groups of youngsters from playing and meeting.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that schools in England will begin returning from June 1, sparking a backlash from teaching unions.
Miss Sturgeon has said she will not expect children to return to the classroom until she is certain this is safe.
Yesterday, Miss Sturgeon said: ‘It is a reasonable thing for me to say right now, bearing in mind these decisions have not been taken in any final sense. But it is not going to be the case that are back to normal in any way, shape or form this side of the summer holidays.
‘We are, of course, discussing whether it is possible for any pupils to go back in that timeframe but, if it is – and we haven’t concluded that yet – it’s likely to be on a very limited basis.’
Schools and nurseries closed on March 20, with exams cancelled for the first time since the system was put in place in 1888.
Education expert Keir Bloomer has said they should stay shut until social distancing is no longer in place, amid fears it could spark an ‘uncontrollable’ rise in disciplinary issues.
The former director of education warned it was ‘unrealistic’ to think about sending children back into the classroom until restrictions are removed, even if this could be ‘quite some months’.
It came as officials warned measures could be required until a vaccine is found, which is likely to be next year.
Teachers have warned children will find it difficult to observe space restrictions, telling a Scottish Government survey that ‘you cannot socially distance within a school building’.
Those working at education hubs during the lockdown claimed children ‘cannot stay apart from one another’.
The contribution added: ‘Children still do not understand and it’s not their fault. Children are supposed to interact and play.’
Another teacher said young children ‘don’t fully understand’.