Pupils aged 4 won’t have to social distance
But August 11 return to classroom ‘set in stone’
SCOTLAND’S youngest pupils will not be expected to socially distance when schools and nurseries reopen in August.
Education Secretary John Swinney said those in early learning, childcare and just starting primary school – usually aged four or five – would not have to keep 6ft away from other children or teachers.
His comments came as ministers published scientific advice which suggested children are less susceptible to Covid-19 than adults.
Mr Swinney said the reopening date of August 11 for all schools was ‘set in stone’ – but admitted the scientific advice might change.
And he cast doubt on whether next year’s exams would take place in full.
It also emerged that a minority of government public health advisers backed schools reopening with no social distancing in place.
But the move was rejected, as was a proposal to reopen primaries next month as – in combination with other lockdown easements – it could spark a surge in the virus.
Meanwhile, Mr Swinney also suggested pupils could be taught in disused offices and community facilities to help pupils keep 6ft apart.
Addressing MSPs, Mr Swinney said: ‘In early learning and childcare settings, and for the youngest primary school children, it would not be desirable for children’s well-being to implement strict physical distancing in young children or between a child and key worker.’
He said ‘alternative age-appropriate public health measures’ would be put in place ‘building on expertise developed across Scotland in delivering critical childcare’.
These will include enhanced hand hygiene and cleaning practices; caring for children in small groups; minimising contact between those groups and maximising use of outdoor space.
Adults working in primaries and nurseries will be expected to social distance from each other as much as is practically possible, as will parents or guardians when picking up or dropping off youngsters.
The scientific advice released by the Scottish Government said less than 1 per cent of positive cases of Covid-19 were accounted for by people aged under 15, and there were no coronavirus deaths for under-15s in Scotland.
Asked by Scottish Tory education spokesman Jamie Greene how long ‘blended learning’ will continue – a mixture of children in schools on a rota basis and home education – Mr Swinney said it would go on ‘for as long as we require it to operate’, but ‘not a moment longer’.
But if the scientific advice changes that could enable an earlier end to blended learning.
While next year’s exams are still planned to go ahead, Mr Swinney said schools would have to continue gathering evidence of pupil performance.
This year, exams were cancelled and teachers are using their professional judgment to carry out assessments of individual pupils.
Mr Swinney said: ‘While the exam diet is planned for 2021, we cannot be certain it will take its course.
‘The SQA [exams agency] will take forward and deliver guidance to schools on the way in which we capture evidence of the performance of young people to make sure that can be as influential on the certification process that it may need to be in the spring of 2021.’
‘Not be desirable for well-being’