The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Secret festive break plan
COVID-19: Proposals to extend Scottish school pupils’ Christmas holidays leaked
Christmas holidays could be extended for Scottish school pupils under new proposals to curb the spread of coronavirus.
It comes as infections in Perth and Kinross continue to surge, with more than 200 pupils and staff currently in isolation.
Another 18 positive cases, linked to 10 schools and nurseries, were recorded in the past week, including at Perth Academy, where four pupils and one member of staff tested positive, and Portmoak Primary where there are four new cases.
A leaked document from local authorities body Cosla shows plans for pupils to be off school for an additional week, until at least January 11. The Christmas break could also begin as early as December 18.
Christmas holidays could be extended for Scottish school pupils under new proposals in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.
A leaked document from local authorities body CoSLA shows plans for pupils to be off school for an additional week, until at least January 11.
The Christmas break would begin early for many schools, finishing on December 18.
Many schools, including those in Angus, Dundee and Perth and Kinross currently plan to close on December 23, while Fife will close a day earlier on December 22.
T he y will re turn on January 7 in Tayside and January 6 in Fife – unless the Scottish Government approve extension plans.
Council leaders are understood to have debated the subject, proposed as a way of slowing transmission of the virus, at a Covid-19 Education Recovery Group meeting this week.
Blended learning could be used as a way of teaching children during the extension.
It follows the announcement coronavirus virus restrictions would be eased for five days over Christmas.
The document reads: “The Scottish Government are exploring a national extension to Christmas holidays covering December 18 2020 to January 11 2021, either on the basis of schools remaining closed or the temporary introduction of remote learning.
“The Scott ish Government officials have indicated that the objectives of an extension would be to ensure that school staff are not involved in contact tracing into the Christmas period.
“An extension would act as a ‘ break’ following the wider relaxation of restrictions over the Christmas period.”
The document also considered potential concerns over the proposals, including whether emergency childcare for key workers would still be available.
Concerns over remote learning were discussed, which include the time it could take to implement and roll out the plans.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has previously stated her intention to keep schools open, emphasising the low risk of transmission within school buildings.
Ho w e v e r, the memo addresses concerns to schools remaining open if the plans were introduced as teaching union EIS called for a re turn to blended learning in Tier 4 areas.
Parents group UsForThem Scotland said pupils could not afford to miss out on extra class time.
Organiser Jo Bisset said: “If schools do close for an additional week over Christmas, then that time must be made up in the spring.
“Parents understand that the festive period will be complicated for everyone, not just the schools system.
“And while this will cause difficulty for many from a childcare perspective, that will be eased somewhat by a guarantee that their children won’t miss out overall.
“Blended learning doesn’t cut it – that was made painfully clear during the first lockdown.
“The solution to an extended winter break can only be additional days put back in the calendar before the crucial end- of- term exams.”
The Scottish Government has said plans have not been finalised, however a decision is expected to be made next week.
At the daily briefing, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “We will make sure that we reach a view based on the advice from that expert recovery group, and make sure that we reach a view as soon as we can, so that people do have advance notice.
“We want to give people as much notice as possible if there is to be any change at all, but at this point that decision h a s n’ t been reached.”
Somepeople live to be 100 without achieving what Freya Skene did in her too short life.
The Dundee seven-year-old, who died in an accident at the River Braan near Dunkeld this summer, started an annual toy recycling scheme when she was a toddler and this year organisers are going all out to collect as many donations as possible in her honour.
It’s a fitting tribute to the “little girl with the biggest heart” and by making Christmas sparkle for needy children, donors will be making sure Freya’s legacy lives on.