Swinney urges parents not to ‘defer’ children from starting school
John Swinney has urged parents whose youngsters are set to start primary school this summer not to “defer” for a year on account of c oronavirus fears
It has emerged that the Scottish Government is planning for a “likely increase” in the number of parents holding their youngsters back from starting school this year amid concerns that schools may not be safe.
Mr Swinney acknowledged that parents must have “full confidence” as he prepares to chair a meeting of the Education Recovery Group, which is planning for the return of schools, this afternoon. Official papers published by the Scottish Government of a meeting of the group on April 30 entitled “Preparing for 2020/21” sets out the need for contingency planning to deal for many youngsters being held back a year.
It states: “Deferrals – managing impact of likely increase in the number of parents who defer entry of their children to P1 and knock on effects on ELC (Early Learning and Childcare) settings (capacity/funding) and P1.”
But Mr Swinney warned against this approach.
“I wouldn’t advise it,” he told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland yesterday.
“What we’re airing is all the issues we’ve got to be aware of and we’ve got to be thinking through and make sure that we build that confidence.
“That’s precisely why I have laboured the point this morning about building parental confidence.
“I know as a father of a young boy in primary school in Scotland that I want to feel confident about his safety and his security when he goes back to school.
“Every parent in Scotland will want to feel that as well. We’ve got to go through a very clear process of building that confidence so that we can return our schools in the safest way possible.”
The Education Recovery Group includes representatives from Scotland’s councils and had been tasked with paving the way for the phased return to the classroom in Scotland.
It looks increasingly unlikely that schools will return before they would normally break for the Summer holidays at the end of June.
There is likely to eventually be a phased return which could see some pupils go back before mid-august as usual, but ministers are considering the prospect of them attending in week at a time blocks in order to allow for social distancing measures. Pupils starting school and transitioning from primary to secondary would be given priority under such a scenario.