FEE-PAYING schools in Scotland are set to introduce full-time teaching timetables in August, while pupils at some state counterparts may face one or two-day weeks in the new term.
The Scottish Government’s plans to allow councils to arrange socially distanced learning after the summer sparked a row this week as it emerged pupils in some local authority areas may get as little as one day a week face-to-face teaching.
There have been reports of a “huge spike” in the number of exam-age pupils applying to Scotland’s private schools following the news.
Education Secretary John Swinney had warned that there was no “absolute certainty” that exams will go ahead next year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
READ MORE: Social distancing gap in schools could be reduced if virus at low level
Across the country, private schools are preparing for a full-return of pupils in August. Dundee High plans for children to be back from August 17 and say they will be able to follow all government advice around social distancing.
Meanwhile in Perth, Kilgraston School has seen more than treble the usual number of families attending online open days. That school, too, expects a full-return after the summer. Lomond School in Helensburgh, and St George’s and Fettes College in Edinburgh will do the same.
In Aberdeen, the Albyn school will return to full-time teaching by using a local church as a classroom.
According to The Times, Gordonstoun in Moray and Glenalmond College in Perthshire will also reopen for boarding.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that the current two-metre social distancing rule could be reduced to one-metre if the number of coronavirus cases fallen to a low enough level.
Halving the measure would make it easier to plan for a safe return of pupils at state schools – currently it is nearly impossible in most buildings for all children to return at the same time.
The SNP leader said the Scottish Government is looking at a number of options of try to “get to a different position where we are able to bring schools back with a different set of criteria that don’t involve the same degree of physical distancing”.
She went on: “We can’t just magically move to that because it is dependent on making sure the virus is at a low enough level and we have thought what other protections might be required.
“That could be testing in schools, it could be certain aspects of enhanced hygiene in schools, it could be – as I believe Northern Ireland has just announced – physical distancing of two metres is not required for children but is still required for teachers and between teachers and children.”
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