MORE than half of Scotland’s teachers “retain serious concerns” about returning to the classroom from today.

A poll of 29,867 teachers for the EIS union found that while they supported the government’s decision to reopen schools, they remained “unconvinced that sufficient measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of pupils, staff and the wider school community”.

Yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said she understood the nerves and anxieties of staff and pupils, but said the reopening of schools was “essential for children’s education, personal development and ... general wellbeing and happiness.

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Not all pupils will be heading back this week, with some local authorities and some head teachers opting for a staggered approach to the return.

But the First Minister has made clear she expects all schools back up and running as normal by August 18.

The EIS survey, carried out last week, found that just one in five teachers were confident that schools are currently safe.

Another 53% said they did not believe that an established “capacity to test, trace and isolate is in place to support a safe return”.

Meanwhile, 72% of teachers indicated support for the testing for asymptomatic members of staff to help suppress the spread of Covid.

And 63% expressed support for the mandatory wearing of face coverings by senior pupils in classrooms, while 65% indicated that enhanced cleaning regimes would make them feel safer in schools.

The EIS’s general secretary Larry Flanagan said the survey was a “stark warning to local authorities and the Scottish Government”.

He added: “There is significant concern among all teachers on issues such as the large number of pupils in each class, inability to maintain social distancing, and the need for the wearing of face coverings to ensure safety in some circumstances.

“These concerns grow more acute based on the age of pupils being taught, with secondary teachers expressing a particularly high level of concern over the potential risks of teaching young adults for long periods of time in an enclosed classroom environment.”

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing, the First Minister – who visited West Calder High School yesterday – said: “I know that there will be nerves and anxiety for children, parents and teachers this week – and I think that is entirely understandable.

“Fundamentally, all of us know that the reopening of schools is essential for children’s education, personal development and indeed I think for their general wellbeing and happiness.

“So what we are doing is trying to ensure that the reopening is safe and effective.”

Speaking to the BBC, Scotland’s national clinical director Jason Leitch said the “consensus advice” is that it is safe for schools to reopen.