The first phase of the reopening of schools will go ahead in Scotland as planned tomorrow, Monday 22nd February.
Pre-school children, pupils in primary 1 to 3, and a limited number of senior phase students who need access to school for essential practical work will return, signalling the first step in an easing of current lockdown restrictions.
The Scottish Government intend to monitor the impact of the change carefully before taking any further decisions, and hopes that by the end of this month, the second phase of school reopening can hopefully be announced.
Nonetheless, to give as much clarity as possible at this stage, particularly for parents, the First Minister pointed out that the need to properly assess the impact of the limited reopening means that, at this stage, it is unlikely that there will be any further return to school for other pupils before 15 March.
Her statements suggested the evidence that the key risk in reopening schools is not transmission of the virus within schools; instead, the risk comes from the increased contact that the reopening might spark among the wider adult population. The risk is that schools going back might lead to parents socialising more, at the school gates for example, or returning to the workplace rather than working from home.
As home learning continues for others, here’s hoping pupils starting to return to their schools this week provides a little bit of normality, the learning they need and the chance to see friends again. Wishing them all the very best.
