Summary

  • Council planning for the new academic year will "maximise the time young people spend in a school environment", says Nicola Sturgeon

  • At her Monday briefing she pledges that schooling will be returned to normal "as quickly" as possible

  • There are no plans for blended learning to last a year - "or anything like it", says the FM

  • Ms Sturgeon hopes to confirm later this week that Scotland is ready to move into phase two of lockdown easing measures

  • The first minister warns not all elements of phase two will kick in straight away, but she should be able to provide a date for retailers to reopen

  • There were no new registered deaths over the last 24 hours

  • 2,448 deaths have now been recorded in Scotland of people who have tested positive for Covid-19

  • Richard Leonard urges an independent body to investigate whether the human rights of care home residents have been violated during the Covid-19 crisis

Live Reporting

BBC Scotland News

  1. 'I was hallucinating asparagus'

    Meet the Brits becoming fruit and veg pickers to help with harvest during the coronavirus pandemic.

    Read More

  2. 'Scottish government passing buck and letting our children down'

    Mornings with Kaye Adams
    BBC Radio Scotland

    School examPA Media

    Former teacher Caitlin thinks "we are heading for a car crash" if the Scottish government does not take more control of how schools respond to the proposed "blended learning" system.

    Caitlin tells BBC Radio Scotland that she has five children, three at a school where the head teacher has proposed three days one week, three half days the next.

    She points out that Education Secretary John Swinney has said councils should be aiming for children to be at school 50% of the week but claims: "The head teacher said that Moray Council were not working to John Swinney's 50% target."

    Caitlin believes that the Scottish government is "passing the buck to local councils" and "letting our children down".

    She says that home schooling has been difficult for her children because "we have one laptop, really intermittent internet and most learning has been online based".

  3. MSPs take evidence on Covid-19 and a green recovery

    Holyrood Live
    BBC Parliaments

    Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunninghambbc

    Environment and Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham

    MSPs will now quiz Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham on the Scottish government's green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic planning .

    The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee papers here.

    You can watch the committee here on the live page with us.

  4. Uncertainty about next year's exams

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  5. Swinney reiterates exam timetable could be put back next year

    PupilGetty Images

    Next year's exams may take place later than normal, according to Education Secretary John Swinney.

    He told the Good Morning Scotland programme this morning that there is "potentially a month spare in the spring of next year".

    "For the assessment procedure that is going on just now, young people lost out on about two weeks for formal schooling.

    "Obviously for this year there is a lot more lost opportunity and we want to try and build that back up," added the education secretary.

    Normally the diet begins towards the end of April. This year, exams were cancelled for the first time ever.

    Mr Swinney has accepted next year's exams could also have to be cancelled but was hopeful that would not happen.

    Read more here.

  6. Mornings With Kaye Adams looks at blended learning

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  7. School exam timetable 'could be extended by a month'

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    ExamPA Media

    Returning to the school exam timetable being extended, Mr Swinney says there is "potentially a month spare in the spring of next year".

    "For the assessment procedure that is going on just now, young people lost out on about two weeks for formal schooling. Obviously for this year there is a lot more lost opportunity and we want to try and build that back up."

    John Swinney, Education Secretary

  8. Swinney: Scottish government 'happy' to look at extra funding proposals

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    The Scottish government has already committed £300m of "new money" to local authorities to help tackle the coronavirus crisis, Mr Swinney says.

    He says he is "perfectly happy" to look at the need for additional resources. "I will carefully look at all of the proposals that come forward from local government but I haven't seen them yet," he says.

  9. How is blended learning going to work for you?

    Mornings with Kaye Adams
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Home learningPA

    Kaye Adams asks listeners how they would feel if their child was only in school once or twice a week in her BBC Radio Scotland programme this morning.

    It comes after John Swinney told BBC Scotland it’s "unlikely" that schools would return to normal before the end of the academic year due to social distancing.

    Schools will return on 11 August with “blended learning” a mix of home schooling and class room based education – so how will that work for you? Do you have concerns about returning children to school?

    Listen to Mornings with Kaye Adams from 09:00 on BBC Radio Scotland.

  10. Swinney: Pupils should be back in class for half of the school week

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Mr Swinney is asked about the amount of time he expects children to eventually spend in schools. The education secretary says trying to get to 50% of time spent in class "should be our objective". He says the suggestion by Edinburgh city council that pupils may only return for one day a week "is not strong enough".

    We have to use schools but also leisure facilities, public halls, church halls, town halls and vacant accommodation that is safe to maximise the opportunities.

    John Swinney, Education Secretary

  11. Swinney: People 'just have to get used to' social-distancing'

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Social-distancing among young people is going to be a challenge, Mr Swinney agrees. But he says it is a requirement that "people just have to get used to".

    "Classes will have to involve a smaller number of pupils and there will have to be fewer people in schools at given times to make sure that we are reducing the possibility of further spread of the virus."

    Socially distanced classroomGetty Images

  12. Is coronavirus spreading in school hubs around Scotland?

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    John Swinney is asked about concerns that coronavirus is spreading in school hubs.

    There is no evidence of that, that I'm aware of, and obviously we see in general in Scotland a reducing prevalence of coronavirus which is happening while the hubs are operating. That's happening because of the measures that we have in place and the requirements we are putting on people.

    John Swinney, Education Secretary

  13. Swinney: It's not just a question of thinking about young people

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Mr Swinney says teachers and adults are as big a part of the school community as young people and their health also needs to be prioritised.

    "I know there is great debate about the spread of coronavirus and its prevalence among young people," he says.

    "But they aren't the only people who are in schools. There are plenty of adults in schools and surrounding schools in the transit of getting pupils there."

    Teacher with pupilsReuters

  14. Should social distancing for pupils be reduced?

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Mr Swinney is asked if he would consider reducing the two-metre social distancing rule within schools to allow more children to attend.

    I think members of the public would accept that we have got to go with the scientific evidence we receive, and that is that there is a greater risk of spread of infection if there is any physical distancing of less than two metres.

    John Swinney, Education secretary

  15. Swinney defends blended learning model 'for now'

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    John SwinneyPA Media

    Groups of children will be allowed to start going back into school in East Renfrewshire from today. The council is putting on events to help infants who will be starting Primary 1 in August and Primary 7 pupils preparing for secondary school.

    Secondary pupils are due back on 11 August, but Scotland's Education Secretary John Swinney tells BBC Scotland that the exam timetable around the country could be extended to allow courses to be completed. But home schooling may have to continue for longer than people first anticipated.

    I don't want the blended learning system to go on for a moment longer than it is required. I accept it is not as good a model as formal, face-to-face schooling.

    John Swinney, Education Secretary

  16. Call for more government support for reopening schools

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Questions have been raised about the reopening of Scottish schools in August following the coronavirus lockdown.

    Parents are being told that pupils will return to the classroom "part-time", with schools following a "blended" model of school and home-based learning.

    It has led to concerns about the impact of the measures on children's welfare and education.

    Alison Payne, of think tank Reform Scotland, said schools must be made a priority.

    At the start of this crisis we saw a "can-do" attitude when it came to our NHS, a fast pace of change, we looked at how we could expand the capacity. There was central direction, support and resource to ensure that our NHS could meet those needs. We need that in education. If schools don't have the capacity or the resource to ensure we can have more children in the school environment, then that's when we need central leadership and direction.

    Alison Payne, Reform Scotland

  17. International students 'are key to university finances'

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Scotland's universities have warned they face more than £500m of losses in the forthcoming academic year.

    It is feared the number of students from outside Europe who pay large tuition fess will roughly half as a result of the pandemic.

    Former UK Universities Minister Jo Johnson has produced a report calling for government action to support the sector.

    He told Good Morning Scotland: "One of the most important things government could do is increase the duration of the post-work study visa.

    "This is vitally important to students - especially from India which is one of the biggest markets - because they like to stay on after they've studied to put to use some of the education they have acquired in Scotland and in England."

    Jo JohnsonPA

    Jo Johnson is the former UK universities minister

  18. The return of retail 'will kick-start the economy'

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Ewan MacDonald says there is clear evidence from around Europe that shopping rates will not return instantly - but it will be a start.

    Not all people are not going to turn up in Buchanan Street the next day. There is a role for government here. It's about making sure all the other infrastructure is in place around public transport and schools and everything else. That's a long-term process but starting with retail kick-starts the economy."

    Ewan MacDonald, Scottish Retail Consortium

  19. 'We know how to keep shops safe'

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Mr MacDonald has welcomed positive words from prime minister Boris Johnson and says he believes it is safe for shops to get back to business.

    "We've learnt lessons from grocery and pharmacy business," he says "We know how to keep shops safe. It will mean a very different approach to shopping. I'm afraid [it will mean] queueing. There are not going to be as many people in stores, but we know it can be done"

    Boris Johnson buying a coffeePA

    Boris Johnson made a trip to a coffee shop ahead of the reopening of non-essential shops in England today

  20. Retailers 'need clarity' on when shops can reopen

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Retailers are calling for a reopening date for non-essential shops in Scotland.

    Ewan MacDonald, of the Scottish Retail Consortium, says there must be clarity from the first minister about when it will be safe for people to get back on the high street.

    He told Good Morning Scotland: "If you told some shops they could get the shutters up, they would open tomorrow. It takes a lot longer to get the whole estate open.

    "It's not just about planning and sorting out the furlough system. What we are really looking for is a bit of confidence and bit of support for people."