Covid in Scotland: More children return to the classroom
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More pupils have returned to school in Scotland in the latest phase of lockdown easing.
Children in primaries four to seven joined their younger classmates who were the first to go back to school on 22 February.
All high school students are beginning face-to-face lessons on a part time basis but many will continue to do some learning at home until after Easter.
They will have to wear masks and observe distancing rules in classrooms.
The reduction in capacity means some children in S1-S3 will be in school for less than two hours a week.
And staff and senior phase pupils will be encouraged to take twice-weekly lateral flow tests which are being made available on a voluntary basis.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that giving pupils even a small amount of time in schools would have benefits.
However, teacher's unions have criticised the move as "counterproductive".
Parent Leanne McGuire told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme her daughter, who is in S3, is due to return on Thursday for two hours.
She said: "I asked my daughter if she would prefer to wait and go back to school full-time after Easter as was the original plan and she said 'What's the point?'.
"My worry is how useful is it really going to be when young people are only going to be in for two hours?"
P7 teacher Nuzhat Uthmani said: "We are returning with the same anxieties we had in August . And we are going back with the same mitigations we had in December despite the fact we are dealing with a new more infectious virus.
"At the forefront of our minds is: is it going to be my school next, my class next, is it going to be me next?
"We have lateral flow tests but I don't see the testing as something that stops me getting the virus, it just tells me I have got the virus."
The S4-S6 group is being prioritised for teaching time with younger secondary pupils starting blended learning
Dylan Hamilton, a fifth year pupil at St. Kentigerns Academy in Bathgate, returned to blended learning on Monday.
"I'm nervous because Covid is quite scary," she said. "But there are a lot more safety measures in place.
"Twice a week we have the asymptomatic testing, we wear masks and we have our own desks which we clean ourselves. Everybody understands the necessity of the masks. So I am fine with it."
Sam Albrow is in the same year group at Bearsden Academy. He is confident the mitigations will work.
He said: "I don't think there will be that many cases. The fact we are getting more pupils in and have that social interaction will be really good for mental health.
"I have used the tests for the last couple of weeks. If anyone gets the chance to do it please do, it's so easy and simple."
Head boy Jordy Yahve and head girl Orla Irvine head for lessons at St Andrew's RC Secondary School in Glasgow
At the daily coronavirus briefing, the first minister said there had been a slight increase of Covid cases over the past seven days in Scotland..
Ms Sturgeon said: "Can we rule out a link between schools partially reopening and a bit of an uptick in cases? No, I don't think we can.
"And that will not be because particularly of transmission within schools, but we know that when schools open there is just a little bit more movement generally as parents take children to school, for example."
Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said he was "not overly concerned", and that the rise in cases was "not as great as I had wondered that we might see".
At the weekend, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said sending secondary pupils back to school in Scotland was a "political decision" and not for the benefit of young people.
The union said the Scottish government wanted a "good news" story while teachers were exhausted.
On BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland Education Secretary John Swinney was asked about the EIS accusation that the early return of younger secondary pupils was related to the first minister's appearance at the committee examining the Scottish government's handling of complaints against Alex Salmond.
He said there was "precisely no connection between the two events".
"The government had previously indicated we would provide an update on the return to schooling on that particular Tuesday, and that is precisely what we did," he said.
"We addressed the concerns about the wellbeing of children and young people in driving the decisions we arrived at."
The Scottish Conservatives' Jamie Greene said the EIS comments indicated an "erosion of trust" from teachers in the Scottish government.
David George is concerned his daughter may have to self-isolate for a fourth time
Meanwhile, some parents are concerned about the disruption further positive cases in the schools could have on their children's education.
David George's five year-old daughter had to self-isolate twice before Christmas due to positive cases in her class. She had only been in school for one week and a day after the February return when she had to isolate for another 10 days.
He said: "Home schooling was hard but we would rather do the home schooling and be able to go out and exercise in the fresh air rather than being stuck in the house again.
"I am concerned with her going back today. Is it a week or another couple of days before someone tests positive and the full school is off again?"
Some schools have yet to reopen after local outbreaks, including a group of schools in South Ayrshire. Contact tracing is ongoing at five schools and nurseries in the area, with three - Heathfield Primary, Braehead Primary and Netherthird nursery closed until 22 March.
- Published14 March 2021
