Covid in Scotland: How are schools coping?
- Published
As Scotland's schools return from the Christmas holidays, BBC Scotland has been looking at how each area has been affected by Covid.
Most schools returned this week, but some are not due to return until early next week.
But with infection rates across the country reaching record levels over Christmas, schools are being affected - like every other part of society.
On Friday, 14,486 cases of Covid were recorded in official figures, external. Last week, there were more than 113,000 cases confirmed via PCR tests.
Virus expert Dr Christine Tait-Burkard, of Edinburgh University, warned earlier this week that it was "almost inevitable" that Omicron cases would rise further as pupils return to school.
The latest official figures from the Scottish government, external showed that before the Christmas pupil absences because of reasons related to Covid-19 reached 6.8% on Friday 17 December. That day 14.1% of pupils were absent overall.
The Scottish government has urged secondary school pupils to take a lateral flow test before going to class, while those aged 12-15 are encouraged to have their second coronavirus jab.
Safety guidance for schools was updated in December in light of Omicron and mitigations include physical distancing, one-way systems and the correct use of face coverings.
What's the picture in my local authority area?
Aberdeen City Council - All schools are open and no classes are being asked to undertake home learning. Out of of 3,590 teachers, there are 222 absent. There was also 179 support staff absent, however the council said not all of these were directly Covid-related. On Thursday, Cults Academy said in a letter to parents that 92% of pupils were in school. Twenty five members of staff - including 21 teachers - were absent, with Covid responsible for almost all of these. The letter said: "At one point, it looked like we may have had to ask a year group to stay at home and undertake remote learning." The school said it faced a similar scenario on Friday although it expected some staff to return to work.
Aberdeenshire Council - Aberdeenshire Council said more than 100 teachers were absent. Lumphanan School was closed to pupils due to staff isolating while Hatton School was partially closed with primary 2 and 3 pupils asked to learn remotely.
Angus Council - Schools due to be off for the Christmas break until Monday 10 January.
Argyll and Bute Council - No schools closed due to Covid. Staff absences figures are currently unavailable.
Clackmannanshire Council - All but one school has reopened as normal. Pupils at Muckhart Primary School are to learn remotely between 5 and 7 January.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) - No schools shut due to Covid. The council said it could not provide staff absence figures but that numbers were "minimal".
Dumfries and Galloway Council - Borgue and Sanquhar primary schools will be shut until Monday due to staff shortages. Castle Douglas High School warned parents that pupils were "likely to experience some disruption to their usual timetabled classes", with staff absence meaning some classes will be combined or will be covered by other teachers. It said it was also likely that year groups would be combined in classes "to make things work".
Dundee City Council - All schools open.
East Ayrshire Council - Four primary schools have shifted to partial remote learning for a small number of classes. A total of 74 teachers are absent with Covid/suspected Covid and 40 teachers are isolating as contacts out of 1,191 teachers.
East Dunbartonshire Council - No schools are closed and no schools have implemented home learning. Details of teacher absences are not available, the council said. y
East Lothian Council - Of the six secondary schools in the area, five currently have some year groups undertaking remote learning. This affects S4-S6 in three of the schools and S3 groups in a further two schools. The extent of any remote learning period will vary depending on availability of staff within each school. Nine classes have been learning remotely across primary and specialist schools in the last couple of days. Staff absence figures were unavailable.
East Renfrewshire Council - No school closures due to Covid. None have implemented home learning either. Staff absence figures were unavailable.
Edinburgh City Council - No schools closed and no classes asked to undertake home learning.
Falkirk Council - No schools closed but a few classes remote learning.
Fife Council - All schools open on Friday with no need for remote learning. Just over 2% of teaching staff are absent for Covid-related reasons.
Glasgow City Council - No schools closed. The council said it was not aware of any need for widespread home learning, but there could be cases where this was happening for individual classes. However, Bellahouston Academy reported that it would delay prelim exams by one week due to staff absence.
Highland Council - Charleston Academy was partially closed, making it open only to S1-S3. It cited public health measures as the reason.
Inverclyde Council - All schools currently open. Staff absence information is currently unavailable.
Midlothian Council - Schools due to be off for the Christmas break until Tuesday 11 January.
Moray Council - Schools due to be off for the Christmas break until Monday 10 January.
North Ayrshire Council - BBC Scotland has approached North Ayrshire Council for comment.
North Lanarkshire Council - Schools due to be off for the Christmas break until Monday 10 January.
Orkney Islands Council - A number of staff and pupils were absent in relation Covid across a handful of schools, however, there were no closures as a result. Out of a total pupil complement of 3,165, there were 48 positive PCRs reported, 36 awaiting PCRs and six positive LFDs on the first day of term. Out of 653 staff, there were 12 who reported having positive PCR tests and 13 awaiting PCRs results.
Perth & Kinross Council - All schools are open and remote learning has not been necessary. No data available on staff-related absences.
Renfrewshire Council - All schools open. No classes remote learning. No data available on staff absences.
Scottish Borders Council - Schools due to be off for the Christmas break until Monday 10 January.
Shetland Islands Council - All school, early learning and childcare settings open on Friday. Data on staff absences will be available early next week.
South Ayrshire Council - No schools closed at the moment and there is no home learning at present. No data available on staff absences.
South Lanarkshire Council - All schools opened as normal on Wednesday. On Friday, 269 teachers were absent for Covid-related reasons (up from 236 on Wednesday), including 94 self-isolating (up from 82 on Wednesday). This equates to 2% of the teaching workforce. Approximately 3800 children were absent (the majority from primary schools) on Thursday because of Covid - either because they were ill or self-isolating, equating to 8.4% of all pupils. St Andrew's and St Bride's High wrote to parents to ask for patience if their children were isolating. The school said teachers were already stretched by their own classes and covering for absent colleagues, but said they would offer remote learning work when possible.
Stirling Council - No schools closed or entire classes out of school solely due to Covid. However, some pupils were sent home from Balfron High on Friday to learn remotely after a combination of snow and Covid led to a staff shortage. As of 5 January, 113 school staff were absent because of Covid.
West Dunbartonshire Council - All schools open. Out of 985 teachers, 38 are off with confirmed or suspected Covid, with another 24 self-isolating as close contacts.
West Lothian Council - No home learning requirement for now, and no schools closed. Absence rate for teachers with Covid-related symptoms and isolation is about 5% (around 150 staff) which is slightly higher than any normal time when the absence rate is about 3.5%.
- Published5 January 2022
