Lockdown: Schools in Scotland to reopen this month

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement from Scottish Parliament

Schools in Scotland will begin reopening in February.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that children in P1-P3 and pre-school will likely return to school full-time from 22 February.

She also mentioned that secondary school pupils could also return, but on a part-time, very limited basis, to allow them to complete work for national qualifications.

Ms Sturgeon said she wanted to see children back in full-time, face to face education as soon as possible.

Only between 5% and 8% of a secondary school's pupils would be able to be present at any one time.

Scotland's current lockdown restrictions will stay in place until at least the end of the month, but Ms Sturgeon said she was "cautiously optimistic" that some gradual easing of the rules could be possible from early March.

She also announced that with the reopening of schools on its way, there would be a "significant expansion" of Covid-19 testing in schools and nurseries in the next few weeks.

The First Minister also said that this plan would only happen, if the spread of coronavirus could be controlled.

A final decision on the partial reopening of schools will be made in a fortnight.