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Schools in Scotland are reopening on Tuesday, with those in the rest of the UK set to follow next month.

Separate guidance has been published for England,Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Will schools be able to reopen full-time?

The Department for Education has said that in England all pupils, in all year groups, will be expected to return to class full-time at the start of the autumn term.

And Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said there is little evidence of coronavirus being transmitted in schools.

However, the Association of School and College Leaders union has said government guidance is unclear.

It said schools were having to make their own plans for a coronavirus spike, and if that happened then students might have to be taught on a week-on, week-off basis.

The government has set out a system of controls for schools and said the following four points must happen in all schools, all the time.

• keep pupils with Covid-19 symptoms, or with family members with symptoms, away from school
• introduce more frequent hand-washing
• promote good hygiene around the use of tissues for sneezes and coughs
• have enhanced cleaning procedures

It also wants schools to minimise contact between individuals and maintain social distancing wherever possible.

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How will the school day work?

Schools are expected to teach a broad and balanced curriculum when they return, but the school day may look different to previous years.

Schools are also being asked to:

• stagger start and finish times, without shortening the number of teaching hours each pupil receives
• minimise the number of contacts each pupil has during the day, by putting classes or whole year groups into “protective bubbles”
• avoid assemblies or collective worship with more than one group

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Do I have to send my child back?

Attendance will be mandatory again from the autumn term, unless pupils or a close contact develop symptoms or test positive for coronavirus.

Head teachers will follow up pupils’ absences and issue sanctions, including possible fines.

Shielding has been paused, but at times some children may shield for longer because of higher local rates of coronavirus.

• Government guidance for schools
• Information for parents and carers
• Early years and childcare providers advice
• Government advice in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Could schools close again?

A whole school closure “will not generally be necessary” unless advised by health officials.

If a school has a suspected coronavirus outbreak, teachers will liaise with local health teams.

A mobile testing unit may arrive – focusing first on those in the affected child or teacher’s class, followed by their year group, and then the whole school if necessary.

If pupils can’t come in, schools are expected to have a home-working plan ready to go.

• ‘Moral duty’ to reopen English schools in September
• What are the risks of opening schools?
• Scotland schools reopening plans – council-by-council

Could pubs close so schools can open?

Rising coronavirus infections suggest England is “near the limit” of opening up, the chief medical officer has warned.

This means there may be trade-offs, such as closing pubs, to ensure children can safely return to school.

Prof Graham Medley told the BBC that reopening schools would ”reconnect lots of households’, so closing other networks may be required, and that was ”a matter of prioritising”. He asked: ”Do we think pubs are more important than schools?”

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What about getting to and from school?

There may be staggered start and finish times to keep groups apart and walking or cycling to school will be encouraged. Parents should not gather in groups at school gates or go on site without an appointment.

Dedicated school transport services will be asked to:

• move children in “bubbles”
• provide hand sanitiser
• apply social distancing where possible
• ask children over 11 to wear face coverings

Schools will also need a process for staff and pupils to remove face coverings safely on arrival.

What about breakfast or after-school clubs?

If possible these should resume in September, but the government acknowledges it will be “logistically challenging” and may take some schools longer.

Children should ideally stay within their year groups or bubbles – but if this can’t be done, then schools should use “small, consistent groups” to minimise infection risk.

What else does the government say?

Pupils should:

• wear uniform as normal
• bring only essentials – including lunch boxes, books, stationery and mobile phones
• take books and other shared resources home, but avoid unnecessary sharing – this also applies to teachers
• take part in non-contact physical education – outside if possible – with “scrupulous attention” to cleaning and hygiene

Ofsted inspections will remain suspended for the autumn term – but schools may be visited to assess how the new arrangements are working.

Source

https://www.bbc.com/news/education-51643556