Primary pupils
All children in primaries 4 to 7 will return to school buildings on a full-time basis from the 15 March. From 15 March all primary school children will also be able to return to regulated childcare, including after school and breakfast clubs. Primary school leaders have advised families of arrangements for their P4-7 children.
Secondary proposals
Secondary pupils will return full time after the Easter holiday period. Local Authorities are guided by the Scottish Government to use the two weeks immediately prior to the holiday period (15 March to 26 March 2021) flexibly to prepare young people for a full return whilst building on the success of the Phase 1 arrangements. Scottish Government guidance on the Phase 2 return states that, ‘Schools should prioritise subject areas and cohorts of learners where there is greatest need as identified by the school, for example, targeted support for learners who may struggle with the transition back to secondary school or to allow access to practical facilities to support certification’. The service has carefully reviewed the national guidance and considered the groups of learners who should be targeted for time in school.
From the 15th March all secondary schools will continue to maintain the provision of key worker childcare and provision for more vulnerable learners. Given the constraints of 2m distancing in secondary schools up to Easter, only one third of pupils can attend at one time and there is a risk that the quality of the curriculum will be compromised if we try to deliver the timetabled curriculum in school for all pupils. Doing so would essentially result in pupils only receiving one third of their entitlement so we have taken a hands on approach to ensure that learning continues right up to the end of term.
High priority will be given to maintaining the delivery of the remote curriculum for all pupils. Young people should continue to engage with their Google Classroom as staff will continue posting and engaging with young people online. Young people in the senior phase who have been attending school to complete practical courses should continue to attend.
More senior phase pupils will be invited to attend in school learning where there are concerns about their readiness for certification. All pupils in the senior phase who have not been attending in school learning and all young people across the broad general education will be invited to attend school for 2 wellbeing sessions before the end of term. These sessions will provide an opportunity for young people to reconnect with staff and friends, make sense of current circumstances and prepare for in school learning next term. These sessions will also offer an opportunity for staff to identify any further young people who may need some additional support prior to the end of term. The three different groups of building users (childcare, senior phase and those invited in to reconnect) will be kept in separate bubbles to limit any chance of transmission of Covid-19 and as a result staff movement between bubbles will be limited.
School leadership teams are currently working through the finer details such as the provision of school transport; splitting staff across three in school provisions and continuing the operation of remote learning for all. Head teachers will share more detailed plans with you when they have comprehensively considered the logistics to ensure that the last two weeks of term run smoothly.
Lateral flow tests will continue to be available to all staff and all secondary pupils.
Covid 19 Risk Assessment
Pupils returned to full-time education in Aberdeen on Monday 17th August and school have implemented a range of different operating models since them. The risk assessment process and national guidance has helped staff teams put in place a range of measures to support the safe school attendance of children and young people through the regular review of Covid controls. As risk assessments are amended, they are posted on school websites.
A plan has been published to share how organisations are working together to keep everyone safe. The child-friendly document emphasises to pupils the importance of supporting the health and wellbeing of others by self-isolating if displaying Coronavirus symptoms and staying away from school if feeling unwell. Council officers have been working with public health colleagues on an city-wide outbreak control plan, which is to be published soon.
Face Coverings
Updated guidance on the use of face coverings in schools has now been issued by the Scottish Government
From Monday 31 August face coverings should (unless exemptions apply) be worn by:
- All adults and pupils in secondary schools must wear a face covering when moving around the school, such as in corridors and communal areas, where physical distancing is difficult to maintain
- All children aged 5 and over must wear a face covering on dedicated school transport. This is in line with guidance for public transport.
From the 15th March all young people in secondary schools will be required to wear a face covering whilst in school unless an exception applies.
Staff and pupils will be supported to wear face coverings over and above this guidance if they choose to do so.
More information can be found below in our Frequently Asked Questions.
Free school meals
From 15 March all children in Primaries 4-7 will be able to attend in school learning. All young people in secondary schools will return to full time in school learning from 12 April.