The Scottish government’s scientific advisers have reached a “broad consensus” that two-metre social distancing between children in school will not be necessary in August, provided the incidence rate of coronavirus remains “as it is currently”.

However, in advice on physical distancing - as officials now prefer to call it - published today, members of the Scottish government’s Covid-19 Advisory Group added that it would be important “to ensure teachers and other adults present continue to distance”.

The paper said: “The harms of children not being in school are well-evidenced and there is broad consensus that two metres distancing between children in schools will not be necessary should the incidence rate and situation remain as it is currently.”

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The paper added: “The international evidence shows that there are less than 10 known examples of children transmitting Covid-19, and in almost all of those cases the child had symptoms and therefore should be isolating. The importance would be to ensure teachers and other adults present continue to distance. Measures should be put in place to limit gatherings of adults in locations such as staff rooms.”

The new guidance came as the first minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today that children aged 11 and under would no longer have to socially distance outdoors.

It also followed a survey of over 350 school staff by the teaching union, NASUWT Scotland, which found only 28 per cent thought it would be safe for their pupils to return to school or college in August.

Education secretary John Swinney announced last week that schools should prepare to reopen to pupils full time with no social distancing among young people.

However, there was a lack of clarity over whether social distancing between school staff was expected, or between school staff and pupils.

Today, the advice commissioned by the first minister Nicola Sturgeon on whether in “particular settings and circumstances” the rules on two-metre social distancing could be changed was released. But, while it offered some clarity over whether distancing was needed between children, it appeared to put the ball back in the government’s court when it came to adults, saying it was “a matter of policy what physical distance is tolerated in different environments”.  

The paper stated: “Generally, as the number of infected individuals falls, absolute risk is lower and given the continuum of risk, and different wider benefits, it is ultimately a matter of policy as to what physical distance is tolerated in different environments.”

The advisers said the science had “not changed...and two metres remains safer than one metre”. They said there was an increased risk somewhere between “two and 10 fold in reducing from two metres to one metre”.

However, the group highlighted that “the transmission risk becomes tolerable when the prevalence of infection in the population is also low”.

The paper said: “When considered on the 25 June, the estimates of the population of Scotland who are part of an infectious pool is about one in 2,000 or so. The chances of encountering an infectious person is thus already very low - the slight increase in risk from reducing distancing from two metres to one metre in these circumstances and, with an effective Test and Protect system in place, can be managed.”

The paper also called for more work “to analyse and understand the impact of Covid-19 on the BAME [Black and Minority Ethnic] population in Scotland”, given BAME people are “already more at risk from infection and death”.

BAME teachers have expressed concern about whether it will be safe for them to return to school after the summer.

The NASUWT Scotland survey found that nearly half (49 per cent) of teachers did not feel prepared to return to their school or college in August; just 22 per cent said they felt safe or very safe as a result of the provisions their employer was putting in place; and only 38 per cent were confident their school or college has enough soap and hot water to enable regular hand washing by staff and pupils.

The union said the Scottish government had “much work to do to win the confidence of teachers” and called for “dedicated time to finalise...plans for full reopening before the return of pupils”.