Scottish schools should prepare to open fully from 11 August, education secretary John Swinney has announced this afternoon.
The previous focus on schools reopening partially through a system of “blended learning” - which in some areas could have meant pupils being in school only one day a week - is now the back-up plan.
If the suppression of Covid-19 continues to progress as hoped, Mr Swinney said all pupils could return full time in August.
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The move comes after increasingly heated debate in recent weeks over how and when schools should reopen.
Mr Swinney stressed that a full return to school was “conditional” on progress in suppression of Covid-19 continuing over the coming months. There had been “significant progress” since May, with around 2,000 infectious people in the country, a reduction of 90 per cent since last month.
He also underlined that the blended learning approach may still need to be called upon if public safety requires it, and announced £100 million of new funds over two years to support children and young people’s education.
He said: “If we stay on track, if we all continue to do what is right and if we can further suppress this terrible virus, the government believes that we should prepare for children to be able to return to school full time in August.
“I must stress, this is the aim that the government is now working towards. However, because it has to be achieved safely, it inevitably remains conditional and dependent upon ongoing scientific and health advice.”
Mr Swinney added that in May he “frankly could not have imagined that we would be where we are now”.
Former Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said the news was “very welcome, but that it was “the mother and father of ministerial climbdowns”.
Mr Swinney, in response, said that the government was looking at how other countries had reopened schools, particularly the Netherlands.
Green education spokesman Ross Greer asked Mr Swinney for details on whether teachers would be tested for Covid-19. Mr Swinney said he was supportive of regular Covid-19 testing of teachers.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said thousands of families would welcome today’s announcement.
First minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “When it looked like the virus would make it impossible for kids to return to school full time in August, we developed a contingency.
“The contingency is still there should we need it. But our success in suppressing virus makes it possible now to plan for full-time return.”
EIS union general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Clearly, if the suppression of the virus continues to be successful, public health guidance may change and this will impact on schools as well as every other aspect of society.
“It would be a grave mistake, however, to believe that the virus has gone away and therefore, in the event of schools reopening more fully than currently planned, appropriate mitigations must be in place to protect staff and pupils and prevent flare-ups either in terms of localised resurgence in infection or even a full second wave.
“In terms of schools, this means looking at measures already being used elsewhere such as mandatory face coverings, protective perspex shields, proactive testing of teachers and an appropriate level of physical distancing between pupils and most certainly between pupils and staff, alongside continued protections for vulnerable groups.”
Mr Flanagan added: “A great deal of work at school level has already gone into planning for a blended learning model from 11 August, so any change to that will require time to adjust plans and conduct revised risk assessments. Again, this will need to be subject to discussion and agreement.
“Everyone wishes to see schools operate as normal, but this should be done in a way which is demonstrably safe for students and staff, which doesn’t undermine public health messages, and which is done with the interest of school communities being first and foremost and not political expediency.”
Stephen McCabe, children and young people spokesperson for local authorities body Cosla, said: “The news that the levels of the virus continue to move in the right direction is of course extremely positive. The deputy first minister’s statement that the planning assumption will now be for a full return in August if it is safe to do so is of course a significant change in direction. We will work with the Scottish government, our local government partners, trade unions, parent organisations and children and young people representatives to consider the implications and practicalities of a full-time return for pupils in August.”
Mr McCabe added: “Whilst there will be a number of considerations, safety will remain the number one priority.”
