Schools may stop pupils bringing in items from home

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  • Author, Jamie McIvor
  • Role, 大象传媒 Scotland education correspondent

Some schools may not allow pupils to bring in PE kits or pencil sets from home once they return.

Teachers and councils are currently carrying out risk assessments to allow schools to reopen safely from 11 August.

大象传媒 Scotland has seen details of the options being looked at by one primary school.

They give an indication of how school may seem very different from normal to staff and children.

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The risk assessment highlights a number of issues which have already been discussed.

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For instance, desks will have to be kept two metres apart. The expectation is that about half the children will be in at any one point.

But the details give a greater sense of what the school day may feel like.

  • Parents and carers will not be allowed in the school building during the day
  • Rooms will be cleared of all unnecessary items to allow for cleaning needs
  • No items from home are to be brought in - this would include PE kits, pencils and soft toys
  • Windows and doors should remain open where possible for ventilation
  • Spots on the floor could show where pupils should sit when they are not at their desk

The details were in a risk assessment sent to one primary school in East Renfrewshire. However, similar measures are likely to be considered at schools across Scotland.

Schools are carrying out the assessments in order to try to create as safe an environment as possible for children and staff and reassure any parents who may be anxious about children returning.

The details of what schools do are likely to vary depending on factors such as the building, size of the classroom and the number of pupils.

Schools and councils are still working on many details ahead of the planned return of pupils in August.

Details may change if the guidance on social distancing has changed by then.

PE classes

Schools and councils are also considering just how the day and week may be structured.

For instance, at primaries some pupils may be in on Mondays and Tuesdays with others at school on Thursdays and Fridays. There would be a deep clean on Wednesdays.

A second option is for one group to be in on Mondays and Tuesdays and a second group on Wednesdays and Thursdays with Fridays set aside for deep cleaning.

Some PE teachers across Scotland are also worried about what they may be able to do in August.

Practical issues include how students might change and shower, cleaning gym equipment and avoiding activities where students would be close to each other.

One possible option being discussed might be for schools to have "PE days" where pupils would arrive in their PE kit so they didn't have to change.

A few councils are still to confirm agreements to change holidays to allow for a return on 11 August.