Nicola Sturgeon will today announce whether more children can return to Scottish schools
Nicola Sturgeon will announce today whether more children can return to Scottish schools – six days before Boris Johnson tells pupils in England when they can expect to be back in classes
- Under the plans, all children in early learning and childcare would return
- Pupils in Primary 1 to Primary 3 would also be allowed back into school
- So would those in the senior phase of secondary school, it is suggested
Scottish parents will find out today whether their children will return to school on Monday, a full fortnight before their English counterparts.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will reveal this afternoon whether her government it is pushing ahead with a phased reopening of classrooms from February 22.
Under the plans announced at the start of February, pupils in Primary 1 to Primary 3 would also be allowed back into school first, as would those in the senior phase of secondary school.
All children under school age in early learning and childcare would also return.
If Ms Sturgeon confirms the plan is to proceed it will heap pressure on Boris Johnson to confirm classes in England will begin again on March 8.
He is widely expected to confirm this when he unveils a ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown next Monday, but questions remain over how many children will immediately return
Speaking at her daily briefing yesterday, Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish plans would only go ahead if the transmission rate of Covid-19 remained low.
The First Minister said: ‘We will look at the up-to-date data and take a final decision on that tomorrow, as we always said we would.
‘I am very, very, very keen to go ahead with that if at all possible.’
The First Minister said older pupils will only be able to return to ensure practical work important to achieving qualifications is completed, and only between 5 per cent and 8 per cent of any school’s roll should return.
At the beginning of the month, the First Minister announced that lockdown in Scotland would remain in force until at least the end of February, with some pupils returning to classrooms on February 22
Boris Johnson is expected to reveal his plans to reopen schools in England on February 22
Ms Sturgeon said her cabinet would also consider an ‘indicative timetable’ for the next groups of pupils who could return to school.
However, she also warned that now was not the time to expect other lockdown restrictions to be eased.
Dr Liz Cameron, director and chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: ‘The vaccination rollout has been significant across Scotland and the UK, and with vaccination milestones being reached, we now need to understand the conditions at which the economy can begin to reopen.
‘We understand that setting specific dates can be challenging given the unpredictable nature of the virus. However, businesses need to know the trigger points over the next three months that will deliver the reopening of the economy.
‘Only a clear plan to reopen will give businesses the confidence to plan, hire and invest. Without this, businesses and livelihoods face catastrophe.’
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson is set to end tough restrictions next month that mean people can only leave their homes for work, exercise or to buy essentials.
It comes as NHS England boss Sir Simon Stevens yesterday vowed to double the number of jabs being given to one million vaccines a day in order for the Government to hit its next target.
As part of the first major easing, ministers plan to overhaul the rules to allow socialising outside from as soon as March 8. Outdoor leisure activities, including golf and tennis, will possibly be permitted before the end of March.
As well as transmission risks being low as they are played outside, officials believe the public may be spurred into getting fit if the pursuits are among the first things to be allowed.
It came as a study claimed there was no evidence having schools open drives the spread of coronavirus in the wider community in the UK, SAGE advisers have found.
In a study of pupil and teacher absences caused by positive Covid tests, researchers said confirmed infections in schools did not lead to bigger outbreaks.
Instead, they said there were small signs that the opposite was true, and that schools tended to get worse hit when the cases around them had rocketed.
Many pupils have been home-schooling for almost all of the past year, except for a brief period between September and December before the second wave spiralled out of control.
