Coronavirus: Demand for mass hiring of teachers as pupils struggle

The First Minister confirmed she and her ministers had come to the “reluctant” judgement that community transmission of Covid-19 was still too high to allow youngsters to return on February 1.

She told MSPs that school and nursery premises would remain closed until the middle of next month, with a review due on February 2.

• READ MORE: School closures extended until mid-February

She said: “If it is possible to have young – and I’m simply saying this by way of illustration not as an indication that this is a definite decision – but if it is possible to have, for example, younger children back before older children, or parts of the country where transmission is lower back earlier than parts of the country where it remains higher, we will look at all of that.”

The week ending January 3 saw the percentage of children and young people testing positive rocket to record levels across all age groups.

Infection rates were highest among those aged 16-17, reaching 302.5 cases per 100,000. The general population figure was 268.5.

Although there is progress in suppressing Covid, @scotgov has announced remote learning will continue until mid February. We will review again on 2 February. I appreciate this is difficult for pupils and families. We will restore face to face learning as soon as we safely can do.

— John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) January 19, 2021

Rates were lowest among those in the 2-4 and 5-11 age groups, sitting at 73.1 and 102.1 respectively.

Larry Flanagan, EIS General Secretary, said: “Schools are unlikely to re-open in a single big bang approach so we need to examine options around potential priority groups, blended learning approaches to enable physical distancing, and even regional variations depending on what level different councils find themselves in after lockdown ends.

“The EIS would call, however, for the rapid employment of supply teachers currently seeking work to provide additional support to those pupils struggling to engage with remote learning.”

Most pupils across Scotland are learning remotely.

The call was echoed by Seamus Searson, General Secretary at the SSTA union, who said: “We need to double the effort to make sure youngsters who aren’t going back [as quickly] have as much support as possible.

“Teachers would benefit from having more people on hand to support pupils who are really struggling.

“Every supply teacher in the country should be brought into service, ensuring children who are learning remotely and struggling have teachers who can help them individually.”

He added: “A move to blended learning is not straightforward and there will other problems created. For example, teachers in school teaching will not be able to support pupils at home.

“Blended learning will involve smaller classes, more teachers in schools and fewer teachers available for remote learning.

“It may mean that pupils will have a reduced remote learning offer.”

Buildings have been shut to all but key worker and vulnerable children since the beginning of term amid concerns over a new, more transmissible variant of coronavirus.

Ms Sturgeon also announced that national lockdown restrictions would stay in place across mainland Scotland and some island communities “until at least the middle of February”.

She added: “We want to get children, as many children as possible, back to in-school learning as quickly as we possibly can, but that must be safe.

“Safe for children and safe for those who work in our schools as well. 

“In terms of criteria… we need to get levels of community transmission much lower than they are right now.

• READ MORE: School reopening on ice as pupil infections surge

“That is the most important thing so the rest of us have a part to play in making sure that happens." 

Schools have been off since before Christmas amid spiralling rates of Covid across many parts of the country.

They were tentatively pencilled in to reopen at the beginning of February but will remain closed until the next Scottish Government review in a fortnight.

Mr Flanagan added: “With rates of community transmission still high, the Scottish Government has made the correct decision in maintaining the current models of provision for schools to drive down the R figurewhich we regard as a prerequisite for schools reopening.

“While the EIS wants to see schools fully operational as soon as possible, this can only be achieved when it is safe for all students and staff to return, which means full consideration of the evidence on the new variant and its transmissibility amongst young people. 

“While home learning brings many challenges for pupils, parents and teachers, the indications are that the vast majority of students are engaging positively via remote learning with appropriate support from teachers, parents and carers."

Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT union, said: “As the First Minister has said today, the situation remains grave with health services continuing to come under immense strain and infection levels across the community still running at high levels.

“In such circumstances it is entirely right for schools to remain closed to the majority of pupils and the only sensible choice at this time to protect public health.

“It will now be vital that in reviewing the closure of schools on 2 February the First Minister continues to be guided by the medical and scientific evidence.

“We all want all pupils to be able to return to their schools as soon as possible, but the priority must remain the safety, health and welfare of children, young people and school staff.”

• READ MORE: How schools were rocked by the pandemic in 2020

Eileen Prior, Executive Director of parents' organisation Connect, said: "We know schools are making huge efforts to deliver remote learning but we'd ask that parent and learner feedback on how it’s working for them is gathered as soon as possible. 

"Families are under a lot of pressure and remote learning is without doubt creating additional stress for many.

"We hope this will settle down, and schools can make adjustments that recognise the individual needs of children and young people, and family pressures. However, remote learning will be either impossible or a real struggle for some. 

"We urge schools to take an entirely supportive approach if a child is not able to do school work at home, identifying what help can be provided, or if the child should be recognised as vulnerable  and in fact needs to be in school to learn."