Chamber and committees

The Covid-19 Education Recovery Group was created to make the best decisions possible for Scotland’s children and young people, families and education staff during these uniquely difficult times for the whole of our society. The Group's membership includes representatives from COSLA, local authorities, professional associations, parent representatives and other stakeholders in Scottish education.

The Group undertook work collectively to produce comprehensive supporting guidance for schools returning under a blended learning model, in order to restore some form of face-to-face learning in view of the expected ongoing challenges in suppressing Coronavirus.

However, because of the efforts of people staying at home and remaining vigilant, we have recently seen Scotland make significant progress in suppressing Coronavirus. We therefore believe that, if we stay on track, we should now prepare for pupils to return to school full time from August.

The Scottish Government has already provided over £2.3 billion of support to businesses across Scotland and is continuing to keep the needs of business under review as we work to restart the economy safely in line with our Routemap.

The Scottish Government is working closely with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) to ensure that all probationary teachers, who start their probationary year in August, will receive the support and guidance they require in these unprecedented times.

The GTCS, working in partnership with Local Authority probation managers, are responsible for the support provided to probationers on the Teacher Induction Scheme. In order to provide all new probationers with personal and professional support, GTCS has commissioned the development of specific health and wellbeing resources for new probationer teachers which will be available by mid-June 2020.

GTCS will also work in partnership with probation managers to identify individual probationers who may require bespoke support arrangements.

We are working closely with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) to ensure that the necessary support and guidance is available for all probationers and their mentors in these unprecedented times. The GTCS has reduced the in-school element of the probation programme so that anyone currently on the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) will be required to complete a minimum of 120 satisfactory days at school by the end of the school session in June 2020 to enable them to achieve the standard for full registration.

GTCS will also work in partnership with probation managers to identify individual probationers who may require bespoke support arrangements.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19): re-opening schools guide sets out that the use of PPE by staff within education and childcare facilities should be based on a clear assessment of risk and need for an individual child or young person. In addition, it sets out where face coverings should be used in relation to school transport. This guidance is being kept under constant review and any further updates will be made in line with scientific advice.

As part of the work of the Covid-19 Education Recovery Group, we recently published the Coronavirus (COVID-19): re-opening schools guidance which includes important sections on personal hygiene.

The guidance states that adequate facilities should be available for hand hygiene, and gives as an example the provision of alcohol based hand rub at key areas. It also encourages frequent washing/sanitising of hands. Local authorities are responsible for developing local delivery plans which should be informed by this guidance.

We have committed to keeping the guidance under constant review and updated based on the latest advice from Health Protection Scotland .

Scottish Government, COSLA and local government partners have agreed that it is vital that decisions about key workers and the childcare places allocated are taken locally.

Local authorities are responsible for providing critical childcare for key workers and deciding who qualifies for the provision. Critical childcare is generally being provided in the area where families live, however there may be exceptions to this where local authorities are agreeable.

The Scottish Government has produced a suite of guidance documents which are reviewed in line with the regular three-weekly review of the lockdown requirements and will be read alongside the legal restrictions and prohibitions contained in the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. The guidance will be updated in line with the reviews.

Physical distancing duties are set out in Regulation 4(1) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020.

The suite of Scottish Government Covid-19 guidance can be found here - https://www.gov.scot/collections/
coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/#health,careandsocialwork

The guidance includes, amongst others, a physical (social) distancing guide as well as advice for retailers, customers, service providers, transport services and those in education and childcare settings, on additional considerations for those who are disabled and have difficulty walking, are wheelchair users, are blind or deaf or people with cognitive impairments like dementia. Some sections of the guidance are in the process of being updated and updates will be available to view by 19 June 2020.

In addition, the RNIB website has a link to a coronavirus FAQ section, which provides practical advice on a range of issues, including how to practise social distancing.

Physical distancing measures are steps everyone should take to reduce social interaction between people. This will help reduce the spread of coronavirus. Guidance on physical distancing is available on the Scottish Government website physical (social) distancing guide and has been amended to highlight the additional challenges some people may have in being able to adhere to this guidance. The amendments include a request that people are considerate of others, respecting and accommodating differences by giving way when they are out and about.

Additionally, vision impairment charities have produced some top tips on physical distancing, for those that are blind or visually impaired. Examples can be found here:

• https://www.rnib.org.uk/campaigning/campaigning-news/rnib-sends-supermarkets-guidance
• https://www.henshaws.org.uk/top-tips-for-social-distancing-if-you-are-blind-or-visually-impaired/
• https://www.sightadvicefaq.org.uk/coronavirus-information/Getting-out-and-about/social-dist-CV

The Scottish Government is keeping lockdown restrictions under constant review. Our priority will always be to save lives and reduce the number of people who might die unnecessarily.

Our ‘Framework for Decision-Making’ papers set out the Scottish Government’s approach, principles and the specific options to protect the public and reduce deaths from COVID-19. This includes the possibility of reversing any relaxation of the lockdown conditions if we cannot keep the reproduction rate of the virus, or the R number, sufficiently below 1.

Physical distancing guidelines are the primary method of limiting spread of the disease and saving lives. These are having a positive effect, however, progress remains fragile and the margins for ensuring the virus does not take off again remain tight.

On 28 May, we concluded that, based on this evidence on the spread of the virus, we could move into phase 1 of our four phase route map out of lockdown, by introducing some careful and gradual changes to the rules regarding outdoor activity and non-contact sports. The focus of our Phase 1 changes are on outdoor activity because the risk of the virus spreading is lower in an outdoor environment.

To that effect, we published our updated “staying at home and away from others” guidance.

We have also been clear however that if there is evidence of a minority not abiding by existing guidelines, including travelling unnecessarily or meeting in large groups, the Scottish government may put restrictions on these into law.