In line with national guidance, this page sets out our school rationale and arrangements for the limited return of some Senior Phase pupils.
'From 22nd February, there will be a limited return of Senior Phase learners for the purpose of completing the learning and teaching of critical practical work in relation to qualifications in 2021 that can only be carried out in school.'
Our limited return to school arrangements now sits alongside our remote learning provision, which remains our primary delivery model and our in-school provision for Key Worker and vulnerable children.
Our planning for the limited return to school for some Senior Phase pupils is based on the following key principles:
· To support learning and teaching in subjects where there is a high level of practical work which requires in school facilities and cannot be overtaken remotely.
· To prioritise certain components of subjects to be able to support certification, taking into account current SQA guidance. This may change if SQA further amend their guidance.
· To protect remote learning for all (BGE and Senior Phase) in terms of continuity of learning, acknowledging that where there is in-school learning for subjects then there may be a reduced service for online delivery during that time which we will look to mitigate.
· Numbers in school will be based on a maximum of 5-8% of the school roll on the premises, however to ensure equity of provision, the planning, purpose and numbers of learners involved in in-school activities will be scrutinised before agreement is confirmed.
· Maintaining the number of staff in-school to a minimum.
The principles above means our school model for a limited return to school is based on an immersion model and is planned with following in mind:
· To ensure equity of approach, identified pupils in school will work on one subject for the entire school day. This ensures pupils who access school transport are not disadvantaged, ensures quality in-school time with teachers, causes less disruption to learners online timetable commitments and is manageable for teaching staff. It also means pupils in the building on any day will be considerably lower than the national guidance threshold.
· Our in-school timetable will be published in advance and based on a rolling 10 working days. Each identified subjects is generally given 2 days in school during that 10 day period. A 1 week lead in time for each in-school timetable means teachers can, in advance, signpost and works towards upcoming activities in school with their learners within their online teaching blocks. Learners will have confidence in the purpose of any in-school learning and the outcomes expected of their day(s) in school.
· The in-school timetable will be updated with new subjects/ in-school activities for each new 10 day period. SLT and PTCs will be involved in the construction of this in-school timetable. The timetable for the next 10 days will then published a week in advance via school communication channels.
Our In-School timetable for subject practical activities: 8th March - Friday 12th March
Parents of pupils involved in these in-school subject activities over the week will receive a groupcall email message with a letter setting out specific arrangements.Teachers will have already been contact with relevant pupils through their TEAMS groups in the week before pupils are in school.
Monday 8th | Tuesday 9th | Wednesday 10th | Thursday 11th | Friday 12th |
Practical Cookery (Group A pupils)/ see groupcall message) Music Technology (Group A pupils/ see groupcall message) | NQ Practical Electronics (Group A pupils/ see groupcall message)
Practical Woodwork (Group A pupils/ see groupcall message) | Practical Cookery (Group B pupils)/ see groupcall message) | Practical Cookery (Group C pupils)/ see groupcall message)
Practical Woodwork (Group B pupils/ see groupcall message) | NQ Practical Cake Craft |
| Monday 22nd | Tuesday 23rd | Wednesday 24th | Thursday 25th | Friday 26th |
NQ Lab Skills | NQ Practical Electronics (Group A pupils/ see groupcall message) | NQ Sport & Recreation (Group A pupils)/ see groupcall message) | NQ Engineering Skills | NQ Practical Cake Craft |
| Monday 1st | Tuesday 2nd | Wednesday 3rd | Thursday 4th | Friday 5th |
NQ Lab Skills | NQ Practical Electronics (Group B pupils/ see groupcall message) | NQ Sport & Recreation (Group B pupils)/ see groupcall message) | NQ Engineering Skills | NQ Practical Cake Craft |
National Guidance documentation can be accessed via download links on this page. It can be summarised below:
- Remote learning should be the primary delivery model in use; only consider in-school learning where it is absolutely necessary to support learning.
- Make best use of the building and space out learners to ensure they adhere to 2m physical distancing.
- Support remote delivery of practical work as much as possible.
- There needs to be a clear purpose for learners coming into school and careful planning must take place to make most effective use of any in-school time.
- Schools should plan in-school provision to sit alongside quality remote delivery.
- Existing provision for key worker children and vulnerable learners must be factored in when planning in-school provision for practical work
