Scotland starts reopening schools from Monday
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced in Holyrood that the first phase would include Primary 1-3 and senior secondary pupils
Last updated 16th Feb 2021
Scotland will go ahead with the planned reopening of schools to some pupils from Monday, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The First Minister said the first phase would allow primaries 1-3 and senior phase pupils in secondary schools who need to complete "essential practical work'' to return to schools.
However, further returns will not happen until 15 March at the earliest.
The First Minister said this was to allow proper judgement to be made on the ramifications of the first phase return.
The First Minister said: "I want to be clear, though, that the need to properly assess the impact of this limited reopening means we think it unlikely, at this stage, that there will be any further return to school before 15 March.
"As we consider these issues, we are of course doing everything we can to ensure that schools are as safe as possible for children, and for the education workforce.''
Senior phase pupils, teachers and school staff will be given lateral flow testing twice a week from next week.
Parents have been also urged not to socialise at school gates for fear of spreading coronavirus.
Nicola Sturgeon said the return to schools for some pupils from Monday must only be treated as "a return to education for children only, and not as a return to greater normality for the rest of us''.
She said: "If we all do that, then I am hopeful that this return to school will be consistent with our continued progress in suppressing the virus.
"And if that does prove to be the case, I am optimistic that we will soon be able to set out the next phase in the journey back to school for young people.''