Remaining schools to reopen before the end of the week
A letter is going to parents and carers of 8 of the council’s 203 schools today, to provide an update on when the remaining 8 schools will open.
Since we received the Scottish Government’s decision on reopening schools, extensive work has been taking place to get schools open with an agreed phased return of all pupils by 18 August, the original start date of the new term.
There are varying arrangements in place at different schools across Scotland. We have 203 schools spread across the Highlands and 96% of our schools have reopened to the first tranche of pupils today in the start of our phased return with the aim of returning all pupils by early next week.
Staff across the council were working hard right up until late last night to get schools open with the exception of your child’s school and a small number of others. Of our 203 schools, 8 were unable to be opened today for a variety of building and staffing issues.
It is crucial that cleaning, water testing and building maintenance must be completed in all schools to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and staff. Specific enhanced cleaning regulations must also now be in place in order to reduce the risk of the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
These issues have now been resolved for 7 schools. Tore, Shieldag, Tarbat Old, Kyle and Kyleakin are all due to open tomorrow (Thursday) to pupils.
Cleaning is to be completed at Knockbreck Primary School (Skye) to enable this to open tomorrow.
We have staff on site for water recommissioning works at Rum Primary today and the cleaning regime is in place, so the school can also reopen tomorrow.
Mallaig Primary School is now aiming to open on Friday following completion of contracted works and the added complication of a collapsed ceiling due to a leak. It is now being cleaned and all the school staff are working together to get the school open for the end of the week.
Additional resourcing is being put in place over the next 4-6 weeks to deliver the enhanced standards and this should allow time to complete recruitment of cleaning staff.
Head of Education Nicky Grant said: “We understand that children will be excited and looking forward to getting back to school and teaching staff are look forward to welcoming them back.”
Leader of the Highland Council Margaret Davidson praised the work of all staff and the executive team in reopening schools across Highland from today. She said:
“We are the Local Authority with one of the highest number of schools in the UK. We have 203 schools spread across an area covering one third of Scotland. 96% of our schools have reopened to the first tranche of pupils today in the start of our phased return. Since we received the Scottish Government’s decision at the end of July, our staff have been working incredibly hard to get schools open in line with an agreed phased return of all pupils by 18 August.
“I wish all pupils the very best for their first days back at school. Staff were working hard right up until late last night to get schools open with the exception of just 8 rural schools and these should be in a position to open to their first pupils in the next day or two. I am very proud of them all. Enhanced cleaning must be in place in all schools as the safety and wellbeing of children and staff is absolutely paramount.
“We must remember that we are dealing with unprecedented times and exceptional circumstances beyond our control. It has been an astonishing achievement to open 195 schools early and I cannot praise the staff and the senior team highly enough.”
She added: “A decision was made to provide parents with information yesterday at 6pm, once every effort had been made to get as many schools open as possible. Unfortunately, the severe storms across Scotland and flooding at a BT exchange in Edinburgh affected widespread networks across the Highlands and so this communication could not be achieved until late last night. We have apologized to parents for any inconvenience or uncertainty this caused, however there are exceptional circumstances at play which are beyond our control.”
See our webpage www.highland.gov.uk/backtoschool for further information.
Our normal procedure for school closures is our www.highland.gov.uk/schoolclosures webpage which is updated daily from 7am and updates tweeted.