EDUCATION officials are considering rotational schooling based on a three day week for the region’s pupils from August.
In a meeting today, councillors heard that initial planning has started for the return to school and the proposal is for all children to spend three days a week in class along with supported home learning.
It will apply for all age groups, from P1 to S6 from Wednesday August 12 and there will be a consistent approach throughout the region.
Costings are being worked out for a possible rotational option, whereby children do two days one week then three days the next.
However, the final plan will not be ready until July and will then have to be agreed by councillors.
Headteachers are considering their existing staffing, school capacity and government guidance.
They are also being asked to ‘quantify additional staffing costs to maximise in-school attendance for pupils as part of blended learning’.
A council plan published this week says that places will be limited at schools and priority will continue to be given to vulnerable children and those of key workers. It adds: “Remaining places then opened to pupil population on a rotation agreed by the school.”
Health and safety visits are currently underway to assess all schools in Dumfries and Galloway.
Staff are also starting to return and training is taking place for online delivery and in infection control.
Speaking at the meeting, education director Gillian Bryson said: “One thing Dumfries and Galloway schools are not short of is space. We operate at 60% of our physical capacity.”
She told councillors they are aiming for a consistent approach across the region on a ‘two group rotation’ basis, adding: “In primary and secondary schools we would probably be able to fit most children in 50 per cent of the week.”
But she cautioned: “There is still a lot of work to do.”
