Fife schools face return to remote learning if COVID cases keep rising

Fife Council’s education executive director, Carrie Lindsay, has written to all parents and carers urging them to follow refreshed guidance in light of the spread of the Omicron variant, which is now the dominant strain in Scotland.

Should anyone in the family test positive, all household contracts of all cases must isolate for 10 days, irrespective of age, testing negative or being vaccinated, while all secondary school pupils are also being asked to test at home twice a week.

However, Ms Lindsay’s letter also contains a stark warning that remote learning will be introduced in “individual settings” if the staffing position in any one school means that whole classes, year groups or indeed the whole school setting needs to be at home.

“We fully recognise the importance of children being in school but given the extended

isolation period now in place for all positive cases of COVID-19 and their household

contacts, it is possible that this might be required in individual settings,” she explained.

“We will continue to do everything we can to avoid this, however, if this is the best way to keep our children, young people and staff safe, while trying to minimise the risk of disruption to families, your school will be in contact with you directly to advise.”

Should this be required, Ms Lindsay added that remote learning will include a combination of ‘live’ interactions between teacher and learners and learning which takes place away from the direct presence of the class teacher.

She continued: “The balance of ‘live’ interactions and independent tasks will be dependent on the availability of teachers.

“Learning at home activities will include opportunities to consolidate and extend learning, taking account of and meeting the needs of learners and their families.

“Tasks and activities may include use of suggested websites, pre-recorded lessons, research, project work, practical opportunities and problem solving.

“Whilst some of these tasks will require use of a digital device, many will not.

“Children will be encouraged to engage in learning that keeps them active and allows them to work independently.”

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