FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS) FOR PARENTS ABOUT THE RE-OPENING

OF SCHOOLS AND NURSERIES

We have had questions from parents and carers about our schools and nurseries re-opening
which have informed these FAQs.

The planning for re-opening and recovery for all schools and nurseries is based on these
guiding principles:

Safe

Plans must protect the physical, emotional and mental health and wellbeing of children and
young people as well as all staff.

Fair and Ethical

Plans should ensure every child has the same opportunity to succeed through their blend of
in-school and in-home learning, with a particular focus on closing the poverty related
attainment gap; and therefore be able to prioritise learners at key points and/or with specific
needs.

Clear

Plans should be easy to interpret and understand, and have the confidence of parents, staff
and young people so that they can plan ahead.

Realistic

Plans must be possible and achievable within the resources that each school and the
Council has available.

1. When will schools and nurseries re-open?

Staff will return to Dundee schools and local authority nurseries from Monday (June
15) as preparations continue to welcome children and young people back to the
classroom from 11 August, if it is safe to do so.

2. Why do schools/nurseries have different plans for re-opening?

Schools and nurseries have based their plans on the guiding principles above.
Due to the different number of children in each school/nursery; and the different size
and lay-out of our school/nursery buildings; and the differences in staffing, it is not
possible to have the same plan for every school/nursery and for child or young
person.

As advice from Scottish Government changes, so will the details in the plans for
schools and nurseries which will be shared with you by Head Teachers.

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3. Why are some children and young people having an earlier visit to their
school/nursery in June?

Some children and young people will be entering school buildings over what would
have been the last two weeks of term towards the end of June for key transition
stages including entry to P1, S1 and some of the senior phase. However, some of
this support for transition will be virtual and continue into the start of next term in
August.

4. Why don’t all schools have the same transition arrangements?

Transition visits are being arranged with children and young people and staff safety
as the main priority. Due to the different number of children in each school/nursery;
and the different size and lay-out of our school/nursery buildings; and the differences
in staffing, it is not possible to have the same plan for every child or young person.

Transition is not just one visit or event and will be insufficient for many children which
is why transition is being addressed as a process for all children which will continue
throughout August and into September as we support children and young people in a
phased return to school/nursery.

5. What plans will be in place to make sure that my child is safe when returning to
school/nursery?

A risk assessment plan is in place for every school and nursery to ensure that there
are appropriate safety measures and controls including safe physical distance and
hygiene control. If there are any additional considerations for your child’s health and
safety, please discuss these with your child’s school/nursery.

Some children and young people need additional support, which means that different
considerations are required, for example, where staff need to help with intimate care,
provision of some medications and healthcare supports. However, schools will be
carrying out individual risk assessments to ensure everyone stays safe. For example,
they will decide whether PPE should be worn. At all times the wellbeing, safety and
best interests of your child and the staff will be carefully considered.

The decision to reopen schools will be based on scientific evidence. This suggests
that the virus is sufficiently under control to start planning for reopening, and that by
putting measures in place to keep children and staff a safe distance from each other
and making sure everything is kept clean and hygienic, children can return safely.

6. Will other buildings being used for children to attend, other than schools?

We are currently exploring a number of options around each school and its individual
circumstances.

There are many things that would have to be taken into consideration around the use
of other buildings. These include the availability of cleaning services to ensure safe
infection control, and ensuring that safe access is provided for both pupils and staff.

We also need to make sure that we have safe staff ratios in all buildings that would
be used for educational purposes.

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7. How will children with Additional Support Needs be supported in planning their
return to school?

All schools and nurseries must have considered planning for children and young
people with Additional Support Needs in their recovery plans. They should be based
on what they already know about the child’s needs and review their individual plans
this in light of any impact of Covid-19. If there are things which have increased the
vulnerability of a child, this will be considered in the planning for their return. We are
not able to offer additional time in school/nursery only on the basis of Additional
Support Needs as we have to take other factors into account, in particular the safety
of all children and staff.

We are planning to run webinars with local parent support groups to help parents
with the blended approach to learning at school and home.

8. What about key workers?

We are waiting for further national guidance on Key Workers.

Meanwhile, the council’s network of eight community support centres will continue to
operate over the summer period, providing not only critical childcare for key workers,
but also helping to look after some of the most vulnerable children in the city.

9. How can I find out what the plan is for my child’s school?

You can visit the school’s website (https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/service-

area/children-and-families-service/schools) or contact the Head Teacher. If you
follow Twitter, there are regular updates from schools and nurseries throughout the
week.

Schools have been developing blogs to showcase their learning developments and to
share good practice, with examples at Our Lady's Primary and Fintry Primary

10. If I think my child is eligible for a laptop what should I do?

Laptops and other equipment have been distributed around school communities to
assist with learning under the new arrangements.

A new batch of around 600 laptops will be fitted with data connections and given to
selected households soon in another outreach effort to ensure inclusion for the
ongoing home education of pupils.

11. What about school uniform policy?

This has been discussed with our Parent Council chairs, Head Teachers and our
Convenors. We have reached agreement that individual schools will make the
decision about school uniform policy at local level. Head Teachers will discuss this
with their Parent Councils and the wider parent forum to agree the approach for their
own community.

The answers to other questions which you may have are available here:

https://www.parentclub.scot/articles/reopening-schools-faqs