A Scottish parents’ organisation has written to the education secretary saying that families are reporting that they are “desperate” for live teaching.
The parents’ organisation Connect has surveyed more than 3,000 people in a bid to gauge their reaction to the Scottish government’s plans for reopening schools, and warned that they will “disintegrate” unless families are put “front and centre”.
It found that 59 per cent of parents intended to send their child back to nursery or school; just 28 per cent of parents were confident they could manage part-time school; and, 10 weeks into lockdown, 22 per cent of parents reported they still did not have what they needed to support learning at home.
The letter to education secretary and deputy first minister John Swinney states: “This could be practical support, digital devices and affordable/good quality internet access, but also includes printers and other equipment or materials.”
Related: ‘Pupils need live online teaching’
News: ‘Some pupils could be in school a third of the time’
Advice: 5 essential lessons from four years at our ‘e-school’
Background: School reopening plans in Scotland: what we learned
The letter also highlights that families in which there were children with additional support needs (ASN) were “often in desperate need of support”.
Connect is calling for a single contact point for help for families and for parents to be asked what they need and to be contacted on a regular basis.
It added: “Parents tell us they and their children are desperate for ‘live’ teaching, with the teacher visible to children/young people.”
In April, Scotland’s e-Sgoil - based in the Western Isles - revealed its plans to deliver a national timetable of live lessons.
Speaking to Tes Scotland, headteacher Angus Maclennan argued that “live, interactive teaching” was needed while schools were closed. He argued there was “a huge difference” between online learning, and online teaching.
The Connect letter says: “As plans are taking shape, Connect is urging government, local authorities and schools to involve families in planning at all levels. If the return to school/nursery is going to work, families need to be front and centre. Put bluntly, if their needs are not met, the plans will simply disintegrate.”
