Guidance for teachers of practical subjects has been published this afternoon, to help them with the planned return of some learners from 22 February.

The “technical guidance” has already - given the at times extreme winter weather recently - generated some controversy over advice that PE and dance activities must take place outdoors.

One teacher tweeted: “Would you send *your* child outside in these temperatures? Does your school have the outdoor facilities to even do it? Are SQA changing the evidence requirements in line with this? Of course not!”

Also today: ‘Caution’ over pupil return as Covid progress ‘stalls’

Coronavirus: Return to school ‘a logistical nightmare’ for teachers

Background: Scotland‘s plans for phased school return

After the Covid lockdown: ‘Pupils need individualised support - not more school’

Opinion: We do need to ‘catch up’ - with every single pupil

Also this week: Bank of prerecorded lessons for teachers hits 1,000 uploads

Coronavirus: Guidance for reopening schools

The 22 February return date looks far from certain today, but some of the “working principles” set out in the guidance include:

•  Ensure senior students have “a secure foundation and course coverage prior to formal assessment taking place in the later stages of the 2020-21 academic session”.
• Prioritise subjects that need “in-school facilities”.
• Remote learning should be the “primary delivery model” - only consider in-school learning where “absolutely necessary to support learning”.
• Schools to decide on timetables “based on local knowledge of learners and their choices within courses”; in smaller schools with a single subject specialist, “a model of splitting groups across a two-week timetable may be appropriate”.
• Some background and theory for a practical activity (such as science experiments for National Progression Awards) should be covered through remote learning “before the practical activity and consolidation of learning occurs in school”.
• “Where possible, schools should plan in-school provision to sit alongside quality remote delivery”.
• Returning students of practical subjects “must be kept separate” from key workers’ children and vulnerable learners.
• The rationale for in-school learning should be shared with parents, carers and learners.
• Communicate with parents, carers and learners in advance about “strict Covid-19 mitigations to be followed, reiterating expectations, and how 2m physical distancing will work”.
• Be clear about routines to meet and greet learners and how to exit the school safely.
• Minimise wherever possible the general flow of learners in and out of school through the day.
• Lunch and other break times “will need to be carefully managed” and if students leave the school premises for lunch “they should follow the rules in place for wider society”.

Well it’s here. If you take Dance and or/ PE, you’ll be outside. Look at the weather! Would you send *your* child outside in these temperatures? Does your school have the outdoor facilities to even do it? Are SQA changing the evidence requirements inline with this? Of course not! https://t.co/sjytGrXbNN

- Mrs Ferns ???????? (@mrs_ferns) February 12, 2021

For PE and dance, schools have been “reminded that practical elements...can only take place outdoors and that 2m physical distancing must also be maintained”.

The guidance also spells out which subjects are likely to require in-school work, including: administration and IT; art and design; craft, design, engineering and graphics subjects; computing (where students do not have the software or hardware at home); drama; home economics (practical cookery and practical cake craft); media (only students creating a moving image product film trailer); modern languages/Esol (English for speakers of other languages); music; music technology; PE; science.

There is also some advice for further education colleges, which “makes clear that senior phase school learners should not attend college while schools are only providing in-person learning for a very limited number of learners”.

The guidance adds: “Colleges should explore whether arrangements can be made for this learning to take place online. Further discussions will take place urgently to explore any potential changes to the guidance around senior phase learners attending college.”

The guidance also states: “Visiting college lecturers and other staff who deliver courses within schools should follow the school guidance and any sectoral guidance. For example, guidance from colleges and universities that applies to on-campus and off-campus activity.”