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Coronavirus: How do you social distance in schools? Coronavirus: What is a blended model of learning?
(30 days later)
The Scottish government is considering if it is feasible for children to carry out physical distancing in schools once the lockdown is over. So how can you social distance in a school? Scottish schoolchildren are set to return to classrooms in August using a "blended model". This will involve a mix of ordinary classroom learning, online learning and homework. But how will this work in practice?
What the government says What the Scottish government says
The Scottish government says there are early signs that the impact of the coronavirus is being contained. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced on Thursday that pupils would return to school from 11 August and that teachers would start preparing classrooms next month.
It has published a new document outlining the basis of an exit strategy from the UK-wide lockdown that has been in place since 23 March. She said there would be a different way of learning, using a "blended model." This will involve part-time study in school combined with some learning at home, but social distancing will still need to be observed.
A move away from the current restrictions would include the continuation of social distancing. The Scottish government has published a strategic framework document explaining the factors that contributed to its plan for the reopening of schools.
The Scottish government said work was being carried out to study how "physical distancing" could be continued in schools, transport, businesses and recreation. The precise date for pupils to return to class will have to be confirmed by individual councils.
How would this work in schools? How will the blended model work?
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that if social distancing continued, then people staying 2m (6.6ft) apart would put an upper limit on how many pupils could be in a classroom. A further £30m is being offered to provide laptops for disadvantaged children to reflect the fact that pupils will continue to be learning part of their time at home.
"Do we have to take classes and divide them into two, where half of the class is there one week and the other half another week?," she said. "Or one half in the morning and the other in the afternoon?" Ms Sturgeon also said transition support would be given, where possible, to children going into Primary 1 or moving from primary to secondary schools.
Ms Sturgeon accepted it would be more difficult to get younger children to maintain social-distancing rules. What is happening in other countries?
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
In England, from 1 June, children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 will be able to return to school if infection rates and the UK government's other tests at the time allow it.
However, scores of councils say they cannot guarantee primaries will reopen on 1 June, throwing the government's plans into chaos.
No date has been given for the reopening of schools in Wales, however, they will not reopen on 1 June.
Some pupils in Northern Ireland will return to school in late August with a phased return for the remainder.
Denmark
Primary children in Denmark have been back at school for a month.
It was the first country in Europe to reopen its primary schools, after containing the virus early on.
It is assumed that social distancing will be unreliable with young children, so instead children stay in small groups all day, in "protective bubbles".
These micro-groups of pupils arrive at a separate time, eat their lunch separately, stay in their own zones in the playground and are taught by one teacher. No face masks are used by pupils or teachers.
There is a huge amount of hand washing and sterilising.
"There is pretty much hourly washing going on," says Dom Maher, head of the international section of St Josef's school in Roskilde, so much so that the new problem is skin irritation and eczema.
But he says the idea of perfect social distancing with small children is not realistic.
"Most of them are pretty good with it and mindful of space. But they do forget," he adds.
Germany
When some schools opened in Germany last month, individual seating plans were put in place.
Shaun Roberts, principal of the Cologne International School, says there is a fixed place for each student - so that if someone is found with the virus, the contact tracers will know exactly who was sitting nearest.
The oldest year groups have gone back first.
Exam halls are one of the few locations that lend themselves to social distancing.
There is a one-way system in the corridors to minimise contact, break times are staggered, there is a strict cleaning regime and face masks are worn in common areas.
The school days are shorter and mixed with online lessons, so different year groups can share classrooms that might now only hold 10 pupils.
And there are staff and pupils who are staying at home because of their health issues or because of concerns about someone in their family.
Norway
Children in Norway went back to school at the beginning of May.
Classes have been reduced to a maximum of 15 students to allow for social distancing.
Some school playgrounds are divided, and there is a large focus on hygiene.
France
Primary schools and nurseries opened in much of France on 11 May. Schools for 11 to 15-year-olds known as collèges opened only in green zones - where the outbreak is not as bad - on 18 May. Schools for 15 to 18-year-olds (lycées) are not opening before June.
Schools have reduced class sizes but some local authorities are keeping schools closed.
Masks are mandatory in secondary schools.
Belgium
Schools resumed classes from 18 May, but no more than 10 children are allowed in each classroom.
Elsewhere in Europe
Schools in Spain will partially reopen from Tuesday. This will allow for revision classes and state exams but a full reopening is not expected until September.
Secondary school pupils in the Netherlands are due to return to class on 2 June.
In Greece, schools reopened on 11 May for final-year students only, with special measures including students attending classes on different days.
In Austria, final-year school pupils returned to classes at the beginning of May.
Schools reopened in Switzerland on 11 May with strict social distancing measures in place.
Some pupils have returned in Portugal but many classes continue remotely.
Schools in Italy and Ireland will not open until September and remain shut in Russia.
Schools were never shut in Sweden.
New Zealand
Schools returned on Monday but instead of escorting their children to class, parents dropped them at "kiss and go" zones, while early childhood centres recorded personal details needed for contact tracing.
South Korea
In South Korea, classrooms opened again at the beginning of April. But they remained empty of pupils as a decision was taken to start the new term online.
Teachers communicated with their pupils via laptops and video links.
What the teacher saysWhat the teacher says
Edinburgh primary teacher Blair Minchin pointed out that it would be much easier for a school in the Highlands with 15 pupils to social distance compared with a school in Glasgow with 800 pupils. Edinburgh primary teacher Blair Minchin said the way schools now work would have to be taken into consideration.
He said the way schools now work would also have to be taken into consideration.
"It's no longer sitting and looking at the teacher at your desk," he said. "We're collaborative, we're creative. We have kids move around the class."It's no longer sitting and looking at the teacher at your desk," he said. "We're collaborative, we're creative. We have kids move around the class.
"They're touching concrete materials, blocks and cubes. Would they need to be washed every time a kid touches one? And what about handrails on stairs?""They're touching concrete materials, blocks and cubes. Would they need to be washed every time a kid touches one? And what about handrails on stairs?"
Mr Minchin said that as a teacher who had been working in one of the hubs for the children of key workers, it was possible to distance small groups of pupils, but difficult.Mr Minchin said that as a teacher who had been working in one of the hubs for the children of key workers, it was possible to distance small groups of pupils, but difficult.
"If you have a child that gets stuck its very hard for a teacher to socially distance from that pupil. Do teachers need to look at wearing really robust PPE?" "If you have a child that gets stuck its very hard for a teacher to socially distance from that pupil."
He said bad behaviour also had to be considered.
"If you've got a kid that's throwing things, kicking off, what do we do? All these questions need to be answered before we look at opening schools."
What the architects sayWhat the architects say
The Royal Incorporation of Scottish Architects has offered to assist with classroom redesigns.
Jude Barber, director at Glasgow-based Collective Architecture, told the Architects' Journal: "Given the spatial and behavioural challenges surrounding the pandemic, it seems only right that architects, landscape architects and planners should be central to the discussion and share their ideas and expertise."Jude Barber, director at Glasgow-based Collective Architecture, told the Architects' Journal: "Given the spatial and behavioural challenges surrounding the pandemic, it seems only right that architects, landscape architects and planners should be central to the discussion and share their ideas and expertise."
But Alan Dunlop, visiting professor in architecture at the University of Liverpool, said the cost of the measure would be "prohibitive" and added: "Even if you could compartmentalise classrooms, there is the issue of common areas, such as stairways, corridors, toilets etc and the no small matter of parents and carers collecting and dropping off children at the same time.But Alan Dunlop, visiting professor in architecture at the University of Liverpool, said the cost of the measure would be "prohibitive" and added: "Even if you could compartmentalise classrooms, there is the issue of common areas, such as stairways, corridors, toilets etc and the no small matter of parents and carers collecting and dropping off children at the same time.
"I have never seen a retrofit school that works particularly well and certainly none that would promote learning.""I have never seen a retrofit school that works particularly well and certainly none that would promote learning."
What has happened in other countries?
In Denmark, which was among the first countries to impose a lockdown, children up to the age of 11 have been returning to nurseries and schools.
Elisa Rimpler of the BUPL, the Danish Union of Early Childhood and Youth Educators, said: "We have a lot of washing hands during the day. We don't have masks and we have to keep a good distance from each other so that's a very difficult task."
Germany has also begun to allow pupils back into schools but have separated desks to keep to social distancing rules.
In Berlin, the oldest children went back to class on Monday to take their final exams. The 16-year-olds will follow next week, with other age-groups following in stages over the coming months.
In Norway, kindergartens have already opened and there will be a partial reopening of high schools and universities from Monday.
In France, primary school pupils will start to go back, in classes of no more than 15, from 11 May.
In the Netherlands, they will go back on a part-time basis, on the same date, with secondary pupils returning from 1 June.
In South Korea, classrooms opened again at the beginning of April. But they remained empty of pupils as a decision was taken to start the new term online.
Teachers are in the classrooms and communicate with their pupils via laptops and video links.
Schools in New Zealand will partially reopen next week for children up to Year 10 who cannot study from home, or whose parents need to return to work.
Education for students in Years 11-13 will continue remotely.