Employee News 2020, Issue 89 - Further Update: Schools & Early Years Reopening in January 2021

Further to our Employee News yesterday, I’ve attached below our communication update, which will be shared this afternoon on the Council’s website, will be posted on our social media channels and shared with parents/carers:

UPDATE Wednesday 23 December

This update includes the guidance provided by Scottish Government on key worker categories for the return to school and early years in January, and the application form.

Key Worker Provision

The Scottish Government has provided these categories:

  • Health and Care workers directly supporting COVID-19 response, and associated staff; Health and Care workers supporting life threatening emergency work, as well as critical primary and community care provision; Energy suppliers (small numbers identified as top priority already); staff providing childcare/learning for other category 1 staff.
  • All other Health and Care workers, and wider public sector workers providing emergency/critical welfare services (for example: fire, police, prisons, social workers), as well as those supporting our Critical National Infrastructure, without whom serious damage to the welfare of the people of Scotland could be caused.
  • All workers (private, public or third sector) without whom there could be a significant impact on Scotland (but where the response to COVID-19, or the ability to perform essential tasks to keep the country running, would not be severely compromised).

Places will be allocated if parents meet the following criteria:

  • Both parents (or one in the case of a single parent) are in the key worker category as defined below; AND
  • Are required to attend their place of work i.e. are not working from home; AND
  • Have no other childcare options/

Informal childcare is now permitted unlike during the previous lockdown.  Advice from the Parent Club [opens in a new window] may be useful to parents.

Parents should complete the application form and email it to the school or early years office.  The email addresses can be found from these pages:

Early Years Centres (the Council Early Years centres are listed on this page)
Primary Schools
Secondary Schools

Your child’s school or early years centre will confirm if a place has been allocated.  However due to the exceptionally short timescale, this will not be until the school or centre reopens. Children who were shielded should not attend unless there has been confirmation from their clinician.

Arrangements for each sector:

Scottish Government has stated that from Monday 18 January onwards, it is expected that schools/ early years centres will open to all staff and pupils for in-person teaching and learning as normal, and operating within the existing guidance on reducing risks in schools and strategic framework protection levels.   However, this has not been confirmed and will be dependent on the decision by Scottish Government.

Vulnerable Children

  • Schools and early years centres will contact parents to inform them if their child has been allocated a place.  This includes all children at Merkland and Campsie View Schools.
  • School transport will be provided as usual.  Children who were shielded should not attend unless there has been confirmation from their clinician.

Early Years

  • Extended Early Years Centre will open on Tuesday 5 January for staff only. Arrangements will be put in place for children of key workers and those children who are identified as vulnerable to return on Wednesday 6 January.  These children will continue to attend week beginning 11 January.  Children will attend for their usual sessions and the normal payment fees will apply.  All other children should not attend during that week.  Refunds for any fees will be made.
  • Term time early years centres (Craighead and Meadowburn Gaelic) will open in line with the school opening dates.  Children of key workers and those identified as vulnerable will return on Thursday 7 January.
  • Funded Providers
    If your child attends a funded provider, you should contact the provider directly.  If they are not able to offer a place and you meet the definition of a key worker, then contact elc1140@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Primary Schools

Schools will now open on Wednesday 6 January for staff only; arrangements will be put in place in line with the Scottish Government Guidance:

  • Children of key workers and children identified as vulnerable will be able to attend school for childcare and wellbeing on Thursday 7 January and Friday 8 January.  All other children will be on an extended holiday.
  • From 11 January, the programme in school will move to learning and teaching with remote learning provided for those not in school. 
  • Schools will operate the usual hours and so parents should make the usual childcare arrangements out with school hours.
  • The remote learning programme will be communicated by each school and will include online learning.  Schools will use Teams or Google Classroom. 

Secondary Schools

Schools will now open on Wednesday 6 January for staff only.  Arrangements will be put in place in line with the Scottish Government Guidance:

  • Children of key workers and children identified as vulnerable will be able to attend school for childcare and wellbeing on Thursday 7 January and Friday 8 January.  All other children will be on an extended holiday.
  • From Monday 11 January, the programme in school will move to learning and teaching with remote learning provided for those not in school.
  • Schools will operate the usual hours and so parents should make the usual arrangements out with school hours.
  • The remote learning programme will be communicated by each school and will include online learning.  Schools will use Teams or Google Classroom.    There will be communication from the school in relation to the Senior Phase and the changes to the assessment arrangements.  All secondary schools will have access to the West Partnership Online resource and further guidance will be provided by the central Education team on how this can be accessed.

Further information will be shared should there be any further Scottish Government announcements.

Thank you

Ann Davie
Depute Chief Executive – Education, People & Business

Wednesday 23 December 2020