No final decision on extending schools Christmas holiday

No decision has yet been reached on extending school holidays at Christmas, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has said.

Scots schools returned in August

It has emerged the Scottish Government's Education Recovery Group this week discussed a plan to extend Christmas holidays to almost four weeks from December 18 to January 11.

The Health Secretary said during today’s coronavirus briefing that the Scottish Government "wants to give people as much notice as possible” if there is to be any change.

But she added: “At this point that decision hasn't been reached".

She said: "It would be wrong to overly speculate or jump to conclusions simply because we are looking at different issues.

"But at the moment, the Deputy First Minister and his colleagues will be working through what they think is the best way for schools to enter the Christmas break and come out of the Christmas break, and that applies to colleges and universities as well."

The education recovery group has been providing ministers with advice on how schools can remain open.

"That’s the work that they undertake and they will come to their conclusions and no doubt the Deputy First Minister will set out the steps that he wants to see schools take for a successful return,” Ms Freeman said.

The Health Secretary said ministers would be seeking to reach a decision as soon as they could with Christmas day now four weeks away.

Schools were closed down in March at the height of the first wave of the pandemic, with a system of remote learning introduced, but pupils returned to classes full-time in August at the start of the 2020/21 terms.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said keeping pupils in school is a key priority.

A Scots parents’ group has said any classroom time lost must be made up during spring.

Jo Bisset, organiser for UsForThem Scotland, said: “The most vital thing is that children do not lose out on time in the classroom.

“If schools do close for an additional week over Christmas, then that time must be made up in the spring.

“Parents understand that the festive period will be complicated for everyone, not just the schools system.

“And while this will undoubtedly cause difficulty for many from a childcare perspective, that will be eased somewhat by a guarantee that their children won’t miss out overall.”

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