THE rector of Dunfermline High School has outlined to parents the challenges which schools are facing as they prepare for a return to school next week.

Iain Yuile said they had been "working hard" to create a model to deliver the next phase of the return of pupils, which is expected to last for two weeks until the Easter break.

"The requirement to maintain two-metre physical distancing between pupils at this time puts an understandable, but very significant, restriction on what can be offered to support our pupils over this two-week period," he said.

"Most of our classrooms will be able to accommodate eight to 12 pupils. We have worked hard to create a model that best meets the above requirements and have discussed it in some detail with the Parent Council."

The newsletter to Dunfermline High parents explained that S1 to S3 pupils will be split into approximately quarters alphabetically and will follow their normal timetable for the one day that they are in each week.

S4 and S5/6 will be split into thirds and will be in for three days in total over the two weeks.

In accommodating returning pupils, schools have to ensure that all youngsters receive some in-school education while two-metre physical distancing is needed throughout the building.

Provision for key worker children and vulnerable learners also needs to be maintained as well as priority for youngsters taking national qualifications.

"We cannot guarantee that every pupil will be taught by their own teacher for every period that they are in but we have checked the best alphabetical split for each year group and principal teachers are considering other possible ways of maximising this for each subject," he added.

"We are confident that the model we are delivering is the best that we can for our pupils given the restrictions that are still in place."

At Woodmill High, rector Sandy McIntosh said they would be working hard to balance the educational and social needs of pupils with S1 to S3 youngsters due to be in for one session per week initially.

"Whilst, as the Scottish Government have specified, our primary focus is in the support of certificated work for senior pupils, we have ensured that our S1-3 pupils will have a weekly experience to help manage and support their return," he told parents.

"The work of our S1-S3 pupils will focus on preparing them for their return to Woodmill after Easter, in particular addressing the issues of wellbeing, learning and socialisation that will have been impacted through the disruptions to their in-school learning."

In a letter to parents, Fife Council executive director of education and children’s services, Carrie Lindsay, said she was looking forward to the next steps and the return of more children.

She reiterated that senior phase students taking national qualifications would continue to have priority for face-to-face lessons in school.

"As a result, the arrangements for remote learning may look different for pupils when they are not in school and schools will contact parents/carers to inform them of the changes which are necessary with more staff being required to deliver the in-school face-to-face learning," she warned.

"Schools will be in direct contact with you this week with further details of when individual children and young people should attend school."