'We'll be ready whatever the Covid-19 situation'
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Headteachers at the strath's two secondary schools have said there are different scenarios being put in place to cope with whatever the Covid-19 situation is at the start of the new academic year.
Education Secretary John Swinney announced earlier this week that the aim is to reopen classrooms without social distancing measures subject to progress being maintained against the virus.
Both Grantown and Kingussie secondary schools have been keeping parents and pupils regularly updated on what has been a fast-moving situation especially over the past week.
Grantown Grammar School headteacher Claire McGonigal said one thing that everyone has learnt is that coronavirus and its impacts are very unpredictable.
She told the Strathy: "This makes it extremely hard for anyone to predict what conditions will be like in two weeks' time let alone after the summer holidays.
"At Grantown Grammar we’ve taken the approach that all plans need to do three main things: keep the pupils and staff safe and well, provide excellent learning and teaching and also be very flexible.
"Going forwards, these three legs of the tripod will remain. The school is carefully set up to support 2m social distancing just now with a strict one way system and reduced class capacity but because the plan is based on the usual timetable structure, we can move to 1m or to no social distancing quickly whilst ensuring that all other measures, eg regular hand washing, remain in place.
"Parents, staff and pupils should be reassured that we will be absolutely robust in our risk assessments to keep the school community safe no matter what the return to school looks like.
"There are a number of elements of the plan which need to be coordinated in order to overcome barriers particularly transport but also cleaning and catering. However, as social distancing reduces I’m sure that we can all move forwards together.
"The second and third legs go together. I am lucky that the school community has a shared passion for education in all its forms and is creative about finding solutions and making things happen.
"I know that by working together we can make whatever we return to in August work for our pupils and our staff. Personally, I’m based in school everyday with huge support from Lee Carrott getting the school ready for pupils to come back.
"Staff are also working hard too coming in to get their rooms and departments ready. The school really is its people and it just doesn’t feel right at all rattling round an empty building.
"I am extremely keen for our pupils to return and all the staff want to get back to teaching. However, If on 12th August I’m welcoming the new S1, laughing with returning pupils and telling folk off for queue jumping in the canteen, I’ll be very happy indeed."
Kingussie High School headteacher Ian Adamson said: "Staff have been working extremely hard and carefully planning for all scenarios around the re-opening of schools in August.
"All our plans have the health and wellbeing of all pupils and staff at the heart of them and have been robustly risk assessed.
"The staff at KHS ideally want to see all pupils back in August but this will be done safely and appropriately using the advice from the Scottish Government and Highland Council.
"If things change either way as we move forward the plans can be scaled up and scaled down accordingly. Transport is going to be our biggest challenge but I am working closely with the council transport team to resolve this.
"I know I speak for all my staff when I say we really look forward to seeing our pupils again after the holidays and we are all grateful for the hard work that parents/carers have done to support their child’s learning from home."
As part of this the school is assessing likely demand with a survey of parents for transport needs from outlying areas of its catchment area.
