Business School recognised by prestigious organisation
Edinburgh Napier University has earned business accreditation from AACSB International, the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools.
The accolade, which recognises ENU’s Business School for excelling in teaching, research, curriculum development, and student learning, is held by less than six per cent of global institutions that offer business degrees.
Founded in 1916, AACSB is a global non-profit association that connects learners, educators, and businesses worldwide. To gain accreditation, The Business School successfully completed a rigorous review process conducted by business education peers.
ENU now joins a network of nearly 1,000 accredited institutions, including more than 40 in the UK.
Professor Christine Cross, Dean of The Business School, said:“AACSB international is a globally recognised benchmark for business education excellence and obtaining this accreditation is a testament to our unwavering dedication to providing high-quality education and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
“Through rigorous evaluation of our academic programmes, faculty qualifications, research initiatives and student outcomes AACSB accreditation reaffirms that Edinburgh Napier University is at the forefront of business education.
“As we celebrate this achievement we also reaffirm our commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse learning environment that equips our students with the skills and the mindset necessary to address the challenges of the business world with empathy, integrity and resilience.
“Looking ahead Edinburgh Napier University will continue to push boundaries and maintain the highest standards of education, research and community engagement.”
Stephanie M. Bryant, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB, said: “Edinburgh Napier University’s commitment to earning accreditation is a true reflection of their dedication—not only to their students, alumni network, and greater business community, but to the higher education industry as a whole.
“Today’s students are tomorrow’s business leaders, and the addition of the Edinburgh Napier University to the network of AACSB-accredited business schools will have a lasting positive impact for their institution, both locally and globally.
“We congratulate Edinburgh Napier University and Dean Christine Cross on earning accreditation and applaud the entire team—including the administration, faculty, staff, and students—for their roles in earning this respected honour.”
Teachers of the Deaf numbers in Scotland have fallen by 40% in a decade The fall in numbers is twice that of other parts of the UK
Almost half (45%) are due to retire in the next 10 years
Deaf young people in Scotland are twice as likely as their hearing classmates to leave school with no qualifications and half as likely to go on to university
Thousands of deaf children across Scotland are not getting the support they need in school after a 40% fall in the number of specialist support teachers for deaf children over the last decade, the National Deaf Children’s Society is warning.
A new report published by the Consortium for Research into Deaf Education (CRIDE), also shows that Teachers of the Deaf numbers in Scotland have fallen at twice the rate compared to other parts of the UK. In addition, around 45% of Teachers of the Deaf in Scotland plan to retire over the next 10 years – so unless action is taken urgently things will only get worse.
Teachers of the Deaf play a vital role in supporting the language and communication development of deaf children. They give advice to families of newly identified deaf children, visit deaf children at school or college – to give them any extra help they need – and provide guidance to mainstream teachers and schools on deaf awareness and inclusion.
However, as the number of fully qualified Teachers of the Deaf in Scotland has fallen, increasing numbers of deaf children are missing out on this support.
Families of deaf children have told the National Deaf Children’s Society that in some areas their local Teachers of the Deaf have too big a caseload to work with deaf learners on a one-to-one basis.
The charity is calling on local authorities across Scotland to commit to returning qualified Teacher of the Deaf numbers to 2011 levels over the next decade.
The National Deaf Children’s Society also wants the Scottish Government to develop and deliver a Scotland-wide workforce strategy for Teachers of the Deaf, and to ensure they are properly paid for the extra responsibilities they take on, in recognition that their specialist expertise is valued.
Such a workforce strategy will involve fully funded places being available for teachers wanting to study for the mandatory qualifications, so a new generation of Teachers of the Deaf can be trained to replace those who are leaving.
Without this, the charity warns deaf children will continue to fall behind and the gap between them and their hearing classmates’ risks becoming wider.
Gemma, from Fife, whose 13-year-old daughter Megan is deaf, described her Teacher of the Deaf asan “absolute necessity” who quickly solves any issues.
She said: “We are a hearing family and although my daughter’s hearing needs are not as big as other young people’s, the Teacher of the Deaf has helped validate my daughter’s past experiences, educate myself on my daughter’s needs and empower her to be confident in the school.”
Mark Ballard, Head of Policy and Influencing for Scotland with the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Every deaf child in Scotland should, as a fundamental right, be able to get the support they need from a fully qualified Teacher of the Deaf to help them reach their full potential. We are very concerned that these new figures show a 40% fall in the numbers of qualified Teachers of the Deaf in Scotland, twice the decline in other parts of the UK.
“With the right support in place, deaf children can achieve anything their peers can, but sadly, this simply isn’t happening. The latest Scottish Government statistics show they’re twice as likely to leave school with no qualifications and half as likely to go to university.
“That’s why we want to see a commitment from local authorities and the Scottish Government to work together to return the number of fully qualified Teachers of the Deaf employed across Scotland to the 2011 level, over the next ten years.”
Mr Ballard pointed out that a lack of funding means many teachers in Scotland who want to become a qualified Teacher of the Deaf must often cover the costs themselves.
He added: “There are great courses available to give teachers the extra skills and knowledge they need to become qualified Teachers of the Deaf, but we must make sure the funding and incentives are in place to support teachers to undertake the training.”
National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams will be held in spring 2022 if public health advice allows, the Scottish Government has announced.
The decision has been informed by public health advice and by the views of partners, including those on the National Qualifications Group, which includes representatives of young people, parents, teachers and other education professionals.
Course content has been reduced compared to a normal year to take account of the disruption to learning that young people have experienced. These modifications have already been confirmed by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
Due to uncertainty over the pandemic, two contingency plans will be in place.
If there is further significant disruption to learning as a result of COVID-19, but it is still safe for exams to go ahead, there will be further modifications to courses and assessment.
If public health conditions do not allow for an exam diet to take place, awards will be made on teachers’ judgements based on normal in–year assessment.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Exams will take place next year if safe to do so.
“Fairness for learners sitting exams in 2022 is at the heart of our plans. Assessment modifications across national courses for the next academic session have already been confirmed by the SQA in recognition of the disruption to learning that young people have experienced. We will set out details on further support available for learners in September.
“Careful contingency planning has taken place in case there is further significant disruption to learning or if public health conditions do not allow for the holding of an examination diet.
“These contingencies offer stability for teachers and learners in the coming academic session and will allow their focus to be on normal practices in teaching, learning and assessment. More detailed guidance will be issued by the SQA at the earliest opportunity.”
Commenting on the announcement, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “It is no surprise that the Scottish Government has stated its intention to reinstate an exam diet in 2022, should public health advice allow.
“The EIS would have preferred to see exams by-passed for S4 students in the interests of supporting education recovery and wellbeing among this cohort. It remains to be seen whether the reductions in course content for this year as recognition that young people have been adversely affected by the pandemic through no fault of their own, will suffice.
“It is essential that appropriate and robust contingencies are in place should it be necessary to cancel the exam diet on public health grounds. We saw earlier this year the damage caused by decisions being made too late without adequate contingences in place and the huge workload and stress that was placed on students and staff as a result.
“In the longer term, the process of reviewing the qualifications system and replacing the SQA must learn lessons from recent experience. The EIS has long been concerned regarding the lack of accountability of the Scottish Qualifications Authority to the teaching profession and the over-emphasis placed on annual high-stakes exams at the expense of continuous assessment.
“The EIS believes that now is an appropriate time to consider the future shape of learning and assessment in the senior phase, alternative models of timetabling and the timing of qualifications to better serve the needs of Scotland’s learners, as part of the process around replacing the SQA.”
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Organisation (OECD) has backed Scotland’s school curriculum in its independent review.
The Scottish Government last year commissioned the OECD to carry out a review of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). The remit of the review was to help the government better understand how the curriculum is being designed and implemented in schools and to identify areas for improvement across the country.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville today announced that all 12 of the review’s recommendations will be accepted in full, including recommendations on curriculum, assessment and qualifications which will see the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) replaced and Education Scotland substantially reformed.
The Scottish Government will actively consider what changes are required to our qualifications and assessment system. This work will be heavily informed by the next OECD report, expected in the autumn, and by consultation with young people, parents, teachers and the wider education system.
Education Scotland will no longer undertake inspections, with this work becoming a separate, independent role. The Scottish Government will engage widely on the options for the future of inspection.
The OECD also suggests that the curriculum work currently undertaken by Education Scotland might best sit with any new curriculum and assessment body which will replace the SQA.
Publication of the OECD report into Scotland’s curriculum system, known as Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), meets another of the Scottish Government’s commitments for the first 100 days since the First Minister was elected.
Ms Somerville said: “The last few years have accelerated a debate about the future of Curriculum for Excellence and senior phase education in particular. The OECD report is crystal clear – Curriculum for Excellence is the right approach for Scotland.
“In fact, despite all the criticism here at home, the OECD tells us it is viewed internationally as an inspiring example of curriculum practice.
“However, 10 years on from CfE being introduced, it is right and proper that we review how it is being implemented.
“We accept in full all 12 recommendations from the OECD. We will replace the SQA. We will talk to young people, parents and teachers to build a system that works in line with CfE – exactly as the OECD recommends.
“Responsibility for inspection will no longer sit with Education Scotland and we will look at what further reform of the agency’s functions is required.
“Everyone across the education system, including at the SQA and Education Scotland, has worked tirelessly this year under very challenging circumstances. They are owed a debt of gratitude.
“What comes next is a period of change. But it is change in order to improve, to achieve more and to deliver for Scotland’s pupils.
“Our commitment is to do exactly that and we will work with everyone and anyone willing to help to make that a reality.”
EIS welcomes decision to axe SQA
The EIS has welcomed today’s announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education that the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is to be scrapped.
The announcement came following the publication of the OECD Review of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), which identified a ‘disconnect’ between the core aims of CfE and Scotland’s qualifications system.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The EIS welcomes the publication of the OECD report, and the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary that the SQA is to be scrapped and replaced by a new body.
“It is essential that any new body is properly configured and is accountable to the profession through a model of governance based on educational, rather than political, considerations and with a teacher voice at its heart.”
On the OECD report, Mr Flanagan said, “The OECD report highlights some of the strengths of the Scottish Education system, not least being Scotland’s place in the top 5 nations in the world regarding global competency, but it also confirms what the EIS has been saying for a number of years, which is that there is a disconnect between the BGE (Broad General Education 3-15) and the Senior Phase (15-18).
“There is massive assessment overload in the senior phase, which squeezes out the time needed for both depth and breadth of learning – two of CfE’s big ambitions. This overload is also the driver of excessive workload, and that has been exposed clearly during the pandemic.
“The comparatively high level of teacher class contact time was another area highlighted, with the OECD highlighting the need for reduction in class contact time – a key priority for the EIS – if teachers are to be able to collaborate around curriculum and assessment. We welcome that EIS lobbying in this area has already had some impact, with the Scottish Government pledging to deliver an early reduction of 1.5 hours per week in teachers’ class contact time to bring Scotland closer to OECD norms.”
Mr Flanagan continued: “The report also seems to confirm that the Government’s focus on Standardised National Assessments has been a monumental distraction with little impact other than adding to the bureaucracy that bedevils teachers’ working lives.
“The absence of any comment on the pre-5 sector is both disappointing and worrying. CfE runs from 3-18 but we are seeing a continuing reduction in the number of nursery teachers deployed in early years, which is a betrayal of the Scottish Government’s previous commitment to protecting the role of the teacher in pre 5 provision.”
Teacher back at school after covid-19 quarantine and lockdown, disinfecting desks at break time.
The pay offer made to Scotland’s teachers and associated professionals is “completely inadequate” and “fails to recognise the value of teachers to Scotland”, says Scotland’s largest teaching union.
The EIS also expressed its frustration at the slow rate of negotiations on the teachers’ pay claim, which was submitted in December last year. The lengthy delay in the employers initially responding to the teachers’ pay claim, together with slow progress in subsequent discussions, meant that Scotland’s teachers did not receive a pay settlement by the scheduled implementation date of the 1st of April.
No improvement was made at a negotiating meeting held yesterday, with employers sticking to their pay offer which averages a little over 1% if it were to be distributed on a universal basis amongst Scotland’s teachers.
EIS Salaries Convener Des Morris said, “The value of Scotland’s teachers has been clearly highlighted throughout the current pandemic, where teachers have worked extremely hard to support young people in quite unprecedented and extremely challenging circumstances.
“The level of public and political praise for teachers has been extremely high during this time, with frequent statements highlighting the value of teachers to the country throughout lockdown and the essential role that education will play in supporting the national recovery from the Covid pandemic. In this context, the pay offer that has been made to teachers – which would represent a real-terms pay cut for the majority of teachers – is completely inadequate.”
Mr Morris continued: “Last December, the teachers’ side of the SNCT (Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers) submitted a very measured claim for a pay settlement of between 3% and 5% for Scotland’s teachers.
“Now, more than 3 months later, we are looking at an offer from employers for a 1% pay settlement for the majority of teachers. This sub-inflation level pay offer would result in an effective pay cut for Scotland’s teachers – hardly an appropriate recognition of the important role that teachers have played throughout the pandemic and the vital role they will play in the national recovery from Covid.
“The offer is also divisive, offering different pay settlements for teachers based on their grade of post – something that the EIS will never accept.”
Mr Morris added, “The difference between the offer made to Scotland’s teachers and that made recently to the country’s NHS workers is glaring.
“Our NHS colleagues are absolutely deserving of a fair pay settlement that properly recognises the vital work that they do – but Scotland’s teachers and, indeed, other public sector workers also deserve to have their vital contributions property recognised.
“The pay offer that has been made to Scotland’s teachers is inadequate and divisive, and therefore completely unacceptable.”
The Apple Teacher Programme, a free professional learning programme that supports educators by training them how to make best use of Apple’s extensive digital learning resources, has received a special endorsement from Education Scotland recommending it to schools and teachers across the country.
With digital learning now becoming a core element of mainstream education and schools investing in iPad deployments to support teaching programmes, the number of educators who have gained Apple Teacher accreditation since February 2020 has increased by 36% in the UK and the number of registrations to begin the programme has increased by 25%.
A number of local authorities across Scotland are investing in iPad deployments to support their teaching programmes including Glasgow City Council, Scottish Borders Council and Edinburgh City Council.
The Apple Teacher Programme provides educators with access to the Apple Teacher Learning Centre where teachers can build skills at their own pace, learn how to use apple apps and products effectively within the classroom, as well as providing new teaching ideas.
The endorsement from Education Scotland recognises the positive impact of the programme across schools in Scotland, allowing educators to inspire creativity across a wide range of subjects, and further engage and motivate pupils.
Gillian Hamilton, Strategic Director at Education Scotland, said:“We are delighted to endorse the Apple Teacher Programme, and recognise the benefits that this presents to educators across early years, primary and secondary settings.
“This will ultimately help to enrich learning experiences by supporting educators to expand their professional learning, knowledge, skills and understanding.”
Mary Gunn, Digital Leader of Learning at Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow is an accredited Apple Teacher. She said: “The Apple Teacher training programme gives you the insight you need to understand the device, and ensures you get the most out of it.
“It’s focused on showing you how iPads can be used to support your lesson delivery, not just on how to work the technology, and it helps you effectively integrate digital learning into the curriculum.”
To find out more about Apple’s teacher resourced and the Apple Teacher Programme visit www.apple.com/uk/education.
Parents and carers should wear masks when collecting school kids
Guidance on school safety has been updated to take account of public health advice and Scotland’s new approach to suppressing coronavirus (COVID-19).
The guidance, which outlines additional protection measures at all five levels in the Strategic Framework, comes into force on Monday 2 November.
Across all levels, face coverings should be worn by adults at all times where they cannot keep two metres from other adults and/or children and young people in primary and secondary schools (with some exceptions in P1-2). Face coverings should also be worn by parents and other visitors to any school site (whether entering the building or otherwise), including parents at drop-off and pick-up.
In local authority areas in Levels 3 and 4, pupils in the senior phase – S4-6 – and their teachers should wear face coverings in classrooms, as well as when they are moving around the school and in communal areas.
Guidance for school staff and pupils at the highest clinical risk (shielding) has also been updated.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Keeping schools open remains our priority but that can only be the case if schools are safe. There have been tremendous efforts applied by staff and pupils to ensure this is the case and I thank them all for their efforts.
“We constantly review the guidance on school opening along with our local authority partners, trades unions, parental representatives and other stakeholders to ensure we are taking all the necessary measures to ensure our schools are safe.
“This strengthened guidance, produced in light of updated scientific and health advice, adds to the health mitigations that have been in place since schools opened in August.
“From Monday, there will be increased use of face coverings and new advice to help protect those in the shielding category.
“It is vital that all the measures are followed rigorously in schools. Doing that – together with the collective efforts of all of us across wider society – will help to ensure that schools can safely remain open.
“None of the levels in the framework require any automatic move to school closures or blended learning. However, no one can predict what the coming weeks and months will bring. Remote learning remains an important contingency for schools at all levels of the strategic framework and there has been considerable progress made in the provision of remote learning, should that be required.”
The updated guidance includes:
At Level 3
parents or guardians should discuss with their GP or clinician whether children with the highest clinical risk should attend school
employers should ensure that individual risk assessments for school staff members with the highest clinical risk are in place and updated appropriately, and staff should speak to their employer to ensure all appropriate protections are in place. If protections cannot be put in place, they can discuss with their GP or clinician to see if a fit note may be appropriate
At Level 4
the current advice is that children on the shielding list should not attend school in person. However, we will look further at how we can use individualised risk assessments to maximise attendance for such children during Level 4 restrictions
the majority of workplaces can be made safe for staff. To ensure this remains the case, employers should ensure that individualised risk assessments for school staff members with the highest clinical risk are in place and updated appropriately, and staff should speak to their employer to ensure all appropriate protections are in place. To provide reassurance on this, the Chief Medical Officer will issue a letter similar to a fit note which can be used in the few cases where, following updating of risk assessments and discussions with employers, it is not possible to make a workplace safe for staff
greater levels of testing in response to COVID-19 outbreaks in schools may be recommended by the Incident Management Team
PE in school settings should only take place out of doors
Non-essential activities or clubs outside the usual school timetable should be paused. This does not include regulated childcare operating from school premises
Other changes in the guidance reflect updated advice from the COVID-19 Advisory Sub Group on Education and Children’s Issues. Members concluded that indoor PE may now be brought into line with advice outwith school settings, with appropriate safety measures in place. This does not apply to indoor PE in schools in Level 4 areas.
The EIS has issued its initial response to the new COVID-19 Guidance for Schools, published by the Scottish Government.
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The strengthening of the School Guidance in a number of areas is a reflection of the greater risk posed by higher levels of community infection.
“Whilst the EIS supports the stronger advice in areas such as the use of face coverings and the critical need for adequate ventilation, we remain dissatisfied with the lack of specification on social distancing between pupils, which is exhorted but remains impossible to achieve in full classrooms.”
Mr Flanagan added, “The proposed mitigations at Level 4, essentially face coverings for senior pupils, are inadequate. The EIS is clear that Level 4 should trigger an automatic consideration of moves towards blended or remote learning.
“Schools cannot stay open at any cost; the safety of pupils and staff has to be the priority, especially those with increased vulnerabilities. In the event of any Council area moving into Level 4, the EIS is likely to consult affected members directly on their views.”
Education Scotland wants to celebrate the fantastic work we know has taken place right across the country over the last few months – and we need your help!
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the sudden closure of school buildings and other learning sites. There were many examples of extraordinary work across the entire education system to support learners and communities.
For many learners, this was through distance and online platforms, with different forms of on-going contact with their teachers, childcare workers, youth workers, tutors and others. Of course, for children and young people, support from parents and carers continued to be key to their learning.
We’d like you to share your stories with us and we’ll use as many as we can to create a book of celebration to showcase the important work carried out by educators, learners, parents and communities at this unprecedented time.
Edinburgh Napier’s ground-breaking Get on Board programme has been honoured with a prestigious Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE).
The programme – which places students with the boards of charities, voluntary organisations and public bodies, and gives them opportunities to network with professionals and help make decisions which impact their community – is one of 15 winning projects from universities across the UK.
The CATE awards, announced yesterday by Advance HE, the body dedicated to helping higher education shape its future, recognise collaborative work that has had a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning, highlighting the key role of teamwork.
Get on Board was established in 2015, with academics Miles Weaver and Jacqueline Brodie working with the University’s careers service to deliver an extra-curriculum programme to support employability of students and address the key Scottish national outcome of improving board diversity. The pilot project won a Herald HE Award for Enhancing Student Learning.
The programme’s development was supported by a student steering group called Young Trustees in Scotland led by Elena Pershina, who was a fourth year undergraduate at the time and President of Young Trustees in Scotland.
The Get on Board team later joined forces with RSM and Santander, and further organisations and universities became involved as the competency pathway was developed as an opportunity to bolster trustee skills among students in Scotland, each partner bringing their own capabilities, training and networking opportunities.
Dr Brodie, Associate Professor, Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Edinburgh Napier’s Business School, said: “The Get on Board team are honoured to be awarded an Advance HE CATE. It has been a privilege to empower students to make a positive difference in their communities and support the development of their employability and enterprise skills in the process.”
Alison Johns, Advance HE CEO, said: “I am sure I am joined by the entire sector in congratulating the 2020 CATE awardees. All of the winners should be extremely proud of their achievement.
“Their work epitomises the outstanding commitment to teaching in the UK higher education sector, which this year has been more demanding than ever before.”
The Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence scheme was introduced in 2016, and is open to members of staff from all providers of higher education across the UK.
Robust safety measures, monitoring, testing and swift information sharing must all be in place in every school and college in Scotland in order to ensure that they can open their doors and keep them open whilst minimising the risk of a rise in COVID-19 transmission in the wider community, says teachers’ union NASUWT.
As schools and colleges prepare to reopen, the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is highlighting the need for robust systems of monitoring and enforcement to be in place in every local authority to ensure schools are taking all necessary steps to keep pupils and staff safe.
Teachers who are preparing for the full reopening of schools remain anxious that everything that can be done should be done to make sure that schools are Covid-safe.
The NASUWT is also calling for effective systems of information sharing from employers about local infection rates and clear protocols about the arrangements to be adopted by schools and colleges in the case of any local outbreaks or lockdowns.
While the Scottish Government says its test and protect system will be sufficient to protect school staff and pupils, the NASUWT is urging the introduction of regular, routine testing of all school staff and pupils in order to ensure cases are not missed, particularly given that children and young people are more likely to be asymptomatic for COVID-19
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said: “While the vast majority of schools and colleges are doing everything they can to minimise the risks to staff and pupils when they reopen, it will be important to ensure that where appropriate safety measures are not fully in place, plans to reopen any individual school are paused to enable the necessary safety measures to be put into place.
“Teachers and other staff working in schools want to be assured that when they return to the workplace they will be afforded the same level of protection as staff in other occupations and workplaces.
“The Government and employers need to demonstrate that schools are ready to reopen safely and must not leave the safety of children, teachers and the general public to chance.
“Regular inspections of schools and colleges and public health communications to all staff, parents and in the wider community will be vital to guard against the risk over time that fatigue or complacency over safety could result in new outbreaks of the virus.
“It is important to remember that we remain in a public health emergency and the Scottish Government and employers must do everything they can to ensure that reopening schools does not lead to an increase in cases of COVID-19.
“This is why routine, widespread, testing systems, coupled with effective information sharing measures are so important, along with the mitigation and safety measures schools and colleges are being asked to take.
“There is a fine balance involved in fully reopening schools and easing other lockdown measures whilst trying to keep the virus under control. Ministers and employers must ensure that health and safety remain the paramount priority and that schools proceed with caution to safeguard the health and safety of pupils and their staff.”
Jane Peckham, NASUWT National Official Scotland, said: “School leaders and staff have been working phenomenally hard in very difficult and uncertain circumstances to ensure that they can safely reopen and many pupils and staff are looking forward to returning to school and college.
“However, many also remain anxious about their health and welfare and the provision of routine COVID-19 testing in schools, along with monitoring systems to ensure the safety of staff and pupils, would go a long way to providing extra reassurance that all steps which can be taken to keep schools safe environment are in place.
“Staff and parents also need to be clear about what safety provisions are in place in the event of any school-based or local outbreaks of COVID-19.”
