Schools across the Highlands welcomed back pupils to the classroom as face-to-face learning resumed.
The Scottish Government confirmed that the majority of pupils would return full-time to in-school learning after the Easter break, except for those that are shielding.
The majority of secondary school pupils in Moray, Aberdeen, Shetland, and the Western Isles returned to full-time learning on April 12.
Highland pupils who are on the shielding list are advised to stay at home until April 26.
While the two-metre physical distancing between pupils in secondary schools was removed, face coverings and other safety measures remain in place.
Pupils will not have to sit National 5s, Highers or Advanced Highers this year as they have been cancelled due to the pandemic. However, many students will still be completing assessment tasks.
Back to Highlands schools is tough for some
Mark Gunn, chairman of Nairn Academy Parent Council, said: “Staff are making it as workable as possible. They have done all they can to get the children settled and back into the routine, which is going to be tough for some of them.
“A lot of them are desperate to get back and have some normality and interact with friends face-to-face, or face mask-to-face mask.
“It will be tough for some as they will have forgotten how to interact in the way they did.
“The most difficult thing for the senior pupils is they are all going straight back into their first set of assessments. The schools are going to have to use the first assessment to baseline how the children are getting on.”
He said changes to restrictions arrangements has placed a “huge strain” on school management teams and has led to uncertainty among pupils.
Pupils should be able to repeat lost year
Mr Gunn said as pupils have missed in classroom teaching during the pandemic, he fears a return is “too little, too late” for some as Highland schools go back.
“There should be the opportunity for every child that wants it to repeat a full year. They have to find a way to allow them to do that, and without stigma.”
Robert Woolley, secretary of the Highland Parent Council Partnership, said there had been no concerns reported as Highland schools went back.
“The children are relishing going back to school and getting back to a bit of normality and meeting up with their friends.”
The partnership will have a meeting with Highlands Council later this week to discuss the return.
The council’s education committee chairman Councillor John Finlayson said: “Everything seems to be going smoothly. The feedback I’ve had from parents and pupils is very positive. They are saying it’s good to get back to school and to face-to- face learning.
Hopes of a more normal summer term
“Everyone seems happy to be back and hopefully we will have a settled and more normal summer term.”
He said he has not heard any specific concerns regarding assessments: “We are confident that what’s in place is within SQA guidance and is supporting our young people to get the best grades possible.”
Mr Finlayson said he did not think it practical to have pupils repeat a whole year: “When a child repeats a year it is out of sync with peer groups and socially and otherwise it can be very difficult to catch up. I hope that what we have in place will mean we don’t need to consider that.”
