The Scottish Government is considering extending the Christmas school holidays, according to a leaked COSLA document.

Students across the country would potentially return to school on January 11, instead of between January 5 or 7 as most students and teachers currently expect. 

Yesterday, council leaders discussed the proposal from Government Ministers at a Covid-19 Education Recovery Group meeting, as a way to limit the spread of coronavirus following gatherings over the festive period.

The Daily Record reported that the leaked document included a proposal to move schools into a "temporary remote learning system" over a period of five days in December, and that council leaders were "asked for their thoughts" regarding the winter holiday period between December 19 and January 11. 

East Lothian Courier: Coronavirus – Sun Nov 22, 2020

The memo, published by The Daily Record, read: “The Scottish Government are exploring a national extension to Christmas holidays covering 18th December 2020 to 11th January 2021, either on the basis of schools remaining closed or the temporary introduction of remote learning.

“The Scottish Government officials have indicated that the objectives of an extension would be to ensure that school staff are not involved in contact tracing into the Christmas period.

“An extension would act as a ‘break’ following the wider relaxation of restrictions over the Christmas period.”

The document also detailed some of the concerns raised regarding the extension of the holiday period, including childcare for key workers, the calls from trade unions to move to remote teaching, exams and free school meals. 

It reads: “Early feedback from officers, SOLACE and ADES to the Scottish Government have raised the following points for consideration.

“The need to understand the clinical advice and any modelling on the impact of wider relaxation of restrictions over Christmas on school staff and pupils.

“Clarity on the links with the wider restrictions and levels as the context for schools remaining closed.

“Evidence to date from the Scottish Government has indicated that schools are low transmission risk.

“This proposal may have implications for future considerations on schools remaining open, particularly considering the concerns of trade unions. 

“There would be no opportunity for emergency childcare as this was provided by school staff previously, and therefore there is an impact on key workers and vulnerable children and young people.

“It remains unclear if early learning and childcare services will be advised to close during this period.

“Consideration over the potential loss of learning, particularly in the context of exams.

"The need for clarity on funding and ensuring that resources for free school meals etc are met.

“If a move to remote learning is required, local authorities and schools will require time to prepare.

“Practical implications including leave entitlement, 195 contract time and potential implications for pensions, the status of other school staff, honouring of contracts in place for transport, cleaning and potentially calls for no detriment to supply staff as per initial period of lockdown.”

The document was signed by COSLA’s policy manager for Children and Young People Matthew Sweeney.

It comes after the Scottish Government yesterday published its guidance in full regarding gatherings over the festive period, in which it stated up to three households will be allowed to mix over a five-day festive period between December 23 and 27.

The guidance also suggested that those planning to form a bubble should limit their social contact with others as much as possible before and after forming a bubble, to minimise transmission risks and to protect loved ones. 

A Scottish teacher, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "If the Government is advising families to isolate before and after the school break, then they should have taken schools into consideration.

"Teachers have been brought back to school a week early and have experienced multiple cases within school.

"They shouldn’t be made to feel like they should stay away from their families just because the Government hasn't put in enough planning or preparation to close schools earlier due to these circumstances."

A decision is yet to be reached by officials.

A Scottish Government spokesman told the Daily Record:  “Questions have been raised in relation to the timing of the school holidays, in particular that some schools break up very close to Christmas.

“This issue was discussed at the Education Recovery Group meeting today, where there were mixed views and no decision has been reached.”

We have contacted the Scottish Government for comment.