Here's when pupils are set to return to primary schools across Harborough - and what lessons will be like

Hundreds of primary school pupils are set to return to lessons across Harborough from Monday June 8.

Youngsters are preparing to go back into class for the first time in about 10 weeks after schools were shut throughout the UK on Friday March 20.

They were closed just three days before the Government imposed the Covid-19 lockdown.

Some schools are being re-opened nationally on Monday June 1 – a week before they begin operating again in Harborough.

Staff at Learn Academies Trust (Learn-AT) schools will initially welcome back children – who have been home-schooled by their families - in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

They will be imposing strict new procedures, systems, routines and social distancing to make sure that both staff and pupils stay as safe as possible.

Harborough schools that youngsters will be returning to include:

Church Langton CE Primary School

Great Bowden CE Academy

Husbands Bosworth CE Primary School

Lubenham All Saints CE Primary School

Market Harborough CE Academy, Fairfield Road, Market Harborough

Meadowdale Primary School, Meadowdale Road, Market Harborough

Ridgeway Primary Academy, The Ridgeway, Market Harborough

St Andrew’s CE Primary School, North Kilworth­.

The organisation’s Trust Board has met to “approve plans for a phased approach to the expansion of the provision in the Trust’s 10 primary schools”.

They have all stayed open for keyworker children throughout the two-month coronavirus lockdown, including during the Easter holiday and bank holidays.

“These plans will be finalised in the coming days.

“The safety of children, staff and their families is the Trust’s main priority and children will gradually be welcomed back, a year group at a time, from 8th June,” said the Trust.

“This will help to ensure that the systems and procedures put in place for each group are working effectively before introducing more children to the school.

“In line with the priorities set out by the Government, Reception pupils will be the first to return, followed by Year 1 and then Year 6.

“Keyworker children in all year groups will also continue to be looked after.”

Schools will spend the week starting on Monday June 1 training all staff on vital new anti-Covid-19 policies and procedures.

They will set up specially-dedicated classrooms and mark out playgrounds, entrances and exits for social distancing.

“It is also essential that adequate supplies of PPE, hand sanitiser, soap, paper towels and cleaning products are available in every school before they welcome back more children to ensure the health and safety of everyone in our school communities,” said the Trust, founded in 2016.

“Children will be placed in groups of up to 15.

“Each group will have its own teaching space in school and the same staff working with them each day as far as possible.

“The children will stay in these groups all day, including at play time and lunchtime, to minimise their contact with other children.”

Schools will have filled plastic zip-lock bags with pencils and other stationery items for each child.

And books will be ‘quarantined’ for at least 72 hours after each use to minimise any risk from sharing resources.

“Rigorous hygiene routines will be in place, including at lunchtime when food will be served in ‘grab bags’ and delivered to classrooms so that children can eat together in their groups,” said the Lubenham-based Trust.

“Where possible, outdoor spaces will also be used.”

Stef Edwards, Learn-AT’s Trust Leader, said: “Since the Government announced that schools could start to expand their provision for pupils from 1st June, we have been working hard to prepare very carefully to welcome some more of our pupils back to school.

“The safety and wellbeing of our children and their families, and our staff and their families, is our most important priority.

“I am very proud of the dedicated commitment of our staff.

“They have worked tirelessly throughout the lockdown, providing childcare for our key worker families and vulnerable children, and creative home learning for the children who had to stay at home.”

She added: “We are all very grateful to parents and carers for the positive feedback and support we have received from them throughout this period.

“Although they have been keeping in touch with all our families, teachers have been missing children very much and are looking forward to starting to welcome some of them back to school, in stages, from the 8th June.

“The preparations needed to welcome children back to school are complex and we are determined to take a gradual and cautious approach.

“All Learn-AT schools are undertaking a rigorous risk-assessment process.

“And Learn-AT’s trustees, in partnership with our schools’ local governors and leaders, will proceed when they are satisfied that everything possible has been done to ensure that schools are as safe as they can be.”