Schools reopening: Timeline for all primary, secondary and special education students’ return

Most students will return to the classroom next month.

Eoghan Moloney

As Government delivered their revised plan for living with Covid-19 last night, it became clear there would not be any major relaxation of restrictions for quite a while.

The only real change to life since late December will be that schools begin a phased return to education in the classroom from next week.

Today, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar admitted that the continued opening of schools is contingent upon case numbers, hospital numbers and vaccination progress being maintained in the coming weeks and months.

He acknowledged there was a difference between September’s reopening and the current one, namely the B117 UK variant.

“The difference this time is the B117 variant and that does seem to behave differently. Among children as well as among adults,” Mr Varadkar said on Morning Ireland.

The Tánaiste said if the return to schools causes a significant spike in infection, then the Government “won’t hesitate to make the right decision. Which would be to defer that [reopening],” Mr Varadkar said.

The Tánaiste said there would also be clear messaging issued to parents that this was about kids returning to school and not “an opportunity to catch up with other parents”.

Independent.ie has compiled the scheduled return dates for pupils, which are dependent on the return to school not causing any significant increase in infections when the first cohort return from March 1 (aside from special education classes which have already returned).

March 1:

Special education schools will return to 100pc capacity after a partial reopening at 50pc capacity from February 11.

Junior and senior infants, first and second class pupils in primary schools will return.

Where schools have multi-grade classes involving second class and more senior pupils, eg. second and third class pupils together, all pupils in those classes return.

Sixth year Leaving Cert students return.

Where fifth and sixth year students are currently in the same class for some subjects, then all students in the class can attend in-school classes for those subjects.

March 8:

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre-school programme will reopen for all participating children (i.e. children of essential workers and vulnerable children only)

March 15:

Third, fourth, fifth and sixth class pupils in primary school will return along with fifth year post-primary school students.

March 29:

All other children can return to early learning and childcare services (i.e. those that are not the children of essential workers or not vulnerable children).

April 12:

First to fourth year post-primary school students return on this date, the day schools are due to reopen after the traditional Easter break.

PPE

There is no specific additional guidance issued to schools in relation to PPE or ventilation within the new document published by Government last night.

As was the case before schools closed in late December, all post-primary school pupils and teachers should wear face masks when in school, while teachers in primary schools will still wear face masks.

Under protocols agreed for the return of pupil with special needs, special needs assistants (SNAs) and special education teachers should wear high grade (surgical standard) face masks. The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (NTO) is encouraging all its members to request these be provided by the school and worn daily

The INTO has called for ‘senior’ pupils of primary schools to wear face masks while in school but thus far this is not public health guidance.

The INTO is continuing to seek provision of air ventilation monitors.