The DES have released guidelines stating
- Schools can only cater for remote learning for children who are “very high risk”
- Children must be medically certified as being at very high risk to COVID-19
- Pupils in this category who engage with learning from home will be marked present on attendance records.
- All other pupils are expected to return to school.
- Remote learning is not applicable to pupils who are at risk of early school leaving, pupils who are experiencing COVID-related anxiety about the return to school or pupils who have been requested to self-isolate by a medical doctor or the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Other pupils/parents who are anxious about returning to school
- Some pupils or their parents may be experiencing anxiety about the return to school to such an extent that their child does not return as expected.
- All schools are expected to support such pupils in making a full return to school and to provide supports to ensure their anxiety is managed in such a way as to enable them to re-engage productively in their learning.
- It is not expected that pupils who are experiencing COVID-related anxiety would be educated through adapted education provision.
Pupils who have been requested to self-isolate for a short time
- From time to time, a number of pupils may be required to self-isolate for a short time on foot of medical advice.
- It is not expected that these pupils would be educated through adapted education provision during this time.
- Instead, schools should, at a minimum, ensure that these pupils are supported to catch up with their learning on their return to school.
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