LOCHGELLY High have plans for the re-opening of the school but it's "likely to look different" from what pupils are used to.

Headteacher Debbie Aitken gave an update to parents with children set to come back to classrooms on August 12.

She said: "I want to reassure you that we in Lochgelly High are working hard to plan for this return which is likely to look different to what young people normally experience.

"In order to meet the requirements of social distancing there will be a blended learning approach to learning with some sessions in school and the remainder through virtual learning at home."

She said a new timetable will be available at the end of June although she added "this is likely not to be in full operation for quite a bit of time with the social distancing".

Mrs Aitken repeated a call for any families who do not have access to an electronic device or wi-fi to get in touch, and added: "We are in the process of getting this resolved for these learners."

Her letter to parents said that, although there have been no exams, coursework throughout the school year has been assessed with pupils due to get their SQA results on August 4.

She also said that the secondary children's activity centre at Benarty Primary School, which a number of Lochgelly kids have been going to, is likely to move to Lochgelly High this month.

Mrs Aitken added: "Please pass on the message that we are all very much missing seeing the young people."

Meanwhile, Fife Council are looking abroad for ideas on how schools can safely re-open and minimise the risks of Covid-19.

The executive director for education and children’s services, Carrie Lindsay, said: “We’re working really hard on this; it’s not easy as none of us have ever been here before or done anything like this.

“We’re using the evidence and advice from across the world really but particularly Denmark and Norway, to look at the way they’ve managed to get their schools back together.”

One example from Denmark is in their primary schools, where children are kept in small groups of about 12 with one teacher and as little contact as possible with others.

They arrive at a separate time from other kids, eat their lunch together in their group and stay in their own zones in the playground, with regular hand-washing and physical distancing still the key aspects.

In Fife, physical distancing will mean changes to school start and finishing times, as well as different break and lunch times.

A number of issues still need to be addressed, including plans for school transport, pick-up and drop-off arrangements for parents, if school dinners will continue and, assuming class sizes will be smaller due to the need for physical distancing, if more teachers will be needed.

It's not yet known if children will be asked to wear masks, if offices and dining halls can be used as teaching spaces, and what happens with shared materials such as textbooks and pencils.

The council said they “didn’t have any more detail” than was given out in Ms Lindsay’s letter to parents recently but she has pledged to share all relevant information as soon as they have it.