As Yorkshire Coast Schools prepare to return tomorrow, health bosses have been outlining the arrangements for COVID safety.
While bubbles and facemasks are now not required in schools, there will be some testing for secondary pupils this week.
Public Health Consultant, Dr Victoria Turner , explained how the testing will work.
Bubbles and Facemasks won't be required when Schools on the Yorkshire Coast reopen tomorrow.
But staff and secondary pupils are being encouraged to continue testing.
Wearing a face covering is also still recommended for pupils aged 11 and over travelling on public transport, or dedicated school transport, but one will no longer have to be worn in school
Dr Victoria Turner says everyone involved with schools will need to take a degree of responsibility for COVID safety this term.
The main priority of the new Government guidelines focuses on delivering face-to-face education for pupils, limiting the disruption and use of remote learning, which many families experienced previously. Evidence shows that being out of the classroom causes harm to educational attainment, life chances and the mental and physical health of children and young people.
Anyone under the age of 18 years and 6 months will no longer be required to self-isolate if they are a close contact of someone with the virus, unless they develop symptoms or have tested positive themselves. However, all close contacts will be strongly advised to take a PCR test for COVID-19.
Pupils are also encouraged to take at least one lateral flow test before returning to school and then continue with regular lateral flow testing twice a week. School pupils aged 16 or over, who are now eligible to be vaccinated, are also encouraged to get the vaccine.
Cllr Patrick Mulligan, North Yorkshire County Council's Executive Member for Education and Skills, said:
“I’m sure parents, pupils and staff will welcome the feeling of normality when pupils return to school next week, with the return of familiar routines and school days again. We are expecting to see much less disruption to children’s time in the classroom going forward.
“But we would also like to reassure parents and pupils that schools will still be working hard to make sure people stay safe in school.
“Schools will continue to put proportionate measures in place such as increased hygiene and cleaning in schools, ventilation in classrooms. They will also still have plans in place to manage an outbreak and will be updating COVID-19 risk assessments according to the latest information and guidance.
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming students back to the classroom and would like to thank headteachers, teachers and support staff for all their hard work so far in getting us to this point.”
Headteachers in some North Yorkshire schools said some of the adjustments made during the pandemic proved popular with pupils and helped with their learning, so they will be integrating some changes they found beneficial into every day teaching.
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