Schools in Scotland are reopening doors this week and welcoming pupils back to the new academic year for the first time since lockdown began.
Scotland is currently carrying out a phased reopening of academic establishments across the country.
Schools in the Borders and Shetland are opening today, with most other local authorities following on Wednesday, and the Scottish government has said it wants all schools fully open by 18th August.
Various phased approaches being carried out are seeing the youngest pupils return first, staggered start and finish times, staggered lunch hours, shorter classes, cancelled assemblies and PE only taking place outdoors. It’s also believed that physical and social distancing among students will not generally be required, particularly among primary school students, but safety measures such as one-way systems are in place.
Teachers will also be required to keep a two-metre distance from pupils.
With all of this in mind, and with the government having posted official guidance for full reopening of schools in England, what can parents in Greater Manchester expect ahead of September?
Education Minister Nick Gibb confirmed during an appearance on BBC Breakfast last week that schools in Greater Manchester and other parts of Northern England would still be reopening “notwithstanding the local restrictions” in September.
But what is the typical school day expected to look like? What has changed?
Here’s everything we know so far.
Will schools reopen full-time and what COVID-safe measures will be introduced?
The Department of Education has confirmed that all pupils in all year groups will be expected to return to school full-time in September, and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has also previously stated that there is “little evidence” at present to suggest coronavirus (COVIS-19) being transmitted in schools.
The government has set out a system of controls for schools and said that the following four points must happen in all schools, all the time:
Keep pupils with COVID-19 symptoms, or with family members with symptoms, away from school.
Introduce more frequent hand-washing procedures.
Promote good hygiene around the use of tissues for sneezes and coughs.
Have enhanced and thorough cleaning procedures.
It also wants schools to minimise contact between individuals pupils and maintain social distancing wherever it is deemed possible.
How will the typical school day work?
Once schools reopen doors in September, they will be expected to teach a broad and balanced curriculum to students, but as is to be expected, the school day may look different to previous years.
Once Schools in England are being asked and advised to:
Stagger start and finish times, but without shortening the number of teaching hours each pupil receives.
Minimise the number of contacts each pupil has during the day by putting classes or whole year groups into “protective bubbles”.
Avoid assemblies or collective worship with more than one group.
Schools may also introduce their own COVID-safe measures and those could be subject to review/change.
What about school drop-offs/pick-ups and breakfast/after-school clubs?
Once again, although it does not appear to have been listed as an official requirement in England as of yet, parents should expect staggered start and finish times to keep groups apart, and walking or cycling to school is also likely to be encouraged.
Parents should not gather in groups at school gates, or go on site without an appointment and schools will also need a process for staff and pupils to remove face coverings safely on arrival.
It’s believed that dedicated school transport services will be asked to:
Move children in “bubbles”
provide hand sanitiser
Apply social distancing where possible
Ask children over 11 to wear face coverings
When it comes to breakfast and after-school/holiday clubs, it’s hoped that they should also resume in September, but the government has acknowledged that it will be “logistically challenging” and may take some schools longer to put into practice.
Children should ideally stay within their year groups or bubbles, but if this can’t be done, then the government suggests schools should use “small, consistent groups” to minimise infection risk.
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Do I have to send my child back to school?
At present, attendance will be mandatory for all pupils in England from September.
The exceptions for this of course include if a pupil or a close contact to that pupil develops symptoms or test positives for coronavirus (COVID-19). It’s also believed that head teachers will follow up on any pupil absences and may even issue sanctions or possible fines for poor attendance.
Could schools close again?
It has been stated that whole-school closures “will not generally be necessary” in the future, unless advised so by government health officials, but if a school has a suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, teachers will then liaise with local health teams to discuss going forward.
It’s likely that COVID-testing procedures will be carried out before any closures occur.
If pupils are not able to attend school due to necessary self-isolation or quarantining measures, then schools will also be expected to have home-working plans ready to go.
What else does the government advise?
The government has also advised that pupils in England should:
Wear uniform as normal.
Bring only essentials – including lunch boxes, books, stationery and mobile phones.
Take books and other shared resources home, but avoid unnecessary sharing – this also applies to teachers.
Take part in non-contact physical education – outside if possible – with “scrupulous attention” to cleaning and hygiene.
You can read the official government-issued guidance for the reopening of schools in England here.
For further information and guidance amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, do refer to official sources via gov.uk/coronavirus.
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News
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
The Manc -
11th August 2020 
