Back to school 'new normality': Smaller class groups, lessons outside and masks

Class sizes are expected to shrink – a maximum of 15 to 20 children will be in any one group, although the 'recommended maximum' will be 15, says national president Pedro Sánchez.

This allows for social distancing, and as a bonus, will mean pupils get more individual attention and supervision.

Masks will be compulsory except in infants', and priority will be given to activities in the open air, both educational and leisure-related.

It may mean more sports or nature field trips, but could also mean that on a warm, sunny day, kids get to take their usual lessons outside.

Regional governments are mainly responsible for deciding matters relating to education, subject to certain limits, and online 'meetings' have been held between these and the national government in order to agree procedures.

Every school in the country needs to have a contingency plan in place ready to be activated from September if necessary, and at least one person will be required to be in charge of monitoring and managing suspected Coronavirus cases, with a team on hand to ensure full information is supplied at all times and recommended procedures are followed.

“Guaranteeing the return to class for all pupils is our priority – the school year being interrupted was a huge blow, a wound that has affected generations of young people,” Sánchez says.

He says he is aware of how tough it will be to adapt schools to the new situation, but stresses that it is 'essential' to work on this 'for the benefit of everyone, adults and children', since kids 'deserve to go back with full guarantees of a proper education from September'.

It is possible that children will attend class in 'shifts', depending upon their age, with some – but hopefully, not all – of their schooling being by distance learning.

“The forced shutdown in face-to-face education has thrust two major issues into the spotlight: The 'digital gap', and family work-homelife balance,” he admits.

“These issues are something we will seriously need to focus on in the Parliamentary Evaluation Commission, which will be set up immediately once the State of Alarm is declared over.

“We need to learn from the emergency in order to prepare ourselves better.

“Young people have had the constant presence of their families during lockdown, but have lost valuable connections with their classmates and teachers.”

The president says that of the €16 billion set aside for each of Spain's self-governing regions, a total of €2bn will go on education.

“By September, public healthcare and public education will find themselves reinforced,” he assures.

A general guide to 'organising' pupils from September has been drawn up, and includes greater freedom for infants and early primary school classes – children aged three to six inclusive – who will not be expected to maintain social distancing and not have to wear masks.

From first year of primary – aged six – upwards, masks will be compulsory if pupils are 'unable to maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metres'.

Between the last two years of primary school and the final year of sixth form inclusive – approximately from age 10 to 18 – desks should be set at least 1.5 metres apart, masks obligatory where social distancing cannot be guaranteed, but not necessary when sitting in separate booths, such as during exams.

Pupils of every age will be encouraged as far as possible to use disposable tissues and avoid touching their nose, eyes and mouth, whilst teachers and other authorities are expected to use outside spaces as much as possible, to ensure all areas are cleaned and disinfected daily – three times a day in the case of the toilets – and to keep classrooms ventilated, with windows opened except where it is too cold or other weather conditions make this impossible.