DETAILS on how pupils in the Wee County will be returning to school on a phased basis in August were revealed last week.

Education chiefs at Clackmannanshire Council revealed that under current plans for the resumption of full-time teaching, not all pupils will return on Wednesday, August 12.

Plans to phase children in will see an emphasis on making sure transitioning learners starting in S1 are "well settled" in the first week.

Special consideration is also to be given to young people in S4-6, who will "have to accelerate their learning to progress towards SQA qualifications".

However, by August 17 and provided the current plans do not change, all pupils will be back at schools in Clackmannanshire.

The details were provided at last Friday's, July 10, special council meeting following a question by Councillor Martha Benny.

Currently, the Wee County authority is expecting final guidance to come from Scottish Government on July 30, with an aim to hold a meeting with all headteachers the following day.

The final details will be confirmed for parents after that August 1 meeting.

Speaking about the current situation, education chiefs said the "uncertainty" around school has been "difficult for everybody".

Indeed, they highlighted how teachers are still waiting on advice from the SQA as to what the arrangements are going to be for the coming year.

Education chiefs told elected members: "We are working in really difficult circumstances; the teachers don't even know what the SQA demands are going to be for next year and they are having to plan the learning.

"There will be a bit of a phasing for the first week in secondary, but by August 17 all pupils in Clackmannanshire, provided the advice doesn't change, should be back in schools."

In primary schools, it will be a return "as quickly as possible", but some phasing can be expected.

Education officers said: "What we have asked the headteachers, and they have plans well in place, is to be able to consider if [for] some children that's too much of a step in that first week, because we need to remember the interests of children in this.

"Some children will find it really difficult to leave their family home after being isolated for such a long time, but equally, there will be others who we want to get in straight away to check that they are okay and that we can make the proper provision for them and get the partners and everybody round about them in the best way possible."

Meanwhile, plans already developed for a blended, part-time approach to teaching remain on the table as a contingency.

Transport plans are still being developed with further guidance expected from government.

However, there are hopes to promote active travel options as well as park and stride facilities.