PUPILS' return to school in August should be delayed to give staff time to prepare, a teachers union has warned.

Fife Council and school staff have been planning to welcome back children on a part-time basis from August 12 but education departments were sent back to the drawing board when Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced last week that they should prepare for the normal return of all pupils.

Following the u-turn, Greg Dempster, general secretary of the AHDS union which represents primary school headteachers and deputy heads, said that "more time" was be needed to make adequate preparations in line with the new guidance.

He told the Press: "Schools and school leaders will be delighted to welcome all pupils back into schools in August if it is safe to do so.

"Most local authorities have worked exceptionally hard to put in place systems so that pupils could return on 11 or 12 August with two-metres social distancing in place.

"With no revised guidance available yet about what might need to be in place for a return of all pupils, with schools mostly now on holiday, and also a decision due to be taken by July 30 about the nature of pupils' return to school, more time will be required after the break for staff to make appropriate arrangements to welcome pupils back.

"It isn’t as simple as pulling the extra desks and chairs back out of the cupboard and getting on with it.

"Furniture has, in many cases, been packed up and put into storage.

"School leaders and all staff will need to be confident and clear about the arrangements they have put in place and to communicate them to children and parents.

"Teachers will need some time to plan for a very different start to the year than they were expecting, perhaps with a different group of pupils."

Fife Educational Institute Of Scotland (EIS) said they would welcome a longer phasing period for both primary and secondary pupils.

"The number one issue for us is safety for both our young people and members and at the moment can we be sure of that?" David Famer, of the EIS, said.

"There is still a lot of anxiety and uncertainly there and serious concerns from our members.

"Mr Swinney has made a political decision but when it comes down to it, how is it actually going to work? It seems rushed.

"What about staff who have health problems, how is it comprehensible that there will need to be distancing between staff but not students, how will school transport work?

"Every teacher wants to go back to school but they want to feel safe and I'm sure parents want that too.

"We are hoping to get some of the answers to our questions in the coming weeks."

Fife Council told the Press they believe two in-service days at the start of the August term will provide the support required for staff but any increase in time would be decided by the Scottish Government.

Education chief Carrie Lindsay wrote to parents on June 30 to inform them Fife would now work towards the full return of children for schools and nurseries.

Their proposals currently include staggering high school pupils' return from August 12-14, with full-time hours beginning the week of the August 17.

Nursery children will also have a phased start but primary school pupils would be back full-time on August 12.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Blended learning is a necessary contingency plan in case the virus gets out of control again. We know how hard councils, schools and teachers have been working on this – it is vital work and we can’t thank them enough.

“The scientific evidence and public health advice underpinning our planning is being kept under constant review and we will make a decision on no later than 30 July on whether schools can return full-time.

“In the meantime, the Education Recovery Group, which brings together councils, teachers’ representatives, parent bodies and trades unions, will continue to meet over the summer to discuss the next steps to ensure the reopening of schools.”