TESTING at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus is being encouraged when all secondary pupils return to school full-time.

Fife Council has written to parents and carers ahead of the Easter break and when they return to school on April 12.

Carrie Lindsay, executive director of education and children's services, has reminded families what their child should expect after the holidays.

All primary school pupils have been in the classroom since March 15 prior to breaking up for the Easter holidays.

All secondary school pupils will have had some time in the class during the same period, with home learning also taking place.

Ms Lindsay has outlined what children and young people should prepare for across all forms of education after the holidays.

On early learning and primary schools, she said: "For children in nurseries and primary schools, the school day will continue as it has done for the past few weeks. The restrictions we currently have in place will remain, where children continue to learn in bubbles where possible and breaks and lunchtimes are slightly different.

"I’d like to ask you to continue to take care when you drop your children at school, try to keep your distance from others where possible and please continue to wear a face-covering in and around the school premises."

For pupils attending high schools, she continued: "For our secondary school pupils, I am happy to be able to say that, following the Easter break, we are anticipating that they will all be back in class full-time.

"This is excellent news for them and for us ... and possibly even more so for most of you, too! I do need to say that this won’t be fully confirmed by the Scottish Government until next week, so if anything changes this plan, I will need to write to you again over the break.

"However, when our children return to our secondary schools, all special COVID prevention measures which were in place in the school before Christmas will be in place.

"Your own school will write to you to make sure that your child knows what is expected when they return.

"In addition, we expect all pupils and staff to wear face-coverings at all times in the school, even in the classroom, unless they are exempt; pupils will no longer have to observe two-metre distancing in school; staff and pupils will have access to COVID-19 home testing kits.

"We’d like to encourage everyone to take part in testing regularly at home, to help keep the virus at bay. One in three people who have COVID-19 don’t have any of the usual symptoms so regular testing can help stop any spread. Your child should already have had the opportunity to collect kits from their own school. If not, please contact your school."

Normal transport arrangements will be in place to ensure that returning children are able to get to school.

Ms Lindsay highlighted that all pupils should continue to follow guidance for travelling to and from school.

She said: "Hand hygiene is really important. Children must wash or sanitise their hands before leaving the house and sanitise their hands when they get to school.

"All children over the age of five must wear a face-covering on all school transport (unless they are medically exempt)."