A DUNFERMLINE sports club wants clarity over a decision to postpone the resumption of school coaching sessions.

Dunfermline Carnegie Hockey Club is one of a number of clubs and groups that work with Active Schools to deliver coaching in schools.

While COVID-19 has restricted their ability to do so, the hockey club were among those to receive a letter – seen by Press Sport – in April, from Active Schools, that stated that the "hope will be that from mid-May we expect to allow some external deliverers back in to deliver provision until the end of term".

However, three days before they thought they could return to schools and deliver sessions outdoors adhering to Scottish Government coronavirus guidelines, Carnegie were informed that they would not be able to re-start.

The decision has puzzled their development officer, Gordon Johnston, who explained that any sessions would see coaches attend one school per day, and work with one class at a time outdoors.

"I was sent from Fife Council a link which talked about the Scottish Government's guidance for schools, and the update for 17th May seemed clear that you could do outside stuff," he said.

"In the same release, they said how important it was for children to get back being outside and playing sports and activities, from the point of view of physical and mental health.

"This is actually in the Scottish Government's guidance, yet Fife Council for some reason decided not to allow that.

"It'd be that you go to one school, you'd have one class at a time, and that would be it. There wouldn't be any mixing of the kids; they'd still be in their bubbles.

"Furthermore, no-one will make a decision about what they're doing when the schools re-start in August. To my mind, it seems very odd. We wanted to know what the reason was and we're asking them to urgently address what's happening in August.

"Okay, if something comes up, it's just a phone call to say sorry, we have to re-do things, but they don't even seem prepared to make plans in advance."

He added: "Our community sessions are very active. We go into schools hoping to get kids coming into our sessions but, without any school activity, we're more or less full in the three sessions we run each week for the under-14s.

"We've got plenty to deal with but it was more the kids and giving them the opportunity to get back to some sort of normality. They've suffered with their education, losing the chance to take part in various activities, so I would've thought the council would've taken it upon themselves to let these kids have something other than just being in the school."

Active Schools manager Pam Colburn said: "We are continuing to work with partners on arrangements for extra-curricular sport and activities for the summer and the next academic year.

"However, for the rest of this school term, we are continuing to make sure pupils are involved in sports and physical activity within the school day."

The current school term ends on June 24, with pupils due to return after the summer break on August 18.