St Margaret’s secures additional space to enable all pupils to return in August

St Margaret’s secures additional space to enable all pupils to return in August

22 June 2020

St Margaret’s School for Girls in Aberdeen has secured significant additional space on Albyn Place to enable all of its pupils to return to learning five days a week from August. The school’s lease at 3-5 Albyn Place will run from August 2020 and the space offers a minimum of six very large teaching spaces, additional bathrooms and handwashing facilities, an additional staff room and further useful spaces.

The school has been working carefully over recent weeks to apply government guidance on the re-opening of schools to its particular school structure and buildings. Working with health and safety, medical and property professionals in the process, the school is pleased to have secured the additional buildings to ensure they can maximise the time in which all St Margaret’s pupils can safely be educated in school when they re-open in August.

Head Teacher Anna Tomlinson said “the additional teaching space will provide a bright and spacious learning environment for our pupils, who are already used to being taught in small classes. The extra accommodation will enable us to accommodate our pupils in line with the new social distancing guidelines issued by the Scottish Government.

“The additional buildings, located only two minutes’ walk from the front door of school, offer an ideal solution under the current restrictions and we are delighted to be in a position to welcome back all pupils in August. Supporting physical and mental wellbeing is at the heart of our curriculum and to this end also intend to make greater use of outdoor space at our nearby playing fields at Summerhill.”

St Margaret’s, which is Aberdeen’s only all-girls school, has embraced a new way of learning online since the outbreak of Covid-19 led to the closure of all schools in March by using Google classrooms and setting up pupil and staff online hubs.

Anna Tomlinson said “the school community has pulled together during this unusual time to ensure that the girls’ education has continued, and the school is exceptionally proud of its pupils and very grateful for the support of its parent body. “

In order that teaching, learning and pastoral care may continue in all scenarios in the new year, the school has also made a substantial investment in Chromebooks for pupils and staff alike.

It is timely that St Margaret’s first school nurse will join the team at the end of July. an As an experienced paediatric practitioner the nurse will be on hand to provide guidance and advice during the re-opening phase, and the care of pupils going forward. Enhanced hygiene arrangements are already in place, not least through intensified cleaning regimes and the installation of additional handwashing facilities in the school’s original buildings.

Anna Tomlinson said “We very much look forward to welcoming our school community back in person in August and throughout the summer we will continue to make arrangements to ensure that we provide pupils and staff alike with the warm, friendly, safe and supportive environment which our school holds dear.”

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