Powys County Council has set out plans for a ‘cautious approach’ as pupils return to school this week.

Students and staff across the county will return to classrooms tomorrow morning for the new school year, but the local authority is exercising caution due to an increase of Covid cases over the summer, particularly in 10-19 year olds.

In a letter addressed to parents last Friday, Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Phyl Davies, said that the cautious approach will hopefully help the transition to a more normal school day by the beginning of the third full week of school, on September 20.

Cllr Davies did however outline three immediate changes to the council’s guidance that will come into place tomorrow, Thursday, September 2.

These changes are; no staggered start and end to the school day - school opening and closing times will operate as normal, uniform will be expected to be worn in line with school policy, and breakfast clubs and after school clubs will be operating.

Outlining the roadmap for the next weeks, Cllr Davies added: “Other than these changes, measures in schools will remain in place and will be reduced cautiously in line with the risk assessment for each school.

“This means that for the first few weeks, the return to school will look much the same as before the holiday, with the use of face coverings and limited contact groups.

“We will then look to reduce these measures over the first few weeks in line with the new national framework for schools which will be expected to be in place in all schools by 20 September 2021.”

Cllr Davies also said that the council strongly encourages all staff and all pupils from year 7 upwards to takel lateral flow device (LFD) tests twice a week on a Sunday and Wednesday, while reminding that handwashing and good hygeine regimes from both staff and pupils will help prevent the spread of the virus.

The LFD tests are available at libraries and pharmacies throughout Powys.

Cllr Davies added: “We thank you for your co-operation to date and hope that by taking this cautious approach, children and young people can remain in school throughout the autumn term and things can be back to normal in our schools as soon as possible.”

Covid case rates in Wales have continued to climb in recent weeks to numbers not seen since January.

As of Sunday, the Wales case rate rose to 355 cases per 100,000.

Figures in Powys show the case rate was 312.6 per 100,000 over the bank holiday weekend - a record high for the county.

However Public Health Wales figures show deaths and hospital admissions remain much lower, thanks to the vaccine rollout.

On Friday, the Welsh Government confirmed there would be no changes to the current coronavirus rules in Wales.