Education chiefs in the Highlands have vowed there will not be a “one size fits all” approach adopted when schools reopen after the summer.
Highland Council has the largest number of schools under its remit in Scotland, in some of the most remote locations.
Now education committee chairman John Finlayson has assured parents that each school will adopt its own plan to adapt to the coronavirus guidelines as they prepare to reopen on August 11.
Head teachers will consult with their staff and parents during the process.
He said: “We have the national steer but categorically we will have a local authority steer and individual school steers, because because every situation is different in terms of numbers of pupils, types of building, suitability and age of buildings.
“Some Highland schools have three or four pupils making the return much easier while others have 1,000.”
The council has been preparing for school reopening since lockdown.
Mr Finlayson said the authority has been leading the way in relation to digital virtual learning, with resources and preparation for the blended approach of learning in school and at home continuing to be developed.
“The council has been thinking, planning and looking at how we’re going to move things forward, but extra resources will be needed to support a safe return to school,” he added.
“We’re going to have increased hand-washing, class sizes are going to be hugely reduced.
“We could bring other buildings into use to support social distancing.
“Paramount is the cost of transport, which could be huge as you can’t have up to 40 children in a bus, so there may have to be double runs or different approaches.”
Mr Finlayson said Highland Council will make sure it gets its fair share of the £9million Scottish Government funding announced for investment into 25,000 laptops and other devices, and improved broadband where needed.
Teachers will be back at school next month to start adapting their classrooms.
Some smaller schools might be able to return fully if there is space to accommodate the children safely, whereas bigger schools could have a day on-day off or morning on-afternoon off rota system, with home learning continuing in between.
But Mr Finlayson admitted there were already concerns about the impact of the changes on senior pupils preparing for exams.
He said: “If you’ve got pupils coming in only 50% of the time in the senior phases, can the exam system looking anything like previously?
“There are a lot of unanswered questions.”
Despite all the preparations, the councillor said it would be up to individual families to make a decision on schooling.
“Parent confidence will depend on how they perceive the flattening of the infection curve, and the scientific advice, but they have the final decision in whether to send their children back to school,” he said.
“I believe Highland Council will be as prepared for August 11 as any other local authority and probably ahead of many.”