NEW clusters to offer learning support for children will not be "large hub schools", the education minister has said.
Schools are all closed until the end of the summer but some have been accommodating children of key workers and vulnerable young people.
On Tuesday, 760 pupils were being looked after in 405 schools across the north.
The number of children was up slightly on the 697 on Monday.
Education minister Peter Weir has been analysing the situation daily and has now written to principals.
While many schools have been open, some are concerned about the sustainability of the arrangements.
Schools have been issued with guidance on clustering to ensure there are sufficient places.
The advice, which has been developed by the Department of Education and its partners, is intended for schools that wish to work together and are not currently doing so.
An example of a cluster could include schools in a geographical location, an Area Learning Community or a shared education partnership coming together to agree suitable available premises.
The number of schools in each 'C-19 Cluster' will differ across localities.
The group can be from one phase or cross-phase and can be cross-sectoral. Any reasonable configuration that works in the best interests of children is acceptable.
If possible children from pre-school settings should be looked after in a primary or pre-school building.
They will also be supported by other schools in the area which have not had children of key workers attending to date.
The location of C-19 Cluster schools may change depending on circumstances. School should be able to offer a range of facilities including, if possible, space for outdoor play.
School leaders, including principals/playgroup leaders, vice-principals and senior teachers, from across the schools in the cluster will agree a rota, perhaps on a weekly basis for who is the `leader in charge'.
All staff, teachers, leaders, classroom assistants, non-teaching, cleaning and support, across all the schools involved, who are available for work within PHA guidelines, will be expected to be pooled.
Mr Weir said it was important to be prepared to provide as many places as required against an uncertain backdrop.
This may include providing places for children at weekends, Easter and other holiday periods.
Pooling resources, he said, was one potential way for dealing with this scenario.
"I want to emphasise that this approach is not about creating large hub schools or settings with large numbers of children or staff," the minister added.
"Rather the intention is to ensure there are sustainable arrangements in place across the education estate to provide a sufficient number of places for those key workers who have no alternative options for the supervision of their children.
“The cluster school should be a facility which is used by those parents who have no alternative arrangements for the supervision of their children and are working in essential roles in the fight against Covid-19.
"I would emphasise that all schools and pre-school settings should be open to make provision for supervised learning for vulnerable children and for key workers' children up to the end of Year 10. Only one parent needs to be a key worker."
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NUMBERS OF PUPILS IN OPEN SCHOOLS
DAY SCHOOLS PUPILS
Mar 31 405 760
Mar 30 406 697
Mar 27 449 686
Mar 26 464 848
Mar 25 488 989
Mar 24 580 1,172
