More staff and pupils at Burton schools test positive
A NUMBER of children are taking part in virtual assemblies after two staff members at a new Burton school tested positive for Covid.
Henhurst Ridge Primary Academy, in Henhurst Ridge, is now providing virtual learning for pupils who have to self-isolate as a result.
They are due to return to lessons on Friday, October 16.
In the meantime, a deep clean of the areas the group has been using has taken place, with Staffordshire County Council saying the school has taken all the appropriate action.
The school opened for the first time in September 2018.
A spokesman for the academy said: “We can confirm that in unrelated cases, two members of staff at the academy have tested positive for Covid-19.
“In line with the Department for Education and Public Health England’s guidance, all close contacts of the staff members are now selfisolating and return to school on October 16.
“A deep clean of the zone and classrooms that the group has been based in has also taken place as a further precautionary measure.
“We have also been in close contact with Staffordshire County
Council and it has confirmed we are taking all appropriate action.
“In the meantime, we will revert to providing virtual learning for all pupils while they are at home, including running virtual assemblies, so that they can continue their learning if they feel well enough to do so.
“The safety of our pupils and staff is our number one priority and we have written to parents to inform them and to reassure them of our processes and practices.”
The academy has said children from two classes are currently at home.
Meanwhile, Burton’s biggest high school has had another confirmed Covid-19 case.
The affected pupil is in Year 8, meaning they are aged either 12 or 13.
A “small number” of de Ferrers pupils who have been in “direct prolonged contact” with the infected student have been informed and told to stay home for two weeks.
De Ferrers Trust chief executive Ian Mcneilly said: “It is a testament to the professionalism of staff and students who have been sticking to our guidelines that this positive test has only resulted in a very small number of pupils having to self-isolate.
“The few pupils who are at home are being provided with a wide range of work across their subjects so the disruption to their learning is minimised.”
A letter was sent out to parents informing them of the case on Friday, October 9.
They were told, if, by yesterday they had not been contacted, they should assume their child is safe to attend school.
It comes nearly a month after a staff member at the St Mary’s Drive school tested positive.
The staff member did not teach or come into contact with pupils, said a spokesman.
That meant none of them needed to self-isolate.
It is advised by the Government that anyone who comes into close contact with an infected person selfisolates for 14 days.