Pupils stay home as schools ignore minister’s advice

THOUSANDS of children were told to stay at home yesterday – despite the Education Secretary saying schools should remain open in most cases.

Eleven schools closed yesterday with almost all citing either a pupil or staff member testing positive, saying they needed a ‘deep clean’ or that there was a shortage of teachers.

After a confirmed case involving a child from Churston Ferrers Grammar School near Brixham, Devon, yesterday, four primaries also shut for the day – apparently over fears about pupils with siblings at the affected school.

With health chiefs warning schools could potentially be closed for two months if the outbreak gets out of control, the exam regulator called for affected pupils to be given special dispensation in this summer’s exams.

Last week more than 30 schools closed or sent home children who had returned from ski trips in northern Italy, scene of a major outbreak. Many of those are reopening.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson yesterday reiterated to MPs that schools ‘ should stay open unless they’re advised otherwise by Public Health England’. He told the Commons his department was ‘making sure that we have regular communications to all educational settings, making sure they have a clear understanding of some of the challenges in dealing with the coronavirus’.

His comments underlined Department for Education guidance which states that complete closure of schools is likely to be ‘unnecessary’, even if there are confirmed cases.

Yesterday, the closure of Churston Ferrers Grammar was followed by feeder schools Collaton St Mary in Paignton, Galmpton Primary School in Brixham, Berry Pomeroy Primary School in Totnes and Brixham Church of England Primary School and PreSchool. It is understood the primaries will reopen today. In south-west London, St Cecilia’s School in Southfields said it was shutting for the rest of the week because of two unconfirmed cases of coronavirus in individuals recently returned from Italy.

Wimbledon College in southwest London revealed it would close until next Tuesday after a member of staff tested positive after a trip to Italy.

St Mary’s Primary School in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, also said it would shut until tomorrow after a staff member was infected.

Willow Bank Junior School in Reading said it would be closing until Thursday after a case in neighbouring Willow Bank Infant School.

Aldryngton Primary, Reading, was also shut after an infected individual attended a training session there.