Third member of staff returns positive test at secondary

TWO members of staff from a Derby secondary school are self-isolating after a third member tested positive for coronavirus.

A pupil at Allestree Woodlands School has also tested positive, although head teacher Gemma Penny says the two confirmed cases are not connected.

She said: “In the case of the student, the young person was not in school with symptoms or during the period before symptoms showed and we were advised no further action was required.

“In the case of the member of staff, we were required to identify who had been in close contact with the colleague and, as a result, some people have been asked to self-isolate.

“We have a policy of maintaining social distance between staff and students within classrooms and because the member of staff had adhered to that, there was no need to send students home. The colleague had not been in close contact with students during the infectious period.”

Mrs Penny said the school has been working closely with the Department for Education and Public Health England to determine the best course of action and that parents had been notified of the situation by email.

She said: “In general, we are operating a number of enhanced safety procedures to do our best to keep everyone safe.

“We have year group zones which have been a great success since we returned and which students have complied with brilliantly.

“We also have established routines that include using hand sanitiser upon

arrival to every lesson and, again, students have willingly supported this practice.

“For many families, it is hard to understand how the messages of groups of six people mixing fits with what they see and hear of schools.

“However, the Government has prioritised keeping schools open and we are seizing the chance to try to help our students feel confident and focused on their learning while we can; as ever, we know our young people learn best when they have their expert teacher with them.”

Mrs Penny said she could see challenges ahead for schools and added: “It is inevitable we will have to send some students home at some point.

“Like many secondary schools, Allestree Woodlands has a rich but complex curriculum. This means that students, particularly at key stage four, are taught a wide range of subjects in different groups.

“Options subjects, sets for maths, science and English for example are not taught in forms and these elements are in place for good learning reasons but do increase the number of people a young person might be in close contact with.

“However, I do not believe we would be serving our community if we stopped options subjects or students were allocated options based on their form group, for example. This means we have had to work to reduce risk while keeping everyone alert to the possibility.

“We have continued to try to educate our students about the behaviours that increase the level of risk and will continue to do so.”