December 14, 2020 1.59 pm This story is over 39 months old

School forced to shut after parent failed to isolate children

The school has had multiple positive COVID-19 cases
Sir Robert Pattinson Academy on Moor Lane in North Hykeham.

Sir Robert Pattinson Academy in North Hykeham has been forced to close until next year after the school said a parent failed to isolate their children despite a positive COVID-19 test within the home.

This caused a major problem and after spending several days at the school, two of the pupils tested positive. That had already led to hundreds of the school’s students being kept at home, but on Monday, December 14 a staff member also tested positive.

In a letter to parents/carers on Monday, headteacher Dale Hardy said the case of the staff member, who remains asymptomatic, “is directly attributable to the recent cases over the weekend after a detailed contact tracing exercise”.

He said it became clear many other members of staff and students might be affected, so the school will close at the end of Monday until January 4.

Parents have been advised that they may collect their children from the academy site throughout the day. Any who cannot be collected during the day can be kept at school and will travel home by bus as usual.

He said: “The circumstances that have occurred at the academy serve as a timely reminder to parents about the importance of taking appropriate action when their children show symptoms or come into contact with COVID.

“One case alone, due to not informing and not isolating, has forced the Academy to send hundreds of other pupils home. The effect had been devastating on the numbers of pupils that had already been told to stay away.”

He added: “It is clear that the number of affected students and staff make it untenable to keep the Academy open this week.

“This decision has not been taken lightly. I have tried, against the odds, to remain open in line with the government guidelines but events of the past few days have overtaken us.”

He added that the online curriculum for all year groups is already in place via the school website for this week and the school will contact parents/carers about additional remote learning opportunities.