Whole secondary school year group will not be able to attend the last week of term due to Covid-19
By Tara O’Connor, local democracy reporter
A whole year group at a Croydon school will not be able to attend the last week of term due to coronavirus cases.
A positive case from a Year 8 pupil at Shirley High School means the year of more than 100 children will be taught remotely.
A mum, who asked not to be named, says it’s the third time her daughter has been sent home from school.
She explained it has been challenging for for her and her husband to take time off work each time it happens.
She said: “My daughter has been so upset that it is the year done and she won’t get to see her friends and finish the year together.”
The current system means that if one person in a “bubble” tests positive for Covid-19 the whole group has to be sent home.
From September the rule, set by the government, will change meaning that only the positive case will be sent home with contacts taking daily tests.
School principal Tyrone Myton said it has been a “challenging time” for all schools and he welcomes the changes coming in next term.
He added: “I would like to publicly thank my amazing staff for all they have done during this pandemic and I am sure all they will continue to do as we embark on the road to recovery and normality.
I would also like to praise the students and families of our school for continuously demonstrating one of our Shirley values ‘resilience’ during these difficult times.”
Mr Myton said that all other year groups will be on-site as normal from Monday and Year 8 children will be taught with live interactive lessons.
He said: “We will continue to set high expectations for our students and reinforce that their lives will not be defined by this moment in time.
“We consistently tell our students that when they look back on this moment in time, they should reflect on where they are, knowing that where they ended up was not because of this moment in time, but despite it.”