A number of staff and students isolating after Royal Harbour Academy pupil tests positive for Covid-19

September 20, 2020 Kathy Bailes Education, News 5

RHA head teacher Simon Pullen

Twenty-five students and five staff at Royal Harbour Academy in Ramsgate are self isolating as a precautionary measure after a Year 7 pupil tested positive for Covid-19.

The secondary school was notified of the positive test by the child’s parent today (September 20).

Head teacher Simon Pullen said: “The school was notified today by the parent of a Year 7 student that their child had tested positive for COVID-19.

“We had prepared for this eventuality and following advice from Public Health England  the school contacted the parents of all children who had been in contact with the affected student.

“Twenty-five students and 5 staff are now self-isolating and the school is currently deep cleaning all areas where the affected student had been.

“The school has written to all parents advising them of what has happened and I would like to thank them and all our staff for their continued support through these worrying times.”

The letter to parents says the school is continuing to monitor the situation and is working closely with Public Health England.

It adds: “All other students and staff are able to continue to attend school as normal.”

Mr Pullen said students not contacted should continue to come into classes, adding: “We will work with families over attendance which is what the government has said we should do. The government has said that there are sanctions to be used if they are needed and we again would follow that advice. It is exactly right that we support families who have specific identified needs during this crisis but our aim is to get our students back in school learning with their teachers.

“On the Lower Site we have an innovative curriculum for Years 7 and 8 which is modelled on the primary school and makes for an excellent transition between primary and secondary school. Students have two main teachers, one focusing on the English and the humanities and one on science and maths. The other creative and vocational subjects are taught by subject specialists.
“That means for some days students are just in their class bubble and on other days they might mix with a few other students in the year group. When we explained the group structure to Public Health England their guidance was to contact the parents of the 25 students and request that they remain at home.”

Students are asked to follow covid guidelines around hand cleaning and social distancing and not to come into school if they have symptoms of the virus.

There have been 955 positive Covid tests in Thanet to date. However, infection rates remain relatively low. There have been six positive cases recorded i the week up to September 19. Across the UK infection rates are starting to rise again with a further 3,899 positive cases recorded today, according to government data.