St George’s C/E school says it has asked Year 8 students to remain at home until December 7 because, alongside a small number of Covid infections, the school is ‘simply running out of staff.’
In a letter from headteacher Adam Mirams to parents and carers it is revealed that on any one day during the last week between 25 and 30 staff were absent, mainly due to having to isolate.
Mr Mirams said: “This clearly places huge amounts of pressure on all areas of the school and we are ensuring we can keep open to as many year groups as possible.
“This has resulted in large numbers of staff doing new things and making changes to their daily routines with no major noticeable effect on the children.
“However the impact is that certain practices at present are simply not possible across the school.”
Mr Mirams also revealed that some staff are working ‘seven days a week to act quickly once we are told about infections.’
He says it is impossible to eradicate all the risks but asks parents to ‘put your trust in us to make the right decisions for all in our community.’
In the letter Mr Mirams thanks parents and carers for their support and adds: “It continues to be an extremely challenging time for all our pupils, staff and parents and it is a credit to all that we continue to function day to day in the most effective way we can. This doesn’t mean that anything is completely normal and there remains much uncertainty which doesn’t help the anxiety levels involved.
“The children continue to be a real credit to you all.”
Year 8 students are isolating until December 7. Year 9 students are due back to the school on Monday.
It is understood that Year 1 and Year 2 bubbles at Priory Infants in Ramsgate are also isolating.
Parents with children in Year 4 at Drapers Mills have also been asked for the youngsters to isolate until December 9 and Year 10 at Dane Court has also been sent home due to confirmed cases.
According to Kent County Council data 25 Thanet schools have informed the authority of Covid cases between September 1 to November 17. Schools do not have to inform KCC of cases or closures so the number is likely to be greater than recorded.
