Kettering academy's Year 9s told to stay at home after more staff self-isolate

A Kettering secondary school has decided to ask their Year 9 pupils to work from home after staffing levels made it impossible for them to be taught at school.

Kettering Buccleuch Academy principal Dino Di Salvo emailed a letter to parents to inform them of the immediate closure of the Year 9 'bubble'.

The all-through academy, part of the United Learning Trust, takes in children from nursery to sixth form and has more than 1,700 pupils.

The letter from Mr Di Salvo said: "My apologies for disturbing you on a Sunday evening, but I wanted to inform you that we have had to take the difficult descision this evening to ask Year 9 students to work remotely from home for the next five days (beginning Monday, November 23) instead of coming into school. This decision will be reviewed at the end of the week and we will contact you.

"At present we have very high levels of staff absence at the academy due to staff self isolating which means that we are unable to have sufficient members of staff in school to teach the Year 9 bubble this week and ensure the safety and well-being of all students across the academy.

"I am asking therefore that Year 9 stay at home for the next five days and access a full curriculum via our secondary remote learning link.

"We understand that this notification is short notice but it is only this evening that we have been made fully aware of the reduced number of staff that will be in the academy this week due test and trace notifications."

The letter went on to remind parents how to protect themselves and their families from the virus.

A spokesman for the academy said: "It is correct that Year 9 students are learning from home this week but this is due to staff members having to self-isolate due to test and trace rather than to having tested positive for Covid-19.

"The school will, of course, continue to follow the advice of the medical and scientific experts.

"Year 9 will continue their education this week from home with staff providing them with a full week of learning."