Secondary school closes third year group as Covid-19 continues to disrupt Northamptonshire education

A Northamptonshire secondary schools says it has been forced to close a third year group by the Covid-19 crisis.

Moulton School and Science College headteacher wrote to parents today (Friday) informing them that Year 11 would be closed until Monday December 7 as a "circuit break.".

Moulton School heateacher Angie Dabbs told mums and dads: "We have received notification today of two more positive cases of Covid-19 in Year 11 and one

further case in Year Nine. Fortunately, the case in Year 9 has been absent from school and there is no impact on any other students or staff.

"As we have now had 6 cases within Year 11 since November 19, we have closed the school to this bubble too and will reopen to Year Eight, Nine and 11 on December 7.

"Our plan is to introduce a ‘circuit break’ for at least ten days before we try again to resume a ‘normal’ curriculum for Year 11.

"I know I speak on behalf of all staff when I tell you that we are desperately sad to have to shut the school to any year group but especially to Year 11."

Year 11 students will be sitting GCSE exams in the summer.

Moulton's Years Eight and Nine have been learning at home this week as a result of teacher absences forced by positive tests or need to self-isolate following close contact with Covid cases

Wollaston School, Bishop Stopford and Buccleuch Academy in Kettering — are also known to have shut down year bubbles in the last week or so.

Department for Education guidance allows headteachers discretion over going public about closures, leading to calls for more transparency from parents.

Piublic Health figures showed 99 per cent of the county's schools were open in the week ending November 22 while around one in ten students were learning at home.

There are 31 active outbreaks in schools — two or more positive tests linked by place and time during the last 28 days — involving 306 cases..