Three Wellingborough primaries will close early this Christmas due to covid fears

Three Wellingborough primaries will finish the term a week early due to Covid-19 concerns.

Warwick Academy, Olympic Primary and Ruskin Academy will all close their doors on December 11 and add the missed school week onto the end of July next year.

A letter was sent home to parents this week by the schools, who are all part of the Londo- based Lion Academy Trust.

The letter says: “The impact of Covid on the running of the schools continues to be significant – and our efforts to balance the needs of pupils and staff and maintaining safe, secure schools continues to be our priority. It is clear however that the ongoing increase in cases and the detrimental impact of this on attendance by pupils and staffing levels, requires us to work creatively through these unprecedented times.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly – but in weighing up the realities of the increase in the prevalence of Covid (locally and nationally) and seasonal complaints (such as increased flu and related conditions) during the winter period, we are making this change to protect the teaching and learning for our pupils – and to react positively to the challenges we are confronting. Given the times of year that are affected – both now and in the summer period – it is deemed to be the biggest benefit to the schools and pupils during this period.”

The letter says closing early will reduce risk of transmission. Pupils will be given home learning packs and will return to school as originally planned on January 5.

Emily Hair, who is executive headteacher at Olympic Primary School, said she would not be commenting further. It has not been made public whether there have been any cases at the three schools, although a number of other schools across the county have had to send whole year groups home following a pupil testing positive.

There have been 543 positive Covid-19 cases in Wellingborough since the pandemic began.