Where in the country are the schools who are saying closure is imminent?
We are south coast, our local school partnership emailed this today:
“The government has not indicated imminent school closures. However, our schools will consider this a possible scenario in the future. They will therefore continue to ensure that they are prepared with work which pupils can access during any enforced closure period. This is just sensible contingency planning - schools do not expect to close unless Public Health England requires them to do so.
Where a pupil is not self-isolating and does not attend school despite the school operating as usual, the pupil will be marked as absent. The school will not be able to authorise this absence unless there is a clear indication from a medical professional that there is a medical vulnerability. Parents are therefore advised against keeping their children off school ‘as a precaution’.
Absence through self-isolation, as deemed necessary by the parent’s consideration of the government guidance, will be authorised due to exceptional circumstances. All other absences will be considered by the school just as they normally would.
Parents are reminded that self-isolation does not apply to whole families: one family member displaying the symptoms does not require all members of the family to isolate.
In summary, it is ‘business as usual ’as best we can unless and until the government advice changes.”